Pope Criticizes Atheism in Encyclical
VATICAN CITY (AP) - Pope Benedict XVI strongly criticized atheism in a major document released Friday, saying it had led to some of the “greatest forms of cruelty and violations of justice” ever known. In his second encyclical, Benedict also critically questioned modern Christianity, saying its focus on individual salvation had ignored Jesus’ message that true Christian hope involves salvation for all. The document, titled “Saved by Hope,” is a deeply theological exploration of Christian hope: that in the suffering and misery of daily life, Christianity provides the faithful with a “journey of hope” to the Kingdom of God…. “We must do all we can to overcome suffering, but to banish it from the world is not in our power,” Benedict wrote. “Only God is able to do this.”
Georges Santayana was right…those who don’t know history really ARE condemned to repeat it. In the case of the Catholic Church, willful ignorance of history seems to be a cottage industry. Or, is Pope Benedict so stupid and arrogant as to believe that the history of his beloved Church is spotless? One could certainly put foward a convincing argument that some of the “greatest forms of cruelty and violations of justice” could be laid directly at the front door of the Vatican…or do I really need to trot out the Church’s complicity in the Holocaust and it’s cooperation with the Nazis in a naked attempt at self-preservation? The miserably self-interested behavior of the Chruch in Croatia alone during WWII is enough to put the lie to the idea that it is and always has been on the side of truth and justice.
It would seem that Benedict’s God is more concerned with financial well-being and political power than in caring for those who believe in Him. Benedict’s God is a mean-spirited, self-absorbed S.O.B. more concerned with symbolism and out of touch Conservative doctrine than the teachings of His own son. Benedict’s God would feel right at home among the “kill-‘em-all-let-God-sort-‘em-out” ninnies of the Christian Coaltion.
It would be nice to think that Benedict actually gives a damn about his flock. Sadly, it appears nothing could be further from the truth. For this Pope, as it was for the previous one, it’s all about preserving the power and position of the Church. It’s about protecting their precious Conservative doctrine and keeping Catholics in thrall to the teachings of a collection of mean-spirited, well-fed, celibate, cranky males who don’t have clue one about sex, love, and family- because they’ve never allowed themselves to experience any of it.
It would be nice to think that Benedict’s words about overcoming suffering actually carried a degree of meaning and sincerity. Unfortunately, even that appears to be a cynical advertisement for the virtues of Catholicism…and yet millions still hang on Benedict’s every utterance. Go figure.
What Would Jesus Do? I think that, were He to find himself in Vatican City, He’d be kicking some serious @$$…and if I were Him, I’d start with Pope Benedict XVI and kick his hypocritical @$$ from one side of St. Peter’s Square to the other.
