Vatican blames criticism of Pope on godless abortionists & gays

[MattusMaximus]

Just when you think they couldn't get any worse, the Vatican displays whole new levels of douche-baggery. Oh no, they don't have any responsibility for covering up decades of systematic child-rape - it's just all the godless abortionists & gays trying to smear the Pope...

Vatican blasts critics for anti-Catholic 'hate' campaign (http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2010-04-07-vatican06_ST_N.htm?csp=34)
The Vatican heatedly defended Pope Benedict XVI on Tuesday, claiming accusations that he helped cover up the actions of pedophile priests are part of an anti-Catholic "hate" campaign targeting the pope for his opposition to abortion and same-sex marriage.

Vatican Radio broadcast comments by two senior cardinals explaining "the motive for these attacks" on the pope and the Vatican newspaper chipped in with spirited comments from another top cardinal.

"The pope defends life and the family, based on marriage between a man and a woman, in a world in which powerful lobbies would like to impose a completely different" agenda, Spanish Cardinal Julian Herranz, head of the disciplinary commission for Holy See officials, said on the radio. ...

Message to the Vatican: Keep on digging that hole ever deeper, you bastards. More than anything, this indefensible holier-than-thou attitude is going to be the Vatican's undoing.

What scumbags :mad:

[Fiona]

Me! Pick me for a godless abortionist! I did not know that was why I was opposed to paedophilia, but I am not the most introspective person in the world. So now that I do know I can get to it with the more fervour!!

Any proponents of same sex marriage seeing more clearly now as well?

[Brainache]

The Pope is just lucky that none of those altar boys got pregnant. THAT would have been a miracle!

[Piscivore]

Me! Pick me for a godless abortionist! I did not know that was why I was opposed to paedophilia, but I am not the most introspective person in the world. So now that I do know I can get to it with the more fervour!!

Any proponents of same sex marriage seeing more clearly now as well?

Sign me up for GAGFAAPP, too. Godless And Gay-Friendly Abortionists Against Priestly Paedophilia, unite!

[Simon39759]

Yeah! Me too!
I can haz decoder ring?

[Fnord]

Why don't they blame the Christians, too?

[thaiboxerken]

The RCC, trying to prove that they are the world's largest hate group.

[MattusMaximus]

I see this also as a big time slap to thinking Catholics. If you're a devout, pro-life, anti-gay-marriage Catholic, can you imagine how insulting it is to have the Vatican equate you to those whom you consider on the opposite end of the moral spectrum, just because you want to have solid answers to questions of the Vatican covering-up child rape?

Wow, talk about being waaaaay out of touch...

[MattusMaximus]

Why don't they blame the Christians, too?

In essence, they have - by equating anyone who criticizes them to atheists, abortionists, gays, and "Catholic haters". See my previous post.

[Markus]

After this incident, I was really hoping that the Vatican would finally take some responsibility for these issues. Unfortunately, this doesn't seem to be the case. This isn't the worst way that they could have dealt with it, but this is still pretty bad. Perhaps they will come to their senses at some point in the future...

[Manopolus]

Has the pope converted to Scientology?

(added) as in, attack the attacker?

[Fnord]

In essence, they have - by equating anyone who criticizes them to atheists, abortionists, gays, and "Catholic haters". See my previous post.

So ... according to the Vatican, you are either a devout Roman Catholic who never questions or doubts the moral integrity of the church leadership, or you are an abortionist, an atheist and a homosexual.

I'll just go sit over here on the 'Group-W' bench, with all the mother-stabbing, father-raping litterbugs...

[Steelmage]

The Pope is just lucky that none of those altar boys got pregnant. THAT would have been a miracle!

I think they allow altar boys to abort their babies. ;)

Has the pope converted to Scientology?

(added) as in, attack the attacker?

I think (or at least under the impression) that the Catholic church has done this for centuries.

[Elizabeth I]

The RCC, trying to prove that they are the world's largest hate group.

Was there ever a question?

[The True Scotsman]

It all makes sense now! I can't believe I didn't see it before! Now I see why the Catholic church is so against gays and abortionists! Now I understand why the Catholic church is against condoms and birth control! It was right before my eyes all this time, but I didn't see it until now! Less children being born means less children for priests to rape. :P

[thaiboxerken]

Was there ever a question?

