What's Hidden in the Vatican Library?

[Turtle]

Originally Posted by Mercedes Benzene

Indeed they do. Searchable through the Vatican's main website.

Do you suppose they list the books, scrolls, and other texts they are hiding?

Originally Posted by Mercedes Benzene

By the way, that Hoffa crack just about killed me.

It was pretty good, huh...inasmuch as he was Catholic!?

[Michaelangelica]

Originally Posted by Turtle

Do you suppose they list the books, scrolls, and other texts they are hiding?
It was pretty good, huh...inasmuch as he was Catholic!?

I don't think you need the paranoia.
Anything unlisted is probably more due to the immensity of the job and Italian insouciance.

If you want to be paranoid; Look instead for confidential papers on the political exploits of the Moonies, Assembly of God, other right wing religious groups and Opus Dei; who all engage in secret political machinations.

As I said the Bodlean at Oxford is just as bad. Their problem is lack of money. Last I looked they did not have a complete catalogue of their collection.

[Turtle]

Originally Posted by Michaelangelica

I don't think you need the paranoia.
Anything unlisted is probably more due to the immensity of the job and Italian insouciance.

Just because a person is paranoid doesn't mean there isn't good reason for it. Italy has no control of the Vatican any more than any other country; what a silly notion you propose. Why does a church need a private armed army? Surely not to protect any secret vaults, even deep underground ones. Surely not. "Stop calling me Shirley!"

Originally Posted by Michaelangelica

If you want to be paranoid; Look instead for confidential papers on the political exploits of the Moonies, Assembly of God, other right wing religious groups and Opus Dei; who all engage in secret political machinations.

I don't want to be paranoid, it just comes naturally; and I'm not after papers of that ilk, I'm after the ancient texts the Vatican is hiding that they stole.

[Michaelangelica]

Originally Posted by Turtle

Just because a person is paranoid doesn't mean there isn't good reason for it. Italy has no control of the Vatican any more than any other country; what a silly notion you propose. Why does a church need a private armed army? Surely not to protect any secret vaults, even deep underground ones. Surely not. "Stop calling me Shirley!"

OK Shirley,

The Vatican is run by Italians. Italians have a very laid-back attitude to things we would regard as priceless treasures.

There is just too much history for them to care about and not enough will or money to preserve it all

The army is purely tradition and crowd control.
A 14C pike is a bit different to a Yank or Brit automatic weapon.

Remember too a couple of Popes have been assasinated and Art works like the Pieta vandalised by nuts.

[Mercedes Benzene]

Originally Posted by turtle

Why does a church need a private armed army?

I certainly would not call it an army. It's a bunch of swiss men dressed like clowns that carry spears and swords. They are BODYGUARDS to the Pope.
Not an army.

[Turtle]

Originally Posted by Michaelangelica

OK Shirley,

The Vatican is run by Italians. Italians have a very laid-back attitude to things we would regard as priceless treasures.

The Vatican is a Sovereign State; it just happens to be fully within Italy. It most assuredly is not run by Italy.

Originally Posted by Wicky

is a sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a landlocked, almost completely walled, enclave within the city of Rome, Italy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vatican_City

Originally Posted by Michael

The army is purely tradition and crowd control.
A 14C pike is a bit different to a Yank or Brit automatic weapon.

Surely you jest.

Originally Posted by Wicky

After the May 13, 1981 assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II by Mehmet Ali Agca, a much stronger emphasis has been made of the Swiss Guards' functional, non-ceremonial roles. This has included extended training in unarmed combat and with issue SIG P 75 pistols (a.k.a. P220) and Heckler & Koch submachine-guns.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swiss_Guard

Originally Posted by Mercedes

Mercedes Benzene
Quote:
Originally Posted by turtle
Why does a church need a private armed army?

I certainly would not call it an army. It's a bunch of swiss men dressed like clowns that carry spears and swords. They are BODYGUARDS to the Pope.
Not an army.

See above.

[Mercedes Benzene]

Do you always believe what wikipedia says?? It's called a wiki for a reason.

I have seen the Swiss guard in person. They don't carry guns at all, I assure you.
Besides, even if they have been trained in using those sorts of weapons, don't you think that's a good thing?? They are protecting a leader. You're trying to make a point that is comparable to saying that the US secret service shouldn't carry guns.

If YOU had someone try to murder you, you would be glad to have bodyguards that knew how to fire a pistol.

[Turtle]

Originally Posted by Mercedes Benzene

Do you always believe what wikipedia says?? It's called a wiki for a reason.

I have seen the Swiss guard in person. They don't carry guns at all, I assure you.

If YOU had someone try to murder you, you would be glad to have bodyguards that knew how to fire a pistol.

Good grief Mercedes! Do you really think my source is wrong? Look up some other sources for yourself then to see what is the truth of the weapons they carry. See if you find any that contradict mine.
I trust in my own ability to shoot my own pistol thank you very much.
The point is, this is a religion acting like a country, and like all religions it is based on fairy tales of ghosties & spirits & god itself laying down the law. The Vatican has murdered more people in this world than most countries & stolen books to who laid the chunk. Look what they did to Galileo & his writing. The Maya & theirs. They continue to drain people of their money & hide property that belongs to the whole world.
It's time to put an end to it by force of law. Oh,...IMHO

PS In case you're too busy:
Web Search ResultsResults 1 - 10 of about 22,100 for guns of the Vatican Guard
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/...n1227397.shtml
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1562676/posts
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthrea...24#post1620924

[Turtle]

Web Search ResultsResults 1 - 10 of about 2,890 for Vatican thievery
http://www.jewishsf.com/content/2-0-...playstory.html

[Qfwfq]

Originally Posted by Mercedes Benzene

I have seen the Swiss guard in person. They don't carry guns at all, I assure you.

And the guards at Buckingham palace that tourists take photos of carry bayonnets without a trace of a bullet! What do "Yank and Brit" automatic weapons have that a Beretta lacks?

The Papal State was a quite large part of Italy for centuries, look up the breach of Porta Pio, and of course it was one of the two sides of the coin in the Holy Roman Empire.

The trouble is quite certainly that it would be a huge expense to look after everything properly. Of course there's also the effect of being accustomed to something which is a rarity for others. Plenty of people of culture over here put great efforts into these things.