SHould the Gov restore or repair Churches with tax money?

[Peikko 1,575]

Sorry MC, you are woefully wrong again.

Vatican City /ˈvætɪkən ˈsɪti/ (help·info) or Vatican City State,[11] officially Stato della Città del Vaticano (pronounced [ˈsta(ː)to delːa tʃiˈtːa del vatiˈka(ː)no]),[12] which translates literally as "State of the City of the Vatican", is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome, the capital city of Italy. It has an area of approximately 44 hectares (110 acres), and a population of just over 800.[5][13]

Vatican City was established in 1929. It is distinct from the Holy See, which dates back to early Christianity and is the main episcopal see of 1.166 billion Latin and Eastern Catholic adherents around the globe. Ordinances of Vatican City are published in Italian; official documents of the Holy See are issued mainly in Latin. The two entities even have distinct passports: the Holy See, not being a country, only issues diplomatic and service passports; Vatican City State issues normal passports. Very few passports are issued by either authority.

And furthermore, foreign leaders are often religious and otherwise.

I can only roll my eyes at your response Danno. There are political reasons why the pope occupies his own state but the distinction changes nothing as regards the significance of his role as a religious figure rather than a state leader, the vatican is a symbolic state, nothing more.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

No. Not if it is to be used as a church. If you are restoring a building that "used to be" a church for some other use ( a museum for example) then it would be a matter like any other historical restoration.

the government needs to stay out of religion, churches, etc. completely and totally

[Danno 1,228]

I can only roll my eyes at your response Danno. There are political reasons why the pope occupies his own state but the distinction changes nothing as regards the significance of his role as a religious figure rather than a state leader, the vatican is a symbolic state, nothing more.

I luv how you still try a come back... no matter how wrong you are proven to be.

[Peikko 1,575]

I luv how you still try a come back... no matter how wrong you are proven to be.

Try a comeback? What part of the Vatican being a state of political convenience escapes your notice? What part of the pope visiting the UK to celebrate diversity of religion as head of the Catholic churce (which is not a mainstream UK religion) in the UK did you miss?

[Danno 1,228]

Try a comeback? What part of the Vatican being a state of political convenience escapes your notice? What part of the pope visiting the UK to celebrate diversity of religion as head of the Catholic churce (which is not a mainstream UK religion) in the UK did you miss?

Again you are flailing.

The question concerning the Pope was: IS he a foreign leader?

How many Catholics there be in the UK is meaningless to the question.

[Peikko 1,575]

Again you are flailing.

The question concerning the Pope was: IS he a foreign leader?

How many Catholics there be in the UK is meaningless to the question.

Leader of what? How many vatican citizens are born every year Danno? What is his role outside of being the head of the Catholic church? He has none, he is defined by his role as a religious leader, his role as a head of state is ceremonial and a political convenience, to pretend it is something else is silly.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

The question concerning the Pope was: IS he a foreign leader?

That really is a very silly, pedantic and meaningless question

[Danno 1,228]

That really is a very silly, pedantic and meaningless question

I agree but we got here via a number of Cleo dodges.

As I recall, she was paralleling building churches in foreign lands to providing security for the popes visit.

[Peikko 1,575]

I agree but we got here via a number of Cleo dodges.

As I recall, she was paralleling building churches in foreign lands to providing security for the popes visit.

No one is building churches, these projects are restorations of places of cultural and historical significance. The point of it is to generate good will between America and these countries and the cost minimal. The point of a papal visit is also to generate good will and the cost of a singular visit is more than double the entire annual expenditure on these cultural good will projects that you find so singularly appalling. Perspective is a wonderful thing Danno.