Pope Declines To Meet Dalai Lama

[cappie]

Pope Benedict will not meet the Dalai Lama when he visits Italy next month, despite earlier reports the two religious leaders had planned a meeting.

Vatican spokesman Fr Federico Lombardi said "no audience is planned" between the Holy Father and the Tibetan spiritual leader. He said such a meeting had never been confirmed.

Reuters reports an anonymous Vatican official had said in October that the Pope would meet the Dalai Lama on 13 December.

This would have been their second since the Pope’s election in 2005, the first being in October 2006.

The Vatican underlined that meeting was a "private courtesy visit" and the conversation was confined exclusively to religious matters. That papal audience with the Buddhist leader did not appear on the official Vatican calendar, Catholic World News reports.

However, in November, the Chinese government said a meeting would "hurt the feelings of the Chinese people" and urged the Pontiff to take action showing he "is sincere in improving relations".

AsiaNews chief Fr Bernardo Cervellera said he is disappointed the encounter will not take place.

"It was clear from the start that Beijing was not happy about this meeting," he told Reuters.

Pope John Paul II met the Dalai Lama a number of times during his 27-year papacy and the Dalai Lama attended a major inter-religious conference hosted by John Paul in 1986.

[url="http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=54945"]http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=54945[/url]

[Resurrexi]

This is very good news.

[goldenchild17]

it's about time he turned one of them down, regardless of his reasons...

[Old_Joe]

[quote name='StThomasMore' post='1425546' date='Nov 27 2007, 01:15 AM']This is very good news.[/quote]


[quote name='goldenchild17' post='1425557' date='Nov 27 2007, 01:47 AM']it's about time he turned one of them down, regardless of his reasons...[/quote]

Why?

[Resurrexi]

[quote name='Old_Joe' post='1425559' date='Nov 27 2007, 12:50 AM']Why?[/quote]

Why not?

[Old_Joe]

Why is it good news?

[Resurrexi]

It's good news to know that another ridiculous display of "ecumenism" will not occur.

[Old_Joe]

[quote name='StThomasMore' post='1425569' date='Nov 27 2007, 02:15 AM']It's good news to know that another ridiculous display of "ecumenism" will not occur.[/quote]

Why is that ridiculous? Besides, ecumenism tends to deal with Christian unity.

Edited November 27, 2007 by Old_Joe

[Resurrexi]

[quote name='Old_Joe' post='1425570' date='Nov 27 2007, 01:18 AM']Why is that ridiculous? Besides, ecumenism tends to deal with Christian unity.[/quote]

Have you not heard about Assisi?

[hoosieranna]

So the Pope has already met with the Dalai Lama once already? That would have been an interesting conversation to hear.

[Old_Joe]

[quote name='StThomasMore' post='1425571' date='Nov 27 2007, 02:20 AM']Have you not heard about Assisi?[/quote]


I know it was the site for an interfaith conference in 1986.

[cathoholic_anonymous]

It is not 'good news', as it looks suspiciously like the Vatican has bowed to pressure from the Chinese government, which is oppressing and exploiting Tibet.

The Pope has to behave sensitively with regard to international politics, so it is a difficult position for him. I will pray.

Edited November 27, 2007 by Cathoholic Anonymous

[rachael]

[quote name='Nadezhda' post='1425575' date='Nov 27 2007, 03:22 AM']That would have been an interesting conversation to hear.[/quote]
I agree. I, for one, for love to be in attendance at that one.

And I do not think this is good news.

[Thy Geekdom Come]

[quote name='StThomasMore' post='1425571' date='Nov 27 2007, 02:20 AM']Have you not heard about Assisi?[/quote]
That was interfaith, not ecumenism.

If you're going to criticize, at least get your vocabulary straight. You just confuse more people into equating the two when you throw words around carelessly.

[Justin86]

[quote name='Old_Joe' post='1425559' date='Nov 27 2007, 04:50 PM']Why?[/quote]
Well, if they're thinking anything along the lines of what I'm thinking, I for one am sick and tired of being told "all religions are equal", and "we all pray to the same God" in the name of "interfaith movements".

How about we get back down to doctrine and say "Actually, we ARE the fullness of divine revelation, and therefore our religion IS better than yours. Don't believe it? Doesn't matter, it's still true." Any Pope who would say something like that at an interfaith meeting I would admire forever.

[Winchester]

[quote name='Justin86' post='1425648' date='Nov 27 2007, 11:30 AM']Well, if they're thinking anything along the lines of what I'm thinking, I for one am sick and tired of being told "all religions are equal", and "we all pray to the same God" in the name of "interfaith movements".[/quote]
All Christians and Jews do pray to the same God.

It is the Catholic religion that does it most correctly.

[Justin86]

And your point is...?

My point is I'm so tired of interfaith movements that are just all about talking instead of CONVERSION.

[rachael]

[quote name='Justin86' post='1425665' date='Nov 27 2007, 12:51 PM']And your point is...?

My point is I'm so tired of interfaith movements that are just all about talking instead of CONVERSION.[/quote]
but your cocky attitude isn't going to make people want to convert.

[Justin86]

It would be a refreshing change of course none the less.

Liberals warm and fuzzy carp makes even less people want to convert.

Edited November 27, 2007 by Justin86

[rachael]

[quote name='Justin86' post='1425668' date='Nov 27 2007, 12:56 PM']It would be a refreshing change of course none the less.

Liberals warm and fuzzy carp makes even less people want to convert.[/quote]
why is it always an attack against liberals?

what the true definition of a liberal and a conservative is not what is represented by the politicians.

Edited November 27, 2007 by rachael