R-12 Ahhh! but it feels so much better to recieve..

Priests accused in $8 million church theft
MIAMI (Reuters) - Two Roman Catholic priests allegedly misappropriated more than $8 million from their church and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on real estate, travel, rare coins and girlfriends, police in Florida said on Friday.
*********************************************************************************
More twists and turns are being exposed on the denied and corupt dark side of religion... Although most of these posts have been related to Catholics... they apply equally to ALL religions... It's just that each religion does it in a slightly different manner, depending on their beliefs, customs and traditions...

JR

R-11 the UGLY, the BAD...side of... the GOOD?

Pig's head dumped outside mosque at start of Ramadan

LONDON (AFP) - Police have revealed they were investigating the dumping of a pig's head outside a mosque on the first full day of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan....The head was found outside the Jamia Mosque in Newport, southeast Wales, on Saturday. The Koran strictly forbids Muslims to eat pork.

"There is a good and bad in every community and I believe we have some young fanatics who could take this the wrong way," he said...... "It is a very sensitive time for Muslims and since 9/11 we are facing a lot of problems which are unwanted.

R-10 Foot in Mouth disease..

Vatican envoys urged to work for freedom

VATICAN CITY - The Vatican's new secretary of state urged diplomats Friday to work for religious freedom everywhere, touching on a sensitive issue between the Holy See and some countries, including Muslim ones, where people are not allowed to worship freely......

Two weeks ago, Pope Benedict XVI angered many Muslim religious and political leaders with a speech that quoted a Byzantine emperor who characterized some of the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad as "evil and inhuman," particularly "his command to spread by the sword the faith.".....

Why do I say "Foot in Mouth disease"... look at the first paragraph and at what they imply....but don't say outright.... they are attacking Muslims again.. by saying that muslim countries don't allow people to worship freely...

R-9 R.E.S.P.E.C.T. what does it mean to me?

Pope: Tolerance must be based on respect
Pope Benedict XVI, who has been harshly criticized by Muslims for remarks about Islam, said Thursday that true tolerance must be based on respect and the Catholic Church is not trying to forcibly instill its message....."For this reason, the encounter with others must be marked by tolerance and cultural openness," the pope said. "True tolerance always presupposes respect for the other, for man, who was created by God, whose existence was wanted by God."

Church removes Zambia archbishop...Pope Benedict XVI has excommunicated a Zambian archbishop, Emmanuel Milingo, two days after he ordained four married men as bishops.....A Vatican statement said he had been automatically excommunicated under church law because of his actions....
*************************************************************************
R.E.S.P.E.C.T. what does it mean? Well if your the Pope, it means... "How other people are supposed to treat their fellow human beings... BUT, then the good old "not withstanding" clause of the Golden Rule comes into play here, as he, nor the institution of the Catholic Church has to abide by the same definitions and rules that apply to others...... How ironic is it that he can pompously and piously professes R.E.S.P.E.C.T. for others, yet fails to do the same for those ordained within his very Church.....

He's still trying (KEYWORD - trying) to talk his way out....but he can't... as he's way too deep in denial...

JR

R-8 Pope goes to highest power

The Pope calls to the highest power in the land
'06 Sept 27 UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The Vatican used the stage of the United Nations on Wednesday to try to make amends for remarks by Pope Benedict that drew fury from Muslims worldwide.

The pope has faced persistent criticism despite four attempts to make amends, without actually apologizing directly, for a speech he gave on September 12 in his native Germany..... His last effort was in Italy on Monday when he spoke to diplomats from some 20 Muslim countries plus leaders of Italy's own Muslim community.
*****************
Ever since the Vatican tossed up the shit and the Pope turned on the fan, the Pope and Vatican have tried their damndest to convince Muslims... and the world that they are right, even thought the Pope adamantly claims that what he said is not what he thinks or believes....and the Vatican backs him up... Dah? Today...frustrated that Muslins and quite a few "other" people... are not accepting their "non apology" rhetoric, the pope and Vatican, called upon the sympathies and compassion of the highest toothless power on Earth, the pretentious United Nations (Big Boys Club --- Select Members Only) to spread the word that it's OK to accept mis-information and lies from people that have hidden agendas but deny they do... The pope felt that he was coming to the right place for that and....to his credit... he was in good company today.

