Pope forgives lady....or publicity stunt

opinion guy

I saw the headline "Pope meets and forgives Christmas Eve Mass Attack Woman" and I thought well fair ply to him then - he didn't have to do that, that was pretty nice. But then I read the article:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8457618.stm

and in it I saw :

The Vatican is continuing a legal case against Ms Maiolo.

closely followed by

The Pope inquired about Ms Maiolo's health and "wanted to demonstrate his forgiveness".

and well the whole thing just looked a lot more cynical to me. I mean it seems to me if the Pope forgives a mentally ill lady for acting out beyond her control, the very LEAST the Vatican could do is drop the legal case. I mean it is after all, loaded with money. What are the Vatican going to achieve by taking money from a sick lady ? More than that - it seems to me that the truly Christian forgiving thing to do for the poor lady, would be to pay for her care and see that she gets the help that she needs. No ?

So it seems that this "demonstrating his forgiveness" is merely PR at its finest.

Agree ? Disagree ? Purple Monkey Dishwasher ?

Borneo Fnctn

So what? That's his job. What's next? "Plumber fixes leak" ?

FearDark

The Popes an eejit.

The_Minister

That time the last Pope got shot?
He forgave the guy too.
Doesn't mean he asked for the guy to be let out of jail.

I assume that she is being tried under Vatican law, in the same way that a crazy person who attacked McAleese would be.
He may be seeking to have a restraining order on her - I know I would.

Forgiveness doesn't mean turning your back on someone.

jif

attacking one man is hardly a mass attack is it.

admiralofthefleet

when is he going to apologise for all the child abuse cover ups, hoarding of nazi gold and leading the worlds most dangerous, evil cult?

alan4cult

jif wrote: »

attacking one man is hardly a mass attack is it.

lol mass :pac:

irish_goat

Since he runs the Vatican and they're still pursuing the case he clearly hasn't forgiven her at all. Hypocrisy yes but what do you expect from them really?

Ruu_Old

Great bunch of PR people like that overblown press kit (as Gabriel Byrne put it ), the Bible.

The_Minister

irish_goat wrote: »

Since he runs the Vatican and they're still pursuing the case he clearly hasn't forgiven her at all. Hypocrisy yes but what do you expect from them really?

Maybe he is getting a restraining order?

Nothing in the article says he is looking for damages.

ScumLord

opinion guy wrote: »

I saw the headline "Pope meets and forgives Christmas Eve Mass Attack Woman" and I thought well fair ply to him then - he didn't have to do that, that was pretty nice.

He did have to forgive her it's kind of a major part of the Christian doctrine. I bet his secretly sickened he has to do it.

Morlar

The_Minister wrote: »

Maybe he is getting a restraining order?

Nothing in the article says he is looking for damages.

Exactly. If they dropped the case there would be no requirement for her to get any kind of help whatsoever. Also this way they would have grounds for barring her from within a certain range of the Pope which is not surprising considering this was not her first time. It's ridiculous to say this court case is about compensation.

jaarius

opinion guy wrote: »

I mean it seems to me if the Pope forgives a mentally ill lady for acting out beyond her control, the very LEAST the Vatican could do is drop the legal case.

I don't agree with that.

Just because he has forgiven her doesn't mean she shouldn't be punished. If some guy lifts my wallet I might forgive him (unlikely) but he should still get slap on wrist.

There has to be some deterrent, right?

j

oppenheimer1

jif wrote: »

attacking one man is hardly a mass attack is it.

ba-dum-tish!

mikom

opinion guy wrote: »

"Pope meets and forgives Christmas Eve Mass Attack Woman"

Wow, the pope is such a pushover...

opinion guy

jaarius wrote: »

I don't agree with that.

Just because he has forgiven her doesn't mean she shouldn't be punished. If some guy lifts my wallet I might forgive him (unlikely) but he should still get slap on wrist.

There has to be some deterrent, right?

j

But she's not a criminal. She is ill. Deterrent is irrelevant since she can't think straight. Punishment is not applicable

jimmycrackcorm

the pope forgives the woman but the vatican wants to make sure that .it doesn't become a regular free for all. Next story please.

Morlar

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

the pope forgives the woman but the vatican wants to make sure that .it doesn't become a regular free for all. Next story please.

Amen.

TheZohanS

Personally I wouldn't be looking for forgiveness from someone that was in The Hitler Youth, an organisation that fought for Hitler against the allies in WW2.