Not for me, but it appears they're really trying to prove it to the rest of the world.

[Maia]

My favorite quote in the entire article has got to the one from Bertone, the Vatican Secretary of State, responding to charges about a priest who raped 200 deaf children:

"Let's not talk about this topic now, because otherwise we'll be here all day verifying precisely the action taken by me and by his eminence."


:covereyes

Yep, that's the goodness and compassion of the church, right there.

[Shrike]

Sign me up for GAGFAAPP, too. Godless And Gay-Friendly Abortionists Against Priestly Paedophilia, unite!

Gagfap, has a nice ring to it.

[devnull]

where did the atheism come into it?

[Shrike]

where did the atheism come into it?

Tradition probably (RCC or anti-RCC-ists).

I would like to have seen this though:
It noted anti-Catholic graffiti on walls of a church outside Viterbo, a town near Rome, and reminded listeners that a bishop was attacked by a man during Easter Mass in Muenster, Germany. The bishop fought back with an incense bowl.
Ninja Priest!

[ponderingturtle]

My favorite quote in the entire article has got to the one from Bertone, the Vatican Secretary of State, responding to charges about a priest who raped 200 deaf children:

Hey what better way to make sure they would keep quiet? Seems like smart thinking on the Popes part.

[Safe-Keeper]

:dig:


My favorite quote in the entire article has got to the one from Bertone, the Vatican Secretary of State, responding to charges about a priest who raped 200 deaf children:
Question on this -- why do people keep stating that the kids were deaf, as if that makes the crime worse? Don't hearing children suffer as much from sexual abuse as deaf ones?

Is that problem that the kids unable to communicate that they'd been abused since they could only use sign language (though that seems very odd to me)?

[Fiona]

I think it just seems more calculated because the kids would have communication difficulties, Safe-Keeper. That may be an unwarranted assumption but it is strongly tempting to make it

[Eskarina]

WTF? Can't they agree on a party line, already? According to bishop Mixa of Germany it is the eeeeevil "Sexual Revolution" that is responsible.

[timhau]

Godless gay-friendly abortionists? What happened to the Jews who say...

http://lucasweatherby.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/kyle_broflovski_southpark.jpg

"Dude. You have sex with children."

[Helen]

I think the godless abortionists and the gays (wonder if they are one and the same? Godless gay abortionists) are behind the sexual revolution.

[Eskarina]

I think the godless abortionists and the gays (wonder if they are one and the same? Godless gay abortionists) are behind the sexual revolution.

Come to think of it, you're probably right. :boggled:

[Piscivore]

Godless gay-friendly abortionists? What happened to the Jews who say...

http://lucasweatherby.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/kyle_broflovski_southpark.jpg

"Dude. You have sex with children."

We at GAGFAAPP enthusiatically welcome our JWSDYHSWC brothers. Even if we cannot pronounce it.

[Chris Hegarty]

Can I be the gay atheist he's talking about? I want to be a cult hero.

This whole RCC situation gets progressively weirder every day. I think we had the Bishop of Tenerife saying that children who were sexually abused "wanted it (http://www.typicallyspanish.com/news/publish/article_14332.shtml)".

I think we should keep score of who the Church and its leaders are blaming everything upon:

1) gays/supporters
2) atheists
3) abortionists
4) raped children

[Safe-Keeper]

I think we should keep score of who the Church and its leaders are blaming everything upon:

1) gays/supporters
2) atheists
3) abortionists
4) raped children What were they wearing?

[Shrike]

:dig:

Question on this -- why do people keep stating that the kids were deaf, as if that makes the crime worse? Don't hearing children suffer as much from sexual abuse as deaf ones?

Is that problem that the kids unable to communicate that they'd been abused since they could only use sign language (though that seems very odd to me)?

Deaf children couldn't hear the priest coming. :D

[Morrigan]

http://www.exhorder.com/Exhorder+-+Slaughter+In+The+Vatican+-+Front%5B2%5D.jpg

Can we? Pleaaase?

