The Pope Speaks Of War In Libya and Middle East In Easter Mass Speech

Pope Benedict XVI urged an end to fighting in Libya, using his Easter Sunday message to call for diplomacy and peace in the Middle East. Referring to northern Africa and the Middle East, the pope prayed for the realization of a society where “every political choice is inspired by respect for the human person.” Benedict celebrated Easter Mass in St. Peter’s Square, packed with pilgrims and tourists and awash in the bright colors of spring flowers as he marked the church’s most joyous day of the year. Christians worldwide on Easter recall Jesus’ resurrection, a sign of eternal life, following his crucifixion. But while “in heaven, all is peace and gladness,” Benedict said in his message delivered after the Mass from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, “alas, it is not so on earth,” as he lamented hunger, disease, war and violence.

He prayed for people in the Middle East, “so that the light of peace and of human dignity may overcome the darkness of division, hate and violence.”

The Census has released a new poll recently stating that the number of atheists in America has grown significantly in the past 10 years:

This Easter it seems that atheists have a lot to rejoice about. According to the latest poll released by the U.S. Census Bureau in its American Religious Identification Survey, the number of self-proclaimed atheists in America has nearly doubled since 2001 — from 900,000 to 1.6 million. In a nation that once prided itself on its Judeo-Christian heritage, one out of every five Americans now claims no religious identity whatsoever; and the number of self-proclaimed Christians has declined by a whopping 15%. Yes, those who believe in nothing seem to be winning more and more converts every year.

Of course, it’s not quite fair to say that atheists believe in nothing. They do believe in something — the philosophical theory known as Materialism, which states that the only thing that exists is matter; that all substances and all phenomena in the universe are purely physical.

Discuss….

Source 1, Source 2