Pope exonerates Jews for Jesus' death in new book

VATICAN CITY -- Pope Benedict XVI has made a sweeping exoneration of the Jewish people for the death of Jesus Christ in a new book, tackling one of the most controversial issues in Christianity.

In "Jesus of Nazareth" excerpts released Wednesday, Benedict uses a biblical and theological analysis to explain why it is not true that the Jewish people as a whole were responsible for Jesus' death.

Interpretations to the contrary have been used for centuries to justify the persecution of Jews.

While the Vatican has for five decades taught that Jews weren't collectively responsible, Jewish scholars said Wednesday the argument laid out by the German-born pontiff, who has had his share of mishaps with Jews, was significant and would help fight anti-Semitism today... [Full Article]

Pope's organs are too holy to donate to mortals, says Church

The Independent (UK)

Benedict XVI has tried to scotch rumours that he carries an organ donor card after his secretary revealed that his ascension to the position of Holy Father means he is no longer able to bequeath his body parts to lesser mortals.

On the pontiff's instructions, Monsignor Georg Gaenswein, Benedict's personal secretary, fired off a letter to quell the rumours that started in the Pope's native Germany.

"It's true that a simple cardinal can have an organ donor card but, despite public declarations to the contrary, it ceased to apply when he was elected head of the Catholic Church," Mgr Gaenswein said...

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‘Smoking gun’ letter reveals official Vatican cover-up of child sex abuses

Raw Story

A letter written by a Vatican official in 1997, marked "strictly confidential," warned Irish bishops to avoid reporting the sexual abuse of children in the church, in hopes of avoiding public fallout from the scandals that were sure to ensue.

Victims' groups the world over were calling the letter -- first obtained by Irish broadcaster RTE -- the "smoking gun" which proves institutional complicity in untold thousands of reported sexual abuses.

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Pope’s child porn 'normal' claim sparks outrage among victims



Victims of clerical sex abuse have reacted furiously to Pope Benedict's claim yesterday that paedophilia wasn't considered an “absolute evil” as recently as the 1970s.

In his traditional Christmas address yesterday to cardinals and officials working in Rome, Pope Benedict XVI also claimed that child pornography was increasingly considered “normal” by society...

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Pope's problem with condoms: Women
He reveals that the issue with rubbers isn't that they protect against disease, but that they prevent pregnancy

So, the pope thinks it's okay for male prostitutes to use condoms. That was the take-away from a controversy-stoking statement reported this weekend. Immediately began optimistic speculation that Pope Benedict XVI's remark represented a shift in position -- which the Church was quick to deny – and that this rhetorical change might be a real boon to the fight against AIDS. But what I find most interesting about his comment isn't that it represents a shift in position, but that it lays bare the Church's real issue with rubbers: they prevent pregnancy...

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Pope Sounds Warning Over Airport Body Scans

Benedict XVI cites need to protect 'the human person in their integrity'

The head of the Roman Catholic Church spoke out against the use of body scanners at airports, saying human dignity must be preserved even as countries attempt to protect their citizens against acts of terrorism.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2010/02/22/pope-body-scan.html#ixzz0gUXLOAaz