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Farmers refuse to plant 'Benedict XVI' wheat
Itamar Eichner
Published: 07.06.11, 09:10
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19 Talkbacks for this article
1. Good news.
Saed ,   Iranian jew   (06.07.11)
2. Wheat name
David J ,   Minooka, IL, USA   (06.07.11)
Good for the farmers! They need to stand up for Israel because few others do.
3. names are very important!
tom ,   toronto, canada   (06.07.11)
why should the vatican gain a foothold, even a symbolic one, in eretz yisrael? yes, the pope did visit israel, but only after he and his predecessors avoided visiting israel for over 60 years. and pope benedikt still refuses to recognize israeli sovereignty over jerusalem, even though it predates christianity by more than 1,000 years! better that jewish farmers in the land of the jews should plant "binyamin" wheat!
4. Since Popes claim to be God on earth, the farmers
Rivkah   (06.07.11)
would be using a product dedicated to an idol which is forbidden if they used the seeds under the Benedict XVI label. This may seem like a little matter to many, but Naaman the Syrian General in Scriptures was forbidden to eat meats sacrificed to idols and Daniel and his three friends would not eat meat sacrificed to idols, either. Is a food dedicated to an idol forbidden? Such as Muslim halal foods dedicated to Allah? From personal experience, I have learned that terrible things happen when I eat food that is halal not realizing that until after something bad happens. Then I check back to see what could have caused the loss of the hedge of YHWH's protection and at times I have found it was a halal food like lamb that was not labeled halal. Campbell Soups are all halal as is all fresh meat from Costco stores. The seeds in this article are not halal but are papal.
5. This is
V   (06.07.11)
anti-Catholicism !!!
6. Farmers refuse
jeremy ,   hula valley kibbutz   (06.07.11)
As a farmer, I will not plant wheat named after a known Nazi and someone that has shielded child abusers. Changing the name won't help and those who want to introduce this form of wheat here should have their head examined
7. Papal Wheat
Gene Graczyk ,   Santa Rosa, CA USA   (06.08.11)
How sad. This undermines the courtesy Israel showed to the Pope during his visit. Religious farmers? In what real sense? Hospitality and respect for others surely are cornerstones of any religious faith. This petty act, feigning that the wheat is somehow unclean because of name Israel bestowed on the strain, is another indication that Israel has lost its way in a meaningless and ultimately harmful distortion of the cCreator's commands to His people. Surely better hearts and steadier minds will prevail here.
8. Wheat Name
Gene Graczyk ,   Santa Rosa, CA USA   (06.08.11)
As a Catholic, I am offended by this turn of events. What did Israel mean by naming the wheat after the Pope while he visited and then pulling this stunt (which is all it really is) once he leaves? Don't you know the basic rules of hospitality and respect for a guest? Or was the naming a sham for the press it would bring. No wonder Israel finds itself so isolated--nothing you do seems to be real in the end.
9. Wheat
Gene Graczyk ,   Santa Rosa, CA USA   (06.08.11)
This needs serious correction or it will offend most Catholics and at least some better informed people. The Pope is not "God on earth" nor does he claim to be. He is God's representative, the equivalent of your High Priest of old and uses the title Pontifex Maximus as leader of the faithful. The seeds are not "papal". They are an Israeli developed strain and are nothing more than seeds. The anti-Catholic slur here is not at all welcome and does you no honor.
10. GOOD for them! Finally some1 with balls
(06.08.11)
and national dignity.
11. wheat
Janet ,   israel   (06.08.11)
#4 the pope is supposed to be god's representive on earth not god not the same thing. What has the name to do with sacrificing anything? What I didn't understand was the wheat developed in Israel ? if so why name it such . If not they can name it whatever they want
12. Peres is out of his mind.
OTOS ,   USA   (06.08.11)
Come on what do you want from Methuselah? His sell by date expired long ago. But what are the dummies at Volcan doing?
13. #8 & 9: So be offended! Protestants smile!
Claudia ,   Tampa USA   (06.08.11)
How silly. Considering how the Franciscans work to undermine Israel from their "Christian" sites protected by Jews why Israel would even allow the Pope any status at all. Only Evangelical Christians seem to work with Israel to insure religious access to the Holy Land for everyone. Yet Israel bends over backwards to show respect toward the Vatican, and it should be the other way around. Rename that wheat!
14. thought we weren't supposed to
stacey ,   texas usa   (06.09.11)
mingle the seeds anyway ...
15. The Pope never claims to be God on earth
Joel ,   California, USA   (06.10.11)
That's blasphemy plain and simple.
16. Don't like BXVI - stay out of Church business
Al ,   Chicago, IL   (06.10.11)
As a Catholic, I have no problem with Jewish farmers refusing to plant seeds named after the pope, but in turn, people like ADL head Abe Foxman should stay out of Church business. This guy tries to tell the Church not to canonize Pope Pius XII when, if he did a bit of research, would discover that the Israeli Philharmonic played a concert at the Vatican in appreciation for his life-saving efforts during WWII; that Golda Meir praised him upon his death as a friend of the Jews during WWII; and that he's been estimated by Pinchas Lapide (former Israeli diplomat and historian) to be responsible for saving hundreds of thousands of Jewish lives by his financial contriburtions to people on the frontlines hiding/transporting Jews and by allowing convents (normally closed to the outside world in ALL circumstances) to be opened to hide Jews (in fact, you can find pictures on the internet of Jewish families hiding inside the pope's summer residence at Castel Gandolfo, Italy).
17. THE POPE DOES NOT CLAIM TO BE GOD
DAVID ,   DALLAS, TEXAS   (06.10.11)
IGNORANT FOOL, THE POPE DOES NOT CLAIM TO BE GOD
18. Popes are NOT claimed to be God on Earth
Tom Bryant ,   Walhalla, SC, USA   (06.10.11)
@Rivkah Just as a friendly correction, Catholics do NOT think that the Pope is God on Earth. The Pope claims apostolic succession from one of Jesus' disciples - decreed by God, but not God Himself on Earth. What I want to know is, other than the name issue, is the grain halal, and is the name issue enough to render it not halal?
19. wrong
bp ,   USA   (06.11.11)
Before spouting off at the mouth, please learn at least something you're talking about. Popes don't claim to be God on earth. "Vicar of Christ" means His official representative. If you don't tolerate antisemitism, don't practice anticatholicism!
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