Ridley

TheZohan wrote: »

Personally I wouldn't be looking for forgiveness from someone that was in The Hitler Youth, an organisation that fought for Hitler against the allies in WW2.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V03-nKRRBBc

Dj Stiggie

TheZohan wrote: »

Personally I wouldn't be looking for forgiveness from someone that was in The Hitler Youth, an organisation that fought for Hitler against the allies in WW2.

That argument gets thrown around way too much. While I don't like the Pope, he had no choice, it was mandatory for boys to join the Hitler Youth, you were punished otherwise.

Degag

jaarius wrote: »

I don't agree with that.

Just because he has forgiven her doesn't mean she shouldn't be punished. If some guy lifts my wallet I might forgive him (unlikely) but he should still get slap on wrist.

There has to be some deterrent, right?

j

Three Hail Marys and an Our Father?

bonerm

She should have kicked him up the arse and taken a photo. He wouldn't have believed anyone would have the guts to try such a thing to him.

NothingMan

That would be an ecumenical matter.

AudreyHepburn

opinion guy wrote: »

But she's not a criminal. She is ill. Deterrent is irrelevant since she can't think straight. Punishment is not applicable

Not so ill that she didn't know exactly what she was doing. She's tried this before apparently.

She tried to attack an 82 year old man and managed to break the hip of an 87 year old so she deserves some kind of reprimand.



But to keep on topic, if the Pope chooses to forgive her that's his business and I'm sure he has his reasons.

Interesting that no-one question's John Paul II's forgiving the man who shot him.

Double standards perhaps?

By the way to whoever mentioned the Pope being Hitler Youth, if you bothered to read your history you'd know that when Hitler came to power he made it obligatory for every young German to be a member of the Hitler Youth whether they agreed with it or not. Just because he was a member does not mean he was a Nazi or that he agreed with Hitler.

Also you can't assume that he knew about the Sexual Abuse scandals that happened here. They were so well covered up that I would think there is a good chance he never knew anything about. I don't think he's ever even been to Ireland.

He shouldn't have to assume responsability and apologise for the monsters responsible.

Meeja Ireland

AudreyHepburn wrote: »

Also you can't assume that he knew about the Sexual Abuse scandals that happened here. They were so well covered up that I would think there is a good chance he never knew anything about. I don't think he's ever even been to Ireland.

As head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, he personally formulated the Church-wide policy of cover-up and non-cooperation. He couldn't be more responsible for the abuse of thousands of children if he had been standing by with a tub of Astroglide.

AudreyHepburn wrote: »

He shouldn't have to assume responsability and apologise for the monsters responsible.

No. He should be extradited and tried.

Voodu Child

Pope Benedict XVI has had a meeting with the mentally disturbed woman who knocked him over at Mass on Christmas Eve, and has forgiven her.

So much for Papal Unfallibility...

bonerm

AudreyHepburn wrote: »

By the way to whoever mentioned the Pope being Hitler Youth, if you bothered to read your history you'd know that when Hitler came to power he made it obligatory for every young German to be a member of the Hitler Youth whether they agreed with it or not. Just because he was a member does not mean he was a Nazi or that he agreed with Hitler.

Agreed. It was not Ratzingers choice or decision to be part of the Hitler Youth so I think it's unfair for people to keep bringing it up when casting him in a negative light.

Thankfully in this country we don't have an evil, untouchable & morally corrupt organisation that recruits children into their membership before they even have a chance to have their say on the matter. Oh wait...

stovelid

Well, he's hardly going to say I hope that rabid bint gets cancer, is he?

AARRRGH

Speaking of the Pope...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0805470859/?tag=buzz0f-20

Look at the "Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought" section...

humanji

Dj Stiggie wrote: »

That argument gets thrown around way too much. While I don't like the Pope, he had no choice, it was mandatory for boys to join the Hitler Youth, you were punished otherwise.

Well with the Pope being God's representative on Earth, you'd think He would of intervened. Funny how they can pick and choose when God is omnipotent.

opinion guy

AudreyHepburn wrote: »

Not so ill that she didn't know exactly what she was doing. She's tried this before apparently.

She tried to attack an 82 year old man and managed to break the hip of an 87 year old so she deserves some kind of reprimand.

Clearly you don't understand what "mental illness' means.

Interesting that no-one question's John Paul II's forgiving the man who shot him.

How is that relevant ?

Phil D

So it wasn't the Pope's choice to join the Hitler Youth. But he's done a lot worse since then and precious little good. That evil little man should be the one asking for forgiveness.

