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The pope recently gave vent once again to his anti-Israel animus: “Pope Doubles Down on Criticism of Israel,” JNS, December 22, 2024:
The Pope, as leader of the 1.4-billion-member Roman Catholic Church, is usually careful about taking sides in conflicts, but he has recently been more outspoken about Israel’s military campaign against Palestinian terrorist group Hamas.
In book excerpts published last month, the pontiff said some international experts said that “what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of a genocide”…
No, those “international experts” (Francesca Albanese? Antonio Guterres?) to whom the Pope alludes as suggesting that Israel may have committed genocide are wrong. What is happening in Gaza is not genocide, but rather, an exemplary model of how to conduct urban warfare while minimizing civilian casualties. Consider how few civilians have died in Gaza as a result of the war. Hamas has claimed that 45,000 people have been killed in Gaza to date; it does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. The IDF says it has killed 20,000 Hamas terrorists. In addition, before the war there were on average 800 non-combat-related deaths in Gaza each month from diseases and accidents.
Assuming that average monthly number remains the same, over the 14 months of war in Gaza, 11,200 deaths were attributable to diseases and accidents. When we subtract from the total number of deaths (45,000), both those of terrorists (20,000) and those that were non-combat related (11,200), we arrive at a figure of 13,800 civilian deaths. That means the civilian-to-combatant ratio of deaths in Gaza s 13,800: 20,000, or roughly 7:10. To put this figure into perspective, consider that the UN has said that in all the wars fought since 1945, the civilian-to-combatant ratio has been 9:1. In Afghanistan the Americans brought that ratio down to 4:1, and in Iraq, to 3:1. But no army in the history of warfare has come close to the roughly 7:10 ratio achieved by the IDF in Gaza. Who will let the pope know about this remarkable achievement by the IDF?
The pope wants to stretch the meaning of the word “genocide” to apply to conflicts where a large number of civilians have been killed, even if the requisite “intent to commit genocide” is absent. But with fewer than 14,000 combat-related civilian deaths in Gaza, can that war against the Hamas terrorists really be called a “genocide”?
Now the pope has taken to accusing Israel of “cruelty” for its actions in Gaza, where the IDF is fighting the terror group Hamas, that deliberately embeds its combatants and its weapons in civilian areas and. buildings, attempting to use its own civilians as human shields.
“And with pain, I think of Gaza, of so much cruelty, of the children being machine-gunned, of the bombings of schools and hospitals. What cruelty,” the pontiff said after a prayer service….
“So much cruelty”? There’s cruelty, all right, in Gaza, but it is the cruelty of Hamas, that deliberately embeds itself among civilians, including children, so as to use them as shields to ward off attacks by the IDF. The IDF never purposely machine-guns children. It warns civilians, including children, away from sites it is about to target, but what more can it do except hope that its warnings are taken to heart? Israeli pilots are required to abort missions if they detect the presence of too many civilians at or near a site; about half of all missions are called off for that reason.
When the pope accuses Israel of bombing “schools and hospitals,” he is in error. Israel bombs “school buildings” that are no longer schools, but rather, places to hide fighters, to store weapons, to place rocket launchers. When the IAF strikes a hospital building, it aims only at the part of that structure where Hamas has taken over, and uses for its fighters, its weapons, its command-and-control centers. The Pope apparently is incapable of making that distinction.
Israel’s foreign ministry was quick to respond to the Pope’s grotesque charges:
In response to the Pope’s statement today: Cruelty is terrorists hiding behind children while trying to murder Israeli children,” the Israeli Foreign Ministry stated. “Cruelty is holding 100 hostages for 442 days, including a baby and children, by terrorists and abusing them.”
Francis “unfortunately” opted “to ignore all of this, as well as the fact that Israel’s actions have targeted terrorists who used children as human shields,” the Israeli government said.
“The Pope’s remarks are particularly disappointing as they are disconnected from the true and factual context of Israel’s fight against jihadist terrorism—a multi-front war that was forced upon it starting on Oct. 7,” the Foreign Ministry stated.
“The death of any innocent person in a war is a tragedy. Israel makes extraordinary efforts to prevent harm to innocents, while Hamas makes extraordinary efforts to increase harm to Palestinian civilians,” it added.
“The blame should be directed solely at the terrorists, not at the democracy defending itself against them. Enough with the double standards and the singling out of the Jewish state and its people.”
Earlier this month, a nativity scene displayed in Vatican City featured the infant Jesus clad in a keffiyeh. After immediate backlash, from Christian and some Jewish groups, it was removed.
