Tuesday, June 01, 2004
I watched a little of the History Channel's special on Attila the Hun last night. They downplayed the meeting between Pope Leo and Attila. I always liked this story about that meeting. Some of the historians cast doubt on whether the Pope and Attila even met at all. Some of them found it more likely that mosquitos, malaria and disease caused Attila to turn away from Rome rather than Pope Leo. Now, I'm not saying God couldn't work through mosquitos, but wouldn't you rather work through St. Peter and St. Paul hovering in the air with swords than mosquitos?
Well, whatever happened then, the Pope is still meeting with leaders of the world. President Bush will be meeting with JPII for the third time in his Presidency on June 4th. I wonder, if John Kerry were President, whether he would be bashed by the media (and non-catholics) for meeting with the Pope three times in three years. It sounds like that exact type of thing people were worried about when John Kennedy was running for President -- that the Pope would set policy. I'm not unbiased, but it seems to me that President Bush is more in agreement with the Catholic Church than Senator Kerry, so I'm a little surprised we're not seeing more articles of concern over separation of church and state and articles about "Why is the United States consulting with a religious body," etc. Where Kerry and the Pope might agree on U.N. policies and Iraq, Kerry is off the map on abortion and somatic stem-cell research. So, who's the Catholic here?
Since Jeb Bush (governor of Florida and the President's bother) converted to Catholicism on Easter of 1995, some do wonder whether President Bush is also leaning in that direction. Perhaps after he's served another four years? And if Kerry should win in November, what vision might he see floating above the head of John Paul II when they first visit?
Well, whatever happened then, the Pope is still meeting with leaders of the world. President Bush will be meeting with JPII for the third time in his Presidency on June 4th. I wonder, if John Kerry were President, whether he would be bashed by the media (and non-catholics) for meeting with the Pope three times in three years. It sounds like that exact type of thing people were worried about when John Kennedy was running for President -- that the Pope would set policy. I'm not unbiased, but it seems to me that President Bush is more in agreement with the Catholic Church than Senator Kerry, so I'm a little surprised we're not seeing more articles of concern over separation of church and state and articles about "Why is the United States consulting with a religious body," etc. Where Kerry and the Pope might agree on U.N. policies and Iraq, Kerry is off the map on abortion and somatic stem-cell research. So, who's the Catholic here?
Since Jeb Bush (governor of Florida and the President's bother) converted to Catholicism on Easter of 1995, some do wonder whether President Bush is also leaning in that direction. Perhaps after he's served another four years? And if Kerry should win in November, what vision might he see floating above the head of John Paul II when they first visit?
