On Christmas, Pope Decries Selfishness

Benedict XVI Addresses Economic Turmoil And Conflicts Around The World In Annual Papal Message

(AP)  Pope Benedict XVI in his Christmas message Thursday warned that the world was headed toward ruin if selfishness prevails over solidarity during tough economic times for both rich and poor nations.

Speaking from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica on the day Christians commemorate Jesus' birth in Bethlehem, Benedict declared that the "heart of the Christian message is meant for all men and women."

The traditional papal Christmas Day message "Urbi et Orbi" - Latin for "to the City and to the World" - usually covers the globe's hot spots, but this year Benedict also addressed the gloomy economic conditions worrying many across the planet.

Amid near daily news of layoffs, failing companies and people losing homes they can no longer afford in many parts of the world, Benedict's words seemed tailored in part to the global economic crisis.

He said his Christmas message also applied to "wherever an increasingly uncertain future is regarded with apprehension, even in affluent nations."

"In each of these places may the light of Christmas shine forth and encourage all people to do their part in a spirit of authentic solidarity," Benedict said. "If people look only to their own interests, our world will certainly fall apart."

Without citing countries, Benedict said he hoped the light of Christmas would radiate to places where "the basics needed for survival are missing."

Wearing a crimson mantle against a damp chill, Benedict told tens of thousands of people in St. Peter's Square that God's saving grace could "alone transform evil into good" and "change human hearts, making them oases of peace."

Benedict dedicated part of his message to Africa, singling out Zimbabwe, where hunger is spreading and deepening. He said that people there were "trapped for too long in a political and social crisis which, sadly, keeps worsening."

International pressure has been mounting for longtime Zimbabwe leader Robert Mugabe to step down, following disputed elections in March. Millions of Zimbabwe's people need food aid, and a cholera epidemic has sharpened problems in a country once considered African's breadbasket.

Suffering also continues in the war-raged region of Kivu, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and in Darfur, Sudan, the pope added. In Somalia, people are weighed down with "interminable sufferings" as "the tragic consequences of the lack of stability and peace," he said.

Benedict spoke of violence and tensions in the Middle East, lamenting that "the horizon seems once again bleak for Israelis and Palestinians."

He denounced what he called the "twisted logic of conflict and violence" and said he hoped dialogue and negotiation would prevail to find "just and lasting solutions to the conflicts troubling the region."

Benedict also cited Lebanon and Iraq.

Without naming any particular groups, the pope called for an end to "internecine conflict" dividing ethnic and social groups and disrupting peaceful coexistence. He also denounced terrorism "wherever" it continues to strike.

After reading a litany of the world's woes, the pope added a lighter touch, reciting holiday greetings in 64 languages, including Latin, the Church's official tongue.

The pope had rested for a few hours after celebrating Midnight Mass in St. Peter's Basilica in the early hours of Thursday.

During that ceremony, the pope lamented the suffering of children who are abandoned, living on the streets or forced to serve as soldiers in conflicts.

[quapawsix]

If the Church want to help maybe they should shell out some of the Tax free monies they collect!

[samrt-2009]

Glad to hear it. Now, exactly when is the Pope going to give up his limousine life style?

[hetup-2009]

Pope:

warm bag of puke

followed closely by ignorant masses who care of nothing but themselves

ignorant masses support their religion by sacrificing their children to their church for pornography

wow, pretty close to muslim, jewish, etc

[hetup-2009]

Cheering...well said!!!

+ report abuse
This leader of pedofilic molesters is the very definition of hypocricy.

The Vatican is sitting on an enormous pile of wealth that could end world hunger overnight if they chose to do so.

Even using their own man-made-up book of supposed wisdom, according to the bible, their invented christ figure espoused helping the common man, not hoarding wealth.

And I doubt a christ figure, such as the one they invented, would espouse or condone the killing of the millions this church has slaughtered in the last 2,000 years, a number surpassing even Hitler and Bush the Butcher of Baghdad combined.

I have zero respect for religion and mountains of contempt.