[sadhatter]

I love how skeptics always get referred to as a hate group. But the more i hear it the more i realize they are right.

I hate child molesters.

I hate con artists.

and

I really hate people who help these people.

If that makes me part of a hate group, give me the starch and hood.

[George152]

I thought the Papacy was in Rome.
However it would seem they are are in Denial

[bignickel]

My favorite quote in the entire article has got to the one from Bertone, the Vatican Secretary of State, responding to charges about a priest who raped 200 deaf children:
"Let's not talk about this topic now, because otherwise we'll be here all day verifying precisely the action taken by me and by his eminence."

Ah, good old Bertone. Glad that guy is still keeping himself topical.

[Complexity]

Since the damned vatican seen fit to blame me for the criticism of their rat-in-a-hat, you can be sure that I will blast that twit every chance I get.

[fuelair]

Vatican blames criticism of Pope on godless abortionists & gays






Well, I criticize him and lower, I am godless, I support abortion and I am pretty happy most of the time!!! :D:D

[steve s]

My favorite quote in the entire article has got to the one from Bertone, the Vatican Secretary of State, responding to charges about a priest who raped 200 deaf children:



Somebody, possibly the same guy you quoted, dismissed those accusations as "petty gossip." The RCC has survived for 2000 years, and we're watching it implode in less than a single generation.

Steve S

[EeneyMinnieMoe]

That's funny. I'm not gay and I'm not an "abortionist" and not even fully pro-choice and I still think that the Pope helped cover up sex abuse.

[KoihimeNakamura]

http://forums.randi.org/imagehosting/thum_153434bbd5b724e8c1.jpg (http://forums.randi.org/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=19659)
"I think I'll need to ask you to sit in the pew over there."

[Elizabeth I]

Somebody, possibly the same guy you quoted, dismissed those accusations as "petty gossip." The RCC has survived for 2000 years, and we're watching it implode in less than a single generation.

Steve S

I'd like to believe that, but I don't know - they're pretty resilient.

[korenyx]

I guess feminists are counted as abortionists. I wouldn't want to miss my share of the blame. :D

[Chris Hegarty]

What were they wearing?

Probably those altar boy robes, which are so sexy, especially since they cover essentially the entire body. I mean, who could resist? Pimply and with low self-esteem, relying on a "father figure". It must be so difficult for the priests to resist their wiles.

/sarc off

I prefer scantily clad adult males. :D

[FreshHat]

Deaf children couldn't hear the priest coming. :D

...or approaching them, for that matter.

[wollery]

Deaf children couldn't hear the priest coming. :DNo, but I'm sure they felt it.






I'll get me coat.

[Complexity]

I guess feminists are counted as abortionists. I wouldn't want to miss my share of the blame. :D

Now everyone wants to jump on the atheist/gay/pro-choice bandwagon.

You are most welcome.

[ponderingturtle]

Probably those altar boy robes, which are so sexy, especially since they cover essentially the entire body. I mean, who could resist?

Hmm, I see a market for latex altar boy costumes...

[thaiboxerken]

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-april-7-2010/pope-opera

[Aitch]

Hmm, I see a market for latex altar boy costumes...

Not quite, but (http://www.ahmbay.info/pictures-4209-dirty_priest_costume.html)...

[Chris Hegarty]

Hmm, I see a market for latex altar boy costumes...

That would be a problem for many in my family; I have two cousins who are allergic to latex. Would sheepskin work?

But don't worry, guys, The Vatican's coming around. (http://www.theonion.com/articles/pope-vows-to-get-church-pedophilia-down-to-accepta,17201/)

[Polaris]

I guess feminists are counted as abortionists. I wouldn't want to miss my share of the blame. :D

I paid for an ex-girlfriend's morning-after pill once, so I think that ought to count. And I was once in the Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi while very drunk. Those are my credentials.

But I'm all for equal-opportunity Pope-bashing (preferrably with axe-handles and lengths of rebar).

[rjh01]

That would be a problem for many in my family; I have two cousins who are allergic to latex. Would sheepskin work?

But don't worry, guys, The Vatican's coming around. (http://www.theonion.com/articles/pope-vows-to-get-church-pedophilia-down-to-accepta,17201/)

I know this is a joke, but I think this would be an improvement over the current RC position of blame other groups.

