All Comments (186)

The Pope just doesn't get it!

In aworld in which the president has no understanding of or compassion for Americans, the Pope has no understanding of or compassion for Jews.

The Pope just doesn't get it!

In aworld in which the president has no understanding of or compassion for Americans, the Pope has no understanding of or compassion for Jews.

The Pope just doesn't get it. In a world which is close to shedding a president who has no understanding of or compassion for Americans we have a Pope who has no understanding of or compassion for Jews.

The important point of this article is that the current (German) Pope is exonerating the German people of their Nazi war crimes.

This is horrible (and deeply alarming) news.

ilove you your sestar

i lik go u s a bles i not bay many and

no i head all krasmas bit ilove all amarican i lliek lif in u s a bles

ان جميع القبط يكرهون المسلمين رغم حب المسلمين لهم لماذا way haed

Perhaps Carroll's next expose will be on the Jewish leadership of the Bolshevik revolution?

Or the horrors of the protestant reformation?

You anti-Catholic PoS.

I'll see you on the streets of Boston on day...

It may be despicable but it's not ignorant.

The Nazis were only able to muster such enthusaism for the annihilation of Europe's Jews because of the hatred of Jews ingrained by almost 2000 years of hatred taught and disseminated by Christianity.

This is what the Catholic Church simply will not accept. Similarly, the pope is saddened by paedophile behaviour and does not accept responsibility for the his Church's cover-up operation.

Read "Double Cross: The Code of the Catholic Church" by David Ranan for a remarkable analysis of the Church's inability to accept responsibility. I was unable to put it down.

If everyone would just grow up and accept the facts that very few people are 100% heterosexual and that a certain percentage of all discrete groupings will always play for the other team, then Christianity could get on with the really important theological questions; important questions like, "How many angels dancing on the head of a pin will be homosexual?"

Anybody interested in art?

One of several extant religious paintings by Hitler.

Frankly, although I'm no art critic, I rather liked this one.

Adolf Hitler: "Mother Mary with the Holy Child Jesus Christ", Oil/canvas, 1913

TO JAMES CARROLL:

You wrote, " Does it intend to restore the lethal Christian conviction that God’s only plan for Jews is baptism?"

Has it occurred to anyone that God's Plan is unfolding before our very eyes?

The Chosen People, the Jews, were chosen and formed by God so that God could become one of us.

Jesus, God-Incarnate, was a Jew and by the obedience of a few, Jesus was able to not only be born but to live long enough to fulfill what He became a human being in the first place for.

Being the Chosen People does not mean that the Jews are better, it just means that they are the Chosen People.

If people would take a look at reality, whether they believe it or not, they should be able to see that being a member of the Chosen People or being individually chosen by God or for that matter just being a human being, doesn't keep someone from being treated rather unnicely, to put it mildly.

Not only are the Jews the Chosen People but they have been ever since God first chose and formed them and they still are the Chosen People.

God has had His Plan since before creation and not only is His Plan unfolding before our very eyes but His Plan will come to Fruition.

Sincerely, Thomas Paul Moses Baum.

Steve Chan observes that
"one if not the only responsibility of the Pope is to defend that institution."

Pathetically and tragically correct, Steve.

Some would hope that his first responsibility was to

defend truth, justice, and goodness.

Alas. that is left to Superman. And James Carroll. Who left the Catholic Priesthood because the authoritarian political nature of the organization
precluded the Church from doing so.

Not in a class by himself, unfortunately, but deserves a post.

Bishop Alois Hudal

Rome based, author of pro-nazi book and articles, orchestrator of clerical protection of nazis from prosecution.

Personal protector of men such as Stangl.

Appointed by Pius XII

Lengthier list to follow. I will return to Bishop Hudal late.

