Pope addresses human rights in speech before UN

Pope Benedict addressed the United Nations' General Assembly Friday as part of his first visit to the United States as head of the Roman Catholic Church.The Pope has also taken the opportunity during his visit to try and repair the damage done by the sexual abuse scandal that has engulfed the Church in the U.S. The pontiff has paid considerable attention to the scandal, including acknowledging the suffering of victims during a mass for 45,000 people at Washington's Nationals Park baseball stadium.

The Pope is no pillar of religious freedom and human rights! It is he who has attempted to bully Catholic politicians worldwide into pushing forward a Catholic political agenda, against the democratic will of the people the politicians represent, or risk being excommunicated. He has told Catholics that the church is not a democracy and that Catholics everywhere must submit to the absolute moral authority of the Church? What exactly is free and just about that? And where does that leave room for religious freedom for non Catholics.
If the pope really wanted to do some good in this world, he would change the face of the Catholic church entirely. Apologies are good, but how about taking some action where it really matters - how about making itself relevant in our modern world. How about less gay bashing; how about the inclusiveness of women at all levels of the organization; how about letting go of their stand against condoms and birth control in AIDS-ridden Africa; how about REALLY doing Christ's work in the world!