Not to mention, he didn't have the greatest history before he got to the throne. Please don't ask me to site sources. I've got a lot on my plate right now and that project is not on my list. If you want to know more just search the archives. Search out who he was before he was "appointed" Pope. And what mysteriously happened to the Pope before him. People tend to gain morality as they get nearer and nearer to death....
At least 2 women accused him of rape & apparently was a paedophile but that is not unusual for a world leader it seems, especially one that is also a Catholic priest.
Sounds like a double whammy!!! SMDH Reminds me of the Dali Lama asking the little boy to suck his tongue. I did some research on what happens in some of those monasteries.
I was raised Catholic and boy did we hear about stories of the shenanigans going on with the Nuns, Priests and Altar boys. I think that vow of celibacy for the rest of your life can definitely lead to some deviant behavior due to the suppression of natural instincts. So yeah...............
The US didnt merely kill civilians in Yemen when the bombed the port there a couple days ago. They actually did so deliberately, mirroring what the Israeli genocide force did when they killed the medics.
What the US did was a "double tap" bombing. First they bonbed the port, then they waited until when emergengy medical responders came....and bombed them too.
Let's hope the catholic church has the guts to continue to elect leaders that will call this what it is: evil acts that no religion can claim are in service of any God.
"Let's hope the catholic church has the guts to continue to elect leaders that will call this what it is: evil acts that no religion can claim are in service of any God."
You see, we don't just need the Pope, or Catholic Church to do it. We need the "Catholics" all 1.5 billion of them to put pressure on their leaders by removing them from office! The Pope and the Church are singular entities, cause when you get right down to it, that's all they are, singular. Maybe if the Pope had done more than make a call every night, but maybe had he done a major "call to action" declaring that every single Catholic should hit the streets in solidarity with the Palestinians, maybe, just maybe that would have made a difference. Imagine being that powerless. Here you have a man, who has power over 1.5 billion people talking about baptizing aliens, but can't get all his followers to come out and mass protest. Imagine what that would have looked like if Catholics from all over the world got a Papal Bull that said, on this day for 24 hours, every Catholic in this world will stop what they are doing and go outside, hands across the world, so to speak... and show solidarity to the Palestinian cause. 1.5 billion people, that's a whole lot of people. To me, it just shows how inept even the Papal office is, and that anyone else who comes in would be just as inept if not more so.
Nana Baakan Agyiriwah, Thank you - exactly what I have been thinking while the media got saturated with the Pope's death.
For me institutions like the Pope or the Catholic church are part of the problem not the solution.
Before reading your comment I was thinking " .... what if the Pope holding sway over 1.5 billion Catholics , had told them that Jesus was a Palestinian and today when the Palestinians are being slaughtered to come out en mass and protest... to do what any good Samaritan would have done ...."? What if.....
Yes, what if. And what if he just told folks about that commandment, "Thou Shalt Not Kill"? Whatever the case may be, he could have said more if you ask me. Much more than the pandering he did.
I can hear the backlash about "Jesus" being a Palestinian with so many folks saying there never was a Palestine. So he'd have to jump over that part and just call out what is really happening, a genocide, and whatever ethnic group "Jesus" would have belonged to, he certainly would not approve of what is happening there now. The POPE is supposed to be the "moral compass" for his constituents, but sadly he has not done what his very own Christ would have done... Speak out strongly and relentlessly to stop the carnage. Perhaps he was just as compromised as the rest of the so-called "world" leaders.
Hi Nana - Maybe you could show this to the folks who say there never was a Palestine --
The Balfour Declaration was a public statement issued by the British government in 1917 expressing support for the establishment of a "national home for the Jewish people" in Palestine. This declaration, written by British Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour, was sent to Lord Lionel Walter Rothschild, a prominent Zionist leader, and later became a key factor in shaping the future of Palestine and the Middle East. ---
Unless they meant Palestine, Texas; then all the Zionists should be sent there. They're in the wrong place!
I know, Beloved. But when folks are so indoctrinated into an ideology, you could, as they say, present them with “Jesus Christ” and they would not accept it. That’s the nature of cult mentality. They will have a counter argument for every thing you present to them. Even the ancient maps won’t change their minds. I used to be on Twitter, and saw so many folks in denial of the very fact that Palestine ever existed. They are in cognitive dissonance and need to be to justify what they are doing.
That would have been absolutely amazing and it would have totally flipped the script. He called the Catholic church in Gaza every day, tho. Now, put yourself in that Catholic Church’s place while bombs are dropping all around. Is a phone call from the Pope the go-to, or billions of Catholics from around the world protesting? I would wager that the Pope probably did something charitable.. I don’t know I’m just “assuming” but with 1.5 billion followers that would have been a clarion call like none other had he mobilized a world wide protest.
I am so sad!! I can not believe it. We need pope Francis so much!! He is such a peacemaker and a man who stands up for and with the Palestinians and all refugees. I love him. May he rest in peace and may his legacy of freedom for everyone especially those in need continue.
God does not answer to anybody because it's not HUMAN! However, in the Quran, he does have many messages for Jews, Muslims and Christians and ALL humans. He always asks about humility, humanity, justice, patience and rewards.
"We have bound every human’s destiny to their neck. And on the Day of Judgment We will bring forth to each person a record which they will find laid open".
The first instance of the Children of Israel causing mischief is mentioned in Surah Al-Isra (17:4-6), with God sending against them servants of great might to punish them.
The Quran also warns the Children of Israel about causing corruption on earth twice and becoming extremely arrogant and tyrants:
“And We warned the Children of Israel in the Scripture, “You will certainly cause corruption in the land twice, and you will become extremely arrogant”
The second instance is also mentioned in the same Surah, with the promise that their enemies will come again to humiliate them:
“When the first of the two warnings would come to pass, We would send against you some of Our servants of great might, who would ravage your homes. This would be a warning fulfilled”.
The Quran suggest that the Day of Judgment will be linked to Palestine, with the return of Isa (Jesus) and the final gathering of humanity occurring in relation to the region.
The Quran emphasizes the importance of justice, mercy, and honor in relation to the Muslim community in Palestine. This suggests that Muslims should be treated with fairness and respect, and that they should strive to uphold these values in their lives.
the Quran also include the promise of ultimate victory for Muslims, and this victory is often linked to Palestine.
“Perhaps your Lord will have mercy on you if you repent˺, but if you return to sin, We will return to punishment. And We have made Hell a permanent confinement for the disbelievers.”
