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North Korea wants to 'ardently welcome' Pope Francis, South says
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Tis_Bearself
Patron
Part of me wants to respond “Thank you Jesus” for answering my continued prayers for North Korea, and part of me wants to tell the Holy Father, “Stay away, it’s a trap!”
Guess I’ll just keep praying for the situation with the Koreas.
Guess I’ll just keep praying for the situation with the Koreas.
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Lee1
Guest
I can’t imagine that North Korea would dare to let anything happen to the Pope.
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Victoria33
Guest
The Holy Father has visited Cuba. Cuba likewise, is a pretty bad country imho.
But China, from what I understand is pretty oppressive of Catholicism and that’s due North.
This Pope also went into areas of the Middle East one might not think it best to go into. This is just off the top of my head. Many Palestinians are actually Christian but I don’t know if they are involved with the protesting one sees on tv. Just check youtube.com. There have been some very celebratory events with the Palestinian Christians, I think they are usually called Maronites. Again, I’m not real sure of all of this.
But China, from what I understand is pretty oppressive of Catholicism and that’s due North.
This Pope also went into areas of the Middle East one might not think it best to go into. This is just off the top of my head. Many Palestinians are actually Christian but I don’t know if they are involved with the protesting one sees on tv. Just check youtube.com. There have been some very celebratory events with the Palestinian Christians, I think they are usually called Maronites. Again, I’m not real sure of all of this.
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Mary888
Guest
CIA said that Kim J… (sorry hard name to remember) only wants to be let be a Communist Monarch like his daddy was. He is not a threat if he is allowed to rule.
Probably he invites Pope Francis to discuss the situation of Catholic Koreans now that the Vatican has reached a deal with the Chinese Communist Party that will hopefully stop the CP burning bibles and crucifixes in China.
Probably Pope Francis asked and Kim J…said yes.
Probably he invites Pope Francis to discuss the situation of Catholic Koreans now that the Vatican has reached a deal with the Chinese Communist Party that will hopefully stop the CP burning bibles and crucifixes in China.
Probably Pope Francis asked and Kim J…said yes.
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Victoria33
Guest
I don’t think he should go…
OR… he should meet him in South Korea, Seoul.
You know, it’s pretty much said that Kim had his half-brother killed in Malaysia I believe and there are all kinds of horror stories out of there, concentration camps, executions.
Kim is too untrustworthy though, I do believe a new page has been turned. We are at a better stage than a year ago.
Now, if it was scheduled for say, 2020… then, maybe we might look at that. If there have been enough changes made.
OR… he should meet him in South Korea, Seoul.
You know, it’s pretty much said that Kim had his half-brother killed in Malaysia I believe and there are all kinds of horror stories out of there, concentration camps, executions.
Kim is too untrustworthy though, I do believe a new page has been turned. We are at a better stage than a year ago.
Now, if it was scheduled for say, 2020… then, maybe we might look at that. If there have been enough changes made.
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Victoria33
Guest
Korea is famous for its martyrs. Heaven knows, we don’t need another one.
I’ll bet if the Holy Father went to North Korea, there would be a 90% or better chance that nothing would happen. It is that 5% chance that worries me.
Gosh, not during this Kim’s reign but one of the prior Kims, they had an assassination attempt against the South Korean president. See article below:
en.wikipedia.org
I think there was another attempt too that took place in Thailand or one of those other South East Asian types of countries. That’s what I was looking for. The South Korean president was not killed but others were.
I’ll bet if the Holy Father went to North Korea, there would be a 90% or better chance that nothing would happen. It is that 5% chance that worries me.
Gosh, not during this Kim’s reign but one of the prior Kims, they had an assassination attempt against the South Korean president. See article below:
Blue House raid - Wikipedia
I think there was another attempt too that took place in Thailand or one of those other South East Asian types of countries. That’s what I was looking for. The South Korean president was not killed but others were.
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tafan2
Guest
While you are correct, cuba is a pretty bad country. They have nothing on the North Koreans. One of the most oppressive communist regimes ever, and that is saying a lot. Perhaps Mao and Stalin were worse than the Kim family, that’s about it.
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Weserthy
Guest
I highly doubt Pope Francis would be in any danger visiting North Korea. They would not assassinate him or harm him at any kind of summit or talks. It would be such a major diplomatic breach to harm a world leader that it would be probable that the U.S. and other nations would declare war on them for such an act, and would be morally in the right to do so. Pope Francis is probably in more danger making his public appearances at the Vatican each week.
Tis_Bearself
Patron
Cuba has improved a lot in recent years. I have a number of friends who’ve gone there as tourists because it’s pleasant and cheap. Whereas in NK you risk being thrown in prison and dying there if you put a foot wrong.
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Victoria33
Guest
Cuba though, can be called an apartheid system, the natives are still treated poorly.
Sure, tourists can go there and tourists have gone there for over 40 years from Spain and Latin America, you can bring Cuban cigars into Mexico. Your friends just put money into the pockets of the Castros, the dictatorship.
