Pope's First Encyclical

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CycloWizard

Lifer
Sep 10, 2001
12,348
1
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Pope Benedict XVI is releasing his first encyclical today, titled "God is Love." FoxNews mentions some excerpts from the letter that might clear up some differences between Catholicism and fundamentalist Christians that seem to be unknown in this forum, particularly with respect to proselytization.
Pope Encyclical Mandates Charity

VATICAN CITY ? Pope Benedict XVI said Wednesday in his first encyclical that the Roman Catholic Church has no desire to govern states or set public policy, but can't remain silent when its charity is needed to ease suffering around the world.

In the long-awaited document "God is Love," Benedict explores the relationship between God's love for mankind and the church's works of charity, saying the two are intrinsically linked and the foundation of the Christian faith.

The 71-page encyclical, eagerly watched for clues about Benedict's major concerns, characterizes his early pontificate as one in which he seeks to return to the basics of Christianity with a relatively uncontroversial meditation on love and the need for greater works of charity in an unjust world.

Even Vatican officials have expressed some surprise at the topic, considering Benedict was the Vatican's chief doctrinal watchdog and could easily have delved into a more problematic issue such as bioethics in his first authoritative text.

In the encyclical, Benedict said the church's work caring for widows, the sick and orphans was as much a part of its mission as celebrating the sacraments and spreading the Gospels. However, he stressed that the church's charity workers must never use their work to proselytize or push a particular political ideology.

"Love is free; it is not practiced as a way of achieving other ends," he wrote.

"Those who practice charity in the church's name will never seek to impose the church's faith upon others. They realize that a pure and generous love is the best witness to the God in whom we believe and by whom we are driven to love."

He rejected the criticism of charity found in Marxist thought, which holds that charity is merely an excuse by the rich to keep the poor in their place when the rich should be working for a more just society.

While the Marxist model, in which the state tries to provide for every social need, did respond to the plight of the poor faster than even the church did during the Industrial Revolution, it was a failed experiment because it couldn't respond to every human need, he wrote.

Even in the most just societies, charity will always be necessary, he said.

"There will always be suffering which cries out for consolation and help. There will always be loneliness. There will always be situations of material need where help in the form of concrete love of neighbor is indispensable," he said.

Benedict stressed that the state alone is responsible for creating that just society, not the church. "As a political task, this cannot be the church's immediate responsibility," he said.

However, he said the church wants to be involved in political life by helping "form consciences in political life and stimulate greater insight into the authentic requirements of justice as well as greater readiness to act accordingly, even when this might involve conflict with situations of personal interest."

He said the church was "duty-bound" to offer such a contribution, and that the lay faithful, who as citizens of the state, are duty-bound to carry it out through works of charity.

While stressing that the church has no direct political role, he did offer a prescription for what the state should do.

"We do not need a state which regulates and controls everything, but a state which, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity, generously acknowledges and supports initiatives arising from the different social forces and combines spontaneity with closeness to those in need," he wrote.
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conjur

No Lifer
Jun 7, 2001
58,686
3
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"Love is free; it is not practiced as a way of achieving other ends," he wrote.

Except when those ends are attached to 12 year-old boys.



As for the charity, I hope he doesn't expect the funding of that charity to be from tax dollars gathered by the state (as is being done here in the US).
 
Red Dawn

Red Dawn

Elite Member
Jun 4, 2001
57,529
3
0
Every time I see a German addressing a crowd from a balcony I tend to get nervous.
 
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PELarson

Platinum Member
Mar 27, 2001
2,289
0
0
Originally posted by: Red Dawn
Every time I see a German addressing a crowd from a balcony I tend to get nervous.
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If the pope where Austrian then I would be nervous.
 
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conjur

No Lifer
Jun 7, 2001
58,686
3
0
Originally posted by: Genx87
Except when those ends are attached to 12 year-old boys.
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What a well pre-thought reply.

You are the best.
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How could that have been pre-thought considering I had no idea what the article said until I clicked on the thread?

:cookie: for your off-topic trolling.

Where's the mod to cleanup the thread hijacking and attacks?
 
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jlmadyson

Platinum Member
Aug 13, 2004
2,201
0
0
Originally posted by: conjur
Originally posted by: Genx87
Except when those ends are attached to 12 year-old boys.
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What a well pre-thought reply.

You are the best.
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How could that have been pre-thought considering I had no idea what the article said until I clicked on the thread?

:cookie: for your off-topic trolling.

Where's the mod to cleanup the thread hijacking and attacks?
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Attacks let me refresh your memory for you within the last 24 hours, "bend over", "prick".

Ring a bell?

You sir are the king of attacks.


 
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conjur

No Lifer
Jun 7, 2001
58,686
3
0
And those comments were directed toward the subjects of the thread, not the posters in the threads. See the difference? Probably not. But, go ahead and keep AVOIDING the topic.
 
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Genx87

Lifer
Apr 8, 2002
41,091
513
126
Originally posted by: conjur
And those comments were directed toward the subjects of the thread, not the posters in the threads. See the difference? Probably not. But, go ahead and keep AVOIDING the topic.
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lmao you crying for mods to clean up threads? lmao

You are one of the most foul mouthed people on here. Dont agree with conjur? Then prepare to be called an asshat.

Even more funny if your obvious trolling and hijacking in your first reply.
Throwing stones from your glass house again I see.

