[url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin+america-10646504[/url]
[release]President Hugo Chavez has ordered a review of Venezuela's ties with the Vatican amid tensions between his government and the country's bishops.
An accord with the Vatican gave privileges to the Catholic Church not enjoyed by other churches, he said.
The Venezuelan Episcopal Conference warned this week about growing political polarisation ahead of key legislative elections in September.
Mr Chavez has described local Catholic leaders as "troglodytes".
In a televised speech on Wednesday, President Chavez said he was asking his foreign minister to examine a decades-old agreement with the Vatican.
The accord granted privileges to the Roman Catholic Church that other denominations did not enjoy, he said.
As Venezuela was a secular country, granting privileges to one particular religious group was a violation of the constitution, President Chavez said.
He also challenged the Pope's authority, saying he was the Vatican's head of state but not Christ's emissary on Earth.
"Christ does not need an ambassador. Christ is in the people and in those of us who fight for justice and freedom for the humble," he said.
President Chavez and church leaders have been at odds over the years but in recent weeks the differences have once again come to the fore.
The leader of the Venezuelan Catholic Church, Cardinal Jorge Urosa, has been publicly critical of the Chavez government, most recently decrying the authorities' handling of a corruption scandal over spoiled food.
On 12 July, the Venezuelan bishops' conference expressed concern that "ideological and political polarisation" was creating a hostile environment ahead of the legislative elections on 26 September.
Mr Chavez has accused church leaders, who he has labelled as "troglodytes" and "cavemen", of siding with the opposition.
He said they should stay out of politics and stop trying to instil fear in people by calling him a Marxist.
"I am Marxist, but before Marxist I'm deeply Christian," Mr Chavez said.
Venezuela has a large number of Roman Catholics.[/release]
Deeply Christian and Marxist do not compute.
Chavez did something right for once then. :golfclap:
What is he? A godless commie?
Hugo the man.
You know you suck when the leader of a third-world nation calls you a troglodyte
[quote]"Christ does not need an ambassador. Christ is in the people and in those of us who fight for justice and freedom for the humble."[/quote]
That's true, but very hypocritical of him to say it.
I was about to quote what the guy above me just said. For the last 10 years he has driven Venezuela into a shithole, and for once I agree him. But him saying he is fighting for freedom is hilarious.
[I]This means war![/I]
Hugo Chavez insults everyone.
No big deal.
Damn, the leader of the worlds asshole just called the vatican and it's bishops troglodytes.
:iceburn:
[QUOTE=bravehat;23404211]Damn, the leader of the worlds asshole just called the vatican and it's bishops troglodytes.
:iceburn:[/QUOTE]
Kim Jong Il didn't call the vatican.
:colbert: Okay then from one of the worlds haemorrhoids
[QUOTE=redstar2424;23401792]I was about to quote what the guy above me just said. For the last 10 years he has driven Venezuela into a shithole, and for once I agree him. But him saying he is fighting for freedom is hilarious.[/QUOTE]
Actually, for the middle class he's improved quality of life significantly, believe it or not. Economically he's ruined the nation, and there's widescale blackouts and food shortages, but what he's done for the middle class and the poor as a whole is somewhat impressive.
Well, that depends on whose interpretation of data you take, really, I guess.
[QUOTE=Detective P;23405305]Actually, for the middle class he's improved quality of life significantly, believe it or not. Economically he's ruined the nation, and there's widescale blackouts and food shortages, but what he's done for the middle class and the poor as a whole is somewhat impressive.
Well, that depends on whose interpretation of data you take, really, I guess.[/QUOTE]
Your avatar has the hammer and sickle in it. Your view-point can be considered biased, therefore, what you are saying could be made up.
