Jewish Former NYC Mayor Koch: Enough with the Attack on the Pope Already

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Friday April 9, 2010
Jewish Former NYC Mayor Koch: Enough with the Attack on the Pope Already

By John-Henry Westen

NEW YORK, April 9, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) – “I believe the continuing attacks by the media on the Roman Catholic Church and Pope Benedict XVI have become manifestations of anti-Catholicism,” said former New York City Mayor Ed Koch in the Jerusalem Post yesterday.

Koch, a Conservative Jew, says he disagrees with the Catholic Church (and Orthodox Judaism) on abortion, homosexuality, divorce, contraception and more, but nevertheless says that the Church has a right to hold to these beliefs and much of the attack on it today stems from opposition to those teachings.

“Many of those in the media who are pounding on the Church and the pope today clearly do it with delight, and some with malice,” writes Koch. “The reason, I believe, for the constant assaults is that there are many in the media, and some Catholics as well as many in the public, who object to and are incensed by positions the Church holds, including opposition to all abortions, opposition to gay sex and same-sex marriage, retention of celibacy rules for priests, exclusion of women from the clergy, opposition to birth control measures involving condoms and prescription drugs and opposition to civil divorce.”

Koch added: “I disagree with the Church on all of these positions. Nevertheless, it has a right to hold these views in accordance with its religious beliefs. … Orthodox Jews, like the Roman Catholic Church, can demand absolute obedience to religious rules. Those declining to adhere are free to leave.”

The former U.S. Congressman (1968-77) and three-term Mayor of New York City (1978-89), suggests that, “The primary explanation for the abuse that happened … was the belief that the priests could be cured by psychotherapy, a theory now long discarded by the medical profession.”

Despite his ideological disagreements with the Church, Koch says, “I believe the Roman Catholic Church is a force for good in the world, not evil.”

He concludes, “Enough is enough. Yes, terrible acts were committed by members of the Catholic clergy. The Church has paid billions to victims in the US and will pay millions, perhaps billions, more to other such victims around the world. It is trying desperately to atone for its past by its admissions and changes in procedures for dealing with pedophile priests. I will close with a paraphrase of the words of Jesus as set forth in John 8:7: He [or she] that is without sin among you, let him [or her] cast the next stone.”

See the full text of the Jerusalem Post column here.
URL: lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/apr/10040912.html

Copyright © LifeSiteNews.com. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivatives License. You may republish this article or portions of it without request provided the content is not altered and it is clearly attributed to “LifeSiteNews.com”.
 
thereseozi said:
lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/apr/10040912.html

Friday April 9, 2010
Jewish Former NYC Mayor Koch: Enough with the Attack on the Pope Already

By John-Henry Westen

NEW YORK, April 9, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) – “I believe the continuing attacks by the media on the Roman Catholic Church and Pope Benedict XVI have become manifestations of anti-Catholicism,” said former New York City Mayor Ed Koch in the Jerusalem Post yesterday.

Koch, a Conservative Jew, says he disagrees with the Catholic Church (and Orthodox Judaism) on abortion, homosexuality, divorce, contraception and more, but nevertheless says that the Church has a right to hold to these beliefs and much of the attack on it today stems from opposition to those teachings.

“Many of those in the media who are pounding on the Church and the pope today clearly do it with delight, and some with malice,” writes Koch. “The reason, I believe, for the constant assaults is that there are many in the media, and some Catholics as well as many in the public, who object to and are incensed by positions the Church holds, including opposition to all abortions, opposition to gay sex and same-sex marriage, retention of celibacy rules for priests, exclusion of women from the clergy, opposition to birth control measures involving condoms and prescription drugs and opposition to civil divorce.”

Koch added: “I disagree with the Church on all of these positions. Nevertheless, it has a right to hold these views in accordance with its religious beliefs. … Orthodox Jews, like the Roman Catholic Church, can demand absolute obedience to religious rules. Those declining to adhere are free to leave.”

The former U.S. Congressman (1968-77) and three-term Mayor of New York City (1978-89), suggests that, “The primary explanation for the abuse that happened … was the belief that the priests could be cured by psychotherapy, a theory now long discarded by the medical profession.”

