john paul ii wrote quite extensively about human rights. he had suffered under boths in sis occupation of poland and in the stalin poland. so he had an entire philosophical direction based on the human individual and human rights. ayatollah khomeini did not have the view like that. he had the view that islam was everything and individual rights very often had to be super seeded to that. so they were very fundamentally, if i may say, different. but there are some striking parallels. and one of the interesting parallels is that both of these men were mystics. in some ways they were very unusual in their religious beliefs. john paul ii had an intense religiousship with christ and she virgin mary. he was not your ordinary priest. his beliefs went off into the really amazing amazing and unconventional realms. ayatollah khomeini was a believer, and -- there war many other clerics who regarded him as the practitioner of some forbidden or suspect ideas, and what is very interesting is the way mistickism can make your more a political activist. it's

what strikes you in the story of pope john paul ii? >> guest: the thing that strikes me is the way that the polls have described the impact we had. it was not just the pride in a polish pope. he became pope in 1978. the poles were extremely happy about that needless to say and the kremlin was extremely worried about it. but i think it has a great deal to do with the special quality of john paul ii. he was one of the most brilliant men to become pope and he spoke many many languages. he had to dock truths and was an incredible figure. he combined that intellect with a very easy charismatic way of dealing with ordinary folks. he was a parish priest because he did things with his parishioners. he went out and did sports with them and he attended their confirmations for their children. he was very much involved when their lives. that was the kind of guy he was. he was a remarkably unique individual and i think that played a big role. the other big thing that i think was the most interesting thing to me when i came back to look at the story

john paul ii wrote quite extensively about human rights. he had suffered under both not the occupation of poland and the stalinist period and pulled. so he was really quite upset to keep up of an entire personal philosophical direction based on the human, the human individual and human rights. ayatollah khomeini did not have if you like the. he had the view that islam was everything and individual rights very often had to be uprseded to the. so i think in that respect they were very, very fundamentally different. but there are some striking parallels, and one of the interesting parallels that both of these men were misfits. in some ways they were very unusual in their religious beliefs. john paul ii had an intense mystical relationship to christ and the virgin mary. he was not your ordinary, your ordinary priest. his beliefs went off to some really amazing and unconventional realms. ayatollah khomeini was also a practitioner of mystical the police, sort of things along the lines that we call suffuse him in sunni islam. and there were many o

what strikes you as fresh with pope john paul ii? >> guest: the thing that strikes me as the way that the polls have talked and have described the impact that he had on them. not just the private and the polish pope and in 1978 they were extremely happy about that needless to say and the kremlin was extremely worried about it. but i think that it has a great deal to do with the special quality to john paul ii. he was one of the most brilliant men to become the pope, but many, many languages. he knew -- he had to dr. it's a pity that he was an incredible figure. and he combined the intellect with a very easy charismatic. he disperses with them and attended the confirmation for their children and was the kind of guy that he was. i think that played a big role but the other thing the was the most interesting when i came back and looked at the story again was the way that the pope's played. when the pope arrived in 1979, the communist state basically said this is your show we aren't going to get involved in this. they rose to the tosk wi

take john paul ii, he rallied the polish people against the soviet union. he said communism was wrong. there was some and be on this. there was a god and we were his children. by speaking the truth, he electrified the polish nation, 36 million strong. not with a promise of wealth but a simple call, do not be afraid. he showed solidarity with the polish people and he freed them from fear. pope benedict the 16th warned us about another danger. i remember this, he called the dictatorship of relativism. the belief that there is no right or wrong. and the truth is self-confident and self-sustaining. it snuffs it out. it burns books and censors the press. as saint thomas aquinas wrote, all men are forced to give to reason. just as his predecessor freed poland from fear, benedict taught us how to protect the world from falsehood. these popes showed solidarity with the oppressed and now, today, pope francis is showing solidarity with the poor, as the church has done for 2000 years. he is breathing new life into the fight into poverty. he has a chance to lift this d

. >> ok, quiz question now -- what do winston churchill and pope john paul ii have in common? well, they are previous winners of the charlemagne prize. >> the prize is awarded each year to a leader who has made a contribution to european unity. this year's winner is the president of lithuania. >> sheet is a former eu commissioner who has led her country through a tough austerity program, and today, at the prize giving, she had a lot to say about europe's current crisis. >> the charlemagne medal was bestowed in recognition of her efforts to advance european integration. as the eu's finance commissioner, hard drive to increase competitiveness helped bolster economic confidence in europe. >> let us not be afraid to make difficult decisions. challenges may be we'd greater than less, but how we deal with them is how we measure crisis. so thank you, and i would like to ask your permission to dedicate this award to people of lithuania. >> she's been credited with rescuing the lithuanian economy through her stick -- strict austerity measures. the european parliament president pays tri

