http://www.msnbc. msn.com/id/ 26677884

PARIS - Pope Benedict XVI condemned unbridled “pagan” passion for power, possessions and money as a modern-day plague Saturday as he led more than a quarter of a million Catholics in an outdoor Mass in Paris.

Benedict was making his first visit as pontiff to the French capital, renowned for its luxury goods, fashion sense and cultural riches.

“Has not our modern world created its own idols?” Benedict said in his homily, and wondered aloud whether people have “imitated, perhaps inadvertently, the pagans of antiquity?”

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I admit that I am a pagan.  I've been one for almost my entire life, and (having been blessed with varying results I might add) with a religiously diverse family both by blood and extended, I find the following comment made by the Pope to be offensive and of great concern on a variety of levels not only for myself but for others as well.

Firstly - the Catholic Church has more wealth than any pagan denomination that I am aware of. I struggle every month to make ends meet and have no leprechaun who helps me guard my pot of gold I ASSURE you.

Secondly - the rise of intolerance under the last two Popes (the last one called the rise of 'new age' return to Goddess based religions the single most threat to Catholicism) to also be of great concern and should be to every non-Catholic Christian as well as any and every non Christian. 

Thirdly - the viewpoint that Catholicism is the only one true church and all others are destined to go to whatever hell is reserved for such individuals is the kind of mindset which has been used to justify numerous wars and persecutions under various leaders and religions since before the time of Jesus.  To have a prominent religious leader come out with a statement like this gives weight and credence to other groups who use messages of hate to promote their own agendas.  There are many uneducated (or those who choose not to educate themselves) individuals out there (I refer to them as sheeple) who will follow any leader and their beliefs blindly.  The ones who vote the party ticket without thot because they've been a Democrat all their life or the ones who will follow a cult leader's dictates blindly and drink the poisoned cool-aid. 

Lastly as an intelligent caring human being this offends and horrifies me.