More Notworthy Catholic nazi leaders, torturers, etc.: Details on These Men to Follow (pending completion of lists)

Josef Mengele: Raised in a strict Roman Catholic family

Reinhardt Heydrich ("the blond beast," to those under him): third in command to Hitler, one of history's nastiest pieces of work

Heinrich Himmler (Hitler's Second in command): a devout Roman Catholic, head of the SS, oversaw Eastern Death Camps.

Joseph Goebbels: groomed for the priesthood. Minister of propaganda

Julius Streicher

Adolph Eichman

Rudolf Hoess

Fritz Thyssen

Franz Stangl

Kurt Christmann

Walter Rauff

Klaus Barbie

Dear Mr. Sabbagh,

> All over Europe, especially in Poland, devout,
> practicing Catholics were Hitler's willing
> helpers.

> Schindler's List told the story pretty well by
> recreating the roundups in Polish cities: most of
> the bystanders were only too happy to see the Jews
> get hauled away -- so they could take over the
> nice apartments and get their hands on anything
> the Jews were unable to carry away with them...
> Not a peep from the pope.

I cannot understand how those Catholics could rationalize their behaviour, considering that they were comitting sins.

I read Professor Goldhagen's book "Hitler's willing Executioners". The book described the anger of the german population towards the jews, but I could not follow the reeason behind it.
One must not hate. It's supposed to be one's goal as a Catholic not to hate anybody.

This also makes the actions of Pope Pius XII and the Vatican so hard for me to understand.

A Skeletal List of Top Catholic Nazi Leaders

The following is a skeletal list of Roman Catholic nazi leaders, persons who were baptized, raised as Catholics, whose families had been Catholic from time immorial.

These were Catholic nationals who led crusades agains the Jewish nationals of their own countries, and Jewish nationals of other countries. I have omitted Mussolini; I will return to him down the line.

You will sadly note what four of these men have in common.

Top Catholic nazi leaders: A Skeletal List

Austria : Engelbert Dollfuss
Belgium : Leon Degrelle
Croatia : Ante Pavelic1
Bohemia-Moravia : Emil Hacha
Germany : Adolf Hitler
Hungary : Miklos Horthy
Portugal : Antonio Salazar
Ruthenia : Fr. Augustin Voloshin
Slovakia : Fr. Josef Tiso
Slovakia : Fr. Andrei Hlinka
Spain : Francisco Franco
Sudetenland : Konrad Henlein
Vichy-France : Pierre Laval
Vichy-France : Henry Petain
Yugoslavia : Fr. Anton Koroshec

Dear faceit:

> Since when did the responsibility of the
> holocaust fall on the Catholics????
> Germany was protestant, the Vatican is in Rome,
> 800,000 jews were saved by monasteries, Hitler
> also sought to destroy the Church etc. etc. etc.

Being a german who recently chose to become a catholic myself (I was baptized on Easter Night a month ago - and I feel good about it!), and living in Cologne I maust say that the Rhineland never was protestant except for a few villages on the outskirts.

But the catholic faith is not as important in this matter. what's important is that the majority of Germans were christians.

I believe that the the preachings of the Jews as "christ-killers" made it easier to see "The Jews" as a single group and think of them as villains. At least on a sub-concious level.

More importantly Jews were seen as the people in power, who controlled the finace-sector, banks, large enterprises etc. The were looked at as crooks stealing from the little man, the hard-working German citizen.

This was of course not true, but apparently people believed that.
And the catholic church at the time did not do anything to ease that sentiment.

I am still filled with shame because of the crimes committed by my ancestors. My generation and those that come after me must ensure that such crimes will never again be committed by my people.

I thank God for the wise decisions of the second Vatican Council. I hope and pray that our Catholic Church will continue in the spirit of it and will attempt to see at least all monotheist religions as equal attempts to honour and follow the will of our God allmighty.

All over Europe, especially in Poland, devout, practicing Catholics were Hitler's willing helpers.

Schindler's List told the story pretty well by recreating the roundups in Polish cities: most of the bystanders were only too happy to see the Jews get hauled away -- so they could take over the nice apartments and get their hands on anything the Jews were unable to carry away with them...Not a peep from the pope.

