Hindus denounce Pope for Being Offensive to Atheists

[Velma]

Color me surprised!

http://news.oneindia.in/2010/09/17/hind ... eists.html

[The Magic Pudding]

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, further said that although Pope frequently talked about right to religious freedom, cooperation of the human family, truly universal human community, etc., but in this speech, he apparently condemned the beliefs of a considerable chunk of world population called atheists. Who were we as human beings to judge publicly that other humans' beliefs different than us were wrong?

In his encyclical "Caritas in Veritate" (Charity in Truth) issued in Rome last year, Pope was also highly critical of atheists and humanists: "...ideological rejection of God and an atheism of indifference, oblivious to the Creator and at risk of becoming equally oblivious to human values, constitute some of the chief obstacles to development today. A humanism which excludes God is an inhuman humanism." This encyclical letter is considered the highest form of papal teaching.

Someone is making friends and someone is vilifying.
Well that's what popes do.
I hope there are many Hindus like Mr Zed, he sounds cool.  

In his encyclical "Caritas in Veritate" (Charity in Truth) issued in Rome last year, Pope was also highly critical of atheists and humanists: "...ideological rejection of God and an atheism of indifference, oblivious to the Creator and at risk of becoming equally oblivious to human values, constitute some of the chief obstacles to development today. A humanism which excludes God is an inhuman humanism." This encyclical letter is considered the highest form of papal teaching.

Is the pope trolling?

[Will]

Thanks, Hindus. You're alright in my book.  

[PoopShoot]

I recently read where someone had pointed out that Hindus are already a step ahead of Christians because they don't wake people up at 8 am on Saturday to tell them about Brahma.

[philosoraptor]

LUL.  The Pope that was in the Hitler Youth is trying to blame atheism for the actions of the Nazis?  Yeah, okay.  Because Hitler was raised Catholic.  Fail Pope is fail.

The Hindus though, they're alright.

[Sophus]

LUL.  The Pope that was in the Hitler Youth is trying to blame atheism for the actions of the Nazis?

To play [strike:1au4h002]Devil's[/strike:1au4h002] God's Advocate, wasn't that mandatory and didn't he also find a way to get out of going to the meetings?

[Thumpalumpacus]

LUL.  The Pope that was in the Hitler Youth is trying to blame atheism for the actions of the Nazis?

To play [strike:1r2n9tus]Devil's[/strike:1r2n9tus] God's Advocate, wasn't that mandatory and didn't he also find a way to get out of going to the meetings?

What's funny is that, in looking up source material to add to this discussion, I came across a Sunday Times article which claims Ratty served in an AA unit set up to defend a BMW aeroengine plant near Dachau, in Eisenach.  It reports that he "didn't fire a shot".  Maybe he had the right days off, because a quick flip through google shows that the 8th AF bombed the shit out of that plant at least three different occasions.

I can't find hard numbers, but at that stage of the war (Jul 44 -- Mar 45) the average heavy bomber raid put up 600 bombers carrying between 1200-1500 tons of bombs.  It's pretty hard to believe he wasn't made to do his duty.

[Sophus]

LUL.  The Pope that was in the Hitler Youth is trying to blame atheism for the actions of the Nazis?

To play [strike:3tj44dp0]Devil's[/strike:3tj44dp0] God's Advocate, wasn't that mandatory and didn't he also find a way to get out of going to the meetings?

What's funny is that, in looking up source material to add to this discussion, I came across a Sunday Times article which claims Ratty served in an AA unit set up to defend a BMW aeroengine plant near Dachau, in Eisenach.  It reports that he "didn't fire a shot".  Maybe he had the right days off, because a quick flip through google shows that the 8th AF bombed the shit out of that plant at least three different occasions.

I can't find hard numbers, but at that stage of the war (Jul 44 -- Mar 45) the average heavy bomber raid put up 600 bombers carrying between 1200-1500 tons of bombs.  It's pretty hard to believe he wasn't made to do his duty.

That's interesting. Apparently, not only that but "Ratzinger has insisted he never took part in combat or fired a shot â€" adding that his gun was not even loaded â€"" Why on earth would his gun never be loaded?

[Thumpalumpacus]

That's interesting. Apparently, not only that but "Ratzinger has insisted he never took part in combat or fired a shot â€" adding that his gun was not even loaded â€"" Why on earth would his gun never be loaded?

Perhaps he was a conscientious objector?  I'm sure the regime would've respected such a stand, and posted him to a [strike:1ot985bq]punishment battalion[/strike:1ot985bq] border post at the Brenner Pass.

[philosoraptor]

LUL.  The Pope that was in the Hitler Youth is trying to blame atheism for the actions of the Nazis?

To play [strike:1w8jf54o]Devil's[/strike:1w8jf54o] God's Advocate, wasn't that mandatory and didn't he also find a way to get out of going to the meetings?

Supposedly.  Although Catholic (youth) groups were one of the few that were not dissolved when Hitler took power because the Vatican had a special agreement with the Nazi government.  I don't see any mention of Ratzinger having belonged to Catholic youth groups in any of the bio stuff I searched, just that he supposedly refused to attend Hitler Youth meetings.

I guess what I'm getting at is that I don't think the Catholic Church is above editing certain information about what Ratzinger did or did not participate in as a member of the Hitler Youth or the German military.

[Dretlin]

Color me surprised!

http://news.oneindia.in/2010/09/17/hind ... eists.html

Didn't see that coming!

[Asmodean]

Is the pope trolling?

By the look on his face and the nazi-greeting way of holding his hand while waving to the crowds... Yeah, he probably is  

[curiosityandthecat]

[Tom62]

When Ratzinger was 11 years old he had to join the Hitler Jugend in 1938. This was mandatory for all kids. When he was 18 years old (the war was nearly over), he deserted the army. I don't like the guy either, but I wouldn't call him a Nazi.

[SSY]

Where did you get that information from Tom? As someone said earlier, I would not put it past the church to falsify the past of it's leader, after all, we know they have no problem with covering things up.