 
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jlmadyson

Platinum Member
Aug 13, 2004
2,201
0
0
Good stuff, prick perhaps, bend over I think not. Nevertherless, I believe this is an utterly ridiculous statement pertaining to the OP.

Originally posted by: conjur
"Love is free; it is not practiced as a way of achieving other ends," he wrote.

Except when those ends are attached to 12 year-old boys.
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I certainly agree with;

"Those who practice charity in the church's name will never seek to impose the church's faith upon others. They realize that a pure and generous love is the best witness to the God in whom we believe and by whom we are driven to love."
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raildogg

Lifer
Aug 24, 2004
12,892
572
126
Why are you posting something about religion here?

Didn't you know that the tolerant and open-minded people here will be offended by the word Pope and Christianity? Why are you doing this to them?

Also, Conjur, you were telling me to not take a thread off topic, but what are you doing?

Again, religion is bad, especially if its christianity. Do not post anything positive about it.

These open minded atheists are truly accepting of everyone.
 
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piasabird

Lifer
Feb 6, 2002
17,168
60
91
When the pope makes a public anouncement like this some people consider it news.

Religion is not bad people are bad (and some people are hateful as well). Saying religion is bad is like saying all gays are bad. Both could be considered hate speech.

If you expect a conservative to be tolerant, you have to expect other people to be tolerant of them as well, even if they consider themselves to be liberals. I refuse to be tolerant of the intolerant. If an OP wants to say religion cant be discussed in this forum then let them lock the thread.

RELIGION IS NOT BAD!

RELIGION IS NOT BAD!

RELIGION IS NOT BAD!

Religion is just a kind of philosophy. It is a concept and a thought it is not good or bad.
 
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conjur

No Lifer
Jun 7, 2001
58,686
3
0
Originally posted by: raildogg
Why are you posting something about religion here?

Didn't you know that the tolerant and open-minded people here will be offended by the word Pope and Christianity? Why are you doing this to them?

Also, Conjur, you were telling me to not take a thread off topic, but what are you doing?

Again, religion is bad, especially if its christianity. Do not post anything positive about it.

These open minded atheists are truly accepting of everyone.
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How did I take this off-topic?

The Pope wants to talk about God is Love and all this other crap when he was one of the key people involved in covering up the Catholic Church's knowledge of priests sexually abusing boys...for decades.

Why doesn't he come clean on that issue? He has no credibility.
 
dphantom

dphantom

Diamond Member
Jan 14, 2005
4,763
327
126
Originally posted by: conjur
"Love is free; it is not practiced as a way of achieving other ends," he wrote.

Except when those ends are attached to 12 year-old boys.



As for the charity, I hope he doesn't expect the funding of that charity to be from tax dollars gathered by the state (as is being done here in the US).
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How utterly disgusting. Let's not actually debate the OP posting, let's toss slurs around and drop a line in to troll.

You continue to be among the most despicable of posters in this forum.
 
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CycloWizard

Lifer
Sep 10, 2001
12,348
1
81
Originally posted by: conjur
How did I take this off-topic?

The Pope wants to talk about God is Love and all this other crap when he was one of the key people involved in covering up the Catholic Church's knowledge of priests sexually abusing boys...for decades.

Why doesn't he come clean on that issue? He has no credibility.
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What does this have to do with the topic? Let me help you out: the topic is charity.
 
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conjur

No Lifer
Jun 7, 2001
58,686
3
0
Originally posted by: CycloWizard
Originally posted by: conjur
How did I take this off-topic?

The Pope wants to talk about God is Love and all this other crap when he was one of the key people involved in covering up the Catholic Church's knowledge of priests sexually abusing boys...for decades.

Why doesn't he come clean on that issue? He has no credibility.
Click to expand...
What does this have to do with the topic? Let me help you out: the topic is charity.
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I addressed that in my first post. Too bad the fluffers and trolls chose to ignore that part, though.

Still, why doesn't the Catholic Church start with coming clean on its own sins?
 
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CSMR

Golden Member
Apr 24, 2004
1,376
2
81
Originally posted by: piasabird
Religion is just a kind of philosophy. It is a concept and a thought it is not good or bad.
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No religions can be bad if they can be untrue, just as thoughts and concepts are.
 
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CSMR

Golden Member
Apr 24, 2004
1,376
2
81
The primary part of Pope Benedict's speech will I expect be the fundamental statements rather than the social and political implications.
 
dphantom

dphantom

Diamond Member
Jan 14, 2005
4,763
327
126
Originally posted by: conjur
Originally posted by: CycloWizard
Originally posted by: conjur
How did I take this off-topic?

The Pope wants to talk about God is Love and all this other crap when he was one of the key people involved in covering up the Catholic Church's knowledge of priests sexually abusing boys...for decades.

Why doesn't he come clean on that issue? He has no credibility.
Click to expand...
What does this have to do with the topic? Let me help you out: the topic is charity.
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I addressed that in my first post. Too bad the fluffers and trolls chose to ignore that part, though.

No you did not. The OP is about the role of the Church and charity and how spreading the Word of God should be afunction separate from the work of Charity. There is nothing in my reading of the post that mentions any government role. That is your issue you brought up that is off the topic. You have an agenda and will twist any post to fit it.

Then you call others - who correctly point out your injurious assertions - trolls.

Sorry, I have said this before, adults discuss issues and debate them. Children throw insults around. Grow up and join the adult world.

Still, why doesn't the Catholic Church start with coming clean on its own sins?
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They have and are taking steps to clean up this despicable practice.
 
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