Despite his ideological disagreements with the Church, Koch says, “I believe the Roman Catholic Church is a force for good in the world, not evil.”

He concludes, “Enough is enough. Yes, terrible acts were committed by members of the Catholic clergy. The Church has paid billions to victims in the US and will pay millions, perhaps billions, more to other such victims around the world. It is trying desperately to atone for its past by its admissions and changes in procedures for dealing with pedophile priests. I will close with a paraphrase of the words of Jesus as set forth in John 8:7: He [or she] that is without sin among you, let him [or her] cast the next stone.”

See the full text of the Jerusalem Post column here.
URL: lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/apr/10040912.html

Copyright © LifeSiteNews.com. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivatives License. You may republish this article or portions of it without request provided the content is not altered and it is clearly attributed to “LifeSiteNews.com”.
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What a mensch! A sheynem dank.Biz hundert un tsvantsik!Gutte Neshome.Yiddisher Kop.
 
Although I don’t really like his stances on moral issues, I gotta give him kudos for sticking up for the Church.
 
What a courageous thing to say these days. I think I’ll print the article and carry it in my purse. If the subject comes up, the former mayor says it way better than I ever could.
 
Why would any news article identify Ed Koch as a ‘Jewish former mayor’? That seems highly unnecessary to me.
 
Beau_Ouiville said:
Why would any news article identify Ed Koch as a ‘Jewish former mayor’? That seems highly unnecessary to me.
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Perhaps because not too long ago a Cardinal got lambasted for mentioning what a Jewish friend said of the attacks on the Church: ie. equating them with anti-Semitism. Perhaps Koch was that “friend”? At the very least, here we have a Jewish man who sees the anti-Catholicism at play.
 
baylee said:
Perhaps because not too long ago a Cardinal got lambasted for mentioning what a Jewish friend said of the attacks on the Church: ie. equating them with anti-Semitism. Perhaps Koch was that “friend”? At the very least, here we have a Jewish man who sees the anti-Catholicism at play.
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According to journalistic standards, Koch should not have been identified in the headline as as a ‘Jewish former mayor’. The writers got that one wrong.
 
The problem with this defense is that it is irrelevant. Some people dislike the President and criticize whatever he does; does that mean all the criticism is unfounded? No.

In the case of the Church, we are talking about crimes overlooked and innocent children endangered so that a child molestor who happened to be ordained might not be embarrassed. What possible “good of the universal Church” came from then-Cardinal Ratzinger’s delay in laicizing a child molestor? None. Indeed, his response has brought about MORE HARM. This is what tears at the hearts of faithful Catholics, not that a few predators joined the ranks of priests but that so many NON-predator priests stuck up for them, hid their crimes, delayed their punishments, continually endangering children and they STILL have the gall to act as if we have to right to ask, “What the he*l were you thinking?”
 
Mayor Koch seems fair-minded in this matter. But when it comes to Israel, that country clearly is his first love and he lambasts anyone who dares criticize Israel for any reason whatever. It’s sad that he is so biased on that issue. More and more American Jews have awakened to the extremist Netanyahu regime whose aggressive and repressive policies aid al-Qaida recruitment and thereby hurt the USA. Our governments (both Republican and Democratic) have strongly objected to continuous building of settlements on Palestinian land, yet we continue to subsidize Israel with billions every year which alienates more and more millions around the world.
This, in turn, has alienated me from Ed Koch.
 
Bravo, Mayor Koch. You are a very perceptive man. You see the old shadows creeping into this situation. Defamation by vile caricature and generalization is a tried and true propaganda tool used to foment hatred and disdain. He is a man of the world, and he knows a smear when he sees one. This is no longer about the very real scandal of sexual abuse among the glergy. We are witnessing the all out assault on the Roman Catholic Church by those whose sole motivation is deep hatred of the sacred and all it represents. I would simply say that I salute Mayor Koch for his candor, and that if he was running for anything he would have my vote. Give the man a cigar!
 
markeverett49 said:
The problem with this defense is that it is irrelevant. Some people dislike the President and criticize whatever he does; does that mean all the criticism is unfounded? No.

