The reason why the new Pope is against TM appears to be just a reflexive defense of turf: if people don't need the Catholic Church to get into heaven, then that is a threat that needs to be dealt with:
"As cardinal, Ratzinger made no secret of his resentment of Buddhism's growing popularity in the West. In France, for example, there are more men studying to be Buddhist monks than are studying to be Benedictines. Benedict is so worried about Buddhism, transcendental meditation and the like, said Seton Hall's Figueiredo, because of their belief "that `I reach nirvana without any mediation.' That is highly dangerous because it denies the existence of original sin and of the church and ultimately of Jesus Christ." http://www.timesleader.com/mld/timesleader/news/world/11465880.htm Reminds me of the old ban on printing Bibles in English -- if you could read a Bible in your home, you would not feel much of a need for the priest to read it to you on Sunday: The first hand-written English language Bible manuscripts were produced in the 1380's AD by John Wycliffe, an Oxford professor, scholar, and theologian. Wycliffe, (also spelled "Wycliff" & "Wyclif"), was well-known throughout Europe for his opposition to the teaching of the organized Church, which he believed to be contrary to the Bible. With the help of his followers, called the Lollards, and his assistant Purvey, and many other faithful scribes, Wycliffe produced dozens of English language manuscript copies of the scriptures. They were translated out of the Latin Vulgate, which was the only source text available to Wycliffe. The Pope was so infuriated by his teachings and his translation of the Bible into English, that 44 years after Wycliffe had died, he ordered the bones to be dug-up, crushed, and scattered in the river! One of Wycliffe's followers, John Hus, actively promoted Wycliffe's ideas: that people should be permitted to read the Bible in their own language, and they should oppose the tyranny of the Roman church that threatened anyone possessing a non-Latin Bible with execution. Hus was burned at the stake in 1415, with Wycliffe's manuscript Bibles used as kindling for the fire. The last words of John Hus were that, "in 100 years, God will raise up a man whose calls for reform cannot be suppressed." http://www.greatsite.com/timeline-english-bible-history/ To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
