I will not play parsing games. That kind of confrontational opinion has and will damage the Church. BXVI’s Brazilian statement was affront enough to generate a Vatican psuedo-apology a week later.
I’m not playing parsing games either, I simply feel that you are (possibly unintentionally) misrepresenting the Pope. In fact I think everyone is, because while doing a Google Search all I couldn’t find the text to his speech at all. I think we should look at that before we start condemning the pope.
Also - I don’t think that it was a pseudo-apology, and you have absolutely no proof to show that it was insincere. I mean - I feel that the pope was right about the Indians longing to be fullfilled and to know Our Lord Jesus Christ - I also feel that what he said in his apology (I think) about the violence used by some of the Spaniards as being unacceptable, and contrary to what god would have wanted.
As for the other, it’s sufficient to say that the Catholic Church is the one true Church. Period. Words like “defective” and “wounded” in Vatican document are incendiary and serve absolutely no positive role. Whether the Pope ever uttered precisely those words or not, thats how the world heard it.
Well it is interesting to think that we don’t even know whether or not he used the words “defective” or “wounded” now. I mean I was willing just to accept your word that he did… But if he didn’t it could just be another case of the media distorting his words (as they most likely did in the first instance, since we can’t find any direct quotes w/ the exception of “silent(ly?) longing”)
In any case - I don’t think the Holy Father was wrong in his assessment, and as I said before some Orthodox have expressed that while they disagree with the Holy Father (obviously) they respect us more when we actually stick up for what we believe rather than saying all things are relative. In fact I think that it is a misrepresentation of the faith for us to say otherwise.
For five years, most of the Church’s exposure has been associated with ugly scandal. Religion in general is under attack We don’t need more misunderstanding and friction, especially because of theological arrogance, archaic canonical language and courtly protocols. The Vatican must learn to act and communicate in the 21st Century, not the 18th.
I think that while true Ecumenism is admirable, we cannot ignore the differences, and we should not just say that “everything is okay”. This is either the One True Church founded by Christ or it isn’t. There’re no two ways about it.
Also I find it pretty disrespectful that you would use the word “theological arrogance” - especially since you seem to be qualifying H.H. Pope Benedict XVI’s statements with that word.
Catholig