Jihadist,

Hmmm, still "obfusing" I see using the pope now to distract from the major global religious issue, i.e. the continued blood feud between the Muslim Sunnis and Shiites. As noted previously:

1. Iraq, Sunni minority, Shiite majority, 24/7 blood letting, 4000 American soldiers dead, 90,000 Iraqi civilians, dead.

2. Iran, Shiite theocracy, 24/7 support of global terror.

3. OBL, Sunni/"Wannabee" madman, 24/7 support of global terror.

Fill in the answers below:

Hamas, Sunni or Shiite??

Fatah, Sunni or Shiite??

Pakistan, Sunni or Shiite? Which group assassinated Bhutto??

Malaysia, nearing a Sunni theocracy?

Bahrain, Sunni or Shiite???

Phillipines, Sunni or Shiite???

Taliban, Sunni or Shiite???

Somalia, Sunni or Shiite???

And it could all be solved by simply deflawing the koran!!!!!!

Read Goldhagen's "A Moral Reckoning." Rome committed the Holocaust using Fifth Column-financed Nazis as catspaw.

Carroll's article was a nice commercial for his product - paid for by the Washington Post!
Jesus commanded the apostles to baptize the entire world (for example Matthew 28:19), and, since the Jews are included in that group, He indirectly commanded the apostles to baptize the Jews, too.
The Catholic Church has apologized repeatedly for its woeful contribution to anti-semitism. But since Carroll, at least with his current product, has a financial interest in continuing the Holocaust-blame-game, he again asks for the Church through Benedict to pronounce the same mea-culpa already said by his predecessor, John-Paul II.
How unoriginal!

Thehearandnow:

Getting a bit hysterical are we? Did you really think you were the only person capable of posting lists?

Did you think that the Nazis were Buddhists? Did you think that there was no connection between their religion and nazism?

That view was discarded long, long ago, before Carroll, long before.

What I'm posting are facts, just facts. So take a valium or a drink. I haven't even begun.

Cal:

How can you presume to know my political views from my question? Was that some sort of divine revelation? Is it not possible for a political conservative to see the illogic of your statement? Who said anything about "choice for an all male clergy"? Do you frequently invent false dichotomies so it's easier to argue against them?

I'll spell it out for you this time.

You said: "As for human rights, the idea that someone has a right to impose their ideas or agenda (radical feminism, homosexuality) on a private faith or people is ridiculous, to say the least."

I gave an example of a privately held religious belief upon which our society would rightly impose its human rights agenda. I can furnish others if you haven't been keeping up on the news out of West Texas and Wisconsin lately. You seem to think that our society's right to do so is "ridiculous". Are you standing by your statement, or are you going to run....oh wait a second...you *have* run off! Why am I not surprised?

---------

"Censorship" Theory #238,897

The nearest I can reckon is that the editors have imposed some kind of "number of posts/frequency of posts/length of post" limit. I seem to be good for about 2 per day or so. I continue to think it has nothing to do with content.

Are you based in Israel, Ilan (observer2)?

Do you get paid for this guilt/hate mongering?

Honest questions...for someone who is always on the offensive.

Observer (Ilan),

Just because they were born as Catholics does not mean they were practicing Catholics at the time.

Just look at American Catholics 20 percent are non-practicing - no such thing as a "cultural catholic" either. Sorry to disappoint you.

To trying pin the holocaust on Catholics is despicable and ignorant. Take your anti-Catholic, ethnocentric hate somewhere else.

I suppose you also blame Communism on the Jews? Marx, Trotsky, Iron Lazar etc. al?

Odd, what gets through and what doesn't. Oh well, that last one will do, although the blocked post was more civil. Perhaps, that's the key. After all, incivility does reign at WaPo.

Although...that post did include the Vatican, did use the C o n c o r d__ word.

