Sunday, October 12, 2003
Thank God I'm not Catholic.
And even Panorama is copying me now. They've just shown a programme on contraception and the catholic church. The church was not cast in a favourable light. Other than claiming that contraception is an apartheid-like folly, the catholic church claims condoms are unsafe and dangerous, and their presence would encourage promiscuous behaviour, and due to them being a sieve would increase infection rates of HIV. Sheesh, how damaging and delusional do these guys want to be? And what is their response when challenged on statements like this? To contradict the WHO, to threaten to oust politicians asking for freedom of information and choice. What ever happened to the separation of church and state? The Vatican, being a country even gets an equal right to act at the UN. This church is selfish and self-indulgent, arrogant and condescending. It is a threat to democracy, to communication, to knowledge, to tolerance. It is dishonest.
And one has a suspicion that the Roman Catholic church has one overriding reason for this approach. Why is all life sacred? Because Catholics beget Catholics, the children of Catholics are yet more Catholics. Why bother converting others when you can grow your own? Even if they are malnourished products of violent incest, and infected with a terminal disease.
And how can this foolishness be abated? Wait for him to die. He is the pontiff, the bridge between man and God, the highest individual in the organisation. He is old, he, like Prime Ministers, is not for turning, he is ailing, which given it's been a few hundred years since the last papal abdication does not bode well. Popes are popes till they die. The only escape from this scenario is by the age old tradition of all hierarchical institutions. Sometimes "over my dead body" is the only way [but over how many other people's as well?]. And even then progress is not guaranteed, pupils repeat the words of their master. Most of the church is not liberal, and the selection demands consensus. Though hopefully it won't be the same as it ever was.
Roman Catholicism - the world's greatest producer of Protestants.
Anyhoo, 'tis gone midnight, and I ought to be in bed.
And even Panorama is copying me now. They've just shown a programme on contraception and the catholic church. The church was not cast in a favourable light. Other than claiming that contraception is an apartheid-like folly, the catholic church claims condoms are unsafe and dangerous, and their presence would encourage promiscuous behaviour, and due to them being a sieve would increase infection rates of HIV. Sheesh, how damaging and delusional do these guys want to be? And what is their response when challenged on statements like this? To contradict the WHO, to threaten to oust politicians asking for freedom of information and choice. What ever happened to the separation of church and state? The Vatican, being a country even gets an equal right to act at the UN. This church is selfish and self-indulgent, arrogant and condescending. It is a threat to democracy, to communication, to knowledge, to tolerance. It is dishonest.
And one has a suspicion that the Roman Catholic church has one overriding reason for this approach. Why is all life sacred? Because Catholics beget Catholics, the children of Catholics are yet more Catholics. Why bother converting others when you can grow your own? Even if they are malnourished products of violent incest, and infected with a terminal disease.
And how can this foolishness be abated? Wait for him to die. He is the pontiff, the bridge between man and God, the highest individual in the organisation. He is old, he, like Prime Ministers, is not for turning, he is ailing, which given it's been a few hundred years since the last papal abdication does not bode well. Popes are popes till they die. The only escape from this scenario is by the age old tradition of all hierarchical institutions. Sometimes "over my dead body" is the only way [but over how many other people's as well?]. And even then progress is not guaranteed, pupils repeat the words of their master. Most of the church is not liberal, and the selection demands consensus. Though hopefully it won't be the same as it ever was.
Roman Catholicism - the world's greatest producer of Protestants.
Anyhoo, 'tis gone midnight, and I ought to be in bed.