[Safe-Keeper]

I know this is a joke, but I think this would be an improvement over the current RC position of blame other groups. It would.

[Darat]

Pope: Did I really say that.... (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8612457.stm)

[Brainache]

Pope: Did I really say that.... (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8612457.stm)

This part looks promising:
On Friday, the Vatican urged Catholic dioceses around the world to co-operate with police investigating sex abuse allegations against priests.

Father Lombardi acknowledged that the Church had lost public trust and said Church law could no longer be placed above civil laws if that trust were to be recovered.


Took them long enough to admit that they placed Church Laws above civil laws.

Still, the Pope is only offering "moral support" for the victims.

[Fnord]

... Took them long enough to admit that they placed Church Laws above civil laws...

Heck, they've placed the Church above criminal laws!

[Brainache]

Heck, they've placed the Church above criminal laws!

Well yeah, by civil laws I mean laws that relate to the civil institutions of the state rather than the internal rules of the God Bothering Club Of Rome.

[Beerina]

Vatican blames criticism of Pope on 1. godless 2. abortionists & 3. gays


He says it like these are bad things.

[Astreja]

Sign me up for GAGFAAPP, too. Godless And Gay-Friendly Abortionists Against Priestly Paedophilia, unite!

My cat RJ-45 was lounging in front of the monitor a few minutes ago. When she read that acronym, she started sneezing and making hairball-expectorating noises. It's a sign! (Of what, I have no idea...)

[MattusMaximus]

This part looks promising:

Hmmm... you'll have to pardon me if I'm not the least bit impressed. Over many years we've heard these lying, gutless bastards say many things. Talk is cheap.

Took them long enough to admit that they placed Church Laws above civil laws.

Still, the Pope is only offering "moral support" for the victims.

As I said, talk is cheap. I want to see action. Frog-marching a fair number of these lying priests & cardinals off to jail would be a good start.

[rjh01]

Vatican blames criticism of Pope on 1. godless 2. abortionists & 3. gays


He says it like these are bad things.


He just forgot to mention the Jews in that statement. They are just as guilty as the other three. Even better they are the traditional scapegoats.

[Fnord]

Vatican blames criticism of Pope on 1. godless 2. abortionists & 3. gays


He says it like these are bad things.

Yeah, but ... why should they get all the credit?

[Achán hiNidráne]

He just forgot to mention the Jews in that statement. They are just as guilty as the other three. Even better they are the traditional scapegoats.

Ever since the Holocaust, blatant Catholic antisemitism just doesn't seem as politic as it used to be. It would seem that the upper echelons of the RCC have realized the best way to get the public opinion of the Western turned against you is to bash the Jews--unless you're Pat Buchanan or Bill Donohue, of course. Then you get your own spot on TV chat shows.

No. it's much better to go after groups that are still pariah's in the public eye, especially when they are pariahs among those outside of the faith.

To paraphrase Tom Lehrer: "...and everybody hates the homosexuals, atheists, and gynecologists." OK, it doesn't fit the song, but its the best I can do on short notice.

[Achán hiNidráne]

Oh! Speaking of Tom Lehrer, I thought this was germane to the conversation:

3f72CTDe4-0

[Simon39759]

the song's lyricks (http://www.celebatheists.com/wiki/Tom_Lehrer) (and a super-short Q&A) can be found there.

[Achán hiNidráne]

the song's lyricks (http://www.celebatheists.com/wiki/Tom_Lehrer) (and a super-short Q&A) can be found there.

Q: So do you consider yourself an atheist or an agnostic?
A: No one is more dangerous than someone who thinks he has The Truth. To be an atheist is almost as arrogant as to be a fundamentalist. But then again, I can get pretty arrogant.
Q: Are you not a fan of organized religion in general and are you a "spiritual" person?
A: To say that I am not a "fan" of organized religion is putting it mildly. My feeling about even disorganized religion is summed up in James Taylor's immortal line in "Sweet Baby James": "Maybe you can believe it if it helps you to sleep." I have no desire to promote secular insomnia. As for being "spiritual," not in the New Age sense, certainly. I find enough mystery in mathematics to satisfy my spiritual needs. I think, for example, that pi is mysterious enough (don't get me started!) without having to worry about God. Or if pi isn't enough, how about fractals? or quantum mechanics?
I take it back. Lehrer can go **** himself.