Preview of Coming Attractions

A glance back at some Nazis of interest to those who post here: Rommel (Protestant), Adolf Eichman (Catholic), Goebels (Catholic), Alfred Rosenberg (Catholic), whose "philosophy" the several incarnations of thehereand now is so fond of....

In time, even old Adolf, his Catholic co-religionist, realized he was a moron. NOt so thehereandnow.

All of them baptized and raised as Catholics except for Rommel, the Protestant. All of the Catholics were from Catholic families who had been Catholic from time immemorial. Otherwise, that is, unless they had converted to something acceptable to their (generically) Christian Nazi co-religionists, they would have been slaughtered.

Since when did the responsibility of the holocaust fall on the Catholics????

Germany was protestant, the Vatican is in Rome, 800,000 jews were saved by monasteries, Hitler also sought to destroy the Church etc. etc. etc.

Where are the calls for guilt for the communist atrocities (100 million)???? Would you put them on one group?

Hypocrites...

A sense of sadness filled me as I read the article. However, isn't it a bit naive to expect this Pope, a German and a Christian, would confess the sins of HIS Church? The crimes of Nazi Germany, and by extension, the Germans, are easy to condemn becaues they lost the war. But the Catholic Church? They are still prospering and one if not the only responsibility of the Pope is to defend that institution.

A sense of sadness filled me as I read the article. However, isn't it a bit naive to expect this Pope, a German and a Christian, would confess the sins of HIS Church? The crimes of Nazi Germany, and by extension, the Germans, are easy to condemn becaues they lost the war. But the Catholic Church? They are still prospering and one if not the only responsibility of the Pope is to defend that institution.

Surely, this is the most unpredictable and inept censoring and blocking on the web.

I give up!!

Who in the world decides which comments will be "held" and according to what standards??

With all the scurrilous garbage and personal attacks I see posted here, what could Ilan possibly have said that was so bad? You allow lengthy and repetitive cut-and-pastes, you allow calumny aimed at entire religious and social communities, but Ilan (and myself on other threads) is somehow unallowable???

Let's see if this one gets held.

Barbara L is a walking testament to the rotten fruits of ethnocentrism and tribalism!

Neal writes: "So then, I assume that if Aztecs opened a temple down the street tomorrow you'd be OK with human sacrifice?"

Really, Neal...are you comparing the choice for an all male clergy to human sacrifice?

Honestly...leftist on here need to get a grip!

As for Barb,

"Bottom line: the Catholics have too much power in this country and everywhere else."

You, my dear, are the bigot and isn't it funny that you use a canard to slander Catholics that has been leveled against the Jews?

Ironic, I would say.

Finally, On Faith has really become a trashy blog...Adios....

Sone advice for Catholics: Go to Concordat Watch. Just type it in the address bar and go.

This will guid you to delightful reading matter. You can refresh yourself on the Pope's concordat with the Catholic Hitler. Then read the 1993 Concordat with the Ivory Coast, one of the poorest countries on the face of the earth, and look at what the Concordat is for.

Read the Concordat with Israel, one of my all-time favorites. By the way, when do you "Catholics" and your Vatican plan to start donating money to keep up and protect your holy sites, which cost Israel Jewish lives and dollars which they badly need?

Any plans to help out with the care of Palestinian Christians, who somehow keep fleeing to Israel, which takes them.

There is nothing and I do mean nothing the Vatican can do or say to make up for what it did and did not do during the Holocaust. May God have mercy on its many souls.

For those who are survivors, the full release of its Holocaust documents demanded by Jews, Protestants, and, yes, Catholics would be salutary. That is about it.

As for the rest of you bigots, I need say nothing. In the words of your Son of God, you have said it, you have said it yourselves.

Bottom line: the Catholics have too much power in this country and everywhere else.

Cal wrote:

--"As for human rights, the idea that someone has a right to impose their ideas or agenda (radical feminism, homosexuality) on a private faith or people is ridiculous, to say the least."