At least the Vatican yielded to the outrage of those demanding that the infant Jesus on display not be clad in a keffiyeh, and removed the offending crèche from public view. But what about the keffiyeh that we can all detect Pope Francis has been wearing — in spirit — since October 7, 2023? When will that be removed?
The Pope appears to be striving to be the Jimmy Carter of the Catholic Church.
Arabs would rejoice and praise their false God just to slit the pope’s throat.
Actually, they tolerate, and even support this one (antipope Bergoglio) because he does their bidding.
What a mess. What a shame. If it were just understood that the authority of the “keys of the kingdom” has not been passed on to him, or the pope before him, or the pope before that pope, or any pope. But, unfortunately, the popes and the Vatican have been fixed in place for a long time, and so have a lot of impact and influence. Still, the popes and the Vatican have not forced God into doing what He is just not doing.
The keys of the kingdom were given to Peter. The apostles did have a lot of power as far as the earthly messianic kingdom was concerned. But that kingdom was vested in the nation of Israel, the capitol Jerusalem. It was not moved or relocated. The keys weren’t snatched away from the Jewish apostles and given to Gentiles. But, what happened? Why didn’t that kingdom come? After the stoning of Stephen in Acts 7, God shut that program down, temporarily. God began something new with Paul; an unprophesied program. When this time of grace, this amnesty, concludes, God will resume the literal, physical, Davidic kingdom program with Israel.
Ephesians 3:1-3 “For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,”
More garbage talk from the ‘Paul is Savior’ doctrines of the devil cult…
Your keys-to-the-kingdom” theology is one of the non-essentials of the faith wherein brothers in Christ may disagree, as I do with you on these points. There are many differences within Christendom about the nature of the kingdom, the role of gentiles and Israel in the last days, what the “keys” represented and whether these were given or inherited to anyone other than Peter / the Apostles.
For those who do not know Christ, these non-essentials present a stumbling block where none should be placed.
But the Pope IS wrong about so much he is an embarrassment., and war is always ugly — with brother wars being the worst.
“Your keys-to-the-kingdom” theology is one of the non-essentials of the faith…”
Serious? Don’t tell that to the pope. He wears those “keys” on his hip. I’m not sure if they are on him all the time, or just when he wears certain garb. Since the discussion is about the pope, the keys are essential to mention because it is important for many to come to realize he actually doesn’t have them, though Catholicism claims he does. And the keys are not “theology,” they are Bible (See Matthew 16:19). So, what does it mean that the pope doesn’t have the keys? It means the pope is not God’s representative. He should not be listened to about the Bible and what is going on in it because he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.
That’s the important point. The Bible is the authority. “What saith the scriptures?” The keys were in the hands of 12 Jewish men, and they weren’t passed on to anyone else, in spite of claims to the contrary. But, unfortunately, too many think he has the keys and have been terribly misled. 1 Tim. 2:4 says God wants all men to be saved and to, “…come unto the knowledge of the truth.”
If many more learned and realized the pope should be ignored, this article might not have been necessary.
Your disputes aside, I bid you consider that Bergoglio is the first claimant to the chair of Peter who denies the Faith openly. There have been bad popes. But they were Catholic in their sins. Not so this toad.
I’m beginning to believe if pressed, Francis is capable of denying Jesus three times.
Somewhere in the distance a rooster is crowing.
“…claimant to the chair of Peter…”
That’s the critically important point professing Christians have to get. The apostle Peter did not, will not, give up his “chair” to anyone, especially a Gentile. And actually, his chair will be a throne:
Matthew 19:28 “…Jesus said unto them,…when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”
It’s not theology, it’s Bible, right there for all to read. But, too many are dizzy with religion and tradition and don’t see it, don’t want to see it.
God’s representative under the Law was Moses. His representative in this time of “grace” we’re in, is Paul. Again, it’s right there for all to read. The pope is to be ignored. He needs to go to Bible class.
Romans 11:13 “For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:”
Whoever suppressed the letter that Bergoglio’s superior in the Society of Jesus – Peter Hans Kolvenbach – sent to the Vatican in 1991 warning the Holy See not to ordain Jorge a Bishop will likely spend eternity in Gehenna if he isn’t already doing so..
To say that Pope Fiction is wrong, gives him a free pass to hide behind being mere ignorance. Sadly, He sees Israel through the twin lenses of being a hardcore Communist and the anti-Semitism that tragically was a central tenet of the Catholic church when it was founded.
