Sunday, April 03, 2005

John Paul II (1920 - 2005) Anti War Spokesman

"War is not always inevitable. It is always a defeat for humanity... War is never just another means that one can choose to employ for settling differences between nations... War cannot be decided upon...except as the very last option and in accordance with very strict conditions, without ignoring the consequences for the civilian population both during and after the military operations." --- Pope John Paul II
John Paul II was consistent in his advocacy for the culture of life under all circumstances, and his strident opposition to the war in Iraq and pre-emptive wars was never fully reported in this country. His belief in the value of life made him an active and articulate opponent of the war in Iraq, and he refused attempts by Catholic neoconservatives to modify the Catholic doctrine of "just war" to include Iraq and other pre-emptive wars.
The U.S. media, GOP and neocons chose to emphasize his opposition to abortion, but not his opposition to the Iraq war. As the next few days unfold, we will see a GOP, evangelical, and neocon attempt to hijack the memory of JP II in the name of their causes, and the corporate media will cooperate in this hijacking. Yes, he was firmly anti-Communist, theologically conservative, and an abortion opponent. But he was also a vehement war and death penalty opponent, so let's do our best to remember the factual dimensions of the Pope as a spiritual, historical, political, and human figure... not the spin of the GOP.
Posted by Tina :: 12:18 AM :: 0 Comments:

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