So then, I assume that if Aztecs opened a temple down the street tomorrow you'd be OK with human sacrifice?

Rommel's disgusting post,
"what is this even about"
shows either an appalling ignorance of the Christian persecution of Jews over 2 millenia,
or a willful denial of that same history.

James Carroll is a practicing Catholic who decries bigotry and injustice wherever he sees it.

Rommel seems to support it.

What on earth is this article even about? I don't recall the first thing about the Pope's visit even involving Jews, other than his meetings with religious leaders from other faiths in the hopes of building an ecumenical dialogue. Which, by the way, I don't really see Jewish or Muslim leaders ever make an effort to pursue.

I sometimes laugh when I hear conspiracy theories about how Jews control the media. But after seeing an article like this, I really begin to wonder.

Don't worry, Arnie -

One day all religious expression will be banded as "hate speech," and forums like this, as well.

We are headed down that slippery slop so be careful what you wish for...

Oh, Oh. The Queers are out tonight!

Oh please, do we have to hear about the Holocaust again? Hasn't anyone figured out this is not the only war there ever was in history where people en mass died? It is like beating a dead dog already.

Jihadist,

Good strong post. One of your best. Apparently Cal can't comprehend, and others will follow in his benighted footsteps. Keep up the wisdom, friend. I salute you from America.

Arminius

Nice personal interpretation of the gospels, Candide.

You can 30,000 protestant sects - not to mention the Jews - have their own interpretations.

Did you read this "truth" from Elaine Pagels? Or Chris Hitchens? Or Eckhart Tolle?

Jihad states: "One presumes then, as he sought to speak on human rights abuses in the world, we now can all look at human rights abuses within his commonwealth and organisation, including on the Holocaust and pedophilia cases, non-recognition of gays and women in the clergy."

Very confusing argument here, Jihad.

The "papal state" only comprises the tiny Vatican City, NOT the entirety of the global religion.

As for human rights, the idea that someone has a right to impose their ideas or agenda (radical feminism, homosexuality) on a private faith or people is ridiculous, to say the least.

It is called freedom of religion, which doesn't exists in many Muslim countries, by the way.

Also, gays are not discriminated against as people - it is the sexual practices that are condemned as sinful (just as they are with non-married heterosexuals) however, they are accepted as people who can also adhere to the teachings of the Church if they wish to do so.

The Church believes in non-subjective truths that are essential to their faith - to attack these as human rights issues is dishonest.

The sins of the Catholic Church (and the other Christian churches) did not begin just yesterday. Almost 2000 years ago they began to push those who knew Jesus the most out of the Christian community, the Jewish Christians who had been led by James of Jerusalem, the brother of Jesus. These earliest Christians did not believe in Jesus' divinity; they believed he was a prophet sent by God in a decisive time in Jewish history. The Jesus who rose from the dead and saves us by his blood and is the son of God never existed. The real Jesus was an apocalyptic prophet. The Catholic Church, with Paul's example before it, created an imaginary Jesus and an imaginary religion. Benedict, nice man that he is, cannot repudiate this.

Mr. James Caroll,

Thank you for your essay.

You concluded : "Does it (the Pope) intend to restore the lethal Christian conviction that God’s only plan for Jews is baptism?"

Perhaps we non-Catholics should also look at the Pope as a head of state and not just a religious/spiritual leader. He is both. That made the Pope unique among all heads of states and heads of religious organisations.

As a spiritual/religious leader, it is, fundamentally, not for me as a non-Catholic to question on the internal affairs of the Church never mind the Pope now calls for the internationally community to be engaged in human rights. One presumes then, as he sought to speak on human rights abuses in the world, we now can all look at human rights abuses within his commonwealth and organisation, including on the Holocaust and pedophilia cases, non-recognition of gays and women in the clergy. One would presume that since he may look askance at "cafetaria Catholics", perhaps he would not take a "cafetaria" approach on human rights.