[Simon39759]

Meh; he does commit the usual strong/weak atheism fallacious equivalence, but he is not the first one to do so.

[sleepy_lioness]

He just forgot to mention the Jews in that statement. They are just as guilty as the other three. Even better they are the traditional scapegoats.

They were just a bit slow, that's all. This oversight has now been corrected:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/apr/11/catholic-bishop-blames-jews

A website quoted Giacomo Babini, the emeritus bishop of Grosseto, as saying he believed a "Zionist attack" was behind the criticism, considering how "powerful and refined" the criticism is.

The comments, which have been denied by the bishop, follow a series of statements from Catholic churchmen alleging the existence of plots to weaken the church and Pope Benedict XVI.

Allegedly speaking to the Catholic website Pontifex, Babini, 81, was quoted as saying: "They do not want the church, they are its natural enemies. Deep down, historically speaking, the Jews are God killers."

[ponderingturtle]

That would be a problem for many in my family; I have two cousins who are allergic to latex. Would sheepskin work?

But don't worry, guys, The Vatican's coming around. (http://www.theonion.com/articles/pope-vows-to-get-church-pedophilia-down-to-accepta,17201/)

Just go vinyl or PVC.

[blobru]

---
...vatican radio broadcast comments by two senior cardinals explaining "the motive for these attacks" on the pope and the vatican newspaper chipped in with spirited comments from another top cardinal:

"the pope defends life and the family a long tradition of ecclesiastical pedophilia, based on marriage abuse between a man priest and a woman child, in a world in which powerful lobbies would like to impose a completely different agenda," spanish cardinal julian herranz, head of the disciplinary commission for holy see officials, said on the radio.---


ftfpbxvi :thumbsup:

[Helen]

I think it is deeply unfair to leave women out of this. After all, if we didn't keep giving birth to children, there wouldn't be any altar boys to molest. If we weren't so awfully unclean and sinful, maybe priests wouldn't have to stay away from us, and then they wouldn't have all those pent up desires to get rid of. If it weren't for women, there would be no abortions, either! And in a world without women, no one would be gay. Clearly everything is our fault.

So I think the vatican has behaved shamefully in forgetting about us. But then, they seem to do that all the time.

[Darth Rotor]

Just in case any of you were unaware, as most of you don't go to church, the Catholic Church has many altar servers who are female, at least in America. I think this is a post Vatican II development, and possibly common only within the last generation. Not sure how common this is outside of the U.S.

FWIW.

Also FWIW: about 60% of (practicing) Catholics in the US (or is it worldwide?) are female. I don't recall.

A nod to Helen on women's roles ...

FWIW: In the US southwest, Catholicism frequently is maintained by mothers, with fathers often absent from church, community, and faith in general. While there are various efforts within the RCC to try to correct that, like Catholicscomehome.com and such, the impact on the RCC is remarkable. From a friend who is studying to become a deacon, not sure where his stats come from, look at what happens in the RCC:

In families where both Mom and Dad go to church with their kids, and practice, to whatever degree their religious things as a family, about 80% of the offspring remain in the Church.

In families where Mom takes the kids to church, but Dad doesn't show up, or has left and isn't present, about 30% of the offspring remain within the Church.

Trying to lure men back into active participation is one strategy to resolve that, but I don't think it will work by itself.

The Pope and his policy makers need to take into account the fact that in some of the places where his religion has deep roots, the women of the RCC, the laity, are what is keeping it all together. A little respect where it's due would be in order. Hey, Pope, the ladies are carrying your load. You take them for granted at your, and your organization's, peril.

More to the point, as core regions once heavy in Catholicism see dwindling family size, within a generation the demographic squeeze will result in an utter lack of males entering the clergy. (Islam seems to have no such problem that I am aware of). Opening the clergy to women is one of the few ways out of this trap for the Vatican, if there is one.

