Spanish Omelette

Here's something new: the Pope thinks that asking nuns to pray for the conversion of terrorists offers an effective solution to our current troubles because " ...in today’s world it hardly seems as if God exists. And where there is no God, there is violence and terrorism. " We should all be wary of such lazy solutions despite the fact that he speaks in such comforting platitudes: Christian faith and ethics are not meant to stifle love, but to make it healthier, stronger and more truly free.
[-Benedict in Valencia, Spain; July 8, 2006]

Thousands flocked to Virgin's Square in Valencia to hear Pope Benedict XVI speak during his first visit to Spain. (Photo-AFP)

I'm going to call "Bullshit" on this one. The love he spoke of in Spain paints quite the contrast to the Vatican's more familiar role in predominantly Catholic European (and South American, African, etc.) countries: exuberant (or tacit) support of fascist dictatorships. This article by Vincente Navarro on how the Franco regime took hold of Spain, How Spain's Church Still Pushes Fascist Agenda, ought to answer any questions curious or outraged humanity might have. Here's a very short excerpt:

The cruelty reached unheard-of dimensions, such as the killing of parents so that the assassins could adopt their young children.... “Long live death! Down with intelligence!...” became the slogan of a fascist regime that was responsible for genocide of overwhelming brutality.... And all this was done with the active involvement of the Catholic Church. In every village, town, and city, it was the Spanish Church hierarchy (which had called for a military coup during the Republican government) and the priests who prepared the lists of people to be executed. A primary target of the repression was teachers, considered major enemies by the Church. Its active opposition to the popular reforms by the Spanish republican governments, and its calling on the Army to rebel against the popularly elected government, explains the fury felt by large sectors of the working class, led by anarcho-syndicalists, toward the Church.

Now he's lecturing Spaniards that the family is "a unique institution in God's plan" and denouncing the Spanish government for introducing reforms like same-sex marriage. It would seem, however, that Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero has read and understood his history.