I love this pic.

The living symbol of the church swats at a living symbol of peace.

If you look at the dove and the pope as only symbols, I think the image is a reflection of the world today. You grow up thinking that the churches are full of pacifists who love their neighbors and recognize that killing their fellow man is evil. Today the churches in the US elected a president who uses war and killing instead of negotiation and not as a last resort.

And maybe I am being too charitable to churches historically in thinking that they were a bastion of peace in the past. I know a good deal of history, and when I think about it I probably am.

While is is a great shot, I don't want to give the wrong impression about my opinions of the Pope. John Paul II has always behaved in a very ummm...probably the wrong word, but professional way as the Pope. He has been an excellent role model. He has always seemed like a down to earth nice guy who happens to be the Pope. A very human pope. The news story captures his humanity in this instance.

None of this is at all to bag on the Pope. Many of the various Christian Churches may be in support of Bush's War, but Pope John Paul II, at least, and a few others are anti-war. While anyone who studies history knows there have been a number of popes with agenda's of hate, John Paul II seems to be a very good person based on deeds and actions and a credit to the papacy. IMO.