Letters: Feb. 16, 1998

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CLASH OF FAITHS

That was a poor comparison you made between Castro and the Pope. History proves that faith remains while ideology fades and dies. MOSES ANOH EKRA Montreal

Pope John Paul II and Cuba's Fidel Castro are a harmony of opposites--the statesman and the politician [WORLD, Jan. 26]. They have placed in view their respective dogmas, which are in collision. Both claim commitment to social justice in a world at peace. The Pope relies on engagement and evangelization to propagate his religious faith. Castro resorts to oppression to impose policy. JOHN J. KARAKASH Bethlehem, Pa.

The American embargo of Cuba is passe. The U.S. should be sending volunteers to work with the Cubans and help them lead normal lives. One may agree or not with the Pope's religious doctrine, but as a world leader John Paul II should no more be compared to Castro than Churchill should be compared to Mussolini. RALPH E. WALTER Munich

Castro has failed in every objective he has set for himself and the country he governs. You said he is smart and charismatic. However, it is difficult to correlate those things with his denial to 11 million people of the most basic human rights. The only explanation for Castro's behavior is his overriding need to stay in power. The Pope's willingness to meet with the symbol of everything he opposes to improve the lot of his flock is a clear indicator of his true leadership and greatness. John Paul II knows that in the end his view will prevail. JORGE E. RODRIGUEZ Lexington, Mass.

If Richard Nixon could go to China, then Bill Clinton can bring the voice of democracy to Cuba. MARCIA ABAD-RONKA Calabasas Park, Calif.

Your fawning coverage of Castro might have been understandable in 1959, but not after a 39-year dictatorship remarkable only for its brutality. TIME has helped perpetuate the suffering of the Cuban people. But the Pope has demanded freedom and justice for the Cubans. The flame of Christ's love has been lighted in their hearts, never again to be blown out by evil. GEORGE J. FOWLER III, Director Cuban American National Foundation New Orleans

Putting "their faiths to the test" might be an appropriate comparison in the religious realm but hardly in the secular vs. the religious. Castro and Marxism have failed miserably, a demonstrable fact. I am a believer in an omniscient and loving God, as is John Paul II, but I can't prove I'm right. Nor can the Pope--that's faith. And as you pointed out, "the Catholic Church will survive the death of the 264th Pope," while few believe the Cuban revolution will outlive Castro. ROBERT F. MORAN Methuen, Mass.

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