Pope says import of arms to Syria a "grave sin"

[cqo_000]

Source: Reuters

BEIRUT, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Pope Benedict appealed on Friday for a halt to the flow of arms into Syria, saying it would help end a civil war that has killed many thousands of people and which Christians fear could bring Islamists to power.

In his strongest comments yet on the conflict, Benedict branded the weapons imports as a "grave sin" as he arrived at the start of a three-day visit to Beirut, the Lebanese capital just 50 km (30 miles) from the Syrian border.

"The import of weapons has to finally stop," Benedict, 85, told journalists on the plane. "Without the import of arms the war cannot continue. Instead of importing weapons, which is a grave sin, we have to import ideas of peace and creativity."

His comments about stopping weapons could draw criticism from Gulf Arab countries that - with Western blessing - support arming the rebels trying to topple President Bashar al-Assad.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/14/pope-lebanon-idUSL5E8KEKRE20120914

[jberryhill]

1. The RCC, anti-war for some of 1979 years, on and off

They've gotten better at it, though.

[Kolesar]

3. My memory of the church is still colored by the brainwashing I received until age 15

God's guy has a palace on the Mediterranean.

[Posteritatis]

6. They've been pretty consistent on it the last few pontificates, at least.

They've stumbled a lot since Vatican II (and some time before that obviously), but not on that one.

[Warpy]

2. I have friends there and I hope they are surviving

but I really don't have a dog in this fight because Assad is pure scum and so are much of his opposition. If he is finally deposed (and I think he will be when enough of his inner circle have fled), then there will likely be a prolonged period wherin the country will look like Lebanon during their civil war.

I don't wish that on anyone. In fact, I hope my friends have gotten out, even living in filth in a refugee camp is better than the comforts of home and being shelled and shot at. I wish I knew for certain.

I just want this to be over, all of it. I reluctantly agree with Pope Ratz that sending more arms to either side is pouring gasoline on a bonfire. No good is likely to come from it.

[panzerfaust]

4. I wonder if it as grave a sin as

raping children, murdering Jews, and burning heretics which the Holy Mother Church has been doing for over a millennium?

The church has absolutely no moral force in the modern world, based as it is on xenophobia, superstition, and terror.



In my opinion that is. Just drives me nuts to see such an organization complaining about anything.

[kolayamilya]

5. Spam deleted by Hassin Bin Sober (MIR Team)