"“Whenever We intend to destroy a society, We command its elite ˹to obey Allah˺ but they act rebelliously in it. So the decree ˹of punishment˺ is justified, and We destroy it utterly”.
Just to add that God is talking about the original followers of moses, basically all who worship allah (God), allah is the central figure of islam and the God moses preached for, jews (moses's people) christains(jesus's people) and muslims(mohammed's people) are all one for the holy land, basically nowadays Israel is an ethno racist state created by ZIONISM and do not follow the original message of the prophets. Previously ALL Muslims, Jews and Christians lived side by side in the Holy Land which even the Protestant Jews say that God forbits them from owning land, any land. However Jews forfeited it when they strayed (changed the original faith) so basically the people (Jews from EU, US, UK and other places) who are not SEMITES (DNA say so) are not the true children of Israel.
"God" clearly does not give a damn about the Palestinians.
-->
The most common anti-theistic* sophism, a variant of "show me the proof and I will believe in God".
* = (they call them self commies or wrongly atheists. Atheists are people void of or indifferent to a belief of God. Anti-Theists are militants who oppose anyone having a faith or belief)
But God works through human beings... As one child supposedly said, "We need Jesus with skin on." After all, we were made in "God's Image" and we reflect this whenever we are kind and compassionate to each other. Francis was no better or no worse an example of God's creation here on earth. And his leadership on this issue will be sorely missed.
I am sure that Mossad, the CIA, MI6, etc. were jockeying, well before Francis died.
EDIT: to be fair, this practice is nothing new, but it must be managed smoothly, behind the scenes, so as not to disrupt any moral capital the Catholic Church may still have.
>>"IF the had they could have ended world poverty decades ago."
The Catholic Church (or ANY religious institution for that matter) has no bearing/ability on ending 'poverty'. You're mixing MORALITY with ECONOMICS.
Poverty (I would go so far as to say 'induced poverty' in today's age) is a symptom of systems - specifically Capitalism (and everything that it entails).
I think what Jenny is trying to say is that she wishes the Roman Catholic church had shown stronger leadership on this topic. If someone like Christian Liberationist theologian Fr. Oscar Romero had been pope, we might have seen the end of capitalism in the West.
Oscar Romero was to Latin America what MLK was to this country--a great man. And both of them were assassinated for defying the imperatives of capitalism. If Romero had been elected Pope, more likely we'd have soon seen the end of him. No Pope will ever be allowed to preach directly against capitalism if he expects to live very long.
The strength of leadership wouldn't matter in the context of Capitalism. In fact, the history of religion has been a history of TPTB co-opting/using religion to further their goals/agendas/whatever.
Religion has been almost completely co-opted by Capitalism and made to serve the purposes of Capitalism. Just look at the trillion dollar plus 'religion and belief in God' industry, the tax exemptions, the colonialization, the wars, the genocides in the name of God/religion, etc.
Hence, I would disagree vehemently with your assertion and that it is extremely improbable any religion/religious figure would have any impact on curbing Capitalism.
I have visited the Vatican city within Rome and I was amazed by all the wealth I could actually see. I was not even political at that time, being much younger than I am now, but even I could see how much poverty could be alleviated just by selling off some of what was in there. And all those priests leaning out of their windows watching the people begging for lire on the streets? I don't always agree with you, Jenny, but you are right on here.
Maybe, just maybe, I could be wrong, but perhaps it is possible that other people see things differently than you do which does not make them wrong or right or anything. Just a different way of looking at things. Ever heard of looking at things from all angles? Or perhaps that is not included in your comprehension skills.
........and every step you take in the Vatican City. Below you are treasures. When you visit the Vatican Museum you see (the public) old forks invented by the Venetians. Spoons and tableware.
What is underneath all this?
Popes and Cardinals using young boys to have sex with. Caravaggio wrote about this.
Don't give a flying fuck about Pope Francis. He could have gone to Palestine. Why did he NOT do this?.
Work on your comprehension skills AGAIN Jenny Stokes - don't compete for the stupidest person on the planet award. Give others a chance to win sometimes too.
I may go hard on anyone trying to claim God does not exist ( and nonexistence of anything cannot be proven anyway) but you're pummeling the Choke Changaski small mind in ways which deserve admiration.
Trouble with moral capital of the institution is that it depends on the church's aristocracy -- and hearkens back to your frequent comments about justice and power.
I think that just as secular sociopaths are driven by the power conferred by money -- greed -- many individuals in the church's aristocracy are likewise driven by that thirst for power. But since the personal greed is limited by appearances (they can be comfy but not too opulent, bad for the poverty-vow image; they're still priests), satiation of that thirst for power must come in other ways. In addition to the influences you cite, I suspect that there are behind-the-scenes manipulations into the political process, especially in heavily Catholic countries like those in Central/South America; I'd suspect the intel agencies might cut deals with members of that Catholic hierarchy to crowbar their influence into political matters in those countries when necessary. Ahh, power.
One of the reasons why American style evangelical protestantism is spreading like wildfire in Latin America is that the Catholic Church and its hierarchy are, for better or worse, rightly or wrongly, seen as too much in bed with the local power structures.
That is the real reason Francis got the job, BTW. It was hoped that he could do in Latin America what JPII did in Eastern Europe, what Benedict tried and failed to replicate in europe.
Good point. And from most appearances, it would seem that the Catholic hierarchy has been very much in bed with those power structures dating back to the time of the conquistadors; or else I've been deceived by the propaganda I heard as a child/teenager, before I completely jumped ship on Catholicism. Isn't it great: semi-theocracies worldwide.
Looking strictly at the history of the Roman Catholic Church, its first thousand years was a history of accumulating (secular) power, and its succeeding thousand years has been a history of deteriorating power, of a series of fallback positions, eaxh gradually abandoned.
The medieval Papacy claimed all temporal and spiritual authority, but it gradually had to cede claims to temporal authority, even before the Reformation, because it needed Spanish support in the Italian Wars, and the Spanish kings would no more than pay lip service to the Papal claims of earthly authority, while the Papacy had no other way to back up its pretensions. The fear of an Avignon-type scenario no doubt loomed large in the mind of the Popes of the time.
The fallback position was "throne and altar" Catholicism, in which the Church supported the claims of kings to temporal power, as long as they allowed the Church free rein in its own affairs, over matters of conscience, and over education. This was eroded by the time of the French Revolution, and finally imploded in the aftermath of the First World War.
