POPE ENDORSES CONQUEST OF AMERICAS

In an Al Jezeera article, Tribal Indians Condemn Pope, Pope Ratzinger endorsed the European conquest, enslavement, mass murder and forced conversions of the indigenous peoples of the New World as a good thing.

Indian leaders in Brazil have reacted angrily to comments by Pope Benedict that they had been purified by the Roman Catholic church since Columbus landed in the Americas in 1492.

The pope had said the peoples of the Americas had a "silent longing" for Christianity and welcomed European priests' arrival.

He said the church had not imposed itself on the indigenous peoples of the Americas.

The Pope’s statements are like those of holocaust denyers.

Does Mr Ratzinger think the natives had a “silent longing" for smallpox?

"We repudiate the [pope's] comments," said Sandro Tuxa, leader of the movement of northeastern tribes.

"To say the cultural decimation of our people represents a purification is offensive, and frankly, frightening.

"I think [the pope] has been poorly advised."

The Roman Catholic church's own Indian advocacy group in Brazil also criticised Benedict's speech.

Paulo Suess, the advocacy group's adviser, said: "The pope doesn't understand the reality of the Indians here, his statement was wrong and indefensible."

But, heck, let’s focus on the evils of homosexuality—something important.

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