But hey... don't forget... this is also a political move on the part of The Church as The Dalai Lama scores points yesterday...... so why not kill two birds with one stone...

PS: The views expressed in this post do not reflect my personal thoughts or opinions. They are just words meant to provide information and to be used as a filler for this blog... :)

'06 Sept 28 Hey...they heard me Call to overhaul Security Council heard
UNITED NATIONS - Amid the vitriol and accusations, leaders at this year's General Assembly meeting sounded the same note: The U.N. Security Council doesn't represent our interests anymore, and it must be reshaped to reflect the world of 2006, not 1945, the year it was created.

R-7 Dalai Lama now shows his hand

06 Sept 26 > Dalai Lama: Too many lives lost in Iraq >>>LONG BEACH, Calif. - The Dalai Lama said Tuesday that violence in Iraq has cost too many lives and soured his view of the U.S.-led war.

>>>> While the Dalai Lama appeared to focus on the "political" US/Iraq conflict, there was also the obvious but unspoken (denied) reference to the controversy going on with the Pope (Christian Catholics) and the Muslims. I'm sure that the Dalai Lama now feels it's right time to come out as the SMILEY "good guy" and get his digs in and score brownie points. Same basic peace message rhetoric as the Pope... but promoting his religious point of view... Same shit....different fan.... lets see where this blows to.

saysame...
John

R-6 Pope has new plan to avoid telling the truth.

'06 Sept 27 > Pope says tourism can promote dialogue > Pope Benedict XVI said Wednesday that tourism should help different cultures bridge gaps and promote dialogue between people..... "I hope that tourism will increasingly promote dialogue and respect between cultures, thereby becoming an open door to peace and harmonious cohabitation," Benedict said.

Maybe his holiness should take his own advice and get of his holy ass and do more sight seeing to bridge his own cultural gap....It's Ironic that the pope is now asking for public support to take the pressure of what he couldn't or rather... wouldn't do, that being to personally apologize for his hate comment.... It's the same old rhetoric and the same old "Golden Rule"....Do unto others as you would have others do unto...(preaching Peace and Harmony) and.."do as I say, don't do as I do"

Yadda, Yadda, Yadda, I'm getting tired of hearing all this bullshit, aren't you? I Hummmm? Well ... maybe not... if you're a "good" Catholic, then right now you're pissed off with me and calling what I'm saying bullshit.... :) I said that and then I thought to myself, am I really tired of hearing it? Yes and no. "Yes" in that it's all I've ever heard in some form or another and, 'No" because I'm seeing it unravel in a way that it never has before... and I'm also recording it so it's easy to show and tell...

R-5 Oh Oh! ---- Trouble in Paridise

'06 Sept 26 Oh Oh! Trouble in Paridise > Vatican sexcommunicates Zambia archbishop >>>The Vatican, accusing Milingo of "sowing division and disarray among the faithful," The Vatican also said that Milingo violated church law when he created an association of married priests and when he celebrated Mass with married clergy.
'06 Sept 26 >Mexico cardinal denies protecting priest accused of rape and molestation Cardinal Norberto Rivera on Sunday urged a Mexican priest charged with raping and molesting children to turn himself in but denied accusations that he helped protect the fugitive......Similar suits have cost U.S. Catholic dioceses an estimated $1.5 billion, alarming church leaders worldwide......Church officials in Los Angeles also have denounced the legal action, saying it is baseless.

R-4 Pope plays politics

'06 Sept 23 Religion and Politics... (Bed-fellows) Evangelical voters more jaded in 2006 > Christian conservatives, traditionally a reliable Republican constituency, aren't necessarily a GOP gimme this time around.

'06 Sept 24 > Cat Stevens criticizes pope over Islam comments...In an interview with BBC television, Islam (Cat Stevens) said that he went to a Catholic school, "so at one point I used to believe that the Pope was infallible." But he added that the pope's comments on Islam showed he was fallible,

'06 Sept 25 > Pope says 2 faiths must overcome enmity Benedict...has not offered a complete apology as some have sought....His five-minute address Monday at a meeting with 22 foreign diplomats and representatives of Italian Muslim organizations ..was called "mainly political" intended to improve relations with Muslim states......Fahmi Howeidi, a liberal Islamic writer in Egypt, said that since the pope did not apologize, protests may continue.... "The people that were convinced he was against Islam are not going to change their minds,"

R-3 Pope selling.... Muslims not buying...