Since crowned and anointed semi-absolutist Catholic kings ruling on the basis of divine right were no longer a real world option, the alternative preferred form of government was The Man On A Horse, a strongman who seized power and was able to reach some form of accord with the Catholic Church, somewhat like the old throne and altar system, but with less religious ritual and justification and more naked exercise of power. Franco, Salazar and Mussolini come prominently to mind, as does the Brazilian variant on the Estado Novo.
Most of Latin America is still at this stage, more or less.
Of course, World War II made it clear, at least in europe, that The Man On A Horse didn't have much of a future, unless and to the extent supported by the United States. The choices in Europe going forward were now between American-style liberalism and Soviet-style communism, and the Church embraced liberalism, not so much out of conviction, but because certainly from the point of view of the Church, the alternative was worse.
I should add that before 1945, the Roman Catholic Church had been quite ideologically opposed to liberalism.
The struggles between liberals and the Church in France, Spain, Italy, Mexico and the Papal encyclical condemning "Americanism" all come specifically to mind.
Of course, come 1945, the choice between Americanism and the tender mercies of Soviet style communism made the Catholic Church get a whole new attitude.
Interesting and thorough analysis. No question about the prior opposition to liberalism, and the subsequent shift. This actually bled through on an individual basis among hardcore conservative priests and nuns I knew in the '50s and '60s as an anger with the institution for its ultraliberal shift in their opinion. Loss of the Latin Mass was quite infuriating to some of these folks.
It's sort of off-topic, but one thing that keeps the Catholic religious faithful to the Church, no matter what it does, is the fact that they have no real family, and there are not a whole lotta jobs for ex-priests or former nuns.
Even if you left for the best and most principled of reasons, it's still going to raise eyebrows.
If you've seen the recent movie "Conclave", one of the cardinals in the conclave deliberating over who will be the next pope (the former one having just died at the beginning of the film) is a reactionary Italian who is determined to bring back the Latin Mass if he's elected. He isn't (whew!) but the ending is quite a surprise indeed. But I imagine you and Feral have both seen the film.
As a "fallen-away Catholic" -- the kindly description, I actually think the CC has been a horrible source of inter-Christian as well as anti-Muslim violence throughout history and have actively opposed its hypocrisy, I'm confident that reactionary elements will be campaigning hard for a regressive pope friendly to Zionism. Fingers crossed otherwise; what else can I say.
As a completely lapsed Catholic, I had great love for Francis, who named himself for the patron saint of the poor, if I’m not mistaken. He was the greatest pope of my lifetime. He visited ghettos, not royalty.
I hope against hope that he is replaced (though he is irreplaceable!) with someone of his caliber, someone like my Catholic friends and neighbors (many are Irish) who take to heart the commandment that Thou Shalt Not Kill.
Let's keep that hope alive, dear gyp. As far away from, Catholicism as I've drifted, it would still be far better for the world at large to have a pope more like Francis, less like his predecessor Benedict.
True dat, Vin. I had no r-e-s-p-e-c-t for Benedict.
Having been raised Catholic and having some devout Catholic friends, I still have a bit of affection for the religion. It might be telling if the next pope takes the name Francis II.
I would really love to see another Franciscan Pope like Francis, but I can imagine the pressures coming from the zy0nist lobby to set up an anti-Francis in the Vatican. Martin Luther the Protestant reformer could be prescient at times--he called the Roman Catholic pope of his time "the anti-Christ" because of his actions. Let's hope we don't see a replay.
Vin. and Gypsy. My two friends on here whom I love: Understand ONE thing please. The Roman Catholic Church is BIG BUSINESS.
For anyone else who even sees this comment: The Vatican is a large area in Rome. It is a City. Inside Rome) Under the Vatican there are MILLIONS of artifacts (owned by the Papacy) which will never see the light.
Carravaggio painted lewd pictures for the Popes. (My favorite artist) YOU will NEVER see these. I only know this from Professors (so few) who are allowed to go down into the vaults.
Every single Pope and I simply do NOT care about Francis........."oh yes he did this and he spoke out about this.......hmmmm!"
IF every single picture/artifact in the City of The Vatican was unearthed today you will know only ONE thing: Corruption!
Men who are not allowed to be married: who are these people?
I don't give a 'flying fuck' about Francis' death.
Oh dear, Jenny. Or Oh, dear Jenny, I've been yelling corruption since the first time Monsignor C and his priests hauled ass up the pulpit to tell poor immigrant working class strugglers in NYC that their priority should be more of their earnings to the church. Not into their children's bellies, or shoes or winter coats. But the fucking church, which always looked like it was doing fine to me. As I said in my original post, I've always run afoul of and opposed its hypocrisy, which is why I bailed in the first place. Your description is one of the pinnacle -- the upper zones of that wealth hypocrisy in an institution that demands vows of poverty from those it labels as ministers to its congregations -- priests, nuns and monks.
As to Francis, I truly wish he'd acted in ways far closer to what some perceived as his initial promise. Specifically, I wish he had somehow been able to shift actual material resources to places in the world where they might've made a difference, challenging governments, even just to embarrass them -- obviously Israel, some west and central African regimes. But the church hierarchy, liberalized after WWII as Feral pointed out in a long comment is still athrosclerotically reactionary and never would permit a pope to go beyond certain limits --- not an apology, just another aspect of the corruption within the institution.
The inaccessible treasures within the Vatican piss me off something fierce to put it mildly, as does the church I haven't set foot in since the last wedding I attended, now 20 years ago in Niagara falls -- for Tony, my closest friend among my former students. It's the last the RC chirch will ever see of my ass.
Jenny, I cannot disagree with anything you’ve said. BUT…
I wish all Catholics could be like my dear friend/neighbor Jim, who attends our local Catholic Church and is involved in so many excellent endeavors: Lions club, Knights of Columbus and other organizations that benefit the poor and disabled.
I wish you knew him. He practically qualifies for sainthood 😉
It's the pinnacle of irony, gyp, that within corrupt institutions one always seems to nonetheless find people operating for the greater good. Mindboggling.
Thank you for reiterating that the source of the world’s problem, politically, socially, economically, militarily, is the USA. People look for individual actors to blame, but it is the very ethic and essence of the USA that is the problem. If Trump goes another puppet steps in, if Israel goes another puppet regime will step up.
Remember, evilass Donald Trump called the Pope "disgraceful" and Trump complained that the Pope was "too political," which means Trump wanted the Pope to shut up about things like peace, compassion and equality. Trump hated the Pope for saying Trump building the wall was "...not Christian."
Pope used his final speech to blast Trump policies: 'How much contempt?'
