A Progressive Defence of Benedict
September 16, 2006 · By Peter Rempel
Blast Furnance Blog, a long-time Progressive Blogger, has read Benedict’s speech in full and has the following to say about those that are now twisting his words to encourage a Muslim backlash:
Earlier today, Ratz said he apologized for any offence he caused. There was no need for him to do so. He was merely quoting a Byzantine Emperor in the 14th century, Manuel Paleologu II, who was critical of Mohammed — rightly or wrongly…People should actually take the time to check the facts. For some broadcasters and print media, however, truth is less important than ratings — or riling up people to commit even more terrorist acts.
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And in the meantime, The People’s Cube is reporting: “Experts to compile list of things that don’t offend Islam.”
Do people refer to the Dalai Lama as Tenzin Gyatso, or Tenny G? Do people refer to retired sumo wrestler Akebono as Chad George Rowan? Do Davie Street queens like ‘Blastfurnace’ and Lyndon Simmons refer to their idol Sir Elton John as ‘Reginald Kenneth Dwight’? No, they don’t. So why the obsession among certain circles with calling Pope Benedict “Johnny Ratz”?
Some possible reasons:
-Ratzinger is a scary sounding German name.
-Sounds like ‘Rat’, geddit?
-Reminds people of his Hitler Youth past.
-Childishness (look at me! I dis the Pope! Fuck, I am wicked!)
My theory is that 1) many people are immoral, 2) without God there is no morality, and 3) many people try to destroy the concept of God to evade accountability for their immorality. In any case, when you see someone refer to the Pope as ‘Johnny Ratz’ or variations thereof you can be sure you’re dealing with someone with unresolved God issues.
Vincent’s argument that many people are immoral and that, without God, there is no morality, implies that the lack of morality among people means there is no god. I doubt that he intended that.
Vincent’s argument is that people should refer to The Pope as The Pope. Did people call Pope John Paul II Karol Józef Wojty?a in everyday parlance? No. So why the obsession with calling Benedict “Ratz”?
Nice try at changing the subject, though, very similar to how the media and Muslims took an in-passing comment to obfuscate the main point of a great dialogue.
Why would the Pope apologize for someone else’s actions???
He didn’t “make” them react the way they did. By apologizing, he’s given them all the more reason to continue manipulating the world with their easily offended natures….it’s all a game to them.
Their behavior is akin to addicts who eventually cause the victims they abuse to apologize for “making” them abuse them.
If little children can learn to take responsibility for their own actions, why can’t Muslims? Or, are we expecting them to act like adults when their emotional maturity is really that of children??? ….or less than….as in the “toddler years”….when the world revolves around them, and they’re learning that they have to fit in, not the other way around.