Bush to Give Pope Presidential Medal of Freedom

Reuters ^ | June 3, 2004 | Rome Staff

[BMC1]

AMEN to that....

[JesseHousman]

... a certified nut...

Whenever an opinion, or a reply is posted to you Sinkspurt which in your infinite wisdom you don't agree, you resort to petty insult.

[kevao]

The amount of hatred spewed toward that good man on this board is sickening.

I don't hate the Pope. I just don't like some of the things he says, particularly about the war in Iraq, and I'm very disappointed (no, deeply saddened) that he does nothing to curb the rampant anti-Americanism that eminates from the Vatican.

To be critical is not to "spew hatred."

[gilliam]

LOL!!! An Archbishop gets on Vatican Radio and doesn't speak for either the Vatican or the Pope.

Yes, that is correct. Each Bishop has the right to express his views on these issues publically and to argue his point of view.

[Romulus]

Mrs. Bat - an extremely devout Catholic - says she'll leave the church if Il Papa rebukes Bush during his visit.

Why would an "extremely devout Catholic" abandon the fullness of the faith and the means of eternal salvation for a religion of the state and secular politics?

I ask only for information.

[gilliam]

It doesn't say anything concrete.

[anonymous_user]

You wouldn't see Clinton handing an award to anyone who was critical of his administration.

Let's hope he gets more goodwill out of it than they did when they gave Ted Kennedy the 2003 George Bush (Sr.) Award for Excellence.

[Bohemund]

The Pope isn't an American. Why should he get it?

Neither was Valclav Havel. What's your point?

[kevao]

Are you saying the Pope was not one of the most vocal opponents of the war in Iraq?

[sinkspur]

It must fit.

You really think the Papal Tiara is necessary for a Pope to be a Pope? Or the Coronation Ceremony?

[sinkspur]

And a certified nut if you think that ridding the Papacy of the papal tiara invalidates the Papacy.

Actually, you are certified nut only if you think the absence of the tiara invalidates a papal election.

[Lukasz]

Yes. Some of guys in this forum don’t understand why we have now war in Iraq:
Reason:
- cause some of the Islamic radical imams though that their religion can support war, and killing (not all Turkey is real proof that Islam can been civilized religion )

If pope will support war that means that he is not much better than those imams. But he is too smart he will never support any war and I have big respect for smart peoples!

[Notwithstanding]

perhaps what the poster really meant was that "the pope is the Soveriegn of the Vatican and final authority for Catholics, and therefore Americans should refrain from embacing him"

[RightWhale]

The Pope isn't an American. Why should he get it?

Interesting if the Pope would be interested in accepting a secular award. It would not enhance his position as the Highest Authority among human beings.

[JohnnyZ]

To be critical is not to "spew hatred."

If the shoe fits, wear it, if not, don't. I made my comment very general, following a reference to my expectation that more Pope-bashing would follow. So far on this thread there has been less than usual.

If you consider a prediction of "lambasting Bush for all the evils of the world" fair and balanced criticism then you have ... strange standards.

[Rebelbase]

Is this the same Pope who supported Lech Walesa and the political reforms in Poland back in the 80's?

[Notwithstanding]

the very same one