AudreyHepburn

Phil D wrote: »

So it wasn't the Pope's choice to join the Hitler Youth. But he's done a lot worse since then and precious little good.

Such as?

Clearly you don't understand what "mental illness' means.

I know exactly what a mental illness is. Having one is not an excuse for violence.

humanji

AudreyHepburn wrote: »

Such as?



I know exactly what a mental illness is. Having one is not an excuse for violence.

lol, just lol.

The Big Red Button

AARRRGH wrote: »

Speaking of the Pope...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0805470859/?tag=buzz0f-20

Look at the "Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought" section...

That's brilliant!!! :D:D

Lockstep

Astroglide?

Oh man...

AudreyHepburn

AARRRGH wrote: »

Speaking of the Pope...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0805470859/?tag=buzz0f-20

Look at the "Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought" section...

How is this relevent to this discussion?

This thread is about the Pope forgiving the woman how attacked him. It is not about bashing and taking the mick out of the church.

Please keep on topic.

lol, just lol.

Care to expand on that?

AARRRGH

AudreyHepburn wrote: »

How is this relevent to this discussion?

This thread is about the Pope forgiving the woman how attacked him. It is not about bashing and taking the mick out of the church.

Please keep on topic.

It's just a bit of light humour. This is after hours, land of talking shite.

ScumLord

AudreyHepburn wrote: »

Such as?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj3iNxZ8Dww

The_Minister

humanji wrote: »

Well with the Pope being God's representative on Earth, you'd think He would of intervened. Funny how they can pick and choose when God is omnipotent.

The Pope isn't like Mickey Mouse, able to bring hoards of broomsticks to life and make giant waves.
He's more like Gandalf - you never see the magic, but it's there.

AARRRGH

The_Minister wrote: »

The Pope isn't like Mickey Mouse, able to bring hoards of broomsticks to life and make giant waves.
He's more like Gandalf - you never see the magic, but it's there.

Isn't Gandalf a fictional character?

The_Minister

AARRRGH wrote: »

Isn't Gandalf a fictional character?

Ian McKellan is Gandalf.

AARRRGH

The_Minister wrote: »

Ian McKellan is Gandalf.

So God is gay?

Teclo

Who said Gadaffi is gay? Have you seen the cute girlies he brings around with him everywhere?

opinion guy

AARRRGH wrote: »

Speaking of the Pope...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0805470859/?tag=buzz0f-20

Look at the "Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought" section...

OMFG thats hilarious. Is it real ? or is it like a google bomb ? (an amazon bomb ?)

AudreyHepburn wrote: »

How is this relevent to this discussion?

This thread is about the Pope forgiving the woman how attacked him. It is not about bashing and taking the mick out of the church.

Please keep on topic.

You must be new....

Teclo wrote: »

Who said Gadaffi is gay? Have you seen the cute girlies he brings around with him everywhere?

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article6918541.ece
.....with sexy results.....

philologos

opinion guy wrote: »

and well the whole thing just looked a lot more cynical to me. I mean it seems to me if the Pope forgives a mentally ill lady for acting out beyond her control, the very LEAST the Vatican could do is drop the legal case. I mean it is after all, loaded with money. What are the Vatican going to achieve by taking money from a sick lady ? More than that - it seems to me that the truly Christian forgiving thing to do for the poor lady, would be to pay for her care and see that she gets the help that she needs. No ?

So it seems that this "demonstrating his forgiveness" is merely PR at its finest.

Agree ? Disagree ? Purple Monkey Dishwasher ?

Agree. If the lady has psychological issues it isn't really all that fair to take her to court. There was no harm done to him, and if harm were done to him, I'm sure his health cover would be covered adequately by the Vatican.

humanji wrote: »

Well with the Pope being God's representative on Earth, you'd think He would of intervened. Funny how they can pick and choose when God is omnipotent.

There is another option you know. The Pope mightn't be God's sole representative on earth at all, but one of many representatives. (I'd hold this to be likely)

One can also be omnipotent and choose not to do anything. Perhaps there was a purpose as to why events unfolded the way they did.

There are really numerous factors to be taken into account in any situation.

kowloon

On the infallibilty thing, doesn't he have to state that the following comment is infallible before it is to be taken as such? So if he says something without the statement it's just him saying it, not the word of god.

Still think it's all rubbish.

Sofaspud

AudreyHepburn wrote: »

Such as?

He led the sith!

He convinced Anakin to join the dark side, and look how that turned out!