just to clear some things ... I don't feel offended for my religion or my country or other : I think that the first rule to apply in all the things is the respect : if I, as a traveler, am visiting a country that I don't know and whose story I know only very partially and want to speak about it the first thing I MUST do is get deeper and complete info.
Superficial impressions and opinions can have value only for superficial and conceited persons who want to appear wiser and more learned and clever than they really are, and, to avoid criticisms normally say their vision was "humorous" : very poor taste !!
My opinion is that we have, here, absolutely gratuitous sarcasm and I still don't understand why

Bruno_Tibet wrote:Bob, I read again the paragraph, and only found two words, "ridiculous" and "hoax", reflecting the author's opinion, and being potentially "offensive". All the rest stated in the paragraph are undisputed facts.

Bruno, no one disputes the facts. It's the tone that some find offensive.

Personally, the trip report does not offend me even though I was raised Catholic, and I think a lot of it is funny. I no longer attend church, and I have a generally negative view of organized religion. But I can still see why some people are offended, and I still think the timing of the submission wasn't good.

Cheers.

I don't feel offended either, just the opposite, I had a good laugh quite a few times reading it. It also contains some observations that may be useful for a European highpointer - I ocassionally bag European country highpoints when I come near any of them, so thanks Wolfgang! It just in places becomes a political tirade, which I don't think is a purpose of this website, but to each their own...

It's a funny ass Trip Report! He's going through all these crazy shenanigans just to stand atop a tiny knoll in the Vatican because it's the highest point. If anything, it's a perfect example of how ridiculous the activity of highpointing can get. I frankly don't see what people are getting offended about. Is it the fact he's illegally sleuthing around the grounds of the Vatican? Is it because he posted this a week before Xmas? I don't really understand why everyone is getting worked up about this.

McCannster wrote: I don't really understand why everyone is getting worked up about this.

It's the Nature of the human beast to get upset when these things appear in the Forum. Not for all, but for some..

Speaking of beasts, I wonder if it's time to throw another Yule log on the barbie, before Global Warming sets in ...?

What about a tune to lighten up this thread?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3f72CTDe4-0[/youtube]

I wonder how long something like this would remain posted here if, instead of the Vatican and Catholicism, it was about Jerusalem and Judaism or Islam?

Buz Groshong wrote:I wonder how long something like this would remain posted here if, instead of the Vatican and Catholicism, it was about Jerusalem and Judaism or Islam?

Very good thought...

I guess we all know the answer.

Yes - I object as well against reports like this. First and foremost, because it goes so much into off-topic subjects that the actual "summit" falls rather into "Oh, and by the way, I went up something". Second of all, the remarks he put in about the Japanese, for instance, and "How far has Christendom sunk that it tolerates Tunisians and Chinese within the realm of His Highest Holiness!" are not only offensive, but have lost nothing, absolutely and categorically nothing, in a site created for the share of a common passion that is as international and world-open such as SummitPost!!
All this I wrote to Wolfgang, in several comments, telling him as well how impressed I was with other reports he wrote and how I wish he would stick to his very interesting and positively "non-mainstream" style without falling into disrespectful remarks upon other cultures, but it looks as if I've met upon deaf ears...

hansw wrote:What about a tune to lighten up this thread?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3f72CTDe4-0[/youtube]

Haha - good one hansw!!

lcarreau wrote:

McCannster wrote: I don't really understand why everyone is getting worked up about this.

It's the Nature of the human beast to get upset when these things appear in the Forum. Not for all, but for some..

Speaking of beasts, I wonder if it's time to throw another Yule log on the barbie, before Global Warming sets in ...?

I love pictures of polar bears like those three - but the poor penguin!!!!!!

EricChu wrote:I love pictures of polar bears like those three - but the poor penguin!!!!!!

The penguin is probably very tired after the swim from the Antarctic (where there are no polar bears), to the Arctic (where there are no penguins).

gabriele wrote:http://www.summitpost.org/view_object.php?object_id=685435&confirm_post=4

+1 Gabriele

EricChu wrote:All this I wrote to Wolfgang, in several comments, telling him as well how impressed I was with other reports he wrote and how I wish he would stick to his very interesting and positively "non-mainstream" style without falling into disrespectful remarks upon other cultures, but it looks as if I've met upon deaf ears...

... which tells you/us that it was done with utmost intention

and there is no such thing as bad publicity

gabriele wrote:http://www.summitpost.org/view_object.php?object_id=685435&confirm_post=4

Wow, thanks for sharing, I never would have read that report otherwise. What a great post by Wolfgang.