Religion and peace

Warning: This post may offend. I am not asking anyone to agree with me

Pope Benedict XVI has urged the leaders of world religions not to allow their faiths to become the vehicle of hatred. He spoke at a summit in Naples, where a number of  representatives from different faiths have gathered.

"In a world wounded by conflicts, where violence is justified in God's name, it is important to repeat that religion can never become a vehicle of hatred, it can never be used to justify violence. On the contrary, religions can and must offer precious resources to build a peaceful humanity, because they speak about peace in the heart of man. With respect for the differences between different religions, we are all called to work for peace and an effective effort to promote reconciliation between peoples".

The Pope did reiterate Catholic dogma that Catholicism is the only true faith.

I just cannot swallow this.
I really can't.
I turn round and look at the history of the past 500 years and more.

The North and South American continents were conquered in God's name, its peoples and cultures savaged, destroyed, pillaged and raped. In God's name.

Wars have been fought, in God's name. The Crusades, nothing better than an invasion of the Middle East, were conducted under the pretext of a religious imperative. To reclaim the "Holy Land" from infidels.

The Holocaust saw 6 million Jews exterminated, just because they were Jews. The Holy See remained silent throughout the Second World War, even though it was aware of the pogroms and death camps.

A conflict in Northern Ireland has been brought to a de-facto stop, although it was conducted over a religious schism - between Protestants and Catholics. Politics in Ulster are still religiously aligned.

I am glad that the Pope has spoken these words. I hope they signal a start towards a new era of reconciliation between faiths. But for the moment, they sound hollow and not related to reality.

Tags: pope, peace