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[Gorjo MacGrymm]

Please explain how he forced it upon them.  Please.  I really really really want to hear this argument.  Please tell me how they were tied up and subjected to brainwashing.  Please tell me how they were punished for not converting.  Please tell me how he brought suffering unto them for disagreeing.  Please.  I really really want to know.

The problem is that catholic church is in a way forcing christianinty on them.
They never give up. They wouldn't help third world countries without making them catholic (how altruistic of them...)

The Pope thinks he's doing something important (that's what the news reporter said).
In my opinion he shouldn't come to a country just to convert it, and that's what he just did.

But maybe you're right and the situation is not so bad as one might think. The Vatican doesn't want all the worlds money, churches are not studded with gold, high ranked priests are not riding sport cars, no force is used, so everything's fine 

Earth to Rooster, please come back to the real world.  Your statement sorta proves my point about personal issues.....

Coca-Cola....I KNEW IT!  I am a Dr. Pepper man and we are BEING OPPRESSED!

[Rooster]

I never said it wasn't a personal issue.
In fact it IS.

How they were forced? A good question. The president could refuse to let him in but he didn't have enough courage. Then the pope will give a lecture about things nobody will understand.
Even if somebody will convert then that person will quickly forget about it. I only hope that the vatican won't demand anything more than this.
What pope did was plain rude.

Having said that, I know I proved nothing. After all it's my personal opinion and not proof for conspiracy theories.

[Judas Maccabeus]

The president could refuse to let him in but he didn't have enough courage.

Refusing to allow the head of state of a foreign country, especially one with which one has generally decent relations, to make a visit generally isn't considered good diplomacy.

[Leafsnail]

Coca Cola is an evil company because all their public activities promote Coke and not Pepsi.

They are evil for a wide variety of other reasons (poisoning rivers, complicity in torture, various other corporate stuff) but not that one.

[Aqizzar]

Coca Cola is an evil company because all their public activities promote Coke and not Pepsi.

They are evil for a wide variety of other reasons (poisoning rivers, complicity in torture, various other corporate stuff) but not that one.

...ZOOOM...

[Gorjo MacGrymm]

What pope did was plain rude.

I cannot see that.  As a matter of fact,  I cannot even comprehend how you get to that statement.  So, I must be missing a point of your argument.  Please explain (no more sarcasm, this is honest curiosity).

[DJ]

I never said it wasn't a personal issue.
In fact it IS.

How they were forced? A good question. The president could refuse to let him in but he didn't have enough courage. Then the pope will give a lecture about things nobody will understand.
Even if somebody will convert then that person will quickly forget about it. I only hope that the vatican won't demand anything more than this.
What pope did was plain rude.

Having said that, I know I proved nothing. After all it's my personal opinion and not proof for conspiracy theories.

So basically, all public appearances for propaganda purposes (is there another reason for a public appearance?) are evil? Get me my gun, son, it's politician hunting season!

[Rooster]

It depends on the intentions of the person making a public appearance, but mostly politicians want you to vote for them and don't give a damn about you.

What pope did was plain rude.

I cannot see that.  As a matter of fact,  I cannot even comprehend how you get to that statement.  So, I must be missing a point of your argument.  Please explain (no more sarcasm, this is honest curiosity).

He went to Czech republic to make catholic propaganda. The country is mostly atheistic!
I would be far worse (for him) if he went to Izrael or Irak.
You have jehovah's witnesses handing out bulletins in your area and you're insulted by that?
It's something like this.
Another example: A teenager likes rap, but his parents cannot accept it and constantly brag about how it's innapropriate

[LegoLord]

So basically, all public appearances for propaganda purposes (is there another reason for a public appearance?) are evil? Get me my gun, son, it's politician hunting season!

Political?  I just don't see that at all.  There's a big difference between going to a country to convert people to a religion (which, politically and economically, does very little; it really only has a social effect), and going to a town to make a speech about plans to improve the local economy, reduce crime, etc.

[chaoticag]

I don't think he is naive.

Out of the millions of people that will come to see him, some will convert to Catholicism, and even if it were .1%, it is still a significant amount for one guy. He isn't trying to enforce his beliefs upon others, and it counts as helping people by converting them first because they will probably live a happier, albiet restricted life. It really is worse to enforce Atheism, or any other set of beliefs, upon a country in my opinion.

Now then, if he does go around making a fool of himself by screaming "You will all go to hell if you don't repent!" and "You have all been misled!" then I will consider him an idiot to crown all idiots. Those types of scare tactics do more harm then good.

[DJ]

Religion has a lot to do with politics, and to think otherwise is naive.

So, Rooster, if Coca Cola holds a PR event in a Pepsi - oriented town, they're evil?

[de5me7]

i dont think the popes naive, he used to head the catholic department that crushed heresy (cant remember their name)

How ever he's rather irrelevant imo. I sort of feel sorry for him, hes like some late emporer prosiding over a colapsing realm.

To convince people of religious 'truths' you need an arguement to explain

A) why it matters

B) what evidence you have for it being true

and anyone who lives in a free society should be able to reject what you say.

Im not sure many people will listen to the pope. Its difficult to listen to someone who wheres silly clothes and tells Africans that sexual abstience is the only moral way to combat aids.

Im christian and i speak openly about by beliefs but people a free to rubish what i say, aslong as its through a logical arguement.

what does the Pope have to offer Czech? or is he there to correct them. I havnt followed his activity that closely but his comments on africa and spain appeared to be mostly corrective

[Gorjo MacGrymm]

From the wiki (yeah, i know) here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_the_Czech_Republic#Religion :

The Czech Republic, along with Estonia, has one of the least religious populations in all of Europe. According to the 2001 census, 59% of the country is agnostic, atheist or non-believer, 26.8% is Roman Catholic and 2.5% is Protestant.[35] According to the most recent Eurobarometer Poll in 2005,[36] 19% of Czech citizens responded that "they believe there is a god" (the second lowest rate among European Union countries after Estonia with 16%),[37] whereas 50% answered that "they believe there is some sort of spirit or life force" and 30% said that "they do not believe there is any sort of spirit, god or life force".

Just over a quarter of citizens in the Czech Republic are Roman Catholic.  Are you suggesting that they should not be allowed to practice their faith and have others who think the way they do visit their country?

If you listen to the OP's link, you will notice how the Pope praises the republics freedom of religion.  Is that wrong?  Should all religions be banned because the majority dont agree? (although, by the wiki, 70% believe in something - so the majority is NOT athiest).

[Hawkfrost]

Now then, if he does go around making a fool of himself by screaming "You will all go to hell if you don't repent!" and "You have all been misled!"

I get those calls all the time from Christian churches in my city.


My biggest problem with the Christian religion is how the followers, especially the priests, refuse to believe that ANY other religion could be right, and that everyone who follows them is a misguided sinner bound for the fiery abyss.
And the way they patronize you about it.
I`ll pray for your soul and that someday you`ll find the light.

Of course, this is just from my experiences in Toronto, Canada.

[Gorjo MacGrymm]

Now then, if he does go around making a fool of himself by screaming "You will all go to hell if you don't repent!" and "You have all been misled!"

My biggest problem with the Christian religion is how the followers, especially the priests, refuse to believe that ANY other religion could be right, and that everyone who follows them is a misguided sinner bound for the fiery abyss.

Ummmmmmm, thats kinda the point of following a religion.  If you think any one religion could be right and it doesnt really matter which one you pick then, what, its a hobby?  That certainly removes any BELIEF from the belief system!


I am scratchin my head more and more at some of these posts.