One of Pope Francis’s last acts was to slam President Donald Trump policies.
But his final hours were spent meeting Vice President JD Vance, followed by an official Easter speech in which he said, “How much contempt is stirred up at times towards the vulnerable, the marginalized and migrants?"
The Pope gave Vance Easter eggs for his children in the meeting.
Vance told Francis, “It’s good to see you in better health.”
But his last official speech was less friendly.
Francis rejected the MAGA/Trump/Vance stance on immigrants and foreign aid.
According to Bloomberg, Vance and the Pope spoke on Trump’s “commitment to restoring world peace,” and they did not talk specifically about migrants.
This is not the first time the Holy Father has questioned President Donald Trump and Vance's policies.
Earlier this year, Francis critiqued Vance, saying, “Christian love is not a concentric expansion of interests that little by little extend to other persons and groups.”
Vance responded to the critique, saying he is a “baby Catholic. ” He also admitted there are “things about the faith that I don’t know.” He converted to Catholicism in 2019.
In February, the Pope shared his thoughts on the mass deportations of undocumented immigrants on the Italian talk show Che Tempo Che Fa, “If true, this will be a disgrace… This is not the way to solve things.”
During Trump’s first term, Pope Francis said building the border wall was “not Christian.” In reply, Trump called him “disgraceful” and a “very political person.”
Good summary. Anyone who actually liked this Pope and also likes anything at all about Trump is arguably schizophrenic. Partial disclosure: as a non-Catholic, a religious agnostic, I did like this Pope. He's the best the Church has had since John XXIII.
I'm terribly sorry about your family's experiences with sexual abuse. That's horrible.
Very good point about the behind the scenes jockying to get a genocide sympathizer into the role. Seems likely.
I do feel like Francis has been a really plesant surprise I never expected to see in that position. I don't think we'll see someone like him as pope again in our lifetime.
Even though it will never happen I would have loved to see Archbishop Vigano as Pope. People of his resolve and courage are always pushed out of the picture. But still....
Oh yeah? So you think there is actually a potential candidate who would be a decent Francis replacement? That's good to know. I have no idea about things like that. Seems unlikely considering the current political climate, but certainly welcome.
Obviously you have no idea who Vigano is and have never heard him speak. Although I am not a Catholic or for that matter of any denomination he is a dissident who has paid the price for speaking out on all evil doings both inside and outside the Church. His integrity is surprising even to me.
Every where the US goes pain and suffering follow. For as long as I have been alive and actually much much farther back than that they have sown misery while posing as the knight of shining virtue. The amazing part is that after all this time people are still falling for this shit. The people of the U.S. have been bombarded by the most highly developed propaganda machine in the world from the day they are born. For most of them their brainwashing is complete. If they ever wake up from their propaganda induced trance the violence toward their hierarchy will be suitably horrific. Sadly, I believe the U.S. Hierarchy must collapse if we are to have any hope of peace in the world. Their influence in everything Western does not bode well for the Church. They are well on their way to destroying that institute as well.
I wish Trump or Netanyahu would have died instead of the Pope.
You can bet the next Pope will NOT be a friend to the Palestinian people as Pope Francis was.
You can bet the next Pope will be a European Pope who will easily succumb to Vatican internal pressure to "condemn Hamas" and to sufficiently coddle Israelis "seeking freedom from conflict," or some Zionist garbage.
People say “It’s the Muslims!” or “It’s the Jews!”......No, it’s the Americans. It's the Brits too. They "gave" Palestine to the Jews. Now they support the Americans who have take their place as Empire. Such a toxic relationship and the poison is spreading all over the world.
I'm glad more people realize that the dividing up of the Middle-East under that agreement (by Europeans, no less) was the beginning of the disaster we currently see happening there. If I could travel back in time, I'd make sure that Europeans NEVER got a foothold in the M.E., in Africa, the Americas, China, SE Asia, Australia...
It’s bigger than the US or Britain, both Zionist controlled countries, as are Israel and all world governments. The US and British governments were instrumental in the Balfour Declaration, but it was directed and controlled by the Rothschild Zionists.
Zionists control every facet of this world; politics, government, judiciary, commerce, finance, science, technology, medicine, agriculture, education, religion (501c3) and media (news, publication, entertainment). No one rises to a high level of fame, wealth or power unless the powers-that-shouldn’t-be deem it so.
Israel seems to be following a prolonged and extended version of its Hannibal directive, which says that it's better to kill its own soldiers and citizens than allow them to be taken hostage.
For 21st Zionism, a few dozen lives are a cheap price to pay for a major step towards achieving their long-term goals.
..................................
As for the 14 emergency service workers Israel murdered in Southern Gaza, if it was an operational mistake then they should release the 15th first responder who they reportedly abducted at the time.
Let's hear the testimony of medic Assad al-Nassasra.
My money is on his replacement being a rabid Zionist —— bets on
Not to mention, he didn't have the greatest history before he got to the throne. Please don't ask me to site sources. I've got a lot on my plate right now and that project is not on my list. If you want to know more just search the archives. Search out who he was before he was "appointed" Pope. And what mysteriously happened to the Pope before him. People tend to gain morality as they get nearer and nearer to death....
What do you know? I’m Argentinian and I know some things but whatever you know is not accurate.
Maybe yes, maybe no. What things do you know?
At least 2 women accused him of rape & apparently was a paedophile but that is not unusual for a world leader it seems, especially one that is also a Catholic priest.
Sounds like a double whammy!!! SMDH Reminds me of the Dali Lama asking the little boy to suck his tongue. I did some research on what happens in some of those monasteries.
I was raised Catholic and boy did we hear about stories of the shenanigans going on with the Nuns, Priests and Altar boys. I think that vow of celibacy for the rest of your life can definitely lead to some deviant behavior due to the suppression of natural instincts. So yeah...............
You could be right there
I would like to bet against hope not.
The US didnt merely kill civilians in Yemen when the bombed the port there a couple days ago. They actually did so deliberately, mirroring what the Israeli genocide force did when they killed the medics.
What the US did was a "double tap" bombing. First they bonbed the port, then they waited until when emergengy medical responders came....and bombed them too.
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2025/04/19/vpkf-a19.html
This is beyond evil.
And these techniques have been used to mass murder middle easterners for a long time now:
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/video-what-double-tap-strike
Let's hope the catholic church has the guts to continue to elect leaders that will call this what it is: evil acts that no religion can claim are in service of any God.
