Pope Ratz says he's at war with "atheist extremism" and "aggressive secularism"

[marmar]

from the Guardian UK:




Benedict XVI used the first papal state visit to Britain today to launch a blistering attack on "atheist extremism" and "aggressive secularism", and to rue the damage that "the exclusion of God, religion and virtue from public life" had done in the last century.

The leader of the Roman Catholic church concluded a speech, made before the Queen and assembled dignitaries at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, with the argument that the Nazi desire to eradicate God had led to the Holocaust and a plea for 21st-century Britain to respect its Christian foundations.

"Today, the United Kingdom strives to be a modern and multicultural society," he said. "In this challenging enterprise, may it always maintain its respect for those traditional values and cultural expressions that more aggressive forms of secularism no longer value or even tolerate. Let it not obscure the Christian foundation that underpins its freedoms; and may that patrimony, which has always served the nation well, constantly inform the example your government and people set before the two billion members of the Commonwealth and the great family of English-speaking nations throughout the world."

The pontiff's speech set the wide-ranging tone for his four-day visit: despite attacking atheism, he paid tribute to the UK's historic achievements and offered "a hand of friendship" to all its people.

After touring the streets of the Scottish capital, which were lined with 125,000 people, and having lunch with Cardinal Keith O'Brien, the leader of the Roman Catholic church in Scotland, the pope travelled to Glasgow where, beneath a cloudless blue sky, he celebrated mass in front of a congregation of around 60,000 in Bellahouston Park. ...........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/sep/16/pope-benedict-xvi-atheist-extremism

[n2doc]

1. Sounds as nutty as the Taliban n/t

[Donald Ian Rankin]

14. Yes, the way he goes around stoning adulterers and throwing acid at schoolgirls is striking.

N.T.

[Cronus Protagonist]

2. Actual sign on the streets of Edinburgh

Is that the Popemobile in the background??



They like to pretend there's no protests, but there are.

[kratos12]

6. In other news the "Bigfoot is real" community opposes radical

"fact based science" and "extreme common sense" calling them existential threats to their beliefs.

[martymar64]

15. The pope is coming . . . .

all over that kid in the sign.

Fuck Ratzo, he should quit shielding pedophile priests.

[KILL THE WISE ONE]

3. great way to bring back the "lost sheep"

what happened to attracting converts by your example how to live a good and loving life?

[LiberalAndProud]

4. The pope converted me.

I am now an atheist. Truth.

[Arugula Latte]

13. I am sending you a toaster.

Welcome! :toast:

[LiberalAndProud]

23. Thanks, maybe you should send it to the pope instead.

He is a dispicable human being. I do credit him with provoking me to examine my own faith in light of the faith of his followers. It was an uncomfortable time, though enlightening.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

5. Went to Britain, the most athetist country in the world, to compare atheists to nazis.

Never minding that the Nazis were catholics and, incidentally, he was a Nazi too.

[Ignis]

7. Hell, we're at war and we didn't know it...and we're STILL winning.

I'd call that a +1 for our side, Pope Rat. :nopity:

[madokie]

8. All I've got to say to ratzo is bring it on big boy

I was raised in the southern Baptist church so I know a thing or two about that kind of religion. Due to what I learned in church is why I'm a non believer today too. I'm happy as a non-religious person and will never go back to the church ways.

[Warpy]

9. "Back into the closet, you amoral apostates, or we'll bring back the rack

and the strappado to change your minds!"

Yeah, that's about the amount of high moral ground that man commands.

[Odin2005]

10. Fuck you, Ratzo!

[old mark]

11. He is the CEO of a large corporation and they are not getting their accustomed

cash flow from certain countries, thus the war on athiests.

mark

[Arugula Latte]

12. Can't have an outbreak of rational thought, now, can we?

:eyes:

He can go fuck himself.

[6000eliot]

16. Can he spare some ire for the child molesters he protected?

I think not. Fuck off, Ratz.

[ingac70]

17. Doesn't he have some altar boys to molest? n/t

[enuegii]

18. He seems to have forgotten about the Wehrmacht's

obviously atheist slogan "Gott mit Uns" on their belt buckles during World War II. Oh, wait: he wasn't in the Wehrmacht-- he was in the Hitler Youth. I guess he was in the special non-atheist brigade.

