Comments on: Please God, send more atheists

By: Ian Poulton

Ian Poulton — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 22:15:25 +0000

Not that any of it makes any difference. Until democratic states realize diplomatic recognition of the Vatican is an anachronism in the 21st Century, nothing is going to change. I once met a nun who prayed each day the Pope would become a Christian; I thought she was joking but came to realize she was deadly serious.

By: goodnightgram

goodnightgram — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 15:29:36 +0000

Ian, Spot on assessment of the papal corporate memo!!

By: Ian Poulton

Ian Poulton — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 11:43:15 +0000

The Anglican way, KV, – people must decide for themselves; no bulls, encyclicals or dogmatic pronouncements.

By: kerryview

kerryview — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 11:34:32 +0000

always the rhetorical question….:)

By: Ian Poulton

Ian Poulton — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 14:13:46 +0000

Not much acknowledgment of the fact that it was a systemic problem arising from the nature of the organisation itself: secrecy and dominance are hardly conducive to the building of a healthy church.

By: goodnightgram

goodnightgram — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 13:41:17 +0000

Ian, the full text of the Pope’s letter has been released – just an hour ago. I have it up on my blog in case you’re interested.

By: Ian Poulton

Ian Poulton — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 12:44:55 +0000

KV,

If one had to choose between the dogmatics of Joseph Ratzinger and the gentleness of Moishe, would there be much competition?

By: kerryview

kerryview — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 12:26:25 +0000

Apart from the dodgy logic in the Moishe tale, are you intimating that you may be a Moishe? This undercurrent of quiet dissatisfaction seems to be growing within the ranks. Taken together with the Roman problem, may we be witnessing some major change in the institutional churches? Major change at a glacial pace, but change.
I speak as an atheist who has never studied Native American Religion, so my opinion may be suspect.

By: goodnightgram

goodnightgram — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 12:18:28 +0000

Ian, don’t you think that’s been the case all over the world though? I do. Subjugation, obstruction, etc. Some who spoke out were transferred to military chaplaincy training. Victims who spoke out were coerced into silence. Newspapers were controlled by the corporation. I worry about the people, too, but we have to teach them to be there for each other. If we teach them that someone else will take care of them, we encourage the proliferation of the dependency that fosterd the abuse in the first place.

By: Ian Poulton

Ian Poulton — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 22:43:02 +0000

The situation here endured for so long because of the subjugation of the Irish state by the Hierarchy. Even when Gardai tried to take action, they came up against obstruction from superiors.