Does one want to visit somewhere where the President says that about 9/11?
Now, Cuba is not as bad as it was but still, not good for the locals.
People don’t risk drowning, crossing the sea in whatever contraption they can because Cuba is a good place.
It’s pretty well accepted too, that they, the Cuban totalitarian government, are behind a lot of the downfall of Venezuela.
Cuba–North Korea relations - Wikipedia
Babalublog and therealcuba are helpful websites.
27 Cuban refugees who boarded rickety boat to flee communism come ashore in Miami | Babalú Blog
Neither Obama's "Hope and Change" policy nor a new "president" and a new "constitution" is giving Cubans much hope. While Cuba remains under the complete control of the communist apartheid dictatorship of the Castro family, Cubans will continue to risk their lives to flee the island prison. Via...
babalublog.com
Furthermore, I think experts will tell you, the Catholic Church has been heavily oppressed in Cuba to the point where they have killed some priests.
The Holy Father has visited Cuba. Cuba likewise, is a pretty bad country imho.
That’s all I said, not that Cuba was on par with North Korea, just that it’s also a pretty bad country.
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TheLittleLady
Guest
EXACTLY!
I have a friend who is a bit of an expert on N Korea. I’ve just told him we need to talk about this one.
I have a friend who is a bit of an expert on N Korea. I’ve just told him we need to talk about this one.
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TheLittleLady
Guest
There IS one parish church in Pyongyang, I know a priest who knows a priest who has said Mass there. It is shown sometimes on documentaries about N Korea.
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Victoria33
Guest
I happened to have the radio on earlier, they were talking about this, I almost feel for certain they said there is a good number of Catholics in North Korea.
Catholic Church in North Korea - Wikipedia
Actually, much higher than this, but I don’t want to misstate the figure. Perhaps more will come out on this matter. Maybe I heard it on the Catholic station at that. I will search for additional information.
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Victoria33
Guest
Rubio and Menendez, both that are our Cuban-American Senators had great dismay for the Cuba deal. They disliked it intensely. Republican and Democrat. Florida and New Jersey.
I know, many farmers have seemed to have benefited from the Cuba deal. If we were to pull out of that deal, it might have a backlash against American farmers.
So, this is a sensitive item.
The Holy Father has visited Cuba. Cuba likewise, is a pretty bad country imho.
Okay, speaking of which, we do a lot of trade with China, I think one could say, China likewise, is a pretty bad country imho. The Pope, if invited might be safe there. That still would not make the many human rights violations there, its status as a non-free country different. Cuba is non-free too, as far as Freedom House ratings go. Freedom House is not perfect, they are something to look at in a general way.
freedomhouse.org
One may see below, the map of free, unfree, partially free countries.
Which year, the url says 2017.
But like I said, now that we’ve acquiesced to the Cuban deal, if we pulled out, it would hurt American farmers (this is off-topic I know). So, maybe in this case, since it was done, we should not go back to the old.
But I would clearly, leave it up to those more expert than myself.
I have to add in, Cuba is a historically Catholic nation. Probably the #1 reason they could host the Pope. Also, I referred to Priests above in Cuba. I’d recommend further research but I don’t want to leave the impression that Priests as a group, were targeted, at least, with death so to speak. I do know, some have been killed in the sixty-some years of the revolution. There may have been some “persecution” directed at them. I’d want someone more expertise to chime in on this.
I know, many farmers have seemed to have benefited from the Cuba deal. If we were to pull out of that deal, it might have a backlash against American farmers.
So, this is a sensitive item.
The Holy Father has visited Cuba. Cuba likewise, is a pretty bad country imho.
Okay, speaking of which, we do a lot of trade with China, I think one could say, China likewise, is a pretty bad country imho. The Pope, if invited might be safe there. That still would not make the many human rights violations there, its status as a non-free country different. Cuba is non-free too, as far as Freedom House ratings go. Freedom House is not perfect, they are something to look at in a general way.
Expanding Freedom and Democracy
Freedom House is founded on the core conviction that freedom flourishes in democratic nations where governments are accountable to their people.
One may see below, the map of free, unfree, partially free countries.
Which year, the url says 2017.
But like I said, now that we’ve acquiesced to the Cuban deal, if we pulled out, it would hurt American farmers (this is off-topic I know). So, maybe in this case, since it was done, we should not go back to the old.
But I would clearly, leave it up to those more expert than myself.
I have to add in, Cuba is a historically Catholic nation. Probably the #1 reason they could host the Pope. Also, I referred to Priests above in Cuba. I’d recommend further research but I don’t want to leave the impression that Priests as a group, were targeted, at least, with death so to speak. I do know, some have been killed in the sixty-some years of the revolution. There may have been some “persecution” directed at them. I’d want someone more expertise to chime in on this.
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pnewton
Guest
I would not think any risk would affect the decision of Pope Francis. If he thinks it is useful, he will go, even if he knew he would be in serious danger.
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