"Let's hope the catholic church has the guts to continue to elect leaders that will call this what it is: evil acts that no religion can claim are in service of any God."
You see, we don't just need the Pope, or Catholic Church to do it. We need the "Catholics" all 1.5 billion of them to put pressure on their leaders by removing them from office! The Pope and the Church are singular entities, cause when you get right down to it, that's all they are, singular. Maybe if the Pope had done more than make a call every night, but maybe had he done a major "call to action" declaring that every single Catholic should hit the streets in solidarity with the Palestinians, maybe, just maybe that would have made a difference. Imagine being that powerless. Here you have a man, who has power over 1.5 billion people talking about baptizing aliens, but can't get all his followers to come out and mass protest. Imagine what that would have looked like if Catholics from all over the world got a Papal Bull that said, on this day for 24 hours, every Catholic in this world will stop what they are doing and go outside, hands across the world, so to speak... and show solidarity to the Palestinian cause. 1.5 billion people, that's a whole lot of people. To me, it just shows how inept even the Papal office is, and that anyone else who comes in would be just as inept if not more so.
Nana Baakan Agyiriwah, Thank you - exactly what I have been thinking while the media got saturated with the Pope's death.
For me institutions like the Pope or the Catholic church are part of the problem not the solution.
Before reading your comment I was thinking " .... what if the Pope holding sway over 1.5 billion Catholics , had told them that Jesus was a Palestinian and today when the Palestinians are being slaughtered to come out en mass and protest... to do what any good Samaritan would have done ...."? What if.....
Yes, what if. And what if he just told folks about that commandment, "Thou Shalt Not Kill"? Whatever the case may be, he could have said more if you ask me. Much more than the pandering he did.
I can hear the backlash about "Jesus" being a Palestinian with so many folks saying there never was a Palestine. So he'd have to jump over that part and just call out what is really happening, a genocide, and whatever ethnic group "Jesus" would have belonged to, he certainly would not approve of what is happening there now. The POPE is supposed to be the "moral compass" for his constituents, but sadly he has not done what his very own Christ would have done... Speak out strongly and relentlessly to stop the carnage. Perhaps he was just as compromised as the rest of the so-called "world" leaders.
Hi Nana - Maybe you could show this to the folks who say there never was a Palestine --
The Balfour Declaration was a public statement issued by the British government in 1917 expressing support for the establishment of a "national home for the Jewish people" in Palestine. This declaration, written by British Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour, was sent to Lord Lionel Walter Rothschild, a prominent Zionist leader, and later became a key factor in shaping the future of Palestine and the Middle East. ---
Unless they meant Palestine, Texas; then all the Zionists should be sent there. They're in the wrong place!
I know, Beloved. But when folks are so indoctrinated into an ideology, you could, as they say, present them with “Jesus Christ” and they would not accept it. That’s the nature of cult mentality. They will have a counter argument for every thing you present to them. Even the ancient maps won’t change their minds. I used to be on Twitter, and saw so many folks in denial of the very fact that Palestine ever existed. They are in cognitive dissonance and need to be to justify what they are doing.
Yes I've been wondering about that too, what if he had mobilised Catholics around the world to protest
That would have been absolutely amazing and it would have totally flipped the script. He called the Catholic church in Gaza every day, tho. Now, put yourself in that Catholic Church’s place while bombs are dropping all around. Is a phone call from the Pope the go-to, or billions of Catholics from around the world protesting? I would wager that the Pope probably did something charitable.. I don’t know I’m just “assuming” but with 1.5 billion followers that would have been a clarion call like none other had he mobilized a world wide protest.
Trump is Israel’s bitch.
Potuses are Israeli bitches.
Edit: corrected a typo
I am so sad!! I can not believe it. We need pope Francis so much!! He is such a peacemaker and a man who stands up for and with the Palestinians and all refugees. I love him. May he rest in peace and may his legacy of freedom for everyone especially those in need continue.
You need GOD not pope Francis or any intermediary between a human and his creator!
"God" clearly does not give a damn about the Palestinians. We need humans who are willing to speak out, and the Pope was one of them.
God does not answer to anybody because it's not HUMAN! However, in the Quran, he does have many messages for Jews, Muslims and Christians and ALL humans. He always asks about humility, humanity, justice, patience and rewards.
"We have bound every human’s destiny to their neck. And on the Day of Judgment We will bring forth to each person a record which they will find laid open".
The first instance of the Children of Israel causing mischief is mentioned in Surah Al-Isra (17:4-6), with God sending against them servants of great might to punish them.
The Quran also warns the Children of Israel about causing corruption on earth twice and becoming extremely arrogant and tyrants:
“And We warned the Children of Israel in the Scripture, “You will certainly cause corruption in the land twice, and you will become extremely arrogant”
The second instance is also mentioned in the same Surah, with the promise that their enemies will come again to humiliate them:
“When the first of the two warnings would come to pass, We would send against you some of Our servants of great might, who would ravage your homes. This would be a warning fulfilled”.
The Quran suggest that the Day of Judgment will be linked to Palestine, with the return of Isa (Jesus) and the final gathering of humanity occurring in relation to the region.
The Quran emphasizes the importance of justice, mercy, and honor in relation to the Muslim community in Palestine. This suggests that Muslims should be treated with fairness and respect, and that they should strive to uphold these values in their lives.
the Quran also include the promise of ultimate victory for Muslims, and this victory is often linked to Palestine.
“Perhaps your Lord will have mercy on you if you repent˺, but if you return to sin, We will return to punishment. And We have made Hell a permanent confinement for the disbelievers.”
"“Whenever We intend to destroy a society, We command its elite ˹to obey Allah˺ but they act rebelliously in it. So the decree ˹of punishment˺ is justified, and We destroy it utterly”.
Just to add that God is talking about the original followers of moses, basically all who worship allah (God), allah is the central figure of islam and the God moses preached for, jews (moses's people) christains(jesus's people) and muslims(mohammed's people) are all one for the holy land, basically nowadays Israel is an ethno racist state created by ZIONISM and do not follow the original message of the prophets. Previously ALL Muslims, Jews and Christians lived side by side in the Holy Land which even the Protestant Jews say that God forbits them from owning land, any land. However Jews forfeited it when they strayed (changed the original faith) so basically the people (Jews from EU, US, UK and other places) who are not SEMITES (DNA say so) are not the true children of Israel.
Can you speak to the fact that we have heard very little from the Arab countries about this horrible genocide in Gaza.
"God" clearly does not give a damn about the Palestinians.
-->
The most common anti-theistic* sophism, a variant of "show me the proof and I will believe in God".
