Utterly ridiculous: Pope calls Christians the most persecuted

[cali]

VATICAN CITY – Pope Benedict XVI says Christians are the religious group that suffers most from persecution.

He expresses his worry in the Vatican's annual World Peace Day message for the new year. He laments that this year was again marked by "terrible acts of violence and religious intolerance."

Benedict said he is especially thinking of Christians in Iraq, where an attack on a Catholic cathedral in Baghdad in October killed two priests and more than 50 other faithful.

The Vatican on Thursday released the message, in which the pope equates lack of religious freedom with threats to world security and peace.

Benedict also decries what he calls "sophisticated forms of hostility to religion," including rejection of religious symbols at times in some Western countries.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101216/ap_on_re_eu/eu_vatican_religious_persecution

[hobbit709]

1. I have two words for you, Pope Ratzo-The Inquisition.

[piratefish08]

2. baaawaaahaaaahaaaaahaaaaaaaaa

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[dflprincess]

3. He can thank his fellow conservative, George W. Bush for the attacks in Iraq.

Prior to our "liberating" the country, it was secular and Christians were left alone.

[dimbear]

28. This is exactly correct. The actions of George W Bush caused

the practical extermination of Christianity in Iraq. Mission accomplished. Didn't make his list of regrets, as I recall.

[sarcasmo]

4. Delusional.

[BakedAtAMileHigh]

5. He Must Have Taken a Few Minutes Away From Hiding & Defending Child Rapists

to send this message. Good for him. Way to go, Ratzo.

[hlthe2b]

6. Oh, heavens no... Surely he must know the most persecuted....

are American RETHUGLICANs.



:sarcasm: (if I really need it)

[lame54]

11. I thought the most persecuted were Sarah Palin

[hlthe2b]

14. I'm sure she would agree.

Uggh... She is a young woman and thus we really will never be freed from hearing about her, will we? :puke:

[Demstud]

7. It could very well be true

Of course the majority here are pretty biased against Christians due to the situation we have with evangelical Christians influencing politics. If you look at China, the middle east, and India where Christians are often persecuted, that's a pretty sizable chunk of the world population.

[Angry Dragon]

13. So if a religion crosses the line into politics it should be overlooked??

How about separation of church and state??

Is it the religion or the people that are being called out??

You got religion?? Good for you
If you try to make me live by your religion, I get pissed.

[humblebum]

19. If numbers killed throughout history are being considered then the Pope is absolutely

correct. And Christianity is very much under fire around the world today, but that is not to say that they are the only group who has been persecuted. People persecute people. Christianity is the main target for radical atheists here on DU without question.

[trotsky]

20. LMAO

:rofl:

Thank you, hb! You always bring me great laughter with your comedy routines!

[humblebum]

21. If you can't debate 'em, you heckle 'em. That's your style trotsky.

Is that really the reputation you want?

[trotsky]

22. You were debating?

:rofl:

Classic! You almost got me there!

[darkstar3]

23. False.

As always, your rose colored glasses have brought you falsified facts.

[ZombieHorde]

29. Oops!

[ProdigalJunkMail]

8. The Inquisition was mostly christian on christian violence

so in his mind that still would count...

sP

[Drale]

9. Everyone thinks they are the most of something

the grass is always greener.

[DonCoquixote]

10. I feel sad when I read this

I was once a Catholic, and at one point, was going to become a priest. However, my conscience bit me, and I knew that I could not support the agenda of Pope John Paul 2. I eventually left the Church. I will confess that I do miss having Faith, but seeing Johnny Rat in place reminds me that the Church needed to repent.

[AlecBGreen]

30. I can understand your desire to not join the priesthood

How did you end up losing your faith? Im assuming you are no longer a Christian ("I will confess that I do miss having Faith"). What do you miss and what dont you miss? I know these are very personal question so please dont feel pressured to answer.

[Le Taz Hot]

12. Well, the Catholic Church does know all about

violence and religious intolerance, doesn't it?

[madrchsod]

16. they built their empire on it...

[madrchsod]

15. almost 2000 yrs of persecuting people across the globe

ya...we are really persecuted.

[Poll_Blind]

17. Oh my aching back- what a pantload. n/t

PB

[stopbush]

18. Nobody ever seems to ask whether Christians should be persecuted

as payback for the persecution they've done across the centuries.

Turnabout is fair play, no?

Hey, Ratzo - how's that "sell everything you have and follow me" dictate from Jeebus working out at the Vatican?

[rrneck]

24. Jesus H. Christ nt

[rug]

25. Completely ridiculous. Everyone knows atheists are the most persecuted.

[edhopper]

26. Seems he has a problem

remembering the Holocaust.
But then, he would.

[pokerfan]

27. so persecuted...

[AlecBGreen]

31. Off the top of my head

These are the places where Christians are truly, actually persecuted, by which I mean people are targeted and killed for their belief:

Iraq
Sudan
North Korea
China to a much lesser extent (I dont know how many if any are killed for being Christian)

I found this interesting:

"The Christian presence is a blessing in Israel, and so it should be considered by other countries regarding their own Christian populations," (Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman) Yigal Palmor said. I wonder if he would say (believe?) the same thing about the presence of Muslims.

I would be more sympathetic if the Pope were to beg for forgiveness for the Church's long history of persecution. "Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us." "As you forgive, so shall you be forgiven." and perhaps most appropriate, "As you judge, so shall you be judged." Repentance leads to salvation. I would hope the figurehead of the Catholic Church would be quick to ask for forgiveness and repent. He should lead by example, shouldnt he?

[KaoriMitsubishi]

32. They probably are whe most persecuted

Consider how they torment their own minds with baseless phobias and preaching which induces paranoia and delusional ideation. The Pope's statement is proof of that. Christians are their own worst enemies.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

33. Said by a former member of the Hitler Youth.

Call the wahhmbulance, old man. You got no room to talk.

He's also the former head of the Office of the Inquisition, now changed to The Office for the Doctrine of the Faith, as to be less intimidating and more politically correct.

Go to hell, Ratzi.

[LeftishBrit]

34. Christians are indeed persecuted in some places where they are a minority...

e.g. Iraq and Pakistan.

Persecution of religious minorities is a generally serious problem.

However, he trivializes this serious problem when he refers in the same breath to 'hostility to religious symbols' in some Western countries. This is not persecution.

[jemelanson]

35. The GREATEST persecutor of Christians is other Christians.

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/12/tea_party_nation_founder_lets_get_rid_of_the_socia.php?ref=tn


Tea Party Nation Founder: Let's Get Rid Of The 'Socialist' Methodist Church

Tea Party Nation founder Judson Phillips has a dream: "No more Methodist Church."

A blog post on his Tea Party Nation page says that on Friday he walked by the United Methodist Building in Washington D.C., which had a sign that said, "Pass the DREAM Act." Phillips wrote: " I have a DREAM. That is, no more United Methodist Church."



Phillips explains that he was formerly a member of the church, but he left because it's "the first Church of Karl Marx," and "little more than the "religious" arm of socialism."

"The Methodist church is pro-illegal immigration," he continues. "They have been in the bag for socialist health care, going as far as sending out emails to their membership "debunking" the myths of Obamacare. Say, where are the liberal complaints on the separation of church and state?"

"In short, if you hate America, you have a great future in the Methodist church," he says.

Phillips has recently argued that it's a "wise idea" to only let property owners vote. He's also defended an email he wrote calling for supporters to help "retire" Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) because "he is the only Muslim member of congress."