Controversial Issues Pose a Challenge for Obama and Pope

Washington ComPost ^ | 1/3/09 | Francis X. Rocca

[careyb]

VATICAN CITY -- In the 24 years since the United States and the Holy See established full diplomatic ties, relations have never been closer or warmer than during the administration of President Bush.

The two sides broke over the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, but Bush's personal esteem for popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI, and his agreement with Catholic teaching on such controversial issues as abortion, embryonic stem-cell research and same-sex marriage, have fostered a special rapport. Bush has met six times with the leader of the Catholic Church, more often than any other U.S. president.

The relationship between the Vatican and the White House is bound to change this month with the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama, whose support for abortion rights and embryonic stem-cell research has drawn denunciations from a number of church leaders. Yet informed observers agree that both sides have strong incentives and opportunities to avoid conflict and build on the recent history of collaboration.

[careyb]

Even though it is January 3rd, I believe that the "DUH!" award of the year goes to Francis Rocca for the headline: "Controversial Issues Pose a Challenge for Obama and Pope".

The Hope For America

[olezip]

Controversial Issues Pose a Challenge for Obama and Pope

The headline is misleading. There are no controversial issues with the Pope. The Pope stands tall with the culture of life. There are challenging controversial issues for Obama because he has sided with the culture of death.

[PalmettoMason]

Once the Pope understands that Obama is the messiah, it’ll be fine. /sarc.

[Rocky]

When Obama confronts a controversial issue, he votes “present”. I am wondering what he will do when he doesn’t have that option.

[ETL]

Excerpt from The American Thinker
Article: Obama, Black Liberation Theology, and Karl Marx
May 28, 2008

Just one nugget from the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, "Instruction on Certain Aspects of the ‘Theology of Liberation': "...it would be illusory and dangerous to ignore the intimate bond which radically unites them (liberation theologies), and to accept elements of the marxist analysis without recognizing its connections with the (Marxist) ideology, or to enter into the practice of the class-struggle and of its marxist interpretation while failing to see the kind of totalitarian society to which this process slowly leads."
--Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Prefect, now Pope Benedict XVI, 1984)

Understanding that black liberation theology is Marxism dressed up to look like Christianity helps explain why there is no conflict between Cone's "Christianity" and Farrakhan's "Nation of Islam." They are two prophets in the same philosophical (Marxist) pod, merely using different religions as backdrops for their black-power aims.
http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/05/obama_black_liberation_theolog.html
_____________________________________________________

"America’s chickens... are coming home... to ROOST!"

The Real Story Behind Rev. Wright's Controversial Black Liberation Theology Doctrine
Monday , May 5, 2008
FoxNews/Hannity's America
[special Friday night edition--original airdate May 2, 2008]

(some key excerpts)

["(Jose) Diaz-Balart is the son of Rafael Diaz-Balart y Guitierrez (a former Cuban politician). He has three bothers, Rafael Diaz-Balart (a banker), Mario Diaz-Balart (a US Congressman) and Lincoln Diaz-Balart (also a US Congressman). His aunt, Mirta Diaz-Balart, was Fidel Castro's first wife."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jose_Diaz-Balart]

JOSE DIAZ-BALART, TELEMUNDO NETWORK: "Liberation theology in Nicaragua in the mid-1980's was a pro-Sandinista, pro-Marxist, anti-U.S., anti-Catholic Church movement. That's it. No ifs, ands, or buts. His church apparently supported, in the mid-'80s in Nicaragua, groups that supported the Sandinista dictatorships and that were opposed to the Contras whose reason for being was calling for elections. That's all I know. I was there.

I saw the churches in Nicaragua that he spoke of, and the churches were churches that talked about the need for violent revolution and I remember clearly one of the major churches in Managua where the Jesus Christ on the altar was not Jesus Christ, he was a Sandinista soldier, and the priests talked about the corruption of the West, talked about the need for revolution everywhere, and talked about 'the evil empire' which was the United States of America."

REV. BOB SCHENCK, NATIONAL CLERGY COUNCIL: "it's based in Marxism. At the core of his [Wright's] theology is really an anti-Christian understanding of God, and as part of a long history of individuals who actually advocate using violence in overthrowing those they perceive to be oppressing them, even acts of murder have been defended by followers of liberation theology. That's very, very dangerous."

