My goodness, this is a terribly slanted, untrue version of the Pope's position and beliefs about Judaism and the Jews. Mr Horowitz is either very badly informed or is misrepresenting things deliberately for some or other agenda. First of all "bishop" Williamson is not, and most probably will never be, a priest or bishop in communion with the Catholic Church. But this has been spelled out so many times already that I will not continue with the full story. Secondly it is clear that Horowitz, and most probably Rabbi Lerner as well, has no inkling of the Pope's theological writings of 6 decades where it is as clear as daylight that he is one of the greatest friends and admirers of the Jews and their religion in the whole of Christendom. Who do you think was the late Pope John Paul II's theological adviser in this regard? The real Jewish scholars are well informed about the real Ratzinger. A pity other Jews choose to ignore what they have to say about his track record regarding the Jewish people and their faith.

Jesus said live and let live. The particular Pope intends to make the whole world contributors to the Papal income. Of course, helped along by the worlds 'free media". osamas Islam calls it jihad. Is there a name yet to what this Pope wants ?

Michael Lerner is an idiot, crap Reform Liberal, self hating Rabbi and no leader of American Jews, much less prominent. His publication "Tikkun" is full of anti Jewish and anti Israel, pro Arb articles. Lerner is the last person to be considered an authority on anything. The Pope's "against other religions" mantra is mainly his truthful statement about the the invalidity of Islam as a religion. This is what Nitzan Horowitz of Meretz cares about but covers it up as if the Pope is against all other religions.

The guy is a legend in his own mind.

Whether the pope comes to Israel or remains of little import. Nothing will change as long as the Catholic teachings that the Jew is responsible for the death of their god. Benedict is a German reared in the hatred of the Jew. Benedict is a Catholic reared in the hatred of the Jew. It's a double barrelled hatred and will never change. Those that buy into the so called peace initiative he supposedly will push are busily deluding themselves. Leopards never change their spots and that leopard has proven by his actions just what he believes in.

Oh dear. What a cheap smear job on the Pope! A total distortion of his expressed views and of recent events. And Michael Lerner (a rabbi in his own mind) is among the prominent leaders of a radical fringe of American Jewry, perhaps. Most American Jews have either never heard of him or regard him as a joke. Nice try, Nitzan.

* Pope's star watcher to visit Nasa and talk aliens. The Vatican is to go head to head with Nasa over the possibility of life existing anywhere else in the Universe except Earth... * Secrets of the Vatican - UFO's in the Ancient Art... Messiah - His Spaceships... Vatican and Planet X... http://cristiannegureanu.blogspot.com/2009/02/popes-star-watcher-to-visit-nasa-and.html

the Pope has the right to pray any way that he likes, even if it offends the Jews. Have you ever heard the things Jews say in their prayers on Yom Kippur or on other holidays? If you complain about the contents of the Catholic prayer, you are just showing how insecure you are. The Pope should not be allow into Israel, because he is the enemy of Israel, NOT because of some stupid prayer!

getting offended by small things like a harmless prayer while ignoring the larger issues.

of course he won't be in favore for Catholicts, they don't aprove his way and his life style. this article is worthless. cause he probably will say similar things on Ultra Orthodox ways.

Silly Meretz. What post-modern non-sence. If the Pope holds his belief true, then a contradictory belief (Judaism, Buddism etc) are, to him, false. We feel the same way, so what. It need not lead to grief, offence or conflict. Is Meretz going to call for banning Muslims with equal degree of "intolerance"? Bet you won't!

nitzan wants a relativistic socialistic world society and attacks everybody who has some values left - and sometimes he even attacks people who really need some critics like the pope. but leaving the pope's anti-jewish policies at the site for a moment, he correctly confronts islam and should do this more - in a time where islam attacks christians openly on a regular basis. and strange that Nitzan does not mention the popes ani-homosexual attitute.

Catholicism is NOT! NOT! NOT! BIBLICAL Christianity. It is a very very VERY old sect, by itself, which CLAIMS to be the universal church for all mankind. It is packed with super pagan beliefs and practices that the biblical Messiah Yeshua would have found horrifying as an Orthodox Jew. HEAR O ISRAEL, The God of Israel will be faithful to you! Messiah WILL come. And He is NOT Catholic! HE IS A JEW!

The Catholic Church is hardly the oldest religious body in the world, even if you are talking about an organized, institutional, hierarchy(whcih would eliminate us)which was taken over from the State Religion of Rome. The Buddists and Hindus have older ones. However, the belief in the need to convert everyone to "the true faith" and save them from eternal punishment is basic dogma and they are hardly going to change it just because we don't like it, especially since they think they are saving us from eternal suffering. I think we should worry less about them and more about strengthening the knowledge and faith of our own people .

