They say that in pubs you should never talk about religion or politics and it may be so in blogs but hey!
So Pope Benedict is on his way faced with the usual crap that Hawkins would never dare say to an Imam.
I'm not religious, I have belief, but I was brought up Catholic.
It's weird but I don't feel the same about Benedict that I did with JP2.
I was in Italy - to watch a rugby match - and myself and the wife inadvertently ended up in a Papal mass with a blessing with JP2. Though I am not religious I respected that man the same way I respected my old headmaster who married us.
However, religion is about politics or social order. Barrier protection was banned once it became effective - how do you create more believers if someone is wearing a sheaf?
Abortion arguments I can respect, anyone who has seen their child in a scan that is before the legal limit for abortion, must have had thoughts on the legitimacy of abortion.
But I digress. There has been huge amounts of criticism about Benedict and the priest kiddy fiddlers. However there is a major problem - doctrine
People are demanding that the Pope apologises about the sickening actions of his priests but there's a major sticking point.
Papal infallibility. The successors of Paul have infallibility - doctrine-wise they cannot apologise. It's pointless to demand it. The Pope cannot do wrong so cannot apologise.
Yes I know we all think he should, but doctrine and politics demands otherwise.
If that religion says its leader is infallible and that religion demands that stance, what makes the Pope so different from Imams and Rabbis that have also refused to condemn the evils committed in their religion?
Anyway here's XTC. Always loved the song and some of the sentiments:
BTW, don't know if Google ads will turn up but most amused by an advert for Christian Dating accompanying the vid on You Tube!