For the poor of the world their first taste of mercy, kindness, rebellion, freedom and uprising, is the CATHOLIC WORKER. There are many priests, nuns working in shanty towns, slums all over the world, who inspire and encourage shanty town, slum dwellers and the poor of the world to rebel, and fight against poverty and oppression, for basic human dignity and rights. In latin america, revolutionary nuns and priests were disappeared and murdered along with the peasant villagers they protected and encouraged to rebel. There are others within religious establishments who seek to enslave and subjugate the poor, who take pleasure from another humans suffering, who seek to degrade and belittle the poor, to put them in their place, to exploit and use the children of the poor, for their own selfish desires and ends. These people don't see the poor as being human, as being deserving of god's love and appreciation, but it is the POOR, the hungry, the enslaved and subjugated, who cry out, that God loves the most, not the pompous, proud, selfish or idle rich. Those junta that desecrated the flesh of the poor, were repaid in kind. They will never ever know peace or happiness for their sins against the poor and helpless. Look how unhappy the rich are, look at the Adairs, how they squabble, back stab, and bicker amongst each other, how they rip each other apart, through fear, mistrust, and jealousy. Look at Gordon kerr, banished to china, for his destructive, dangerous and pathological selfishness, a man so utterly bitchy, selfish and cold hearted, he was a danger to his allies, nevermind his enemies. The rich have no friends, even amongst their own clique, they're always watching their backs, competing with each other, each a bitter rival to each other, as they claw, scratch and fight against each other, in a never ending spiral of competitiveness.

Dubya isn't even supported by the Methodist Church, the denomination he belongs to. It hasn't stopped him claiming the alleged support of an alleged god for whatever violent action he is planning.
None of all this would be happening if the USA were not the only superpower left in the world, with all the arrogance and unilateral arbitrariness that that implies. But the present Pope was one of those who danced on the grave of the Soviet Union et al, and so he played a part in us getting where we are now. Well, what goes around comes around.
The role of religion is to give ruling classes a moral cover for the blood-spilling and filth that serves their interests. If religious leaders deviate from that, they are simply ignored.

Dear voice of God,

As you can probably guess, I'm not actually a Catholic.

I have a suggestion that I hope you will take seriously.

If the Pope really wants to do something useful and believes in trying to promote peace, then why doesn't he join the
many committed people who have done something about it.

My proposal is that the Pope visits Baghdad, and talks to the people there on all sides. He should stay there and act as a
human shield for peace. America would surely not consider bombing the Pope, and he could force more time for truly
diplomatic, democratic, and internationally lawful solutions to be found.

I hope you pardon any disrespect and seriously consider this idea if you want to bring peace to the world.

Rikki, That's EXACTLY THE POINT !!!!