Posted by notfooled at 03:56 PM : Dec 26, 2008

[brannigon]

Big deal! Who cares what this guy has to say? He''s nobody!

[noloyalisti]

The Pope Dude must have been talking about Americans in general and Republicans in particular. Those are the ones who make $45K a year and vote for rich CEO supporters like McSame. I just don''t get it.

[nothappyatall]

1550 %u2013 1650 C.E. Trials and executions reach their peak. Many of the people accused of witchcraft are actually being targeted in battles between Catholics and Protestants, and others are landowners whose property has been seized by the Church.

1716 C.E. The last accused witches %u2013 Mary Hicks and her daughter Elizabeth -- are executed in England. Other countries eventually follow suit and stop executing people for witchcraft.

[nothappyatall]

1227 C.E. Pope Gregory IX announces that it%u2019s time to form an Inquisitorial Court to weed out heretics, who are summarily executed.
1252 C.E. Pope Innocent III carries on the Inquisitions. However, he discovers that a much higher rate of confession is obtained if torture is permitted.
1326 C.E. The Church authorizes the Inquisition to go beyond the investigations of heresy. Now they are encouraged to ferret out people practicing Witchcraft. The theory of demonology is created, establishing a link between witches and the Christian Satan.
1340%u2019s C.E. Europe is pummeled by the Black Plague, and a significant amount of people die. Witches, Jews and lepers are accused of spreading disease intentionally.
1450 C.E. The Catholic Church announces that witches eat babies and sell their souls to the Devil. Witch hunts begin in earnest throughout Europe.
1487 C.E. Publication of Malleus Maleficarum (The Witches'' Hammer). This book describes all sorts of vile activities allegedly practiced by Witches, and also details some creative methods of getting confessions out of the accused.
1517 C.E. Martin Luther leads the way to the Protestant Reformation, which in turn causes a decrease in the number of witchcraft convictions in England %u2013 because the Protestants won%u2019t allow torture.

[nothappyatall]

"This leader of pedofilic molesters is the very definition of hypocricy."

Absolutely true.

"The Vatican is sitting on an enormous pile of wealth that could end world hunger overnight if they chose to do so."

They wont, they claim they are saving it "for humanity" yeah RIGHT, their own book of death says ALL worldly goods will pass, and stuff means nothing.
the LA cathedral cost $350 MILLION to build. ONE church in NYC sits on a $900 BILLION "non profit" tax exempt real estate and trust fund- ONE FRICKING CHURCH could have bailed out Wall st alone and had $200 Billion left over.

"Even using their own man-made-up book of supposed wisdom, according to the bible, their invented christ figure espoused helping the common man, not hoarding wealth."

Seems that this jebus guy needs MONEY.

"And I doubt a christ figure, such as the one they invented, would espouse or condone the killing of the millions this church has slaughtered in the last 2,000 years"

Their book of death DEMANDS death by stoning the child who curses their parents, animal murder for sin offering and muchmore, it''s no surprise its followers murdered so many- the book ordered death for non believers, pagans, heretics and more.

"I have zero respect for religion and mountains of contempt"
Posted by notfooled"

Ditto, thats why Im pagan- no deity that threatens torment, needs worship, blood or dead animals.

[notfooled]

This leader of pedofilic molesters is the very definition of hypocricy.

The Vatican is sitting on an enormous pile of wealth that could end world hunger overnight if they chose to do so.

Even using their own man-made-up book of supposed wisdom, according to the bible, their invented christ figure espoused helping the common man, not hoarding wealth.

And I doubt a christ figure, such as the one they invented, would espouse or condone the killing of the millions this church has slaughtered in the last 2,000 years, a number surpassing even Hitler and Bush the Butcher of Baghdad combined.

I have zero respect for religion and mountains of contempt.

[caldwellptr]

When I read the following verses I get chills....
2 Timothy Chapter 3: 1 - 5....
Posted by sockpuppet4 at 07:26 PM : Dec 25, 2008

That verse reminds me of a quote from The Republic written by Plato, "For just as poets are fond of their own poems, and fathers of their own children, so money-makers become devoted to money, not only because, like other people, they find it useful, but because it''s their own creation."

