pictures of pope

[Riyue]

In another thread somebody published pictures of the pope...

These pictures are detestable.

I cannot imagine that anybody in tradition of Laozi does discuss catholicism in this way.

I hope more people of this forum will demonstrate that they dont like this sort of backbiting.

[Gerard]

The Pope is a reflection of all of us and vice versa. When you look at the Pope the Pope also looks at you (following Nietzsche's wisdom)

 

Thanks for bringing this up; criticising is not the way of the dragon.

 

I just finished Vipassana training a moment ago and realised how volatile is the human mind, including myself.

 

Edited: typo.

Edited January 14, 2010 by durkhrod chogori

[C T]

Intolerance is the root cause of much of the world's pains. "Volatile" is a good description of those with little or no tolerance. The slightest agitation and their equilibrium is displaced, causing much distress for themselves and others. Unable to contain their disgust for what they see as major "failings" in the world, they assign scapegoats to give more meaning and reality to their vision. Unfortunately the Pope seems like an easy target for people to direct their frustrations at.

[King Kabalabhati]

And you're thinking there's no reason to see the pope as a representative of a corrupt religion? Personal issues aside

 

I mean, it was the pope who, for instance, blessed the bombs that were dropped on Ethiopian peasants, women and children by the forces of Mussolini.. He probably blessed the poison gas too.

 

And this is just meant to be informational, I'm not angry as I write this. It's just that the Rastaman in me wanted to say

 

FIRE BURN!

Edited January 14, 2010 by King Kabalabhati

[C T]

And you're thinking there's no reason to see the pope as a representative of a corrupt religion? Personal issues aside

And you think such conclusions are going to make us happier? How we perceive others is a direct reflection of whats happening in our own make-up. Anyway, why should he take the fall for our own shortcomings? Tis wise to examine our own limitations, eliminate them, and then reassess our world views from that point, dont you agree?

 

If we make it our duty to seek out dirt, then even in the midst of the most sanitized environment we will sure to find some. Thats like paranoia you know? Reminds me of those Health and Safety Officers that call round to do their inspections of commercial kitchens - no matter how clean the place is kept, they will sure to find some thing that does not meet their standards. Its a tough job that one. Have to absorb enormous amounts of neg vibes.

[Ninpo-me-this-ninjutsu-me-that]

 

Unfortunately the Pope seems like an easy target for people to direct their frustrations at.

 

 

Yes, well, he is the head of a religion that has brushed the sexual abuse of thousands of children by its priests under the carpet so that might be something to do with it.

[C T]

Yes, well, he is the head of a religion that has brushed the sexual abuse of thousands of children by its priests under the carpet so that might be something to do with it.

I personally know 2 "abused" victims, and it spurred me to practice even harder to develop a compassionate heart. I could make the choice to be angry, to cry out in total disgust, and direct this emotion towards the ignorant abusers, but i cant see how this will alleviate my own ignorance in any meaningful way.

[Ninpo-me-this-ninjutsu-me-that]

I personally know 2 "abused" victims, and it spurred me to practice even harder to develop a compassionate heart. I could make the choice to be angry, to cry out in total disgust, and direct this emotion towards the ignorant abusers, but i cant see how this will alleviate my own ignorance in any meaningful way.

 

You might be right there, I truly hope those two people you know can find the same strength.... if that's what they deem to be the correct way.

 

Although I can agree with the general 'what's the point of pointing the finger' thing, I think things have gone too far already, and did a long time ago. I'm not convinced turning the other cheek in this respect in the right course of action, then again I can't exactly say that commenting on pictures of the pope would be either.

 

The day he shops all the priests that have done these things instead of turning a blind eye is probably the day people will comment on his photo and say he is the direct contact of God on earth and how angelic he looks.

 

I hope he does. I really do.

[C T]

You might be right there, I truly hope those two people you know can find the same strength.... if that's what they deem to be the correct way.

 

Although I can agree with the general 'what's the point of pointing the finger' thing, I think things have gone too far already, and did a long time ago. I'm not convinced turning the other cheek in this respect in the right course of action, then again I can't exactly say that commenting on pictures of the pope would be either.

