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« Well they all must be worth it? | Main | Reviews of The Divinity Code (update1) »

Comments

AVG

Perhaps they were right. First of all religion does not a place in science. Second, and far more important, is that the Pope carries such a weight of authority in the minds of many. He IS 'Word of God'. So for him to speak at the university would have been an unspoken admission that he, and his thoughts,are 'more correct' than those of scientific research. No, I side with the university.

Andrew Davies

"So for him to speak at the university would have been an unspoken admission that he, and his thoughts,are 'more correct' than those of scientific research."

Absolute bollocks.

peter

This was not the forum for the Pope really, was it.

Roman Catholics are generally not too keen on having Protestants, Agnostics and Atheists speaking in their churches are they?

Ozymandias

Of course religion has a place in science - unless you believe that science IS a religion.
Of course they are insecure in their own beliefs. It is a little ironic that at a university , a place of learning/ debate etc, that the views of an important world figure is not accepted.

A case of attacking the messenger because of the message I think.

Ryan Sproull

Was he going to be lecturing on science? No? Then who cares what he says. Fucken students.

usabikes

I'm afraid they sound like a bunch of bigots.

Peter: you place Universities on the same level as churches - places where people have already made up their minds on some issues & are not open to debate. It seems this proves you right.

If these professors were at Columbia I wonder if they would have thought Ahmadinejad's visit was also a bad idea? Probably not. Probably rather a chance to showcase their openness to other viewpoints, even those of a genuinely backward oppressive religious barbarian.

Sorry its just a double-standard.

"Dario Fo, a Nobel prize winner, defended the Pope's right to speak" - well somebody who's not afraid of ideas. Good for him!

servant

So for him to speak at the university would have been an unspoken admission that he, and his thoughts,are 'more correct' than those of scientific research.

Since when does allowing someone to express a view in ones 'space' equate with agreement with those thoughts or an admission that those views are 'more correct' than ones own?

If I could, I would gladly have the Pope write a post on my blog (imagine what that would do for my traffic stats!), it doesn't mean I'm going to agree with everything he says.

I've had a homosexual activist write a guest post for my blog and also a liberal Christian I wouldn't agree with on everything.... why, because I value different perspectives and what they can bring to any discussion.

To assume that any of my readers would take that as me agreeing with the writer or thinking their opinion is more correct than my own, is to assume that my readers are ignorant.

Clearly said university thinks their students are ignorant...

Psycho Milt

Dario Fo's an OK bloke - unlike the tosser academics and students involved. Not much Sapienza to be seen in this story.

Still, I hope Benedict keeps his gob shut and lets others do the talking. The sight of a Pope whinging about being denied a platform to spread his message would really be unintentionally funny.

Peter

If the Pope came to a NZ university, I would see nothing wrong with putting him in front of a lunch hour Student Association meeting - where one can witness all manner of political and religious presentations.

But where else? As part of a lecture series? At a graduation ceremony?

This octagenarian or near-octagenarian is not an academic with recent research under his belt.

Ratzinger's current role is symbolic - he absorbs much of the high level ritual that goes on. He role is similar to that of Queen Elizabeth. His domain is the Roman Catholic Church, the Queen's domain is the British Commonwealth.

andrei

Still, I hope Benedict keeps his gob shut and lets others do the talking. The sight of a Pope whinging about being denied a platform to spread his message would really be unintentionally funny.

I don't think you have any worries on that score Milt. Pope Benedict is way ahead of these people.

What is unintentionally funny is the reaction of the fellow who spearheaded the campaign against the Pope speaking on campus, one Marcello Cini, a professor emeritus of La Sapienza.

Cini said of Benedict on Thursday: "By cancelling, he is playing the victim, which is very intelligent. It will be a pretext for accusing us of refusing dialogue."

Which is not only very funny but also revealing of the mindset of those behind the protests.

Mimg

Peter - why don't you have a life?

servant

This octagenarian or near-octagenarian is not an academic with recent research under his belt.

Ratzinger's current role is symbolic - he absorbs much of the high level ritual that goes on. He role is similar to that of Queen Elizabeth.

Is that a serious comment?

Theology is an academic pursuit (those some may disagree) and the Pope (whilst I don't agree with all his thoughts) is one of the leading theologians in the world, this current Pope is especially fitting of that description.

His position is nothing like that of the queen. If, because of his theological studies and consultations with councils around was to determine that something needed to be confirmed as true and then dogmatically declare said thing to be true, millions of adherents around the world would then need to fall in line and adhere to said statement. That's a little more authority than that of the symbolic figurehead that is the British monarchy.

Having read some of his work I would gladly state that I believe Pope Benedict XVI is one of the leading academics in his field. You don't get to be Pope these days without being pretty clued up.

Sean

Well said servant. Peter is somewhat off the mark. As I understand theology is an area of expertise for Pope Benedict XVI. An 'academic' is a pretty apt term I would have thought.

Still, I hope Benedict keeps his gob shut and lets others do the talking. The sight of a Pope whinging about being denied a platform to spread his message would really be unintentionally funny.

I agree with andrei's response to this. Pope Benedict is way above this sort of response as history will show. Seriously doubt he he considering hoping on a blog to vent his frustration!!!

Roman Catholics are generally not too keen on having Protestants, Agnostics and Atheists speaking in their churches are they?

Peter, oh dear. Mass is not the forum for debate you fool, learn something please. However there are many other opportunities to discuss and debate Catholic teachings, and with Catholics. Internet for starters, and of course there are many Catholic universities around the world.

Sean

Well said servant. Peter is somewhat off the mark. As I understand theology is an area of expertise for Pope Benedict XVI. An 'academic' is a pretty apt term I would have thought.

Still, I hope Benedict keeps his gob shut and lets others do the talking. The sight of a Pope whinging about being denied a platform to spread his message would really be unintentionally funny.

I agree with andrei's response to this. Pope Benedict is way above this sort of response as history will show. Seriously doubt if he considering hopping on a blog to vent his frustration!!!

Roman Catholics are generally not too keen on having Protestants, Agnostics and Atheists speaking in their churches are they?

Peter, oh dear. Mass is not the forum for debate you fool, learn something please. However there are many other opportunities to discuss and debate Catholic teachings, and with Catholics. Internet for starters, and of course there are many Catholic universities around the world.

Psycho Milt

Close italics

Psycho Milt

It will be a pretext for accusing us of refusing dialogue.

Yes, that one's priceless, Andrei.

James

Much like parents inviting a pedophile to address them on "raising good kids"....no,.. this fantasist has no place in disscusions of fact and reason...

Sean

I know Psycho, I had a shocker. I tried to fix the first one and the second was a complete abortion.

dad4justice

What a sick comment James , even to suggest such a thing is something I find totally repulsive .

peter

Wow - left-footers swarming in, in numbers!

For example Sean says:

"there are many other opportunities to discuss and debate Catholic teachings, and with Catholics. Internet for starters, and of course there are many Catholic universities around the world."

And those are the forums where Ratzinger would be quite at home.

Sean alsos says:

"I would gladly state that I believe Pope Benedict XVI is one of the leading academics in his field. You don't get to be Pope these days without being pretty clued up."

But he has a huge retinue of younger guys doing the leg work these days - performing the same service as he did during at least one previous papacy.

But investigating the philosophical topic of theology is one thing. Being a promoter of slowly evolving Roman Catholic theology is something quite different.

Limbo has been vacated. What is next - Heaven and Hell?

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