May 13, 2004
Going To The Pope
I read this origianlly when it was sent to an email list I'm on. It had no link, but I found the original source here.
The upshot is that apparently the President has asked for a meeting with the Pope, and he can expect to be scolded.
I have issues with this, I really do. One, I've never understood why United States Presidents visit the Pope. I could see it they were Roman Catholic, but that isn't usually the case. If they're going to go calling on the Pope, then what about the leaders of other people's religions? Or do only Roman Catholic citizens merit their President visiting the head of their church? I, for one, am getting a little tired of it.
Two, the comments by this Cardinal just set me off:
"The United States must also stop and I think it has the strength to do so. It must re-establish respect for human beings and return to the family of nations, overcoming the temptation to act on its own," he said."If it does not stop, the whirlwind of horror will involve other peoples and will lead us ever more to the abyss," said the cardinal.
Cardinal Laghi said he is certain that the Holy Father will repeat to Bush "the advice I gave him, which he decided not to heed. Now we see how wise it was."
We need to re-establish our respect for human beings and return to the family of nations?? Excuse me? How dare you preach to us! I'm sorry but this just has me fuming. Bad enough this Cardinal thinks he has the right to treat our country and our President like naughty children who don't know any better, but President Bush just gives these people more ammunition by asking to meet with them. It gives them a sense of justification, like he's some sort of damn supplicant. I don't care what the Pope thinks, any more than I care what the Dalai Lama thinks!
[insert blogger Lamaze exercises]
Posted by Ithildin at May 13, 2004 5:32 PM | PROCURE FINE OLD WORLD ABSINTHE
Charles, thanks for that.
Posted by: Ith at May 13, 2004 5:51 PMWell you can just see that we've only had one Roman Catholic president and looked what happened to him. I think it's just for show, there might be a few blessing.
The Vatican doesn't hold any real power anymore, no one actually lookes to the Pope for guidance in world affairs, grant it, his ear for listening (or the ones who run the Vatican when he's too ill) but nothing more. He's going to preach a peaceful environment for the world anyway, however the world is everything but...
It might be more however to do with Bush's view on abortion and homosexual marriage. But defitinely a prayer for the troops might come out of it.
The jingoistic American part of me tends to agree that Cardinal Laghi ought to be told to "get bent." America is a democracy; the Church is not and the Pope is infallible only on matters of faith and morals.
That said, I think some context is worthwhile. The fact is that this Pope was a man who personally faced down the twin evils of Nazism and Communism in his lifetime. Thanks to him, Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher, we all live in a world today that is substantially better than it was in 1988. For that reason alone, I'd visit him if I was a Protestant president. (Albeit given his health, I wonder how much actual work would get done in such a meeting.)
Further, like it or not, the RCC is a church with sovereignty. The Vatican diplomatic corp is quite effective and has been for centuries. This history makes Rome different from Tibet or Salt Lake City.
Moreover, Catholicism is not without influence. 1 in 4 Americans are Catholic (and yet we've only had one Catholic president.) Likewise, internationally because of the sheer size of the Catholic population - over 1 billion - and its network of informants throughout the world, the Vatican plays a definite role in world diplomacy.
I don't think we have to worry about the President selling us out to the Jesuits.
Posted by: Peter Sean Bradley at May 14, 2004 12:16 PM
Maybe he should see the Leader of Our Church... as in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints for some Real Inspiration.
This is what our Prophet said (I'm Paraphrasing):
War is Hell: sure it is, Robert E. Lee said it, and it's the truth.
It should be avoided: sure it should. We all look forward to the day where we can have peace.
That said, it is NOT the worst of fates. Our founding father fought for freedom....: we all should know this.
...and it is better that we fight in memory of our Homes, our Lives, our Families and Freedom than suffer them be destroyed at the hands of evil men: Nuff said.
...A war for freedom, while bad now, may be God's way of showing his power and influence on earth: he's done it before.
...and Freedom is integral to his plan.
As of know, I think we're one of the few churches whose leaders have spoken in support of the war.
Oh, and BTW: we're also known as Mormons.
Posted by: Charles Hammond Jr. at May 13, 2004 5:40 PM