SCHENCK: "I was actually the only person escorted to Dr. Wright. He asked to see me, and I simply welcomed him to Washington, and then I said Dr. Wright, I want to bring you a warning: your embrace of Marxist liberation theology. It is contrary to the Gospel, and you need, sir, to abandon it. And at that he dropped the handshake and made it clear that he was not in the mood to dialogue on that point."

Source: The Real Story Behind Rev. Wright's Controversial Black Liberation Theology Doctrine:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,354158,00.html

[raybbr]

I don’t see what the problem is. As long as the Pope kneels and kisses Obama’s ring everything will be fine.

[DieHard the Hunter]

It’s time the Pope did a Exorcism next time Obama visits the Vatican. It’s more than the garden-variety Evil that needs to be dealt with there.

[ScubieNuc]

Can someone explain why the Pope or the Catholic Church has “diplomatic ties” with the US? It’s not a country, it’s a religion. What other religious group has “diplomatic ties” to the US? Does the Eastern Orthodox Church have “diplomatic ties”?

To me, it just shows that the Catholic Church is as much a political establishment as it is a religious one.

[Tax-chick]

It’s time the Pope did a Exorcism next time Obama visits the Vatican.

That might be interesting! Priests who participate in pro-life activism have used the prayers of exorcism at abortion clinics and found that the pro-abortion representatives go absolutely ballistic. Wouldn't it be fascinating if Infanticide Obama started howling and foaming at the mouth in front of God and everybody!

[angkor]

>>>>>the “DUH!” award of the year goes to Francis Rocca for the headline:<<<<<<<

Yeah it’s a silly headline. But just as an FYI, headlines are usually written by the newspaper copy desk and the section editors and sometimes twiddled by the managing editor or even the editor-in-chief.

What the reporter contributes to the headline is at best merely a suggestion and one that rarely makes it to print unscathed.

[Fzob]

Vatican City is consider a sovereign city-state. As such it has diplomatic institutions. I’m not saying this makes sense.

[RoadTest]

He (she?) should also get the “Statement Of The Obvious” award.

[RoadTest]

“Can someone explain why the Pope or the Catholic Church has “diplomatic ties” with the US? It’s not a country, it’s a religion. What other religious group has “diplomatic ties” to the US? Does the Eastern Orthodox Church have “diplomatic ties”?

To me, it just shows that the Catholic Church is as much a political establishment as it is a religious one.”

It can’t be both.

[DaGman]

"Can someone explain why the Pope or the Catholic Church has “diplomatic ties” with the US? It’s not a country, it’s a religion."

The Vatican is an independent, sovereign country with diplomats and all.

[DieHard the Hunter]

> Wouldn’t it be fascinating if Infanticide Obama started howling and foaming at the mouth in front of God and everybody!

(big grin!) ...and if his head started spinning around, like on the movie? Tee-hee-heee, I’d pay Good Money to watch that!

[GLH3IL]

Now I preface my remarks with the factthat I’m married to a catholic woman, an one of my kinds has converted to the Catholic faith so I am not in any way anti-catholic.

The fact is that historically the Holy See has very much been a political power just as much, if not more so at certain points in history, as a theological power. The Vatican’s power today is nothing close to the influence it once wielded, but that political power does still exist. The Vatican does not directly influence the political processes of other nations as it once did, but there is little doubt about the poltiical clout carried by the leader of an organized religion that can attest to dedicated members in the millions.

Yes, the Vatican is considered a city-state and as such is as much a secular government as it is a religious center and that is the official reason for diplomatic ties, but just under that veneer is a still very powerful political machine thatcan still flex alot of muscle and money when it feels the need.

[koraz]

Can someone explain why the Pope or the Catholic Church has “diplomatic ties” with the US? It’s not a country, it’s a religion. What other religious group has “diplomatic ties” to the US? Does the Eastern Orthodox Church have “diplomatic ties”?

The Pope is the head of the Vatican. Vatican City is a sovereign and independent state.

[Tax-chick]

LOL! As one of our comedians says, “I don’t care who you are ... that there’s funny!”

[Venturer]

Not much sense in this I suppose ,but if you wish to learn a little about the historical and political nature of the ties that Vatican City has with foreign countries, here is a site you can start with.

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0108136.html

It probably wont change your attitude ,but you may be a bit more learned on the subject.

[Chode]

F0B!!!