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Pope: Importing Arms to Syria Is 'Grave Sin'

He arrives in Lebanon to call for peace even as protests erupt there

By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff

Posted Sep 14, 2012 12:00 PM CDT

(Newser) – With protests raging not far away, Pope Benedict XVI arrived in Lebanon today, calling for peace and "moderation" amid conflicts in Syria and across the region. "Instead of importing arms, which is a grave sin, one should import ideas of peace, creativity, find solutions for accepting everyone in his otherness," he said, apparently referring to Bashar al-Assad's government, the rebels fighting him, and the nations sending weapons to both. He spoke approvingly of the Arab Spring, but added that "there is always a danger of forgetting a fundamental aspect of liberty: tolerance for others and the fact that human liberty is always a shared liberty."

Meanwhile, protests related to the anti-Islam film made in the US broke out in the Lebanese city of Tripoli, CNN reports. Armed men entered a local KFC and asked people to leave before setting it on fire; responding police fired at the men and killed one. Some 25 were injured. A Hardee's and a Krispy Kreme also were attacked, the AP reports. Click for a roundup of other protests today.

Pope Benedict XVI, left, stands next to Lebanese President Michel Suleiman as he waves to the crowds at Rafik Hariri international airport, in Beirut, Lebanon, Friday.
Pope Benedict XVI, left, stands next to Lebanese President Michel Suleiman as he waves to the crowds at Rafik Hariri international airport, in Beirut, Lebanon, Friday.   (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 44 comments
HANKHILL
Sep 15, 2012 2:11 PM CDT
hey pope like this is going to help?
Tscare333
Sep 15, 2012 8:15 AM CDT
His right,the importers of arms to syria,both sided,are damn Satanic beasts!  All the comments here don't make sense? are you guys saying more people must die?
qa_rocks
Sep 14, 2012 6:50 PM CDT
The catholic church are evil, sneaky, greedy and if you want to believe in such things, the worst false prophet of them all. Have you seen the pictures of Pope Pius with Hitler? And of course how can we forget all the child abuse, murders and abuse of power in "gods name" Also interesting to note, they never mention gods actual name, so who knows what god they are talking about. The church is declining, but not fast enough. They need to be taxed heavily, and they should be striped of any special law immunities and held accountable in court.
 

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