Maybe he remembers this, though?

[msanthrope]

32. "He who serves Adolf Hitler, the Führer, serves Germany, and whoever serves Germany, serves God."

Hitler Youth Leader Baldur von Schirach

Of course, let us not forget the oath, taken before his god, upon entering the Jugen....

Jungvolk Oath

"In the presence of this blood banner which represents our Führer, I swear to devote all my energies and my strength to the savior of our country, Adolf Hitler. I am willing and ready to give up my life for him, so help me God."

[mitchum]

19. I didn't know that the UK allowed NAZIS to enter the place

[MineralMan]

20. Sad, confused old man.

Let's look at atheists: No central organization. No places for large numbers to meet. No city-state. No control of fellow atheists.

Now, let's look at the Roman Catholic Church: Strong central organization. Ruled by a single individual with unlimited power to define doctrine. Pope protected by armed guards. Large city-state with vast wealth. Meets with heads of state. Has thousands of gathering places where people worship according to the dictates of the Pope. Uses hand signals to identify fellow members.

Which one more closely resembles Nazi Germany? I don't think it's the atheists. No, I don't. I also don't think the RCC is a Nazi organization. I do think, however, that the Pope is a sad, confused old man, presiding over a dying organization and not at all in control of it any longer. He lives in denial. Sad end to a long history.

[sendero]

21. I'm at war with pedophiles...

... and imperialists. Go figure.

[KakistocracyHater]

22. strange, the Brits during W2, making fun of the Nazi's, said got mittens

because the Nazis claimed God was on THEIR side. This nasty man also went to Africa & lied to the people there when he said condoms don't prevent HIV or cervical cancer at all; wherever he goes he seeks to spread disease, diviseness, & delusions.

[ChimpersMcSmirkers]

24. As a recovering ex-Catholic I'll just say that I don't like this guy.

[BrklynLiberal]

25. I heard he was very shocked to hear about the priestly pedophilia...shocked, he was....shocked.

when he heard about it 40 or 50 years ago.

[RagAss]

26. You can't make this fucking shit up !!!!!

[Canuckistanian]

27. Spoken like a true extremist himself

This new Pope seems to be going out of his way to alienate and piss off as many people as possible.

He should be fired.

[Taverner]

28. He's at war with me then

Bring it!

[L0oniX]

29. I guess Beck, Limpballz and OLiely are making Ratboy jealous of all the attention they get.

Why does anyone care what that fuck head thinks or says? WTF

[PassingFair]

30. Over 50% of Scots claim to be "non-religious"

He's not exactly "preaching to the choir" there.

LOL..


ALL of my Scottish relatives are atheists, it
surprised me when I found out...I thought it
was just us diaspora folk on this side of the pond!

[mindwalker_i]

31. Shit, now I'm going to have to become an atheist extremist

What are some things that I should do in my new-found extremism-ism? Hmmm, I could paint churches plaid. I could illustrate the bible. Do I need to be millitant?

[cemaphonic]

33. Wasn't there a significant part of Britain's "Christian Foundations" that involve hating the Pope

and branding practicing Catholics traitors?

It amazes me that someone politically savvy enough to get elected as Pope is so tone-deaf when talking to the public.

[struggle4progress]

34. That might be a natural point-of-view, considering that he grew up in Nazi Germany

and that the first step the Nazis took to smash the power of the Catholic opposition parties was to demand that the churches stay out of politics

Benedict certainly isn't my favorite pope: I disagree with him about almost everything. And I don't think anybody else is required to agree with him either. But the noisy ignorant sneering is rather cheap and easy, and I don't think anybody really learns anything from it

[marmar]

37. Then perhaps he should stop saying noisily ignorant things.

nt

[Arugula Latte]

38. "Noisy ignorant sneering" is coming from the Pope.

[Warren DeMontague]

35. Translation: Atheists should shut up and go away. Says the guy who protects child molesters.

Fuck you, dude.

[old mark]

36. Fuck you, Ratzo-go back where you came from. nt