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Nuclear weapons, interfaith ties top agenda for pope in Asia

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Besides His holiness would do better at sticking to bringing some spiritual coherence to the Catholic church which is falling into shambles since he took office.

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2 ( +6 / -4 )

Back in Tokyo, Francis will meet with victims of Japan's more recent "triple disaster," the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear meltdown in Fukushima.

Three of the plant's reactors had meltdowns after the magnitude 9.0-earthquake and tsunami, spreading radiation into surrounding communities and into the sea. The fallout from the disaster has prevented thousands of residents from returning home.

Dear Thomson Reuters,

When mentioning the 2011 "Triple Disaster", in addition to the plight of "thousands prevented from returning home", you might also mention the almost 20,000 dead and missing. The tsunami was more than just an inconvenience!

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Good that he is spreading a generally positive message.

I am Catholic and enjoy participating in many of its festivals, although I do have an issue with some of its assumptions - like there being a supreme invisible being who constantly watches us and a son who came to earth to sacrifice himself to himself for sins that had yet to be committed and supposedly rose from the dead and was born of a virgin. Apart from these questionable details, I think that the church can do a lot of good in the world.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

Come and visit us in Meguro where we live. Japanese wife and 3 kids. Wife is from Ishinomaki, Miyagi Pref. her parents perished in the tsunami their family home and all possessions destroyed. All we ever got was a bill from the national tax office stating we had to pay a few thousands yen for victims of the disaster.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

more empty theatre..... he could have stayed home in his private city, done his "demanding a world without nuclear weapons" from there, and given the money used for the trip to the poor he cares so much about. sheesh.... are we still in the Dark Ages? and he would, coincidentally, have been doing his bit for anti-global warming by not burning all that jet fuel and gasoline. oh, but then that might change the status quo, so forget about that.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Will he have the guts to speak about Japans abysmal child abduction record or will be be a buffoon like Trump? And what about sheltering pedophile priests? All he has to do here is bow his head as is Japanese custom, and walk away.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

zichiToday 05:10 pm JSTFurthermore, the most nuclear capable countries are not in Asia.

Asia

Russia

China

North Korea

India

> Pakistan.

Middle East

> Israel

Europe

Russia

France.

> UK.

Americas

USA

Read some more history. Unfortunately most of these countries have the bomb. India achieved it in 1974, Pakistan in 1998, France and UK have it. NK is trying.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

semperfiToday 10:37 am JST.

Besides His holiness would do better at sticking to bringing some spiritual coherence to the Catholic church which is falling into shambles since he took office.

.Sad to say, what you may be referring to  been going on for centuries, millennia. And it's in ALL religions, in the schools, institutions, Scout organizations, the model family. Long before Pope Francis.

The Catholic Church is a religion. But like all religions you have the true practitioners and the fanatical trash who give it a bad name.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Pope Francis is old enough and smart enough to know that nuclear weapons are no good - they're humanity's suicide, the ultimate sin against man and God. And he survived the fascist regime that once ruled his native Argentina and he knows that it's happening again in the U.S.A.

Catholic or not, Christian or not, religious or not - we need to listen to this man because he's been there and he has a lot to say for today.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Would be good if once if could meet with non-faith people and listen to them.

As history has shown, faith has noting to do with having good or bad behaviour.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

opposition to nuclear weapons......likely to speak out about poverty and human trafficking, 

May his efforts be successful.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@Open Minded

As history has shown, faith has nothing to do with having good or bad behaviour.

Sure, there are plenty of non faith people whose behavior puts the faithful to shame. But then again, attempting to live by the motto 'Love thy neighbor as thyself' can only help.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@Concerned Citizen

'Love thy neighbor as thyself' 

Love has nothing to do with any king of faith or religion.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Love has nothing to do with any kind of faith or religion.

Sorry for the typo!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@Open Minded

Love has nothing to do with any kind of faith or religion.

