Pope Benedict the XVI needs to take off his German thinking cap. He needs to open his eyes to a world where the hearts and minds of humankind feel and see the potential of world peace and unity. The level of disdain towards the UN caused by its self serving membership is growing substantially, even if not covered by the media. In the same way people are seeing more and more religion as being a divider rather than a uniter, and beginning to question the elements that foster these divisions.
The Popes exaltation of Christianity in the phrase, 'faith and the use of human reason are part of the faith itself' needs to be questioned. Looking to a past of religious violence and taking a clearly Catholicentric view of history brings more division rather than unity. Yes, we need to understand the source of fanaticism and the abuse of religious beliefs to wage war. Christianity, namely Catholicism, has plenty of historic self examination and criticism to apply to itself in this regard rather than pointing the finger at others.
Pope JohnPaul II, an accomplished intellectual himself, did not rely on intellectual arguments, but on universal and absolute truths. The sanctity of human life, the inherent goodness of humankind, right and wrong, and the beauty and value of families and family life. The world doesn't need to dig up a violent and oppressive past. You don't need to make historic arguments against religious fanatics. Their actions, obscene intolerance and flagrant abuse of human rights are self evident, if not to the main stream media, to everyone else.
Islam is on the hot seat, and they need to closely scrutinize themselves, and owe the world a response to this Jihadist movement. Pope Benedict XVI hasn't fostered that process.
www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0609130174sep13,1,2637492.story?coll=chi-newsnationworld-hed
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1992677.cms
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