The prayer in the Latin mass was changed by John XXIII in a more respectful form, and this is the version to be used in present Latin masses (the Benedict staff penned still another, even more respectful version). As for the Latin mass itself, it is true that Benedict tried to promote a larger use of it. But the prayer for Jews is only in the Good Friday service, and in that day the Latin text may be used only for private services. You cannot tell that that prayer . whatever its form - is in widespread use, probably Horowitz could not even quote a single person actually reciting it.

holds negative divisive views when it comes to all religions, especially the Roman Catholic one.

That Meretz people don't understand a damn thing about Judaism is well known. That they don't understand anything about other religions is now apparent to me. Mr Horowitz is apparently not aware that Pope Benedicy, as Cardinal Ratzinger, was under Pope John Paul II the main author of a new Catholic theology emphasizing the greatness and the special role of Jews, past and present, as the Church's "elder brothers" - a far cry from traditional Christian genteel or not too genteel antisemitism. Neither is he aware that Pope Benedict is constantly expressing respect and affection for Jews, has visited more synagogues than John Paul II, and has upgraded relations with the Jews as part of the Church's core concerns. Neither does he grasp that allowing for some use of the traditional Latin Mass or conditional pardon for bishop Williamson are not a reinstatement of the former Catholic doctrine and practice but merely a strategic if controversial or ineffective move to bring the Catholic Far Right into submission to the new doctrine and practice. But just consider Mr Horowitz sources : "Rabbi Michael Lerner". Well, if Michael Lerner of Tikkun Magazine is a Rabbi in any sensible way, then I am the Pope.

His god being a Jew, the Pope should not reinstitute the latin mass in order to convert Jews (if it's his intent).Instead, logic dictates that " from darkness to judaism "(the light of the world) - in Hebrew - would be more appropriate. And his request ( if accurate)for god to remove the veil from jewish hearts should be considered a Hutzpah, since god had a very good reason to put it there in the first place -- no contamination.

this must be the biggest joke Mr. Horowitz has written: I read the TB and am constantly surprised and appalled about the way people talk about other faiths.... Islam, Catholics, Mormons, protestants, even their own orthodox compatriots- there is no end to the insults..... so who is this writer who dares accuse the pope?

I'm afraid you have no idea of what you are talking about. Please go to the sources and stop doing opinions by reading only newspapers. When was the last time you read a book? (not a comic)

Nitzan Horovitz, you'd better shut up! You are not obliged to rejoice, but MUST respect!

Michael Lerner, who is among the prominent leaders of American Jewry," What are you talking about? What a sane Jew gives a damn about Michael Lerner? He is as radical lefty, as detached from reality as your political party - Meretz! Please don't fool others with your deceiving statements.

read numbers 22-25.eventually our forefathers killed balaam along with the kings of midian just as G-D had commanded Moses-numbers 31:7- without a strong leader like moses we out smart ourselves with our own short sighted idea's of tolerance that will backfire on us.

Congratulations! You have pakced more bigotry and complete ignorance in one column than I have ever seen in one place in my entire life. It's as though you couldn't be bothered to do one bit of research, and you accepted every stupid talking point you've ever encountered as the total truth. Wow.

I didn't even try reading the rest of the article.

Nitzan is ignorant of the Roman Catholic religion - in fact the pontifex maximus is seen as the VICAR of Jesus on earth, this means that he is allegedly Jesus' substitute on earth, ie Jesus himself. That is why Catholics WORSHIP the pope and consider him INFALLIBLE.

Ben, when was the last time you read a book, checked any facts? You are lifetimes behind....try to catch up with the present, will you? re Catholic teachings: this has not been true for ages (67 to be exact, Vatican 2, but you wouldn't know this of course..)- it shows your ignorance- nobody teaches this- ANYWHERE- The Pope is a German- and of course in your mind ALL Germans are Nazis, we heard this before from you.... it will never change? If it did you would have nothing to whine and rant about? Monroe USA must be a very boring place- and backward- don't they have books there? talk about leopards: like Ben, isn't it- ?always the same arguments and accusations, no change, same old- same old.... one thing you are right about: the pope's visit probably was of little consequence, the articles written were vicious, unfair, devoid of facts, just a lot of old rumors stirred up and spread around- who is doing research in this country anyway? A few weeks from now, nobody will talk about it anymore, The visit to Israel will be forgotten- . it was not important anyway- mostly because people made it so.... there could have been progress made- but it got lost in the race for publishing the most controversial article. it seemed everybody was an authority on everything- except the facts.