Re: Pope calls Chernobyl shut down a wise decision

["Franz Schoenhofer" <franz.schoenhofer@chello.at>]

-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
Von: Sandy Perle <sandyfl@earthlink.net>
An: Multiple recipients of list <radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu>
Datum: Samstag, 16. Dezember 2000 18:44
Betreff: Pope calls Chernobyl shut down a wise decision


>Observation: Does this imply that the church is on the record of
>being "anti-nuclear", calling for the shutdown of all nuclear plants,
>or just this troubled unit. How does closing down a plant send a
>message of "peace and fraternity"? Is the church now going to
>assist the region with enough funds to replace the lost electrical
>source, and pay for heating during their cold winter?  Very
>disturbing.


To put the whole story into the right perspective, one has to know more
about the situation of the Catholic Church. By the way, it is not "the
church", but the pope represents the Catholic Church only.

The Catholic Church has always claimed to be the moral authority of the
world and only recently the Vatican has commented, that the Catholic Church
is superior to all other churches or believes. (No joke!!!!) The Catholic
Church is not only an assembly of believers, but the Vatican also intends to
make politics. Everybody, who has a little knowledge about world history
will know, how much the Catholic Church has interfered for instance with
European politics, the Church's role in America after Columbus and the role
it still plays in many parts of the world, South America being a very good
example. In Europe the Catholic Church and its representatives have lost
almost all, if not really all influence on politics during the last 100,
maybe 200 years. Believers are leaving the Catholic Church (without joining
another one) and each year there are dramatically rising numbers published,
which makes it more and more difficult for the Catholic Church to survive
economically. The Catholic Church (and the other ones as well) are no moral
authority any more. The behaviour of the Catholic Church during the Third
Reich (more or less tolerance of the German politics and especially of the
Italian fascists under Mussolini) and their silence concerning the holocaust
had a very big influence. The attitude towards contraceptives and modern way
of living has caused additional damage to the reputation. The pope John
XXIII has opened the door wide to contemporary way of living, to humanity,
to understanding of other religions and pope John Paul II has slammed it
again. John Paul II is extremely conservative and he has worsened the
Catholic Church's situation even more, by putting the most conservative
bishops and cardinals into office, without even consulting with the people
and deliverately ignoring all their wishes.

On the other hand, except believing that the Catholic Church is a moral
institution, the ruling representatives of the Catholic Church do "Public
Relation" - just as any other company. (Yes, I wrote "any other".) What they
sell is "Peace, Safety, Help, understanding of sorrows and concern,
security, fraternity, etc."

Now I come back to "Chernobyl". The message cites, that the pope will visit
the Ukraine in June. Would a diplomat criticize a decision (whatever it is)
before his visit? No, of course not. Would a diplomat applaude politely to a
decision? Yes of course. Then a diplomat would of course add some nice
words, in order to make his message a little longer than just a few lines. A
diplomat will try to catch some positive image in the mass media with any
message or speech. In an overwhelming anti-nuclear environment as in
Europe - what would be more successful than "critical" words, supporting the
mainstream?

So, Sandy, blame whatever you like to the Pope, but in this context he has
not behaved any different from the "rest" of politicians, including US ones!

Best regards,

Franz

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