One would also presume that the Pope, as head of state, would expect others to expect that he would act in a statesmanlike manner in not alienating other commonwealths of believers, including Buddhists, Jews, Muslims and other Christian denominations with remarks one would expect from a warped free-lance non-bona fide extremist imam in the mosques of London or Lahore. Certainly not from a head of state of the Catholic commonwealth, and the acknowledged and designated spiritual/religious leader of over a billion Catholics.

On the Holocaust, perhaps the Pope should avoid being in the category of another, not a head of state but a head of government, the President of Iran, a Holocaust denier. One can't forgive a secular head of state or head or government for unseemly statements on race and religion. One can't forgive a religious leader for his unbecoming statements on race and religion. How can one expect to be less when controversial statements are made by a head of state who is also head of the biggest organised and centralised religion in the world and remembering the fact that he is also the supreme authority of it?

I hope lay Catholics will understand why some non-Catholics are rather irate with this Pope. Not for what he said and do within his Church, (though many do seem to be on the basis of equal justice), but how he consider and regard others not of his faith. It was not very statesmanlike.

When non-Catholics expressed anger and dismay at Pope Benedict 16 for what he said or would not say, do and would not do, it is the same as foreigners expressing anger and dismay at President Bush over his policies towards them and not against the American people. The same for the Pope. Against him, but not Catholics.

We are all appalled and dismayed by our respective secular and religious leaders by what they say and do or would not say and do. We are questioning the said person, not the whole commonwealth of peoples of a country or belief. The standards set for the Pope is higher as he also provides moral, ethical and values guidance and examples - for his Church and as the premier representative and advocate of his faith in the world.

Thank you and regards

"J"

Catholicism has nothing to do with Christianity, except that it claims to be Christian.

The Roman Catholic Church is drenched in the blood of thousands of Christians, Jews, and Muslims. Perhaps worse yet, it has led countless millions into perdition.

Jesus never killed anyone, neither did he advocate killing anyone, nor did he sanction killing anyone. He laid down his life rather than kill and commanded his disciples to follow his example. A Christian, by definition, follows the example of Jesus Christ.

Simply believing that JC was the Son of God avails nothing. The devils believe and tremble.

Most of the Nazis that escaped with the help of the Catholic Church after WWII are probably dead. Looks like the rest of them found this blog.

If I'm not mistaken, Pope JP2 apologized for Christian failures toward the Jews, particularly those of the Catholic Church.

Americana writes: "Benedict is an absolute religious oligarch. His agenda is to preserve his wealthy and powerful church, by any means necessary."

IF you mean "wealthy" as in a wealth art and architecture, and charity and love, and or wealth of faith....then you are correct.

However, your conspiratorial rant is simply an attempt to slander - although it does have faults (ie run by humans) - the LARGEST charity and food relief organization in the world.

Grow up, honestly.

OK - Neal, we get it....you hate the Catholic Church...now, get a life.

As for making light of communism, a simple comparison to the Nazi death totals and you can see that the Communists had much higher numbers.

How many million in Russia? Cambodia? China? Ukraine?

Ratzinger wringing his holy hands about the Holocaust? Just how many collaborationist/Nazi priests were excommunicated by The Holy Mother Chruch? Zero. They were more interested in important matters, such as masturbation.

people- people- people-

its not the past that should occupy your attention.

its the future that is bearing down on the western world. how many freedoms must be taken away before you wake up?

The fact is...Hitler used the Jewish-inspired Bolshevik taveover in Russia as a pretext for his own sinister program- so in a way- it's almost as if "karma" saw to it that equilibrium be re-established in Germany for the crimes of the Soviet nomenklatura.

thehereandnow:

Is it just my imagination or is the pope offering special indulgences this week for using obfuscation in defense of the faith?

Nothing personal, but I don't apologize for not addressing red herrings, though, I suppose, even irrelevant issues are a huge improvement over just
reflexively accusing me of inciting hatred for merely referencing a Catholic teaching document that seemed germane to Mr. Carroll's article.

