In his address to the Queen at the Palace of Holyroodhouse the pope praised Britain's rich Christian history but warned of "the sobering lessons of the atheist extremism of the 20th century", and urged "respect for those traditional values and cultural expressions that more aggressive forms of secularism no longer value or even tolerate"......
And so the pope has declared war on atheists. I fear this may be a very big mistake not only for himself and the Catholic church but for the immediate future of Christianity within the UK.
To begin with, he has inexplicably blamed atheism for the Nazis and therefore also the Holocaust! Nazi Germany was a Catholic country, Hitler was himself a Catholic, he was schooled in a Catholic school. A German soldier was just as likely to wear a cross as any other soldier.This idea of 'the atheist extremism of the 20th Century' is a stupid, ignorant one. I have never heard atheism being raised as the cause of WWII, ever!
In this country we believe in people's freedom to pray and worship whoever they want-God, Allah,Buddha, Jedi...whoever/whatever!
We also believe in people's freedom NOT TO believe. To come to this country and single those people out for insult, and to state that having no god is equal to having no values is simply outrageous.
Atheists have no Values?! Who the fuck is he to come and spread this kind of poisonous vitriol?I believe this statement and whatever other tosh this idiot sprouts over the next few days, will draw battle lines that weren't there before.
The pope also told his own flock, you cannot have a 'pick and mix' view of morality.His stance is clear-nothing will change. Abortion, divorce and contraception are still as wrong as they have ever been. I wonder if he is aware of the numbers attending mass in 2010? How many of those practising catholics follow the church line?
Just as I would protest if a Rabbi came here and said that Islam is wrong, or if an Imam claimed that Buddhism is the devil's work-the pope cannot come here with his 'aggressive' bigotry and messages of intolerance.
'Aggressive' atheism, which in reality has only been 'indifferent' or 'apathetic' until now, will now wake up after being kicked. Most atheists have been happy until now to quietly carry on 'not believing'.
Morality has always been associated with the belief in a god.It is time to break that nonsensical link. Godliness is not fucking goodliness, or cleanliness.The one has nothing to do with the other! It is absolutely possible for a godless person to be good and to do good.
I, for one believe that atheism should have the same standing as any other 'religious' belief, and we need to 'aggressively' protect that right, just as we protect the right to believe in a god(s).
Chris Mercer 16.09.10
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/sep/16/papal-visit-linking-godless-lack-values-wrong
You are certainly not alone:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/sep/15/harsh-judgments-on-pope-religion