* = (they call them self commies or wrongly atheists. Atheists are people void of or indifferent to a belief of God. Anti-Theists are militants who oppose anyone having a faith or belief)
Do you have anything to say about the Palestinians?
I just did, more than what is in your sophism reply.
Who the hell is God? Has he come to deliver YOU USA from persecution? Grow up: There is NO God.
That explains "...the hell is..." quite well.
.
It is utter stupidity to claim something does not exists, let alone that it does not exist because it does not fit one's perception or construct.
Also see my response above to Peter Robinson
But God works through human beings... As one child supposedly said, "We need Jesus with skin on." After all, we were made in "God's Image" and we reflect this whenever we are kind and compassionate to each other. Francis was no better or no worse an example of God's creation here on earth. And his leadership on this issue will be sorely missed.
Pretty sure God was made in humans' image.
kinda
Depends
on the 'God'
don'tchya Think?
If there is a god
I am sure that Mossad, the CIA, MI6, etc. were jockeying, well before Francis died.
EDIT: to be fair, this practice is nothing new, but it must be managed smoothly, behind the scenes, so as not to disrupt any moral capital the Catholic Church may still have.
The Catholic Church has NO morality. IF the had they could have ended world poverty decades ago.
>>"IF the had they could have ended world poverty decades ago."
The Catholic Church (or ANY religious institution for that matter) has no bearing/ability on ending 'poverty'. You're mixing MORALITY with ECONOMICS.
Poverty (I would go so far as to say 'induced poverty' in today's age) is a symptom of systems - specifically Capitalism (and everything that it entails).
I think what Jenny is trying to say is that she wishes the Roman Catholic church had shown stronger leadership on this topic. If someone like Christian Liberationist theologian Fr. Oscar Romero had been pope, we might have seen the end of capitalism in the West.
Oscar Romero was to Latin America what MLK was to this country--a great man. And both of them were assassinated for defying the imperatives of capitalism. If Romero had been elected Pope, more likely we'd have soon seen the end of him. No Pope will ever be allowed to preach directly against capitalism if he expects to live very long.
The strength of leadership wouldn't matter in the context of Capitalism. In fact, the history of religion has been a history of TPTB co-opting/using religion to further their goals/agendas/whatever.
Religion has been almost completely co-opted by Capitalism and made to serve the purposes of Capitalism. Just look at the trillion dollar plus 'religion and belief in God' industry, the tax exemptions, the colonialization, the wars, the genocides in the name of God/religion, etc.
Hence, I would disagree vehemently with your assertion and that it is extremely improbable any religion/religious figure would have any impact on curbing Capitalism.
NO I am not.
Tell me Chang: DO you know or ever visited THE Vatican City within Rome?
You are showing me your ignorance. Nothing more.
Open the vaults in the Vatican City!
Why don't they do this?
Little boys 'sucking the cocks of potential Popes.
Read Caravaggio!.
I have visited the Vatican city within Rome and I was amazed by all the wealth I could actually see. I was not even political at that time, being much younger than I am now, but even I could see how much poverty could be alleviated just by selling off some of what was in there. And all those priests leaning out of their windows watching the people begging for lire on the streets? I don't always agree with you, Jenny, but you are right on here.
I guess you are having a hard time distinguishing between 'morality' and economic systems too it seems.
Maybe, just maybe, I could be wrong, but perhaps it is possible that other people see things differently than you do which does not make them wrong or right or anything. Just a different way of looking at things. Ever heard of looking at things from all angles? Or perhaps that is not included in your comprehension skills.
........and every step you take in the Vatican City. Below you are treasures. When you visit the Vatican Museum you see (the public) old forks invented by the Venetians. Spoons and tableware.
What is underneath all this?
Popes and Cardinals using young boys to have sex with. Caravaggio wrote about this.
Don't give a flying fuck about Pope Francis. He could have gone to Palestine. Why did he NOT do this?.
Popes are owned by big business.
Jenny, You don't hold back, do you? Good on you!
Work on your comprehension skills first, Jenny Stokes.
Fuck off Chang.
Work on your comprehension skills AGAIN Jenny Stokes - don't compete for the stupidest person on the planet award. Give others a chance to win sometimes too.
I may go hard on anyone trying to claim God does not exist ( and nonexistence of anything cannot be proven anyway) but you're pummeling the Choke Changaski small mind in ways which deserve admiration.
Deserves a million likes.
Trouble with moral capital of the institution is that it depends on the church's aristocracy -- and hearkens back to your frequent comments about justice and power.
I think that just as secular sociopaths are driven by the power conferred by money -- greed -- many individuals in the church's aristocracy are likewise driven by that thirst for power. But since the personal greed is limited by appearances (they can be comfy but not too opulent, bad for the poverty-vow image; they're still priests), satiation of that thirst for power must come in other ways. In addition to the influences you cite, I suspect that there are behind-the-scenes manipulations into the political process, especially in heavily Catholic countries like those in Central/South America; I'd suspect the intel agencies might cut deals with members of that Catholic hierarchy to crowbar their influence into political matters in those countries when necessary. Ahh, power.
One of the reasons why American style evangelical protestantism is spreading like wildfire in Latin America is that the Catholic Church and its hierarchy are, for better or worse, rightly or wrongly, seen as too much in bed with the local power structures.
That is the real reason Francis got the job, BTW. It was hoped that he could do in Latin America what JPII did in Eastern Europe, what Benedict tried and failed to replicate in europe.
Good point. And from most appearances, it would seem that the Catholic hierarchy has been very much in bed with those power structures dating back to the time of the conquistadors; or else I've been deceived by the propaganda I heard as a child/teenager, before I completely jumped ship on Catholicism. Isn't it great: semi-theocracies worldwide.
Looking strictly at the history of the Roman Catholic Church, its first thousand years was a history of accumulating (secular) power, and its succeeding thousand years has been a history of deteriorating power, of a series of fallback positions, eaxh gradually abandoned.
The medieval Papacy claimed all temporal and spiritual authority, but it gradually had to cede claims to temporal authority, even before the Reformation, because it needed Spanish support in the Italian Wars, and the Spanish kings would no more than pay lip service to the Papal claims of earthly authority, while the Papacy had no other way to back up its pretensions. The fear of an Avignon-type scenario no doubt loomed large in the mind of the Popes of the time.
The fallback position was "throne and altar" Catholicism, in which the Church supported the claims of kings to temporal power, as long as they allowed the Church free rein in its own affairs, over matters of conscience, and over education. This was eroded by the time of the French Revolution, and finally imploded in the aftermath of the First World War.