[yongamerica]

Let the Pope, in his Royal dress and golden adoration walk among the homeless, the recently unemployed and the world''s poor reciting his speech about selfishness.

Isn''t greed and selfishness the core of any religious empire, whether Catholic or Evangelic or Mohammadic?

These are empires within empires.

[mikesarcbs]

The most important reminder that the Christmas Message from the Pope is much needed may be seen, even, in the comments here.
May we all find peace and serenity to heal our anger, pain and suffering, is my constant wish.

[fleshmonger1]

With all due respect to those of the Catholic faith, it is folly for the pope to speak in a negative way about selfishness when the Vatican is sitting on one of the most valuable art collections in the world that is doing no one any good, especially the poor Catholics of the world who could benefit if that collection were sold and the proceeds channeled to help them... You have to wonder about the intellect or intention of someone that speaks of austerity while living in a palace...

[tangouniforn]

We need to keep the killing in perspective. It''''s the secularists and athetists that are doing most of it in history and today, not Christains.

Posted by gctomajtom

So you are saying that killing of people not of your version of religion is acceptable? I expect that you find the death of a million unnecessary people in Iraq is acceptable. At least as long as they are not of your version of religion.

[cloudglider]

One final comment. The data that some have provided about the terrible conduct of the churches is correct. The truth is, they''ve been doing these kinds of things for hundreds of years and have always gotten away with it. Well, they''ve finally been caught up with.

My comment regarding accurate research refers to what has been taught by organized religion down through the centuries and of course the "miter" and "garb" worn by the pope.

I believe some comments were made concerning the wealth of the catholic "church". If you were to read the financial disclosure of the "church", you''d be appalled at its wealth. They are about to lose it all.

[cloudglider]

It seems that almost everyone, on both sides of the table, is content to live the lie and to make new ones up as they go or at least keep living the old ones. In reading these comments, I have yet to note that very little is based on accurate research (yes, I make mistakes as well). It''s no ones fault, really, except that of organized religion that has been lying to their adherents for two millennia and as much as four millennia before that, and have been in league with human government for as long in quelling the discontent of the masses. Historically, it is religion that has been at the crux of every form of carnal warfare. The statement that this "Pope" is making is interesting in that the "ruin" he''s hoping to avert, by the so called authoritative expression of his words, is going to occur anyway, but it is the ruining of this system of things and all who support it, including organized religion (his own included). How prophetic is that?

[cloudglider]

By the way, the "miter" and "garb" that this guy wears stems from Dagon worship, Dagon being the ancient Philistine god. Dagon was not worshipped by the ancient Jews, except possibly those who were apostates of Mosaic Law which was handed down to them through Moses at Mt. *****. This correction of facts isn''t meant to insult but to clarify, at least in one small instance.

[cloudglider]

Reading comments on sites like this is like reading the letters in ABC soup. You never know what you''ll read, but you can always be sure the content of the comments all come from the same can, from the same soup maker.

From the days of the Pontifex Maximus (After the death of Lepidus in 12 B.C.E., Augustus assumed the title "Pontifex Maximus."), Popes were inclined to be, and henceforth after the start of Christianity, became Messianic usurpers. Through the use of terror, murder, torture, war and lies they have worked hand in hand with world leaders to acquire and hold onto power. Of course this is not to say that the rest of organized religion is guiltless (Christian ministers on both sides were praying for ultimate success in WWI and WWII as well as the rest of Christian sanctioned wars down through history) or even non-Christian religion (look at who is terrorizing the world now) for that matter.
What the Vicar of Christ and the rest of organized religion doesn''t realize is that they are all about to have their heads handed to them.

[eddye5]

It is with pleasure that we announce that Sotheby''s and the Vatican will auction off the treasures of the Church to fund the starving people of the world. First on the list will be nude male statues of Michaelangelo that have titillated homosexuals, an abomination in the eyes of the church, but an extensive practice by its priests. Next to go will be gowns and jewels from the popes collection. As Pope Benedict said, "The only jewels the church needs is Christ''s words of salvation for all. "