I am curious though, in that the Catholic Church claims to be guided perpetually and intimately by an omnipotent Holy Spirit, how can you now also claim that the article I cited was "misguided" if it was, ostensibly, the cumulative product of 1,910 years worth of such guidance? If that's really the best the Holy Spirit can do, what good is it?

With all due respect, it seems pitiable, really, that apologists for a religion that claims to be the beneficiary of divine inspiration are reduced to arguing, in effect, "Hey, we're no worse than commies!" Good luck with that though.

Everyone wants to be the victim, nobody is ever willing to admit that they're the perpetrator. Denial is the art of blaming your own perpetrations on someone else. When denial becomes a political movement, it requires an official scapegoat: jews, liberals, communists, imperialists, immigrants, holocaust "cultists", gays, neo-pagans, quakers and (historically but not at the present) catholics. Everybody has had their time as the target. And all that anyone has learned from it is to point their finger at someone else.

Benedict is an absolute religious oligarch. His agenda is to preserve his wealthy and powerful church, by any means necessary. Denial and scapegoating are the means that he is using, i.e. Blame the Pagans not the Christians. Pity the Catholics not the Jews. Poor Germans were misled. John XXIII he is not.

Thank you Mr. Carroll for this observant and enlightening commentary.

James Carroll, as usual, is correct. I'm one Catholic, Irish variety, who is suspicious of Pope Benedict and his German heritage. It pains me to see the Catholic Church return to a pre-Vatican II mentality under his regime. I'm fed up with the authoritarianism that prevails in today's church as much as I am with the Church's built-in "stay the course" motivation for preserving the institution rather than the Gospel.

Yet another bit of whining from ((( HOLOCAUST ))) cultists .........

when the pope spoke of the root of the christian church i think you don't understand. the root started with jews -hitler was destroying jews --get it ?? you seem to have a deep hatred for christian . you don't seem to mention the pre-constantine times when christians were banned from practicing and were killed for there beliefs . the holocaust was dispictable , rhwanda was dispictable, dafur is dispictable , gaza is dispictable . israel is creating a holocaust in gaza -why can't we all learn from the past and lose the hatred . instead of blaming christians why not try to improve relations with israel and the palistinian people -too many inocent people are being killed

James Carroll, as usual, is correct. I'm one Catholic, Irish variety, who is suspicious of Pope Benedict and his German heritage. It pains me to see the Catholic Church return to a pre-Vatican II mentality under his regime. I'm fed up with the authoritarianism that prevails in today's church as much as I am with the Church's built-in "stay the course" motivation for preserving the institution rather than the Gospel.

Mr. Carroll - many Catholics today work for common fellowship with our brothers and sisters - Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, and work for common fellowship within the Christian community with Baptists, Latter Day Saints, Anglicans, and many more. We work in environments where there is diversity not only of faiths but cultures as well. THAT is what Christ message was - "Love one another." The Pope for us is a spiritual leader, not divine, he is human. He is perfectly human, in other words imperfect. In all of my years I have heard nothing but love and respect for those of other faiths from my bishops, pastors, deacons, nuns. Many Catholics these says would like to open things up a bit - roles of women in particular.

I cannot imagine being a young person under Nazi Germany, I cannot imagine being made to serve a regime that was the epitome of evil and absolute power corruption. I don't fault anyone who grew up in that environment either, and who had no say over whether they had to serve the regime or not. God of course holds anyone accountable for crimes they committed under that hideous regime.

I think people really need to move on and look for common good, common goals, and build on those common values, and celebrate the differences. Otherwise one comes across as bitter and perhaps a bit naive.

I reject this and every pope for thinking they are closer to G-d than me. Where do Catholics get off thinking they are better than me? From the Church? From the Vatican? From the New Testament. I will not condone this pope as a messanger of G0d a spiritual leader who faithfully counsels his flock to admire Christ but who wraps himself in a veil