 

The day he shops all the priests that have done these things instead of turning a blind eye is probably the day people will comment on his photo and say he is the direct contact of God on earth and how angelic he looks.

 

I hope he does. I really do.

Well changes are imminent i think. Some of those in position are beginning to bear up to their responsibilities. Its a major issue here in Ireland. The local Bishop where i am recently resigned due to his "waking up" to the plight of his flock, and accounted for the mistakes of his priests.

[SeriesOfTubes]

I posted the first ones that show the pope's likeness to the emperor in star wars in a motivational poster format.

 

I apologize if I offended anyone. It was an immature type of joke and I didn't take time to think that not everyone has the same sense of humor as me and didn't really consider that people would be offended.

 

to me the idea of the vatican making a serious public statement in reaction to a popular fictional movie was sort of funny, so I thought it was sort of a lighthearted joke. But yeah I can see how it was in bad taste.

[billb]

And you're thinking there's no reason to see the pope as a representative of a corrupt religion? Personal issues aside

 

I mean, it was the pope who, for instance, blessed the bombs that were dropped on Ethiopian peasants, women and children by the forces of Mussolini.. He probably blessed the poison gas too.

 

And this is just meant to be informational, I'm not angry as I write this. It's just that the Rastaman in me wanted to say

 

FIRE BURN!

Never heard of him blessing bombs, have any facts to back this up? I don't care much for the current pope but it was the vatican that did not agree with the movies message, and actually said the visuals were very good, it was not a completely bad review at all, sounded like a newspaper critic's review to be honest. I am sure a lot of people do not completely agree with the movies message and still had a good time seeing it, like a friend of mine who still suggest I see it. I am looking forward to seeing it.

[Encephalon]

I suppose I am obliged to assume some measure of culpability as I was the one who first posted the article. But I don't truly feel that I was motivated by my consternation with the darker side of Christian history, any more than I resent the Japanese over their Chinese occupation.

 

My beef with Catholicism, as I stated earlier, is their refusal to join the 21st century, to redress their mysogeny, their absolutism, and their failure to respond meaninfully to ecological constraints, not to mention their obstructionist posture regarding pedophilia amongst the clergy. I understand that their legal fees with this little problem amount to almost a half billion dollars (not that they'r lacking for cash).

 

There are plenty of elements within the Catholic Church that do take contemporary issues seriously and struggle to define their faith as a means of addressing them. But the bureaucracy lives on, and its behavior is indefensible.

 

As Erich Fromm wrote decades ago, the European adoption of Christianity was largely a sham. And, for the record, I think the argument holds that the entire Abrahamic tradition has outlived its utility.

 

I think it takes extraordinary moral development to abstain from smacking some one or some thing that desperately deserves it. I've tried to reign in my own egotism and belligerence in this forum, and I've got a boatload of work ahead of me still. Thich Nhat Hanh I am not, but I'm probably less egotistical than I was six months ago (although a case could be made that I've just become more sophisticated with my barbs).

[soaring crane]

Here's something funny - where I live, in northern Bavaria, every little town or village is declared either Catholic or Protestant. It's an official designation. Larger towns will have churches of both religions, plus a mosque or two. But still, the lines are very clear when you enter a smaller village. The Catholic ones will have a large, ornate crucifix at the entrances. (personally, I think it's kind of creepy to have an effigy of a dead man hanging on a cross as the welcome sign to your village, but whatever...).

 

Anyway, yes, the Catholic parishes are quite strict but, you know what? I hold two Qigong courses in gymnasiums at Catholic churches, in Catholic communities. They have no problem at all with what I do. No problem with foregin ideas or spirituality. They're very open minded and friendly. There's a Buddhist group that meets once a week in one of them to meditate. No hassles, everything's just fine.

