Pope Ratz: Radical secularism is a grave threat

[marmar]

VATICAN CITY (AP) – Pope Benedict XVI says Roman Catholics in the U.S. need to understand the "grave threats" to their faith posed by what he calls radical secularism in the political and cultural arenas.

He addressed visiting U.S. bishops Thursday and used the same language in warning that attempts are being made to erode their religious freedom.

Benedict did not explicitly mention it, but the bishops have complained their religious freedom is eroding in the face of growing acceptance of gay marriage and attempts to marginalize faith. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has recently formed a committee on protecting religious liberty and hired attorneys and a lobbyist to work on the issue.

The pope said many of the bishops have complained about attempts to deny conscientious objection with regard to cooperation in "intrinsically evil practices." U.S. church leaders have been pressing for a broader religious exception to part of President Obama's health care overhaul that mandates private insurers pay for contraception. The Obama administration has not yet made a decision on the policy and the timing is uncertain. ..................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/story/2012-01-19/catholic-pope-secularism-politics/52682816/1

[JoePhilly]

1. If you don't believe what they demand you to believe, YOU have attacked them.

[Tansy_Gold]

2. Yeah, it's a threat to the power and wealth of the Church.

Bring it on!

[yellowcanine]

3. It is a weak faith which is threatened by secularism. Anyway, I would guess that the sex abuse

scandals are a more serious threat.

[niyad]

4. but don't you know--radical secularism==and the 60's-- are responsible for the sex abuse

[yellowcanine]

19. Yeah I get that - of course when they say that they are admitting that the church cannot recruit and

train priests who will be able to resist the temptations of society long enough to pastor their parishes effectively - so why have priests at all?

[msanthrope]

5. I think powerful organizations that cover up crimes against children are a grave threat.

Call me crazy....

[Wind Dancer]

7. +1

Indeed! I haven't heard the Pope mention those dangers.

[BiggJawn]

6. Has anybody clued our former Junior Nazi in on the fact...

... that if "Revival catches Fire" in good ol' Murrika, that the chances of it being a Roman Catholic revival are Slim and None?

"intrinsically evil practices"=fucking for fun. Control the naughty bits and you control the people.

[JHB]

8. "intrinsically evil practices"?

Like covering up for child molesters, using money parishioners gave to support of the church and charitable works as hush money to the victims, and simply shuffling the perpetrators to new positions in close contact with youth so they can do the same thing to a new crop of victims?

Just for perspective, mind you, when you're including gay marriage on a list of "intrinsically evil practices", Your Eminences.

[JHB]

9. How fortunate, then, that no "radical secularists" are anywhere near any power

We just have reasonably secular people.

[MineralMan]

10. Uh, Mr. Pope...there are many grave threats to the Roman

Catholic Church. Most of them are internal to the church. It's not secularists you should be worried about, in my humble opinion. Check out the plank in the church's eye before examining the speck in the eyes of others, why doncha?

[qb]

11. Perfect irony: Knowledge that may undo religious brainwashing is a threat to "freedom".

[katsy]

12. Only a threat to Religions, Inc.® bottom line.

Stop throwing stones and sniffing around our panties. Sell your golden rings and riches to give shelter, feed and clothe the poor.

[Hugabear]

13. So common sense and human rights = "radical secularism"

No wonder they're freaking out. Must suck to see members of your 15th century religion embracing 21st century ideas.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

14. "....a grave threat." -- He's correct.

Secularism is a grave threat -- to the Vatican's wallet, influence, and utterly corrupt hierarchy. The Vatican needs to fall -- I say this as a cradle Catholic.

[Arugula Latte]

17. Secularism is also a threat to irrationality and magical thinking.

Can't have that, now, can we?

[mysuzuki2]

15. Radical secularism means we don't let rhe Catholic church write the laws.

of course it's a threat!

[Arugula Latte]

16. Why do these religious fucks think that THEIR freedom & power is the only thing that matters?

"the bishops have complained their religious freedom is eroding in the face of growing acceptance of gay marriage"

Their freedom to oppress everyone else is supposed to trump all.

These creeps are power mad, and that is what that Church has always been about -- power and oppression. A pox on them.

[Zorra]

18. Doesn't the Pope have some heretics to burn, or like, a Crusade to go on?

Oh, yeah, they can't get away with that kind of stuff anymore.

So hating LGBT's and lying about same sex marriage is the convenient way to vent their need for engaging in their "intrinsically evil practices" these days.

I bet they really long for the good old days when they ruled Europe, and church law was the law of the land, back when they could could burn witches and heretics whenever they felt like it, and go on Crusades to kill dark skinned folks, and burn and rape their women and children while stealing their property in order to give it to the "church".




People can believe what they want to believe. That's fine. When people start taking away the natural rights of others, and causing unwarranted harm to others, because of their beliefs, that is not fine. It's evil. This is why separation of church and state is so absolutely critical to human freedom and liberty.

[yellowcanine]

20. One thing I have never understood is why Popes, Cardinals, Bishops etc wear such fancy dresses and

hats? It seems to me that they could better connect with and serve people if they wore a simple shirt with clerical collar, jacket and dress pants. Seems to be a poor example of stewardship and lack of humility to me.

[redqueen]

21. Hey radical religious nutjobs:

Fuck off.

The rest of the world is busy evolving away from primitive belief systems. You're free to believe in whatever you like, but keep your hateful bloody claws off the free world while you're doing it. Stick to preaching to the people who want to hear it (I pity the children who are given no choice, but that's freedom for you).