The pope

[sonicyouth]

Playing devils advocate in a way it is. Well a mental illness anyway. I mean you have to be mentally ill to kiddie fiddle don't you.

Depression is a mental illness, as is bipolar disorder, personality disorders, eating disorders etc... lumping paedophiles into that same bracket seems a bit harsh to me

[pauld]

You could make the same argument about murderers, rapists etc. They're criminals first and foremost, what led them to it is secondary and it just comes over as a shit excuse from a man who should be rather more apologetic about the horrendous role his Church played in covering it up

[sonicyouth]

Exactly. It's that whole nature versus nurture argument that has been rattling on forever.

[Batch]

You could make the same argument about murderers, rapists etc.

I guess you could.

a man who should be rather more apologetic about the horrendous role his Church played in covering it up

I think that's the bigger point.

[tans]

Thank fuck he's gone now.

Kids R safe

[tans]

[url width=512 height=288]http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/47989000/jpg/_47989769_pope.jpg[/url]

[url width=241 height=200]http://old.he-man.org/primary_sects/movie/images/gallery/skeletor3.jpg[/url]

Bit of a likeness

[Nemo]

I thought we'd already agreed he looks exactly like Palpatine off Star Wars?

Anyway, without wishing to quote a massive lump of text, Pauld says it far more eloquently than I can be arsed to do.

[jonny72]

You could make the same argument about murderers, rapists etc. They're criminals first and foremost, what led them to it is secondary and it just comes over as a shit excuse from a man who should be rather more apologetic about the horrendous role his Church played in covering it up

The South Park episode on it summed it up pretty well - the church not seeing it as a problem and it being a part of normal everyday and acceptable life. It's bad enough that it even happened in the first place, but the way they've covered it up and continually refused to accept responsibility and clean up their act is reprehensible.

Is there that many people that really give a flying fuck about the Pope and his cohorts in the UK any more? I reckon the vast majority of people are either a different faith or are atheists to one degree or another. Even those that are left can't be bothered with it and would prefer to watch Super Sunday on Sky rather than go to church.

Most, if not all, of the Christians I know have turned their back on the church and now practise their religion "in their own personal way". Whatever the fuck that means - I suspect it means they're not religious anymore but are just hedging their bets in case they're wrong.

[Crispy]

The South Park episode on it summed it up pretty well - the church not seeing it as a problem and it being a part of normal everyday and acceptable life. It's bad enough that it even happened in the first place, but the way they've covered it up and continually refused to accept responsibility and clean up their act is reprehensible.

Is there that many people that really give a flying fuck about the Pope and his cohorts in the UK any more? I reckon the vast majority of people are either a different faith or are atheists to one degree or another. Even those that are left can't be bothered with it and would prefer to watch Super Sunday on Sky rather than go to church.

Most, if not all, of the Christians I know have turned their back on the church and now practise their religion "in their own personal way". Whatever the fuck that means - I suspect it means they're not religious anymore but are just hedging their bets in case they're wrong.

I still go to church 

[BANGKOK RED]

Heavens to Betsy

[Nemo]

I still go to church 

Do you make videos?

[herthab]

To paraphrase Marx; Religion is the opiate of the masses. Although most people have now moved on to X-Factor and Eastenders.

[iffy]

I'm just glad Emperor Palpatine didn't find Luke Skywalker this time.

[Nemo]

That's terrific.