john paul ii who goes around the world and in apostle countries preaching peace and love and unity and i think we need more holy men preaching the same thing. >> i believe marge we've got about a minute here. fire away. >> i was just going to say i think that all the world religions seem to have three basic things, achieve salvation, do good, avoid evil and the things that are different about them are the things that come down from the dogma, manmade maybe, maybe heaven inspired, may be myth man made. those are the things that differentiate most religions i think. >> and i think we've touched on that throughout the class and believe or not we are down to our last minute here. but i mean that's such a key point that we've seen as we've gone through this, that yes religions have ideals and unity and love and peace and these are qualities that we need to work for, it's hard to pull out of the mud and the muck of culture. so, but well -- [inaudible] well, on that note, why don't we toast to a good future here. [applause] as we are rolling down here, thank you to the crew, the wonderful cre

pope john paul ii made his visit to poland.he soviets invaded afghanistan and hard liner took control in iran where ayatollah khomeini led the revolution. the new book, strange rebels, 1979 and the birth of the 21st century reveals how these five developments shaped the religious, economic world. and that paradigm rebuts the conventional story that the fall of communism in '89 marked the end of history. in the guest spot today, thank you for being here. >> thank you for inviting me. >> i want to start with your section on iran. you basically argue that everything we deal with in iran started in 1979. and you say specifically, that iranian revolution and the type of constitutional system that was created was institutionalized chaos. it was forced to contend and w and the executive power held by the religious leader. has that shifted at all or is any negotiation with iran ultimately always a negotiation with the hard line religious overseer of the punitive democracy there? whenever it is in doubt, the hard line religious leaders,

long tradition of our church hierarchy speaking out on behalf of workers starting in the 1890s, john paul iiat's different about pope francis and what's exciting for progressive catholics like me is that he's standing on the side of the poor and he's wearing sensible shoes to stand in. he's walking the walk. and you know, he said he wants a poor church for the poor and i think that progressive catholics like myself would add we want a just church for justice seekers. we're excited that he's looking at justice in the world and speaking out so passionately and fervently about it. we're hoping that he looks at justice within our church, too. >> there are 136 house members who are catholic, 27 senators who are catholic. that's a pretty good percentage, kate. i've had members of congress and others say to me we need to get priests, we need to get ministers speaking from the pulpit about this as a moral imperative. could that make a difference? >> absolutely. don't forget about nuns on the bus. they were all all last fall talking about moral budget priorities, when we can use more bishops, more pr

john paul ii talked about not only catholics but none catholics that came to love.e feminine genius, able to multi-task and wonderful intuition. and he talked about it as the ability to love in a very special way. he said you can even see as a woman in her own body there is room for another, room for another. that is what we're all called to live to have in our heart for room for another. mothers in a special way are god like, are godly because they have room for another. that is why i love my mom so much. >> clayton: something that moms do, sometimes we become selfish but my wife had our children, it's like a biological innateness to be selfless. men don't necessarily understand that but women have a natural ability to be selfless and loving. >> simply in front of your wife, you struggle but you get to it. >> i hope to be there. she is an inspiration. >> you are absolutely right. that selflessness, i'm going to live for another. there is a picture of my mom. i'm not sure if it is here with my niece. that is my niece should her first communion i was not there. [ lau

take john paul ii, he rallied the polish people against the seven union. said communism was wrong. there was some and be on this. there was a god and we were his children. by speaking the truth, he electrified the polish nation, 36 million strong. not with a promise of wealth but a simple call, do not be afraid. he showed solidarity with the polish people and he freed them from fear. pope benedict the 16th warned us about another danger. i remember this, he called the dictatorship of relativism. the belief that there is no right or wrong. and the truth is self-confident and self-sustaining. it snuffs it out. it burns books and censors the press. as saint thomas aquinas wrote, all men are forced to give to reason. just as his predecessor freed poland from fear, benedict taught us how to protect the world from falsehood. these popes showed solidarity with the oppressed and now, today, pope francis is showing solidarity with the poor, as the church has done for 2000 years. he is breathing new life into the fight into poverty. he has a chance to lift this dial

pro tempore: the prayer will be offered by the guest chaplain, reverend william gurnie, blessed john paul ii seminary, washington, d.c. the chaplain: let us pray. gracious lord, as we approach the day of remembrance for the fallen heroes of our country, we take the opportunity give thanks for each and every one of them. we recall their heroic sacrifice, and we ask that you shine the perpetual light of mercy on their shoulds. our gratitude and our sympathy are directed as well to the families who helped shoulder the burden of service and grieve the loss of their loved ones. may the time soon come when such sacrifices are no longer necessary. god of heaven, we implore your blessings upon the house of representatives today and every day. may those who serve in this body continue to do so with honor, patience, and a genuine care for all members. give them wisdom, give them joy in their office, and give them the lasting memory that they have served their country well. we ask all these things in your holy name, amen. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to section 3a of house resolution 232, the jour