Pope: Divine Justice For Drug Traffickers

In Brazil Benedict Warns "God Will Call You To Account"

(AP)  Drug traffickers will face divine justice for the scourge of illegal narcotics across Latin America, Pope Benedict XVI warned Saturday, telling dealers that "human dignity cannot be trampled upon in this way."

Brazil and the rest of the region face dangerously high rates of drug abuse and traffickers must "reflect on the grave harm they are inflicting on countless young people and on adults from every level of society," Benedict said.

"God will call you to account for your deeds," he said before a cheering crowd of 6,000 on a sprawling lawn outside the "Fazenda de Esperanca," or "Farm of Hope," a drug treatment center founded by a Franciscan friar.

Brazil is the world's second-largest consumer of cocaine, after the United States, according to the State Department, and big cities across Latin America's largest nation are plagued with drug violence.

While surveys show cocaine use has been relatively stable in Brazil for years, drug-related violence is a huge problem, driven by gangs that control street-corner dealing and the transshipment of drugs to Europe and the United States from elsewhere in South America.

In Rio de Janeiro's teeming slums, gangs recruit children and engage in near-daily shootouts with police that frequently kill bystanders.

The violence is endemic in other Latin American countries, including Colombia, and Caribbean nations. In Mexico, gangs battling over billion-dollar smuggling routes into the United States leave a daily body count from beheadings, grenade attacks and execution-style killings.

The treatment center the pope visited claims an 80 percent success rate, giving addicts spiritual guidance as they milk cows, tend apple orchards and work as beekeepers.

Benedict donated $100,000 to the treatment center and told more than 1,500 recovering addicts wearing white shirts with yellow sleeves, representing the Vatican's flag, that they must become "ambassadors of hope."

"The Lord has given you this opportunity for physical and spiritual recovery, so vital for you and your families," the pope said. "In turn, society expects you to spread this precious gift of health among your friends and all the members of the community."

Addicts who listened to the pope said his visit was important because Brazilian drug users are often ostracized and left to beg on the streets for drug money.

"We are excluded from society, but we are the ones the pope is coming to see," said Diego Cleto, a 19-year-old who started taking drugs at age 13.

But some doubted whether the pope's message to traffickers will have any impact.

"What the pope said is important for drug users, but religion doesn't matter to the dealers," said Felipe Kenji, 27, who has been under treatment at the center since December. "They'll only stop selling drugs when they die."

The Guaratingueta treatment center was founded by Friar Hanz Stapel in 1983. There are now 31 similar centers in Brazil and 10 more abroad — in Argentina, Germany, Guatemala, Mexico, Mozambique, Paraguay, the Philippines and Russia.

The center is near the shrine city of Aparecida, where Benedict on Sunday will open a Latin American and Caribbean bishops' conference aimed at reversing the erosion of the church in the region.

Benedict on Friday lamented "difficult times for the church" in Brazil amid "aggressive proselytizing" by born-again Protestant congregations.

Brazil's census shows the percentage of citizens characterizing themselves as Catholics fell to 74 percent in 2000 from 89 percent in 1980, while those calling themselves evangelical Protestants rose to 15 percent from 7 percent.

The pope is expected to map out strategy to combat the church's losses when he opens the bishops' conference in Aparecida, 100 miles east of Sao Paulo.

The small city is home to the mammoth Basilica of Aparecida — as well as the three-foot-tall statue of a black Virgin Mary, called "Our Lady Who Appeared," the patron saint of Brazil.

The statue was pulled from a river in the 18th century by poor fishermen who were not catching any fish, and then caught loads in their nets. Miracles were subsequently attributed to the statue, and so many pilgrims flocked to Aparecida that the church built the basilica and inaugurated it as a shrine in 1955.

[hypnotoad72]

What about the OxyContin trafficker?

[grazinggoat]

Racoon Pope, better just focus on those problems, or even more let them be worked out by specialists graduating from Universities and Colleges. They surely can handle this better than the divine justice you're professing. The Walking-Liar Nut (who so close to you) in the White House has increased eightfold the number of prisons in the USA.

[iceman_1960]

"In Brazil Benedict Warns "God Will Call You To Account"

God will get you for that !!

The Pope has got to stop watching all those Flip Wilson reruns. Not good for you.

[iceman_1960]

"The statue was pulled from a river in the 18th century by poor fishermen who were not catching any fish, and then caught loads in their nets. Miracles were subsequently attributed to the statue, and so many pilgrims flocked to Aparecida that the church built the basilica and inaugurated it as a shrine in 1955."

Why the Catholic Church continues to encourage such gross superstition in the 21st century is beyond me.

[iceman_1960]

Warning to those trafficking in the Opiate of the Masses.

Karl Marx will call you to account.

[trojanny]

Personally, I think it'll be even less effective than Nancy Reagan's "Just Say No!"
My position? One is to attempt to kill the market. One way is to show the EXCELLENT films produced by the Delaware State Police. Another is to lift the stigma of mental health care, as a lot of safer drugs to make you feel better are out there, and most of all: help us all work to feel good/okay about who we are, regardless of external influences. (That's what Jesus, Yoga, Buddha, and psychologists are REALLY trying to teach us).