How does one convince me, a father, that my son ought to join the clergy when the leadership cannot show me that it's policies are coherently applied, and trustworthy? Quite simply, it can't. Plus, he's my only son, so neither he nor my wife have ever encouraged such a career. (He isn't interested, anyway).

In any profession, for example the medical profession or among professional engineers, professional malfeasance is punished quite harshly, and with good reason. Where special trust and confidence is given, much is expected, and standards of behavior are raised. (We'll leave politicians aside for the moment ... ) The clergy make some noise about being a vocation, a profession that is a higher calling, and given the structure, special privilieges and confidence are granted to the clergy. (Though their pay isn't much, at the parish priest level).

As to criticism of the Pope, one need not be a homosexual, an abortionist, nor an atheist to criticize the Pope with some vigor, as well as the circle of advisers whom he consults before coming out with various pronouncements and policies.

I've commented in other threads on this issue, regarding "how you have treated the least of these is how you have treated me." The RCC leadership, the Magesterium, needs to come to terms with that, and then with the blatant lie (eighth commandment violation, a four minute major in hockey terms) involving various cover ups, before it goes looking outside the RCC with fingers a-pointing.

The Laity is, based on the people I've talked to over the past ten years on this topic, disgusted with the whole proceeding, isn't happy with the lack of accountability, and in some cases has voted with its feet.

Some turds cannot be polished. This is one of them.

("This" being the sexual molestation of youngsters by some of the clergy ... )

DR

[MG1962]

Just in case any of you were unaware, as most of you don't go to church, the Catholic Church has many altar servers who are female, at least in America. I think this is a post Vatican II development, and possibly common only within the last generation. Not sure how common this is outside of the U.S.

Yes also common in Australia and New Zealand

[Darat]

Just a note to defend the RC organisation from these allegations of misogyny, when it has the chance to be it is an equal opportunities abuser, http://www.childabusecommission.com/rpt/pdfs/

I've posted that in light hearted way hopefully so that it will stick in more people's minds, although we do hear more about the abuse of male children the fact is that when the RC organisation is not carefully monitored and controlled by bodies external to it, for example a state's government, time and time again it uses its power over people, especially those most vulnerable such as young children (of either sex) to abuse those people.

[Locknar]

Obviously, the Vatican has been busy with more pressing issues...such as:
In a tribute published to mark the 40th anniversary of the breakup of the band, who singer John Lennon once claimed were "more popular than Jesus," the Vatican newspaper "L'Osservatore Romano" said it had forgiven them and called them a "precious jewel."

But Starr told CNN: "Didn't the Vatican say we were satanic or possibly satanic -- and they've still forgiven us? I think the Vatican, they've got more to talk about than the Beatles."

Source: http://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/04/12/ringo.starr.vatican.beatles/index.html?hpt=C2

[Achán hiNidráne]

I spoke to so about the Vatican ignoring everyone's all-time favorite scapegoat: Bishop 'blames Jews' for criticism of Catholic church record on abuse (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/apr/11/catholic-bishop-blames-jews)

It looks like it's par for the course after all.

[Fnord]

Godless gay Jewish abortionists are getting way too much credit.

What about the rest of us?

[Tsukasa Buddha]

I've been hearing more and more that this is a "homosexuality" problem and that there is no correlation between celibacy and paedophilia but "some say" there is one between homosexuality and paedophilia. Of course, many of the cases were more of the pederast variety, but that's just too confusing.

[MattusMaximus]

I spoke to so about the Vatican ignoring everyone's all-time favorite scapegoat: Bishop 'blames Jews' for criticism of Catholic church record on abuse (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/apr/11/catholic-bishop-blames-jews)

It looks like it's par for the course after all.

http://forums.randi.org/imagehosting/thum_774749fe3d4290b22.jpg (http://forums.randi.org/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=16214)

:dig:

[MattusMaximus]

I've been hearing more and more that this is a "homosexuality" problem and that there is no correlation between celibacy and paedophilia but "some say" there is one between homosexuality and paedophilia. Of course, many of the cases were more of the pederast variety, but that's just too confusing.

Yup, you can bet your bottom dollar the Vatican, as well as various fundamentalist Protestant outlets, are going to try to gain a lot of traction with this one.