 

As opposed to the Protestants. I live in a Protestant town and my daughter's Kindergarten was run through the Church (btw, we pay a Church tax here in Germany, just in case any Americans still harbor illusions of "secular" Europe). At that time, a few of the mothers of other kids in the group asked me if I would organize a Qigong group, the idea being that we would meet in the gym at the Kindergarten while the kiddies were there, and time it so we'd finish as as they got out. But, the Protestant pastor was agahst at the idea. He said no way could he allow a dangerous pagan, Asian belief system to take root in his parish, the parishoners would protest and make all kinds of trouble.

 

I was shocked. He didn't want to listen to a word I had to say, had no idea what I do. He just heard the word "Qigong" and completely shut me off.

 

So, that opened my eyes a bit to Catholics. And hey, the Pope is a Bavarian. We call him Papa Razzi.

 

 

 

(PS, just to make clear what I mean by "gymnasium, here's a pic from one of the halls where we meet, it's pretty nice:

 

[Encephalon]

Here's something funny - where I live, in northern Bavaria, every little town or village is declared either Catholic or Protestant. It's an official designation. Larger towns will have churches of both religions, plus a mosque or two. But still, the lines are very clear when you enter a smaller village. The Catholic ones will have a large, ornate crucifix at the entrances. (personally, I think it's kind of creepy to have an effigy of a dead man hanging on a cross as the welcome sign to your village, but whatever...).

 

Anyway, yes, the Catholic parishes are quite strict but, you know what? I hold two Qigong courses in gymnasiums at Catholic churches, in Catholic communities. They have no problem at all with what I do. No problem with foregin ideas or spirituality. They're very open minded and friendly. There's a Buddhist group that meets once a week in one of them to meditate. No hassles, everything's just fine.

 

As opposed to the Protestants. I live in a Protestant town and my daughter's Kindergarten was run through the Church (btw, we pay a Church tax here in Germany, just in case any Americans still harbor illusions of "secular" Europe). At that time, a few of the mothers of other kids in the group asked me if I would organize a Qigong group, the idea being that we would meet in the gym at the Kindergarten while the kiddies were there, and time it so we'd finish as as they got out. But, the Protestant pastor was agahst at the idea. He said no way could he allow a dangerous pagan, Asian belief system to take root in his parish, the parishoners would protest and make all kinds of trouble.

 

I was shocked. He didn't want to listen to a word I had to say, had no idea what I do. He just heard the word "Qigong" and completely shut me off.

 

So, that opened my eyes a bit to Catholics. And hey, the Pope is a Bavarian. We call him Papa Razzi.

(PS, just to make clear what I mean by "gymnasium, here's a pic from one of the halls where we meet, it's pretty nice:

 

 

That's a remarkable story. Speaking for America, the absolutist streak runs through both Protestant and Catholic churches. The Unitarians, the United Methodists, and Episcopals are completely hip to the ecumenical vibe, as well as Catholic churches with progressive congregations. Likewise, we have the Jerry Falwells and the Pat Robertsons and the Jimmy Swaggerts amongst the Prots, although the conservative Catholics don't usually disembark from the Reality Train the way their Protestant counterparts do, at least not on television!

[innerspace_cadet]

In that other thread I said the pope isn't all bad, and he isn't. He recently forgave the woman who knocked him on his ass at Christmas Mass--no rhyme intended. I also remember reading that he denounced attacks on immigrants in Italy.

 

I was raised Catholic, and even though I no longer consider myself a believer, I have to give the Catholic Church kudos for coming around to the theory of evolution. (Don't expect the right wing Evangelicals to do that any time soon.)

 

Sure, I think the whole idea that the Catholic Church is the "one true church" is preposterous, but I think the same of the beliefs of the Mormons and Muslims. When I was being raised in the Catholic religion, I remember having a lot of unnecessary guilt about sex, and unnecessary fear of the devil. But seriously, every religion on planet earth has its drawbacks, not just the Western ones.

[billb]

I went to Muktananda's asram in the Boston area in the 80's and was quite surprised to see 3 catholic nuns there for Gurumayai's birthday, I would venture to say that some catholic nuns even went for shaktipat, so compared to some other church's they are a bit more open minded.