and I 've never looked back. As a Catholic Moslem I wish Catholic church can change for the better. My aunt who is a nun is very conservative too and she adores this pope. This is a shame.

Mr writer, you are too young to really know what the Pope went through when he was a teenager- you really think there was a choice? it was join the movement or die- what would you have chosen as a 14 year old? Everybody is an authority and a judge it seems- most people are too young to have experienced it- so it is hearsay- or bad research. To blame the current Pope for all the bad things in the world is pretty ignorant, don't you think? Many of the things on your list are actually wrong, but I suppose it doesn't matter, since your readers will believe anything negative- having made up their minds already.

Yes, the Pope holds views that seem outrageous and backwards. And even though I by no means agree with his views on abortion, homosexuality or contraceptives, I cannot agree with the Pope bashing that is going on on Ynet these days. I wonder if one can find me an ultra-orthodox rabbi that has fundamentally different views on these issues than the Pope. And he is, so to speak, an ultra-orthodox Catholic. What I find even more annoying about Ynet's articles on the Pope are the underlying accusations that he is an antisemite, racist, Nazi or whatever. There is no proof for any of this and unless one is obsessed with the idea that every single German of that time was and still is a Nazi at heart, the mere fact that he was a member of that Hitler Youth and later of the Wehrmacht does not prove a thing. I have done some theological reading after the issue with the Tridentine Mass and later the St.Pius scandal and I have only found that Joseph Ratzinger before he became Pope thinks very highly of Jews from a theological point of view. I don't think an antisemite would write such things. I am not Catholic so I am not in the position (nor do I have the knowledge) to criticize the Pope's positions and actions from a theological point of view. I can however say that he is missing the sensitivity especially towards Jews given that he is German. I don't think however that this derives from antisemitism.But I as a Jew expected a lot more from him and am pretty disappointed

Stop the silly, rather juvenile critism OK so he -on longstanding moral grounds- does not approve of condoms: how many in Mea Sherim would say likewise and his background is well known (and he has apologized for it) But so what He is a leader of a great faith and moral movement and we Jews whilst not always agreeing with him should treat him with respect and criticize him with seriousness He can be much more of a friend than we think

The Pope is there to lead and protect the adherents of his church, their culture, beliefs and traditions. If he wasnt he wouldnt be the Pope for very long(its not a democracy). I cant see the point that you are trying to make unless you are one of those J Street types who happens to have a Jewish sounding surname and hates religion of any kind. If we cannot offer basic respect as hosts to the leader of 1 Billion Catholics, how can we demand respect and understanding in return from the World.

"Of all the injustices committed by the pope, the gravest is his objection to the distribution of contraceptives in the Third World. It is difficult to estimate the number of miserable men and women in Africa, Asia, and South America who contracted AIDS and other diseases as direct result of this backward attitude, but we are talking about great masses." The typical statement I 'm used to read in european leftist newspapers, France, Germany, Spain, UK, etc.... Well, experts know better: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/ni/2009/03/aids_expert_who_defended_the_p.html

While the writer began well with young Ratzinger's service in the Hitler Youth, in an anti-aircraft unit, etc., abeit these things were compulary; yet many young Germans defied Hitler at the risk and / or the cost ot their lives. How much more God's viceroy on earth? And while I have sympathy, as a Jew, for some of this writer's points, in particular celibacy for priests and perhaps Church opposition to any and all forms of birth control - may be a bit harsh - it seems the writer is falling into the same minefield that the Anti-Defamation League fell into when they waged war on "The Religious Right (for its) Assault On Tolerance & Pluralism in America." (See Amazon.com and other book sellers.) Decent men and women can agree or disagree on the morality of abortion. Doesn't the pro-life, Israeli organization "EFRAT" counsel women who are in distress to bring their babies to term? They provide services to these mothers-to-be. Why not the Church? Why should priests counsel abortion and death rather birth and life? Instead Catholic institutions provide money and help to these young mothers. Mr. Horowitz thinks this is wrong? Millions of Christians support Israel as much as they oppose abortion on demand, based on a literal reading of the Jewish Bible and the Torah. Even in the difficult cases of rape and incest there is the choice to place the child for adoption rather than terminate the pregnancy. To impugn the morality of millions of Christians, I think misses the point of this visit by this particular man (Pope Benedict) at this particular time, given all he has said and done with respect to the Jews.

I am just a bit perplexed about how you think the Catholic Church's views differ from any other orthodox religious movement's views. I also believe that your criticism on his past is short-sighted and ill-educated.

the pope isn't a left liberal. Who could have guessed that?

We Jews are just about free enough now, to have a community without being marched in to death camps. Perhaps it is a little too over confident to start criticising the leaders of other religions, especially the Catholic Church. The actions and statements of the Pope and Imams, criticise 'themselves' and others can point out their short commings. A Jew who does so is simply ignorant and arrogant. Please shut up and think of something better to write about. Or even better - get a real job. Schmuck.

I am a Catholic and proud of my faith. I also have positive feelings toward Israel. But now I am rethinking if my positive feelings/thoughts about Israel and the Jewish people are misplaced. There are over 1 billion Catholic's in the world. Do you really want to alienate the Church of Rome. Also, tourism is down 30% to Israel so far this year. Disrespect the Pope and it may go up further. Let him visit he will be back in Rome in a week. No harm done .... But insult the pope.... and Catholics will have second thoughts about Israel.

