The Pope- Benedict XVI

Let me start by saying I have nothing against Catholicism (except that I think it's incorrect, which is why I'm not Catholic...) or against the Papal system in general. In fact, a friend recently told me I got starry eyed when talking about Pope John Paul II. That was one righteous fellow.

Last night I posted on my facebook status "Sarah does not like the picture of the Pope at the Kotel on the cover of the New York Times" . I thought this was pretty self-explanatory. Doesn't everyone know that the Pope is an anti-semite? Apparently not. A bunch of Christian friends of mine asked "Why not?" and when I said that I was bothered by his..um...anti-semitism (citing examples) they focused on one thing. There is a prayer in the Good Friday Service where the Catholics pray for the conversion of the Jews to Catholicism. From what I understand (the last time I was in Catholic church was 6 years ago for a Baptism, and I have NEVER been to a Catholic Good Friday ...mass?) the prayer starts out with a prayer for the Pope and Bishops, etc., then a prayer for Catholics, then for Jews, then for nonbelievers. There is no prayer for Muslims or Buddhists or anything, so obviously this is specifically targeting the conversion of Jews, but whatever.

Personally, this doesn't offend me, as a side note. I know that MOST Christians think that it is their duty (a mitzvah, if you will) to convert and "save" Jews and all non-Christians. They think they are correct. Doesn't everyone think that? I'm from the Bible Belt so I am used to people telling me they want to save me, are praying for me, and at first it used to piss me off. Then I thought it was amusing. Then I started to say "If you are going to pray for me, make sure you mention my Chem final tomorrow!!!" Now I have resigned to the fact that this is what Christians (as well as Muslims want) -- for the whole world to be part of their religion. As long as they leave me alone I don't really care what they are praying for. Having a Christian praying for me to "be saved" is not nearly as offensive as the kid who threw the penny at me in the Union the other day.

So anyway this prayer used to be really negative talking about how Jews were under a veil, unfaithful, etc., and over the last half decade has become a lot more positive. One of the many things this new Pope has done is try to make this prayer back to its original text. I don't want to argue the Latin or what it is truly saying because I saw this as a really small side note because like I said, I know the Pope wants everyone to be Catholic!!! Otherwise he would be a pretty weird Catholic. But after I posted this I got a lot of feedback on being a "completed Jew" and all sorts of strange concepts, and really I didn't want to debate religion with anyone. I would debate religion with atheists, with Jews who have some strange ideas, etc., but I don't really see the point in debating religion with religious Christians or Muslims. They have their views which they are entitled too and as long as they aren't hurting me what do I care. In Judaism there is no concept of everyone having to be Jewish and follow Jewish laws. The Torah was given to the JEWS and the only people that have to keep any of the laws in the Torah are those with a Jewish mother or those who convert to Judaism. There is no concept of looking for converts in Judaism. Everyone that isn't Jewish has to only follow the 7 Noachide laws. .

My whole point was this: POPE JOHN PAUL II was AWESOME. Pope Benedict XVI is lame and this is why I don't like to see him praying at the Kotel. Moshe did not get to go to Israel, Jews weren't allowed for thousands of years, my own father has never been, and here is the anti-semitic Pope at the Kotel. How sweet!

-Hitler Youth
Pope Benedict XVI was, like most good little German boys, in the Hitler Youth. I have been told that this isn't really his fault. After all, he was a kid and EVERYONE was in the Hitler Youth. First of all, he was a young teenager, not a kid. If he were a Jew, he would be considered an adult. I understand that a six year old might not be blamed for joining, but a 13 year old is. Secondly the Pope is a leader of a world religion. In fact he leads about a billion people. A teenage leader DOES actually have the responsibility to take a stand on what is right and wrong. (Pope JP2 did!) . I know if I were Catholic I would want my leader to know the difference between right and wrong when it is so black and white. I have Catholic relatives that have actually stopped going to the Church because because they don't want to be part of a group whose best leader they can find, of all the billion Catholics, wore a swastika and marched in line. There is a serious lack of leadership in Catholic church today if they cannot find a someone with a tiny bit of brazenness.
**MOST IMPORTANTLY JOSEPH RATZINGER CHOSE TO STAY WITH THE GERMAN ARMY AFTER GRADUATING THE HITLER YOUTH, JOINING Luftwaffe AA battery**

- Pius X
Here's the video of Bishop Richard Williamson, Holocaust Denier. Here he is saying that maybe 2-300,000 Jews "perished" but never by gas chambers, and he also says when asked about anti-semitism, that something isn't bad if it is true. He is a member of the Society of St. Pius X which is often accused of being anti-semitic, but I'm not going to go into why. So basically this bishop is a known anti-semite and holocaust denier and was excommunicated 20 years ago. Don't worry, though! Pope Benedict XVI invited him back! Yay! Maybe the Pope didn't know/care about this fact and let him back because his nice, has a cool accent, etc. I don't know. But once again he has a responsibility to look into these sort of things.

-Israel
Right now our dear Benedict is in Israel. He has made a few speeches to the Israelis, but mainly he is focusing on his Palestinian friends. For example, in Bethlehem (actually Beit Lechem- house of bread) , the other day Pope Benedict XVI talked about how he has a common bond with Palestinians because they want to go back to their homeland (see: Jordan) and so does he (Germany?). Also on this trip the Pope attended the speech of Sheikh Tayseer Tamimi, who used the opportunity to urge Muslims and Christians to unite against Israel. This is the same speech that I heard when an imam spoke to my high school back in Mississippi. The Pope got up right after the speech to make a somewhat early exit, but made sure to shake the hand of Sheikh Tamimi first. Always the diplomat! Throughout the trip the Pope has expressed his sorrow for the Palestinian people saying how they are oppressed and deserve a state, etc.

-Forgiving the Jews?
Pope John Paul II officially "forgave the Jews for killing Jesus". This is a strange concept, but still a positive thing. Maybe the very pious Catholics of NYC don't know this, but many Christians do blame the Jews of today for the crucifixion. I had people ask me somewhat often why I killed Jesus. Pope John Paul II said on a trip to Israel
" “the Jews of our times can hardly be accused of the crimes committed against Christ, so far removed are they from those deeds. Actually, even in the time of Christ, the majority of the chosen people did not cooperate with the leaders of the people in condemning Christ" and went on to say that G-d has forgiven the Jews so you should to.
Pope Benedict XVI actually tried to revoke this. In other words say, okay we can now blame the Jews again. Whatttt?

There are many more examples but I need to eat lunch. I don't blame Catholics for their support of "G-ds Rottweiler" as he is nicknamed because I don't really think you are able to say that you dislike the Pope, but at the same token I hope that if you had the choice you would have chosen someone else.