Pope Benedict Says the Dragon Uses Terror & Violence Against the Defenseless

Pope Benedict

Pope Benedict XVI

The following news item was of doctrinal interest:

Consumerism, hedonism will be defeated by God’s love, pope says

Catholic News Service – August 15, 2007

CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy (CNS) — The seemingly invincible ideologies of consumerism and hedonism and the reign of violence and terror will all be defeated by God’s love, Pope Benedict XVI said…

Giving his homily without using a text or notes, the pope said that according to St. Augustine, human history has been driven by a struggle between two kinds of love: love for God in which one “loses oneself and gives oneself” totally to him and loving oneself to “the point of disparaging God and hating others.”Pope Benedict said this selfish love versus true love can be seen in the two images present in the feast day’s first reading from the Book of Revelation, an account of the encounter between the powerful dragon and the defenseless woman.The dragon, he said, represents “power without mercy, without love, of absolute selfishness, terror, violence” as well as all “materialistic dictatorships” throughout history, including the Nazi and Stalinist regimes.“Even today the dragon exists in new and different ways,” he said…But, “nonetheless, we know that in the end the defenseless woman won” the battle against the dragon, signaling the victory of God’s love, he said.The woman clothed with the sun and with the moon under her feet represents the Mary “living totally in God … penetrated by the light of God” and conquering death, said the pope.

http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0704642.htm

Throughout history, who has been defenseless and who has acted like a dragon/beast? The Roman Catholic Church who has been the persecutor or the Church of God who has been among the persecuted?

Perhaps it should be noted that while the Roman Catholic Church understands that early Christians did not participate in military service, the Roman Catholic Church now holds a different position on that (and other matters).

The forces of evil will be defeated by Jesus Christ who will come as King of Kings and Lord of Lords and will reign for 1,000 years and then will reign forever.

Several articles of related interest may include:

Military Service and the Churches of God: Do Real Christians Participate in Carnal Warfare? Here are current and historical perspectives on a matter which show the beliefs of the true church on military participation.
Persecutions by Church and State This article documents some that have occurred against those associated with the COGs and some prophesied to occur.
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation?
Did The Early Church Millenarianism? Was a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth, often called the millennium taught by the early Christians? Is this time near?
History of Early Christianity Are you aware that what most people believe is not what truly happened to the true Christian church?
Which Is Faithful: The Roman Catholic Church or the Church of God? Do you know that both groups shared a lot of the earliest teachings? Do you know which church changed? Do you know which group is most faithful to the teachings of the apostolic church? This documented article answers those questions.