Presidential Medal of Freedom for the Pope?

What's up with this? What kind of credibilty does that lend?
A medal of freedom awarded by BUSH to the Pope?




President John F. Kennedy authorized the practice of awarding Presidential Medals of Freedom to persons "for especially meritorious contribution to (1) the security or national interests of the United States, or (2) world peace, or (3) cultural or other significant public or private endeavors" (Executive Order 11085 dated Feb. 22, 1963).

Originally posted by Perfect stranger
What's up with this? What kind of credibilty does that lend?
A medal of freedom awarded by BUSH to the Pope?

An election year photo-op. This was more than likely designed to associate Bush as being in support of peace and freedom, and drive home his strong religious beliefs. Its silly, but by now you should have come to expect no less. Politics is a odd business.

It's called a bribe, hoping he can get the Pope on his side even though the Pope can't stand bush. Can you imagine if you were Bush and the whole world despised you like they do and you thought you were on a mission from God and the Pope was telling everyone that the US should get the hell out of Iraq? The Pope will most likely, if he has any integrity, and I am sure he does, not accept this token of stupidity.

What a slap in the face for devout Catholics - their holiest man on the planet receives a token piece of tin from a "president" creating war and permanent instability with the competition.

It is not wierd that he seems that the wholiest man in the world has just received a token for the most evil/deceptive man in the world, kind of the closest thing to God meeting with Satan's chosen one?

Holiest man?

HA!

The Pope is playing both sides against the middle and he is most likely the deepest source behind this war.

The Pope doesn't deserve an award for anything. Second of all, Bush is the last person (considering his position) who should be giving one out.

I doubt this pope is playing any sides in this war. This pope is honest when compared to the rest from what I see and hear. What would the pope have to gain with a war with Iraq??? Nothing!

Originally posted by Illmatic67
Holiest man?

HA!

The Pope is playing both sides against the middle and he is most likely the deepest source behind this war.

Do you have anything to back up this claim or are you just spewing out #?

This pope has been above board and a good pope. The man has called Bush on the carpet and he has reason to. In turn Bush the idiot has offered the holy father a trinket, a sign of a man without a soul and who is stuck in materialism.

This Pope doesn't have any agenda beyond folloiwing tenets of the Catholic faith. Even though I disagree with some of his decisions, he has always done what he considered consistent with the teachings ot the Church.
I watched the live coverage of the entire ceremony and was struck by the contrast between John Paul II and Bush. One was wise, old, feeble, BUT trying to get his point across about peace. The other, Bush, was his usual smirking monkey self. Ok, he was something less of a chimp today.
joey

And your problem/point is?

For us to guess?

A post in the practice of passive-aggressiveness?
Or as a seach for understanding?

Originally posted by GrndLkNatv
It's called a bribe, hoping he can get the Pope on his side .

On March 22, 2003 Pope John Paul II declared a crusade against President Bush and the U.S. for waging war against Iraq.

In the General Audience declaration, the pope reminded the gathered crowd he had openly warned President Bush not to go to war and that there would consequences. "He chose to ignore us," said the pope. "When war, as in these days in Iraq, threatens the fate of humanity, it is ever more urgent to proclaim, with a strong and decisive voice, that only obedience to the Holy See can lead to a more peaceful and just society."

In my oppinion this all political gain and campaign. A photo honoring the pope will look good in the eyes of the catholic masses. Maybe will score some more votes. this is just an opinion.

He wants the Pope on his side. Since the Pope is a pretty rowerful man.... I dont think he REALLY did anything to get world peace, or helping america... But he wants peace and was against the war in Iraq, one thing we agree in lol

thanks perfect stranger glad you bought this up just so i could say....... what a load of kack.

It was obviously a Photo op but even then, One would think that when the photo was taken, he would at least look like he would want to be there
I mean come on ,look at this!

www.medaloffreedom.com...

Well tell me, you alienate all of the moderate Christians in the country through wars, hyper-conservitive doctorine and aiding the wealthy instead of the poor. Best way to make amends seems to be to give the leader of the largest moderate Chistian organization in the world, the Catholic Church, a nice big medal.

It's just Bush trying hard to gloss over his own fundamentalism, nothing more.

~Astral

While 500,000 marched against Bush on the streets of Rome on Friday, Pope John Paul II struggled to get his message across because of his Parkinson's disease.

What the Pope was attempting to explain to the current inhabitant of the White House was a message that all those who call themselves "Pro-Life" cannot comprehend. If abortion is murder, like you and Jerry Falwell and the right-wing likes to say, then killing civilians in an unjust, illegal, immoral war is also murder.

Now, place that into perspective: At a minimum, more than 9,200 civilians -- often mothers and children -- have been killed in this conflict. Those are, at the very least, 9,200 murders, Dubya! That is blood on your hands, and that violates one of God's basic commandments: Thou Shall Not Kill!

The position of the Catholic Church is that to be Pro-Life you must oppose:

Abortion,

Capital punishment,

Unjust wars,

And euthanasia

All four! You can't pick and choose.

So, put this into perspective for Dubya: Not only have you killed more than 9,200 innocent people in Iraq; you also executed more people than any governor in history. The Catholic Church is strongly opposed to the death penalty.

What the Pope was trying to say was, "I know that you wanted to get a great photo-op with me to try and get Catholics in the U.S. to vote for you, but I have to tell the truth: You have no respect for human life. When you face your creator, you may have a long, long discussion with him -- or you may go straight to hell."

Now, look at what you said in response to this man: "We will work to improve human freedom and dignity, and we will work for peace."

Human dignity! In case you did not understand the Pope's allusion to "deplorable events," let me help you with that admonition: That referred to abuses at Abu Gharib. He said that without a commitment to the dignity of human life, "neither war nor terrorism will ever be overcome."

Note to Dubya: That means that all countries should follow the precepts enunciated by the Geneva Convention.

Those words also mean that without a new administration coming in to rid the U.S. of this entire immoral element, we will never win the war on terror. The Pope is trying to cushion the blow: "You're history, man!"

Gee, I hope that Dubya now understands what the Pope was trying to tell him.

-- adapted from Hugh Conrad
www.buzzflash.com...

Originally posted by Illmatic67
Holiest man?

HA!

The Pope is playing both sides against the middle and he is most likely the deepest source behind this war.

Well done. Spoken like a true hate mongering fundamentalist. I'm sure Allah would be proud of you.


As for the medal? It's politics - pure and simple. The Pope gets his medal and therefore the worship of a few hundred thousand US Catholics for accepting it and Bush gets the kudos for awarding it. It's not unusual though. The Pope gets all sorts of awards everywhere that he goes. In fact there probably isn't a day goes by that he doesn't get the freedom of some city somewhere in the world or a free book token.