Popes visit to the United Kingdom

[Jetboogieman]

BBC News - Papal visit: Pope offers 'hand of friendship' to UK

Pope Benedict has said he wants to "extend the hand of friendship" to the whole of the UK during his visit.

He also urged the UK to resist "more aggressive forms of secularism" after being welcomed by the Queen at Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh.

Tens of thousands of people cheered and waved flags as he travelled through the city centre in the Popemobile, although small protests also took place.

The Pope is now heading to Glasgow for an open-air Mass starting at 1730 BST.

Excuse me?

What is classed as an "agressive form of secularism"?

Sorry, we're not gonna ban condoms cause you say so...

BBC News - Pope speech compares atheist 'extremism' with Nazism

The Pope has compared "atheist extremism" to the Nazi tyranny of WWII in a speech given in Edinburgh as he begins a four-day visit to the UK.

The pontiff praised Britain's fight against the Nazis - who "wished to eradicate God" - before relating it to modern day "atheist extremism".

Afterwards his spokesman Federico Lombardi said: "I think the Pope knows rather well what the Nazi ideology is".

Humanists have said the comments were a "terrible libel" against non-believers.

Now.

As an Athiest (and a jedi ) I have no doubts in my mind, there are idiots out there that want all religion eradicated...

HOWEVER... To compare those 2 things, when religious people are still a vast, and widespread majority on planet Earth, is as misguided as it is downright stupid.

 

[Your Star]

Personally, I think the Pope should be arrested, and charged with protecting child molesters from the law. But, what you gonna do?

 

[Arcana XV]

Heh. What else did you expect him to say? His church is losing members left and right all over Europe and those who still call themselves Catholic live their lives in a way that is so far removed from Catholic doctrine they might as well be atheists. And this is true for all religions except Islam. He's just afraid his cult will soon become totally irrelevant.

 

[Orion]

Heh. What else did you expect him to say? His church is losing members left and right all over Europe and those who still call themselves Catholic live their lives in a way that is so far removed from Catholic doctrine they might as well be atheists. And this is true for all religions except Islam. He's just afraid his cult will soon become totally irrelevant.

I don't know... I think the Church still has a huge following, even if many have dropped out. The child abuse scandals really culled the herd, but a lot remain and faithfully defend the Pope and his order. I just find his comments about secularism outrageous. He gets welcomed in Britain as if he is the leader of a country when he isn't, and $30 million in tax money gets spent on his visit.

I'll never understand.

 

[Arcana XV]

I don't know... I think the Church still has a huge following, even if many have dropped out. The child abuse scandals really culled the herd, but a lot remain and faithfully defend the Pope and his order. I just find his comments about secularism outrageous. He gets welcomed in Britain as if he is the leader of a country when he isn't, and $30 million in tax money gets spent on his visit.

I'll never understand.

Actually is IS a head of state. Vatican City is as much a country as Andorra, Monaco or San Marino are. Tiny, but still its own little country. The church still has a huge following, yes, in Europe, but mostly in other parts of the world. What he needs to accept is that European Catholics are increasingly more and more secular and take stuff like abortion and birth control for granted. We're also very liberal socially and neither homosexuality, nor sex out of wedlock are a problem even in traditionally ultra-Catholic countries like Spain. Nothing he says will ever change this. He needs to get with the times.

 

[Jetboogieman]

Actually is IS a head of state. Vatican City is as much a country as Andorra, Monaco or San Marino are. Tiny, but still its own little country. The church still has a huge following, yes, in Europe, but mostly in other parts of the world. What he needs to accept is that European Catholics are increasingly more and more secular and take stuff like abortion and birth control for granted. We're also very liberal socially and neither homosexuality, nor sex out of wedlock are a problem even in traditionally ultra-Catholic countries like Spain. Nothing he says will ever change this. He needs to get with the times.

If there is to be a great Catholic Social Upheavel (I.E. one that comes from the Vatican)

This pope won't be the one to do it...

 

[Hyena]

This man is comparing atheism with Nazism? Is he fool or what?

 

[Josie]

I've never understood why people look to the pope for their answers as if He is somehow the mortal link to God. He's a leader appointed by men who isn't divine or sinless.