The world isn't split between Catholics and protestants with a few evil Muhammadans running around. There are Jews as well adding to the rich tapestry of life and the differences the author describes are accurate and righteous. Too much focus is placed on the whole "Jesus thing" in fact Judaism is the exact polar opposite in almost every respect to xitianity and clearly anathema to that doctrine see R. Yeshayahua Leibowitz writings - it is good to be different from them it doesn't hurt anything.

I quess in this guys view fetal humans have no rights. Maybe he should make a you tube video at an abortury as the children are being put to death in the backround and explaine his version of "humanism" in greayer detail. Yeah, carrying children to term is no fun but killing them isn't the answer. Raising per capita income to naturally slow conception rates is the way to avoid over population.

You wrote: "I am a Catholic and proud of my faith. I also have positive feelings toward Israel. But now I am rethinking if my positive feelings/thoughts about Israel and the Jewish people are misplaced....." This piece is one man's opinion. It is the opinion of Nitzan Horowitz. Mr. Horowitz does not speak for the Jewish people at large in my opinion. Howowitz speaks for himself (especially on abortion and homosexuality) and for others that agree with him. What he has written on these two issues does not accord with Jewish law. Your statement, "I am rethinking if my positive feelings/thoughts about Israel and the Jewish people" reminds me of a racist caller on a radio program several years back. He claimed, before he saw some riots in Los Angeles, he did not dislike blacks but after the riots he was rethinking his feelings/thoughts about blacks. You wrote: "But insult the pope....Catholics will have second thoughts about Israel...." Most of my Catholic neighbors and friends do not give Israel much if any thought at all, because Israel is not important in Church teaching.. Our local priest assures me, Israel and the Holy Land have no relevance according to Church doctrine, since the Catholic Church holds there is no longer any "sacred space," i.e., Jerusalem or any other place in Israel is sacred. According to Vatican II, the Church is the "new people of God." This is what is known as "replacement theology."

Vatican II contains 100 curses for Protestant Christians. Jesus Christ said that no one comes to the Father but by Him. That means He needs no "vicar" to foreman the job. The Roman Catholic club needs to clean up it's own back yard before it even thinks about giving advice to others, just like Islam.

If the present Pope of the Catholic Church is against a womans "right" to murder a baby she bares responsibility in conceving, if he is against the marriage of women to women and men to men, which runs directly opposed to the way the Creator set things up, and if this pope believes that Jews and Christians DO have the same Heavenly Father, he is on the right track as far as I am concerned; and I am not Catholic!

The pope is in the fact the person who currently leads the global resistance to abortions and prevents women from exercising their right for their bodies. For example, he forbids priests from mentioning the possibility of abortion to pregnant teens who turn to them in great despair. This is so even in cases of pregnancy as result of rape or incest. The pope also leads , fights against any recognition of homosexual partnership, FOR THOSE SINS JEHOVAH DEMANDS CAPITAL PUNISHMENT. YOU PROMOTE MURDER TO COVER UPP FOR PREGNANCY. ISRAEL WAS AND IS STILL IN THE WIEW OF JEHOVAH, HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE, TO BE A HOLY NATION OF KINGS AND PRIESTS. ALL SINS IN ISRAEL JEHOVAH WILL SEARCH OUT. HE HAS TO SEND THE PROPHET ELIA, FOR THE PRESERVATION OF ISRAEL, OTHERWISE ISRAEL WILL PAY THE DEATH PENALTY FOR THE TWO SINS YOU PROMOTE. Malachi 4 1For behold, the day cometh, burning as a furnace; and all the proud and all that work wickedness shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith Jehovah of hosts, so that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. 2And unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth and leap like fatted calves. 3And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I prepare, saith Jehovah of hosts. 4Remember the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, the statutes and ordinances. 5Behold, I send unto you Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and terrible day of Jehovah. 6And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWSATpx7uzk Orao.

If we didn't bicker once in awhile, that'd be even more weird.

Interesting, you call this Pope strict and radical and not being toleranr enough. Do you listen to what you are saying? Do you see how hatefilled your words are? For example, you interpret facts about fouteen year old boy, who was conscripted, and dragged to the front as a child soldier, and you draw conclusions from that baout his character? What kind of man can do that in good consience? Hatred and prejudice can make you blind...

No, he doesn't see the hypocrisy. Liberals are totalitarians. Well said, Calgary

You are correct when you state the pope is there to lead and protect the adherants of his church. You are also correct when you say the church is not a democracy. Yet I find your basic demand that we Jews respect the pope and his religion when I see that neither he nor his religion respects the Jew nor Judaism. From my place on this planet, I have found no place where this world respects the Jew. In fact, the truth is that hatred of the Jew continues to exist and as a matter of fact continues to grow. The only time the Jew recieved sympathy was when he was a victim. Now with the state of Israel deciding to fight back and protect her citizens, the sympathy went for those who tried to kill as many Jews as possible. Christianity produced the blood libels; Islam took up the cudgel especially since the rebirth of Israel and now teaches her young that it is a religious necessity to murder as many Jews as possible. Perhaps, you may deem this respect; I call it teaching murder and destruction.