The pope seems to have lost his mind

[BlackCat]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6656081.stm

Anger at Pope's Brazil comments
Pope Benedict XVI
The Pope made the comments at a meeting of Latin American bishops
Indigenous leaders in Brazil have reacted angrily to Pope Benedict's comments that their predecessors had willingly converted to Christianity.

One Amazon Indian leader, Jecinaldo Satere Mawe, said the Pope's remarks had been arrogant and disrespectful.

Pope Benedict XVI told Latin American bishops in Brazil that American Indians had been "silently longing" to become Christians 500 years ago.

The Pope has now returned home after his five-day trip to Brazil.

The Vatican has made no further comment.

'Wrong and indefensible'

The BBC's Emilio San Pedro said the Pope had said the Christianisation of the region had not involved an alienation of the pre-Colombian cultures.

Our correspondent said Pope Benedict also made no mention of the violent history that followed or the documented decimation of native cultures in favour of the Christian model Conquistadores and other Europeans colonisers.

He said the comments had even been criticised by the Catholic Church's Indian advocacy group in Brazil, which described the Pope's statement as wrong and indefensible.

What fantasy world does he live in ?

[Heresson]

the church actually fought for the right for the Indians. And it's common to believe everyone silently longs to God, so what's the matter? That is not very tactuful, but nor is bashing him for it.

[ZEE]

Hey this is a BlackCat thread, give him a break! this comes from the same man that brought us such fine threads like: smoke in the kitchen.

and the Pope is a pimp-daddy. he can do and say what he wants to... nuff said
piece

[Barnabas]

Is it reasonable to expect that XVI century catholics would respect religions that involved human sacrifices, cannibalism and worshipping statues?

I think we cant criticize them for how they treated the indians and blacks, but the conversion to christianity was unavoidable.

[Asher]

the conversion to christianity was unavoidable.

[Barnabas]

I would change what I wrote from

The conversion to christianity was unavoidable

to

The destruction of andean and mesomaerican religions was unavoidable

[ZEE]

Originally posted by Barnabas
The destruction of andean and mesomaerican religions was unavoidable

Barnabas of Brachy DOES have a bit of a point on this one...

[Berzerker]

the church actually fought for the right for the Indians.

To do what? Convert?

And it's common to believe everyone silently longs to God, so what's the matter?

Maybe you can figure that out after I put a gun to your head to induce a belief in my god.

Is it reasonable to expect that XVI century catholics would respect religions that involved human sacrifices, cannibalism and worshipping statues?

Of course, they sacrificed humans and worshiped statues too.

I think we cant criticize them for how they treated the indians and blacks

I can, I dont subscribe to your brand of moral relativism.

[Barnabas]

Damn, I meant "caN criticize for that" but not for the conversions, the extra t must have been a lapsus

[Heresson]

Berzerker - to give them any rights, popes had difficulties convincing Spaniards that they're human

[Berzerker]

I know some of the missionaries were sympathetic, but their only "right" was to convert.

Damn, I meant "caN criticize for that" but not for the conversions, the extra t must have been a lapsus

Reads better that way, you're off the hook

[Dinner]

Originally posted by Barnabas
I would change what I wrote from

The conversion to christianity was unavoidable

to

The destruction of andean and mesomaerican religions was unavoidable

I kind of have to agree with this statement. After contact the Meso-American and Andean-American religions were considered so barbaric (human sacrifice, cutting the beating hearts out of victims, etc) that Europeans would most certainly have repressed those religions. I don't the natives "urned for Christianity" like Pope Nazi has said but the conflict was unavoidable.

[BeBMan]

"Pope Nazi"

[Emetri]

The conversion to christianity was unavoidable

I am your Papa. Search within your feelings, you know it is the truth, Luca.

[Wernazuma III]

Originally posted by Barnabas
I would change what I wrote from

The conversion to christianity was unavoidable

to

The destruction of andean and mesomaerican religions was unavoidable

I say this is a a VERY good change, although we could debate long about this, especially because Pope Benedict was talking about "the Indians" so indifferently, while their religions were as diverse as Scientology is from Buddhism...
Sorry, but whatever drug Pope Benedict took, I want that stuff too. His statements are really offensive.
Oh, how one has to love how eagerly the Indians flocked to Catholicism during the "Extirpation of Idolatry" in the Andes!

And please note, this comes from a person heavily attacked on this forum for not accepting the Spanish Black Legend so prevalent in the USA: Benedict is in denial!