[trojanny]

---And yes, as we learn more & more through sciences & humanity, why does the Roman Catholic Church refuse grow with the rest of the world? God(/Allah) is a an energy of truly divine love. Using him/it to justify hating anyone, including ourselves, is simply pulling away.

[feelfree1]

Related:

"Pope Benedict XVI on Saturday addressed tens of thousands of Latin American faithful, hailing their "great thirst for God"

What a jackass!

Better ease up on the "Jesus-Juice" there, Pope!

[SamThornton]

"human dignity cannot be trampled upon in this way." -- da Pope

Absolutely right. Human dignity is best trampled on with smart-bombs, tanks, troops, and torture. Doesn't anyone ever learn anything?

[JediMaya]

Could we please read the rules of engagement before we post? It states "no religious bigotry". I do not sodomize children and I have been Catholic all my life!

Also just because you have no belief in miracles, you have no right to criticize those that do. It's their belief, live with it! If you want to worship a pin-up picture of a TV star, feel free as long as your belief doesn't endanger anyone else. If it makes their day happy, so what?

By the way, the Pope has frequently disagreed with President Bush especially on the War in Iraq and Mr. Bush is Protestant and NOT Catholic. Two different religions.

[nwihoosier]

Agnimmoron and the rest: What have YOU done to make the world better? Stupid remarks do not count!

[lastdance2]

Whoooop's

There goes the : Republican Meal Ticket.

Why did Pres. Bush buy all that land.
In South America last month ? ? ?

What does V.P. Cheney need with a
"Air Frieght Company" ? ? ?

Remember during the "Reagan" Administration.
Air America an : "Air Freight Company."

Was caught smuggling drugs into the US.
The smugglers said : "They had been ordered to do it by :
"The White House"

Excellent example of the Christian : "Moral Right"

Lastdance

[lastdance2]

Whoooop's

There goes the : Republican Meal Ticket.

Why did Pres. Bush buy all that land.
In South America last month ? ? ?

What does V.P. Cheney need with a
"Air Frieght Company" ? ? ?

Remember during the "Reagan" Administration.
Air America an : "Air Freight Company."

Was caught smuggling drugs into the US.
The smugglers said : "They had been ordered to do it by :
"The White House"

Excellent example of the Christian : "Moral Right"

Lastdance

[lastdance2]

Whoooop's

There goes the : Republican Meal Ticket.

Why did Pres. Bush buy all that land.
In South America last month ? ? ?

What does V.P. Cheney need with a
"Air Frieght Company" ? ? ?

Remember during the "Reagan" Administration.
Air America an : "Air Freight Company."

Was caught smuggling drugs into the US.
The smugglers said : "They had been ordered to do it by :
"The White House"

Excellent example of the Christian : "Moral Right"

Lastdance

[incog-nito]

This is very good news! I feel much better now.

[grammawhamma]

Oh sure, all the druggies, dealers, etc will believe in and obey the pope as he says "just say no"!! Maybe he needs to get his head out of the sand and "just say no" to covering up all lies and the hypocrisy of the religion he is the head of. By the way...I am against drug use, and was raised a Catholic.

[cbs_oliver]

The pope could improve his standing with Catholics and probably also with God if he would abandon his uncritical loyalty to the powerful and wealthy and adopt a consistent Christian message.

He and his closest associates are all wrapped in gold and privilege themselves. He needs to set a path for the church to overcome this obstacle to its mission.

As it stands now it is typical that he sends a stern message regarding God%u2019s judgment to (rightfully) outcast drug dealers and yet stands silent before the leaders of nations and businesses who engage in military and economic warfare and other very serious misdeeds.

It is sadly consistent with his message of the primacy of privilege that the pope opposes revolution theology. He would do well to consider that many of those who embrace its non violent aspects may hew closer to Christ%u2019s original message than the he does.

[mgpm-2009]

I applaud the Pope's message. There will be a divine accounting for all evil acts.

This Pope and John Paul II were against the war in Iraq.

[bareemperor]

ASSuming, of course that the Pope's belief system is truth-based...
However, there are billions of people who believe earthly justice works better...

[darkfyreaol]

'Related: "Pope Benedict XVI on Saturday addressed tens of thousands of Latin American faithful, hailing their "great thirst for God"

What a jackass!

Better ease up on the "Jesus-Juice" there, Pope!
Posted by FeelFree1 at 08:21 PM : May 12, 2007'

That is the most asinine statement I've ever witnessed.

[firststate]

There seems to be something inconsistent about those who protect and defend homosexual pedophiles being homophobic, it certainly lessens their moral authority. I say we should prosecute and punish pedophiles, whether homosexual and heterosexual along with drug dealers here and now. We can handle the punishment under our laws and take care of the justice that we can handle. Any eternal justice isn't ours to control.