Since crowned and anointed semi-absolutist Catholic kings ruling on the basis of divine right were no longer a real world option, the alternative preferred form of government was The Man On A Horse, a strongman who seized power and was able to reach some form of accord with the Catholic Church, somewhat like the old throne and altar system, but with less religious ritual and justification and more naked exercise of power. Franco, Salazar and Mussolini come prominently to mind, as does the Brazilian variant on the Estado Novo.
Most of Latin America is still at this stage, more or less.
Of course, World War II made it clear, at least in europe, that The Man On A Horse didn't have much of a future, unless and to the extent supported by the United States. The choices in Europe going forward were now between American-style liberalism and Soviet-style communism, and the Church embraced liberalism, not so much out of conviction, but because certainly from the point of view of the Church, the alternative was worse.
I should add that before 1945, the Roman Catholic Church had been quite ideologically opposed to liberalism.
The struggles between liberals and the Church in France, Spain, Italy, Mexico and the Papal encyclical condemning "Americanism" all come specifically to mind.
Of course, come 1945, the choice between Americanism and the tender mercies of Soviet style communism made the Catholic Church get a whole new attitude.
Interesting and thorough analysis. No question about the prior opposition to liberalism, and the subsequent shift. This actually bled through on an individual basis among hardcore conservative priests and nuns I knew in the '50s and '60s as an anger with the institution for its ultraliberal shift in their opinion. Loss of the Latin Mass was quite infuriating to some of these folks.
It's sort of off-topic, but one thing that keeps the Catholic religious faithful to the Church, no matter what it does, is the fact that they have no real family, and there are not a whole lotta jobs for ex-priests or former nuns.
Even if you left for the best and most principled of reasons, it's still going to raise eyebrows.
If you've seen the recent movie "Conclave", one of the cardinals in the conclave deliberating over who will be the next pope (the former one having just died at the beginning of the film) is a reactionary Italian who is determined to bring back the Latin Mass if he's elected. He isn't (whew!) but the ending is quite a surprise indeed. But I imagine you and Feral have both seen the film.
For sure.
Yeah I was wondering what was taking them so long until the double pneumonia was reported
Thank You Caitlin
thank you
Caitlin.
As a "fallen-away Catholic" -- the kindly description, I actually think the CC has been a horrible source of inter-Christian as well as anti-Muslim violence throughout history and have actively opposed its hypocrisy, I'm confident that reactionary elements will be campaigning hard for a regressive pope friendly to Zionism. Fingers crossed otherwise; what else can I say.
Hi dear Vin,
As a completely lapsed Catholic, I had great love for Francis, who named himself for the patron saint of the poor, if I’m not mistaken. He was the greatest pope of my lifetime. He visited ghettos, not royalty.
I hope against hope that he is replaced (though he is irreplaceable!) with someone of his caliber, someone like my Catholic friends and neighbors (many are Irish) who take to heart the commandment that Thou Shalt Not Kill.
His soul will most certainly rest in peace.
Let's keep that hope alive, dear gyp. As far away from, Catholicism as I've drifted, it would still be far better for the world at large to have a pope more like Francis, less like his predecessor Benedict.
True dat, Vin. I had no r-e-s-p-e-c-t for Benedict.
Having been raised Catholic and having some devout Catholic friends, I still have a bit of affection for the religion. It might be telling if the next pope takes the name Francis II.
I would really love to see another Franciscan Pope like Francis, but I can imagine the pressures coming from the zy0nist lobby to set up an anti-Francis in the Vatican. Martin Luther the Protestant reformer could be prescient at times--he called the Roman Catholic pope of his time "the anti-Christ" because of his actions. Let's hope we don't see a replay.
Vin. and Gypsy. My two friends on here whom I love: Understand ONE thing please. The Roman Catholic Church is BIG BUSINESS.
For anyone else who even sees this comment: The Vatican is a large area in Rome. It is a City. Inside Rome) Under the Vatican there are MILLIONS of artifacts (owned by the Papacy) which will never see the light.
Carravaggio painted lewd pictures for the Popes. (My favorite artist) YOU will NEVER see these. I only know this from Professors (so few) who are allowed to go down into the vaults.
Every single Pope and I simply do NOT care about Francis........."oh yes he did this and he spoke out about this.......hmmmm!"
IF every single picture/artifact in the City of The Vatican was unearthed today you will know only ONE thing: Corruption!
Men who are not allowed to be married: who are these people?
I don't give a 'flying fuck' about Francis' death.
Did he open up the corruption in the Vatican? NO.
This fucking City inside Rome is owned by whom?
Oh dear, Jenny. Or Oh, dear Jenny, I've been yelling corruption since the first time Monsignor C and his priests hauled ass up the pulpit to tell poor immigrant working class strugglers in NYC that their priority should be more of their earnings to the church. Not into their children's bellies, or shoes or winter coats. But the fucking church, which always looked like it was doing fine to me. As I said in my original post, I've always run afoul of and opposed its hypocrisy, which is why I bailed in the first place. Your description is one of the pinnacle -- the upper zones of that wealth hypocrisy in an institution that demands vows of poverty from those it labels as ministers to its congregations -- priests, nuns and monks.
As to Francis, I truly wish he'd acted in ways far closer to what some perceived as his initial promise. Specifically, I wish he had somehow been able to shift actual material resources to places in the world where they might've made a difference, challenging governments, even just to embarrass them -- obviously Israel, some west and central African regimes. But the church hierarchy, liberalized after WWII as Feral pointed out in a long comment is still athrosclerotically reactionary and never would permit a pope to go beyond certain limits --- not an apology, just another aspect of the corruption within the institution.
The inaccessible treasures within the Vatican piss me off something fierce to put it mildly, as does the church I haven't set foot in since the last wedding I attended, now 20 years ago in Niagara falls -- for Tony, my closest friend among my former students. It's the last the RC chirch will ever see of my ass.
Jenny, I cannot disagree with anything you’ve said. BUT…
I wish all Catholics could be like my dear friend/neighbor Jim, who attends our local Catholic Church and is involved in so many excellent endeavors: Lions club, Knights of Columbus and other organizations that benefit the poor and disabled.
I wish you knew him. He practically qualifies for sainthood 😉
PS Jenny, we LOVE YOU TOO!
It's the pinnacle of irony, gyp, that within corrupt institutions one always seems to nonetheless find people operating for the greater good. Mindboggling.