It is beyond comprehension that a pope would make statements like this, in public, with a straight face, when they are so easily verified as false. Even if the man was completely ignorant of the situation Israel is facing, he has an army of assistants who could have set him straight on the facts there. He has access to one of the greatest libraries on earth to learn the truth about this matter. Removing that he is not, or at least SHOULD not have been unaware of what is really happening in Gaza, leaves us with only one option. He is on the side of evil. He hates God’s chosen people. He is out to destroy his church and the West. I have a question for the RCC: Why is this leftist activist, posing as pope, not removed?
Your conclusion that Bergoglio hates God etc. is correct. Many non Catholics are ahead of Catholics on this. The answer to your question about removal is that the Church has for a century been infiltrated by modernism, the sum of all heresies. Vatican II and finally Bergoglio is the result. Read Dr. Taylor Marshall’s book “Infiltration” if you are interested in the topic. Also Dr. Edmund Mazza has recently written on the invalidity of “pope Francis” (sic) at lifesitenews.com.
This pope is the most damnable ✝️ since Father Coughlin.
When he looks in the mirror he sees no reflection.
Francis is a 21st century Pharisee.
This is what happens when a communist is elected Pope! I’m old and in my lifetime I’ve never seen such hatred and bigotry from any Pope! I’m not Catholic so I’m not “bound” by his insanity. How much longer can Catholics tolerate that idiot? Surely Mental Illness is a cause to remove a Pope????
It’s sad how many Catholics since Vatican II have become passive in the midst of evil within. Often, as in your case, non-Catholics see things clearly. Catholics are not bound by error (canon 212), but have a duty to speak up according to their competence. If Benedict XVI resignation was invalid, for which there is a strong case, Bergoglio has never been the pope. If validly elected, his many heresies deprive him of office. Mostly crickets from the hierarchy.
I’m 3rd generation American, of Polish ancestry and a Roman Catholic. I long for Pope John Paul II. I wonder if the current Pope should have been excommunicated for being an adherent of Revolutionary Theology. I’ve also discovered through 23nMe that there is Ashkenazi blood in me back there somewhere.
substitute to………Liberation Theology
What is he actually right about?
Who knows what happened to Benadict? That was an odd transition. Actually haunting…
In his own words, he fled the wolves.
Benedict was forced to “retire” by the progressive socialist Cardinals that have been installed by Francis. When Francis dies, they will simply elect another one just like him. As a cradle Catholic I long for a schism.
It is not schism to hold to the Faith. Of course, Benedict “retired” before Francis appointed any cardinals. But he has stacked the deck. When will faithful cardinals stand up?
An antisemite wearing the pontiff garments of treason against the Jewish people while claiming a Jewish savior.
A sovereign nation has borders, those borders require permissions to move into that nation’s territory. Hamas’ decisive, illegal, invasion from Gaza in calculated violation of Israel’s borders was and remains a de facto declaration of war. Israel’s response has been to prosecute this violation of its borders and the subsequent murderous rampage of Hamas and their Gaza-civilian soldiers to end this malevolent, murderous, jihad that in the first 24 hours ended the lives of 1200 Israelis as well as taking 251 citizens and IDF soldiers as hostages.
That this pope conflates his NWO affiliations and associations with totalitarian despots, both “religious” and secular as being in any way representative of Christian values regarding life, is an abomination to ALL of humanity. The egregious, tortuous violation and deliberate rapes, and mutilation of Israeli men, women, children, babies and the elderly exceeds comprehension in their utter disregard for life.
While this pedophile-supporting pope attempts to disparage the deaths by Israel in this conflict, he conveniently refuses to condemn Hamas leadership for placing weapons in hospitals, in schools, adjacent to homes, under them, in tunnels and where these people will be placed in harms way by the very group the Gaza people overwhelmingly support in what Hamas has and is doing!
That the world genuflects to the psychopathic propaganda uttered by these malevolent marauders of absolute evil is a revelatory litmus test of mankind’s willingness to underwrite the most horrific savagery and blame the victims.
If there were not hostages still being held captive, like Sodom and Gomorrah, Gaza should be nothing but rubble!
The west refuses to comprehend that Islam and the Middle Eastern mindset NEVER HAS AND NEVER WILL value life for its own sake. They understand strength and power and their religious texts and prophet dictates the total annihilation of the Jewish people.
And if all the rest of the world lives in the delusion that if we’re gone so will the ills of the world….the Shahada, Shar’ia or the Jizya tax awaits you all..
I’m so old I remember when the question “Is the Pope Catholic” was a rhetorical one.
Francis seems to have forgotten that Jesus was a Jew. ~ NJS
This “pope” is a joke. If there is a false prophet around today, and there are plenty, this clown is at the head of the class.