9 Comments

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  SezWho2 at 10:17 AM JST - 14th April

  The pope may not be coming as a politician, although I doubt that anyone ever gets to be head of the Roman Catholic church without being first and foremost a politician.

  However, the president is certainly being political in meeting him. I think it particularly ill-advised to celebrate the "moral authority" of a man who has yet to adequately account for what many Islamic people consider to be anti-Islamic views expressed at Regensburg.

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  pvarghese at 03:01 PM JST - 14th April

  Very interesting and serious news. Of course Pope is not a political head, but his statements quiet often create flutter even among the politicians. Let's hope that this visit may not create any chaos. philvergh@yahoo.co.in

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  some14some at 03:10 PM JST - 14th April

  that's ok, Bush is good at reception and deception as well.

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  redacted at 03:15 PM JST - 14th April

  "I think it particularly ill-advised to celebrate the "moral authority" of a man who has yet to adequately account for what many Islamic people consider to be anti-Islamic views expressed at Regensburg."

  Yassar Arafat called Jews "pigs and monkeys." He was invited 13 times to the Clinton White House.

  Why does the Pope need to answer to Muslims?

  They have their faith, he has his; just as Bush practices a form of Christianity different from the Pope's Catholicism.

  Look at the article: "He [Bush] added that he wanted to honor Benedict’s conviction that “there’s right and wrong in life, that moral relativism has a danger of undermining the capacity to have more hopeful and free societies.”

  Seems pretty clear-cut to me. The President of the US wants to honor a man who, like his predecessor, has aims congruent with America's.

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  Nessie at 07:28 PM JST - 14th April

  Becuase he's infallible. Just like Bush.

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  skipthesong at 08:59 PM JST - 14th April

  yet to adequately account for what many Islamic people consider to be anti-Islamic views expressed at Regensburg." I knew that was coming to come up. You have Carter getting ready to talk to Hamas, Obama wishing to talk to AQ and all the pope has done was words. I guess in order to get your approval, he should cut off a couple of heads...

  Don't get me wrong, if I had my way, the Pope wouldn't be welcomed either, but if I had to choose between him or the others. well, ok then.

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  Loki520 at 09:21 PM JST - 14th April

  Bush should advice him to work on "keeping his troops out of the school yards" and stay out of politics.

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  Sarge at 09:25 PM JST - 14th April

  "John Paul... spoke out vigorously against the Persian Gulf War"

  Apparently he wanted Kuwait erased from the map.

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  SezWho2 at 11:39 PM JST - 14th April

  redacted,

  I don't think the pope has aims that are congruent to America's. The pope aims to interpret God's word and to increase and strengthen the congregation of believers who subscribe to his interpretation. Our aim is to create a secular society which maximizes the freedom of individuals. The colonists never could agree on an interpretation of God's will and that's why we have religious freedom to the extent we do.

  If it's an end to moral relativism that you want, extremist religions should be right up your alley. They have no room for moral relativism. Ultimately, moral relativism is what makes us human.

  I have no problem with the pope going to the White House. I have much more of a problem with your attempt at using Arafat's invitations to the White House as an attempt to smear Clinton. (And with it perhaps the left? Got to get those digs in.) My problem is with the president meeting the pope at the airport. This accords the pope an unmerited honor.

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