that dictatorships ridicule the church and despise religion. Democracies protect the church, dictatorships destroy it. Thus, our Democracy has always set a high value on religion and on the church. The Papacy has always placed a high value on Justice and charity in relations among men and among nations. The first Popes, for example, said nothing about anti-semitism since they themselves, like their Master Christ, were Jews and subject to all the inJustices heaped upon Jews. As early as the sixth century- in the year 538 - Pope Gregory the Great wrote: "We forbid you to molest the Jews or to lay upon them restrictions not imposed by the established laws; we further permit them to live as Romans and to dispose of their property as they will." Heinrich Graetz, Jewish Historian and author of a monumental work, "History of the Jews", writes: "It is remarkable that the Bishops of Rome, the recognized champions of Christianity, treated the Jews with the utmost toleration and liberality. The occupants of the Papal throne shielded the Jews and exhorted the clergy and the princes against the use of force in converting them to Christianity." |