[extropy-chat] embedded in open hearts

[Olga Bourlin]

From: "Mike Lorrey" <mlorrey at yahoo.com>

> POPE JOHN PAUL II AND THE JEWISH PEOPLE
> by Rabbi Marvin Hier
>
> In terms of reconciliation with the Jews, I believe that Pope John Paul
> II was the greatest Pope in the history of the Vatican with respect to
> his relationship to the Jewish people.
> - Rabbi Marvin Hier, CNN's Larry King Live Show, Tuesday, April 4, 2005

Is that saying a lot?  And does this justify what the Jews are doing to the 
Palestinians?

Besides, I thought Judaism and Christianity were still mutually exclusive 
religions?  What has changed?  Have Christians stopped believing that Jews 
and other infidels are destined to go to hell?  (Where-oh-where have I been 
lately?)

Robert Ingersoll lived approximately 100 years before the pope, but was 
light years ahead in his thinking regarding (among many things):

"The doctrine of eternal punishment is in perfect harmony with ... savagery 
... This doctrine is as cruel as the hunger of hyenas, and is infamous 
beyond  the power of any language to express -- yet a creed with this 
doctrine has been called 'the glad tidings of great joy' -- a consolation to 
the weeping world. It is a source of great pleasure to me to know that all 
intelligent people are ashamed to admit that they believe it -- that no 
intelligent clergyman now preaches it, except with a preface to the effect 
that it is probably untrue."

I mean, if the pope finally (in 1992) forgave Galileo for asserting that the 
earth revolved around the sun:

http://www.nytimes.com/1992/11/01/international/europe/01POPE.html?ex=1113278400&en=aa78e36cd32cb9e5&ei=5070

... one never knows what revolutionary thought may come from the Catholic 
church next (in another 400 years or so).

Olga