In the case of the Church, we are talking about crimes overlooked and innocent children endangered so that a child molestor who happened to be ordained might not be embarrassed. What possible “good of the universal Church” came from then-Cardinal Ratzinger’s delay in laicizing a child molestor? None. Indeed, his response has brought about MORE HARM. This is what tears at the hearts of faithful Catholics, not that a few predators joined the ranks of priests but that so many NON-predator priests stuck up for them, hid their crimes, delayed their punishments, continually endangering children and they STILL have the gall to act as if we have to right to ask, “What the he*l were you thinking?”
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If I’ve been following the story correctly, it didn’t make a difference. The priest in question was already removed from ministry. He was already away from the children. It doesn’t really make much real difference, because even after laicization he’s still a priest because once a person is a priest they are always a priest. The important part was that he was removed from ministry.
 
markeverett49 said:
The problem with this defense is that it is irrelevant. Some people dislike the President and criticize whatever he does; does that mean all the criticism is unfounded? No.

In the case of the Church, we are talking about crimes overlooked and innocent children endangered so that a child molestor who happened to be ordained might not be embarrassed. What possible “good of the universal Church” came from then-Cardinal Ratzinger’s delay in laicizing a child molestor? None. Indeed, his response has brought about MORE HARM. This is what tears at the hearts of faithful Catholics, not that a few predators joined the ranks of priests but that so many NON-predator priests stuck up for them, hid their crimes, delayed their punishments, continually endangering children and they STILL have the gall to act as if we have to right to ask, “What the he*l were you thinking?”
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I think you meant “no right”,and I agree with you.Infallibility does NOT equate impeccability.
 
markeverett49 said:
The problem with this defense is that it is irrelevant. Some people dislike the President and criticize whatever he does; does that mean all the criticism is unfounded? No.

In the case of the Church, we are talking about crimes overlooked and innocent children endangered so that a child molestor who happened to be ordained might not be embarrassed. What possible “good of the universal Church” came from then-Cardinal Ratzinger’s delay in laicizing a child molestor? None. Indeed, his response has brought about MORE HARM. This is what tears at the hearts of faithful Catholics, not that a few predators joined the ranks of priests but that so many NON-predator priests stuck up for them, hid their crimes, delayed their punishments, continually endangering children and they STILL have the gall to act as if we have to right to ask, “What the he*l were you thinking?”
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It is so easy to be judge and jury now that we see the big picture. But to be fair you have to put yourself in the situation with the limited knowledge they had at that time.
 
I find it sad that a Jewish person would stand up for the Church before many Catholics would. I appreciate his comments, but it just reminds me that too many Catholics need to realize that it is time to forgive and to work through this together instead of bashing the priests and the Pope and the Church herself.
 
GK Chesterton said that the church has such an aura of hatred around it; it must be the true church. I for one, have a greatdeal of respect for the Jewish people and HATE anit-semitism which is very much like anti-catholicism. It seems that God’s chosen people are hated in both the Old Covenant and the New. I pray for all who attack the Church and Israel. It is nice to see that a brother in Ya*** is sticking up for us. God Bless him and the people of Israel! Shalom and may we one day rejoice together under Christ.
 
unworthyapostle said:
gk chesterton said that the church has such an aura of hatred around it; it must be the true church. I for one, have a greatdeal of respect for the jewish people and hate anit-semitism which is very much like anti-catholicism. It seems that god’s chosen people are hated in both the old covenant and the new. I pray for all who attack the church and israel. It is nice to see that a brother in ya*** is sticking up for us. God bless him and the people of israel! Shalom and may we one day rejoice together under christ.
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אמן
 
Beau_Ouiville said:
Why would any news article identify Ed Koch as a ‘Jewish former mayor’? That seems highly unnecessary to me.
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Perhaps because it can help eliminate bias which is very important in journalism. A Jewish man who disagrees with Catholic teaching on abortion and other social issues actually standing up for the Catholic Church is VERY persuasive.
 
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