Thank you for reiterating that the source of the world’s problem, politically, socially, economically, militarily, is the USA. People look for individual actors to blame, but it is the very ethic and essence of the USA that is the problem. If Trump goes another puppet steps in, if Israel goes another puppet regime will step up.
Absolutely - couldn’t agree more.
Remember, evilass Donald Trump called the Pope "disgraceful" and Trump complained that the Pope was "too political," which means Trump wanted the Pope to shut up about things like peace, compassion and equality. Trump hated the Pope for saying Trump building the wall was "...not Christian."
Pope used his final speech to blast Trump policies: 'How much contempt?'
One of Pope Francis’s last acts was to slam President Donald Trump policies.
But his final hours were spent meeting Vice President JD Vance, followed by an official Easter speech in which he said, “How much contempt is stirred up at times towards the vulnerable, the marginalized and migrants?"
The Pope gave Vance Easter eggs for his children in the meeting.
Vance told Francis, “It’s good to see you in better health.”
But his last official speech was less friendly.
Francis rejected the MAGA/Trump/Vance stance on immigrants and foreign aid.
According to Bloomberg, Vance and the Pope spoke on Trump’s “commitment to restoring world peace,” and they did not talk specifically about migrants.
This is not the first time the Holy Father has questioned President Donald Trump and Vance's policies.
Earlier this year, Francis critiqued Vance, saying, “Christian love is not a concentric expansion of interests that little by little extend to other persons and groups.”
Vance responded to the critique, saying he is a “baby Catholic. ” He also admitted there are “things about the faith that I don’t know.” He converted to Catholicism in 2019.
In February, the Pope shared his thoughts on the mass deportations of undocumented immigrants on the Italian talk show Che Tempo Che Fa, “If true, this will be a disgrace… This is not the way to solve things.”
During Trump’s first term, Pope Francis said building the border wall was “not Christian.” In reply, Trump called him “disgraceful” and a “very political person.”
Good summary. Anyone who actually liked this Pope and also likes anything at all about Trump is arguably schizophrenic. Partial disclosure: as a non-Catholic, a religious agnostic, I did like this Pope. He's the best the Church has had since John XXIII.
RIP, Pope Francis. I had a petition calling on him to go to Gaza. May he make that visit in spirit now.
Should I repurpose it by updating it to calling on the Pope to go?
https://chng.it/gkvBfY44rq
I have just sent out an update calling upon the new Pope to do the same. Please sign and share.
Best to wait until the new pope is in place. Anyone who agreed to go to Gaza would certainly not be chosen as the next Pope.
Absolutely, that person won't take a stand ahead of time, but I don't see any reason we have to wait to ask.
I'm terribly sorry about your family's experiences with sexual abuse. That's horrible.
Very good point about the behind the scenes jockying to get a genocide sympathizer into the role. Seems likely.
I do feel like Francis has been a really plesant surprise I never expected to see in that position. I don't think we'll see someone like him as pope again in our lifetime.
Even though it will never happen I would have loved to see Archbishop Vigano as Pope. People of his resolve and courage are always pushed out of the picture. But still....
Oh yeah? So you think there is actually a potential candidate who would be a decent Francis replacement? That's good to know. I have no idea about things like that. Seems unlikely considering the current political climate, but certainly welcome.
Obviously you have no idea who Vigano is and have never heard him speak. Although I am not a Catholic or for that matter of any denomination he is a dissident who has paid the price for speaking out on all evil doings both inside and outside the Church. His integrity is surprising even to me.
Every where the US goes pain and suffering follow. For as long as I have been alive and actually much much farther back than that they have sown misery while posing as the knight of shining virtue. The amazing part is that after all this time people are still falling for this shit. The people of the U.S. have been bombarded by the most highly developed propaganda machine in the world from the day they are born. For most of them their brainwashing is complete. If they ever wake up from their propaganda induced trance the violence toward their hierarchy will be suitably horrific. Sadly, I believe the U.S. Hierarchy must collapse if we are to have any hope of peace in the world. Their influence in everything Western does not bode well for the Church. They are well on their way to destroying that institute as well.
I wish Trump or Netanyahu would have died instead of the Pope.
You can bet the next Pope will NOT be a friend to the Palestinian people as Pope Francis was.
You can bet the next Pope will be a European Pope who will easily succumb to Vatican internal pressure to "condemn Hamas" and to sufficiently coddle Israelis "seeking freedom from conflict," or some Zionist garbage.
RIP.
From the Zionist perspective, better that the next Pope not be a european or American, but a rabid Zionist all the same.
from your lips to God's ears.
What's the betting they'll pick another fascist pope next time? Someone like Ratzinger. This pope was a bit too liberal for some tastes ......>:((
People say “It’s the Muslims!” or “It’s the Jews!”......No, it’s the Americans. It's the Brits too. They "gave" Palestine to the Jews. Now they support the Americans who have take their place as Empire. Such a toxic relationship and the poison is spreading all over the world.
And the French too (Sykes-Picot agreement and the dividing up of Middle-East and formation of boundaries in the region).
I'm glad more people realize that the dividing up of the Middle-East under that agreement (by Europeans, no less) was the beginning of the disaster we currently see happening there. If I could travel back in time, I'd make sure that Europeans NEVER got a foothold in the M.E., in Africa, the Americas, China, SE Asia, Australia...
It’s bigger than the US or Britain, both Zionist controlled countries, as are Israel and all world governments. The US and British governments were instrumental in the Balfour Declaration, but it was directed and controlled by the Rothschild Zionists.
Zionists control every facet of this world; politics, government, judiciary, commerce, finance, science, technology, medicine, agriculture, education, religion (501c3) and media (news, publication, entertainment). No one rises to a high level of fame, wealth or power unless the powers-that-shouldn’t-be deem it so.
I hope his last speech makes a huge impact. And, ya, I'm sure they're looking for an Israel supporting replacement for him.
Diana, please don’t give up hope. Francis was the most beloved pope of my lifetime, and fingers crossed, his replacement will be similar.
Israel seems to be following a prolonged and extended version of its Hannibal directive, which says that it's better to kill its own soldiers and citizens than allow them to be taken hostage.
For 21st Zionism, a few dozen lives are a cheap price to pay for a major step towards achieving their long-term goals.
..................................
As for the 14 emergency service workers Israel murdered in Southern Gaza, if it was an operational mistake then they should release the 15th first responder who they reportedly abducted at the time.
Let's hear the testimony of medic Assad al-Nassasra.