'06 Sept 19 Muslims want further apology from pope....."We firmly ask the Vatican Pope to offer a personal, public and clear apology to the 1.5 billion Muslims in this world."

'06 Sept 20 Pope says anti-Islam quotes not his own views...."The Pope says it does not express his views. So what are his views?" said Mohammed Habib, deputy head of the influential group. "He must say these views (in the quotes) are incorrect."
Attempted assassin warns Pope against Turkey visit

'06 Sept.22 Thousands rally against pope in Mideast

R-2 Pope claims "diplomatic immunity"

'06 Sept.18 The Pontiff said on Sunday he was deeply sorry Muslims had been offended by his use of a medieval quotation on Islam and holy war. But he stopped short of retracting a speech seen as portraying Islam as a religion tainted by violence.
Al-Qaeda threatens jihad over Pope's remarks

My question is that if the quotation from a medieval text, does not in any way express the personal thoughts of the Pope or Vatican, then why in the hell did he say them? Dah! I don't believe for one moment that he is ignorant and would recite words that mean nothing. I do however believe that he is now trying to feign ignorance, knowing full well what he was saying but now that the shit has hit the fan, he is piously trying to claim papal diplomatic immunity.

That also brings up another issue. Why is he the pope? I thought that the Pope was Gods infallible spokesperson on Earth though the Church? Is this how God speaks through him? Sounds like he's in league with, and listening to someone other than God, as God would have know how these words would affect Muslins and would not have said them... not because they would offend some Muslims...but because they were unloving and said with unloving intent. It's all beginning to fall apart.....

R-1 True Colours - Shit hits fan

Remarks by Pope Prompt Muslim Outrage, Protests

The pope began his lecture at the University of Regensburg by quoting from a 14th-century dialogue between the Byzantine emperor, Manuel II Paleologos, and a Persian scholar. In a passage on the concept of holy war, Benedict recited a passage of what he called "startling brusqueness," in which Manuel questioned the teachings of Islam's prophet, Muhammad. (See third paragraph for quote)

"Show me just what Muhammad brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached," Benedict quoted the emperor as saying.
The pope neither explicitly endorsed nor denounced the emperor's words, but rather used them as a preface to a discussion of faith and reason. The Vatican said the pope did not intend the remarks to be offensive to Muslims.
***********************************************************************************

Hey it's happening... and I think it's great! Why? Because all the self interest corruption, lies, deceit and denials are coming to the surface.... "And the truth shall set you free".... I'd say the Popes speech was along the same lines as Bushs political adgenda, but Bush would have choosen his favorite words like terrorists, axis of evil and weapons of mass destruction.

What has been silently denied for countless centuries is finally being exposed and "the" church (in this case the Catholic Church) is beginning to show its TRUE colours, and NOT what it claims to be. While we (as a society) attempt to separate church and state it is an undeniable fact that they are intertwined and always have been as the very fabric of society and its social structures, even in primitive ones. Everyone has a religious or non-religious belief and if they are in politics or in a place of social power, their beliefs are inevitably part of their political platform.

Throughout history there has been a constant battle between church and state for POWER and CONTROL of the masses and while they may deny and claim that no such power play exists today, that doesn't change the fact that there is. Unfortunately, even most of masses will ignorantly support their political and Clerical leaders denial based rhetoric as they blindly believe that their old customs, traditions and beliefs are the truth and the only way of life.

"Denying the truth doesn't change the truth....just your perception of it." and you can quote me on that.

Thanks for reading my blog and I hope it gave you some
"Food for thought"
JR

NOTE: This blog was originally a post on Saysame (My Blog) on '06 Sept 16 under the title of "True Colours - Shit hits fan"
There were some other media reports on issues with Hindus and Muslims, Hindus and Christians, Jews and Catholics,(re: WWII) Jews and Muslins and also other religions but I let them go as I was posting updates to the existing post on the Pope, but now that I have started a "religion" blog...so to speak.. I'll keep you posted as they pop up.. and of course... give you my point of view :) <<<<