I don't know about the rest of the religions but Pope Frances' stated religion (Christianity) claims that to love is the greatest law. It does seem that the Pope is trying his best to do just that. I hope his efforts are successful.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Sure, there are plenty of non faith people whose behavior puts the faithful to shame. But then again, attempting to live by the motto 'Love thy neighbor as thyself' can only help.

Religion makes children more selfish: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jvchamary/2015/11/05/religion-morality/

And children grow into adults. Often religious adults are the most intolerant.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

@Strangerland

Not all religions are the same. Pope Frances is a Christian and represents that religion, not Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, etc.

Religion makes children more selfish

And children grow into adults. Often religious adults are the most intolerant.

If Christians, it would seem that these people are not following thier own religion. How can they become more selfish or intolerant if putting 'Love thy neighbor as thyself', 'Forgive and.....you will be forgiven', 'Turn the other cheek' etc. into practice? If sincerely trying, they won't be perfect, but at least better than before.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Not all religions are the same. Pope Frances is a Christian and represents that religion, not Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, etc.

And? Do you have a problem with the study provided, and how specifically is it flawed?

If Christians, it would seem that these people are not following thier own religion.

And yet, they call themselves religiously devout. If history has shown us anything, it's that Christians can speak of tolerance, but their behaviors often strongly conflict with such teachings.

How can they become more selfish or intolerant if putting 'Love thy neighbor as thyself', 'Forgive and.....you will be forgiven', 'Turn the other cheek' etc. into practice?

The fact is, this is an extrinsic motivator, not intrinsic. Religious people are not doing the right thing because it's the right thing to do, they're doing it because they are scared of the consequences if they don't.

Non-religious people do the right thing because it's the right thing to do. Their motivation is intrinsic, as they do it because they want to, not out of fear of a vengeful god.

When motivation is extrinsic, you do it so you won't get caught not doing it. That means that when you won't get caught, there is no motivation to do it. When motivation is intrinsic, you do it because you want to.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

@Strangerland

1000 students......each child was given 30 stickers and told to choose how many to share with an anonymous child from the same school and similar ethnic group. 

I don't think we can form conclusions about billions of religious people by studying what 1000 children do with 30 stickers each.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

@Strangerland

If history has shown us anything, it's that Christians can speak of tolerance, but their behaviors often strongly conflict with such teachings.

I completely agree with you here. 'Love thy neighbor as thyself' is pretty hard to do.

But at least the teaching is good, and I'd say the world would be a better place if Christians (and others) would practise it.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

@Strangerland

How can they become more selfish or intolerant if putting 'Love thy neighbor as thyself', 'Forgive and.....you will be forgiven', 'Turn the other cheek' etc. into practice?

The fact is, this is an extrinsic motivator, not intrinsic. Religious people are not doing the right thing because it's the right thing to do, they're doing it because they are scared of the consequences if they don't.

Non-religious people do the right thing because it's the right thing to do. Their motivation is intrinsic, as they do it because they want to, not out of fear of a vengeful god.

When motivation is extrinsic, you do it so you won't get caught not doing it. That means that when you won't get caught, there is no motivation to do it. When motivation is intrinsic, you do it because you want to.

To me, the most emphasized and well known Biblical commandments (Love thy neighbor as thyself', 'Forgive and.....you will be forgiven', 'Turn the other cheek' etc) don't inspire obedience from fear, but rather love.

I think our perception of Christianity (Pope Frances' religion) shouldn't be entirely shaped by the poor examples of some of its followers (legalism, fire and brimstone preaching, etc) but rather from Jesus' own words.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

I completely agree with you here. 'Love thy neighbor as thyself' is pretty hard to do.

But at least the teaching is good, and I'd say the world would be a better place if Christians (and others) would practise it.

Sure. But the problem comes with teaching that one should love thy neighbor, or they face damnation, rather than teaching to love thy neighbor because it's the right thing to do. The former is an extrinsic motivator, the latter is intrinsic.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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