[QUOTE=radioactive;23405361]Your avatar has the hammer and sickle in it. Your view-point can be considered biased, therefore, what you are saying could be made up.[/QUOTE]
I try not to have a bias, actually. I don't hate Fox News and find they have valid points just as much as MSNBC, I hold China as a authoritarian socialist nation that is in no way beneficial to communism or the workers, I don't see NKorea as good, and hold Iran as a fair nation in terms of international relations-
I try my best not to see nations or individuals good or bad based on their political viewpoints, but rather what they have done that is beneficial.
My opinion on Chavez is that he's an idiot, but with good intentions, who has improved the lives of the lower classes but not much else. But like I said, it depends on your interpretation of data- many claim that he has had no positive impact, many claim that he has had much positive impact. Based on the research I did, some from the Center for Economic and Policy research, some from data from the UN, some from a few sources I did when writing a research paper for school, I have to say that for the middle and lower classes, Chavez has made some serious improvements at the expense of a lower standard of living as a whole compared to the rest of the world, a tattered economy, and an overall negative image due to his authoritarian nature.
Though you can find just as much to say nothing good, so it's up to you to decide, in all.
[QUOTE=Detective P;23405518]I try not to have a bias, actually. I don't hate Fox News and find they have valid points just as much as MSNBC, I hold China as a authoritarian socialist nation that is in no way beneficial to communism or the workers, I don't see NKorea as good, and hold Iran as a fair nation in terms of international relations-
I try my best not to see nations or individuals good or bad based on their political viewpoints, but rather what they have done that is beneficial.
My opinion on Chavez is that he's an idiot, but with good intentions, who has improved the lives of the lower classes but not much else. But like I said, it depends on your interpretation of data- many claim that he has had no positive impact, many claim that he has had much positive impact. Based on the research I did, some from the Center for Economic and Policy research, some from data from the UN, some from a few sources I did when writing a research paper for school, I have to say that for the middle and lower classes, Chavez has made some serious improvements at the expense of a lower standard of living as a whole compared to the rest of the world, a tattered economy, and an overall negative image due to his authoritarian nature.
Though you can find just as much to say nothing good, so it's up to you to decide, in all.[/QUOTE]
Oh right, that's good to know that you are giving both sides of the argument. It's just that praising communism with a Hammer and Sickle for an avatar and being on the Internet can make you look like a 12 year old boy that listens to Rammstein who only has 4 friends. But you seem to know what you're talking about.
[QUOTE=radioactive;23405588]Oh right, that's good to know that you are giving both sides of the argument. It's just that praising communism with a Hammer and Sickle for an avatar and being on the Internet can make you look like a 12 year old boy that listens to Rammstein who only has 4 friends. But you seem to know what you're talking about.[/QUOTE]
Isn't Rammstein a neo-nazi group?
[QUOTE=radioactive;23404304]Kim Jong Il didn't call the vatican.[/QUOTE]
It would be fucking hilarious if he did.
i can actually agree with this
[QUOTE=Warhol;23406253]Isn't Rammstein a neo-nazi group?[/QUOTE]
No, they fought accusations of that very hard.
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rammstein#Controversies[/url]
What communist listens to Rammstein. If you want to fit a young communist stereotype, why choose a friendless goth kid?
Fuck, when I was a wee little communist i was still the artfag hipster I am now.
I'm sorry, if you guys are going to stereotype us, at least get it right.
THIS doesn't look like a communist:
[img]http://quickcomedy.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/fat_emo_goth_kid.jpg[/img]
This does:
[img]http://www.air-edelstudios.com/media/common/uploads/Hippie_Hippie_Shake.jpg[/img]
I look like neither. Well, a little like the top because I wear alot of black but it doesn't mean anything other than I like black clothes.
Actually, the bottom one doesn't either - they remind me more of intellectualized hippies.
[QUOTE=Dr_Funk;23415455]Actually, the bottom one doesn't either - they remind me more of intellectualized hippies.[/QUOTE]
Communists or the people int he bottom pic?
Because I'm no intellectualized hippie. Hate hippies. Peacenik druggies, I tell ya. Warble warble.
Sorry, you need to Log In to post a reply to this thread.
