Pope: I'll visit but I don't like your equality laws

[ccharles000]

The Pope confirmed today that he will make an official state visit to Britain this September – and immediately launched an attack on the Government’s plans to introduce stronger equality legislation for gay men and women.

In the first official announcement from the Vatican that the head of the Roman Catholic Church will tour Britain, Pope Benedict XVI called on his bishops to continue campaigning against the Equality Bill which he said threatened religious freedom.

His comments attracted anger from gay rights groups and secularists, who have now promised to protest throughout the pontiff’s visit.

In a letter to the Catholic bishops of England and Wales, many of whom are currently in Rome on an “ad limina” visit, Pope Benedict publicly criticised Britain’s equality legislation for the first time.

“Your country is well known for its firm commitment to equality of opportunity for all members of society,” he wrote. “Yet as you have rightly pointed out, the effect of some of the legislation designed to achieve this goal has been to impose unjust limitations on the freedom of religious communities to act in accordance with their beliefs.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/pope-ill-visit-but-i-dont-like-your-equality-laws-1885788.html

[MineralMan]

1. Sometimes, a guy just wants to say, "Puck the Fope!"

[JuniperLea]

2. He wants to make lepers of gays...

But refuses to treat lepers the way Jesus said we should.

Hypocrisy at it's upper crusty best.

[Johonny]

22. No he wants to make Catholics out of the British

The Church believes anti-gay, anti-women will help them recruit in the West where some protestant churches have gone to more liberal social stances. Being purely cynical I think this has all to do with getting more parishioners with $$ into the church and nothing to do with religious doctrine.

[JuniperLea]

24. That IS the church doctrine:)

No birth control... sure, every sperm is sacred, but every new parishioner means ca-ching! Keep them feeling guilty and you have a lot of workers at your calling. Keep them fearful and you have dedication.

You may have a point about anti-gay, anti-women... what with all the empowerment going to racists, I'm sure there's unsung multitudes of misogynistic bigots in need of a cause.

[HeresyLives]

3. Cancel his visit.

The nerve of some guests.....!

[salguine]

4. Fuck the Pope. Fuck. Him.

[malaise]

20. +1,000

I'll say it for all who can't say it.

[Glorfindel]

5. Ratzi the Nazi should keep his foul opinions to himself

and go practice his repulsive superstition elsewhere. In hell, for example. I'm sure transubstantiation would be a big hit there. :evilgrin:

[DevonRex]

6. They should *ever so politely* (as only the British can do) cancel

his visit. He's scum.

[BrklynLiberal]

7. Do the world a favor......STAY IN THE VATICAN

[goldcanyonaz]

8. I'm amazed that the Pope is still relevant.

[KamaAina]

26. Put him on the same list as David Duke, Fred Phelps, and Michael Savage

you can be barred from entering the UK for hate speech.

[Pullya Pudov]

29. "How many divisions does the Pope command?"

...attributed to dear ol' Uncle Joe. Say what you will, the ol' muzhick* could turn a phrase.

*peasant

[old mark]

9. You can always stay home....Don't come over here, either. nt

[CTyankee]

10. He'd better not be trying to come HERE and talking trash like that!

Memo to Pope: If you don't like our separation of church and state, STAY HOME. We don't want you.

[UTUSN]

11. Let's start a fund for air fare for that woman who tackled him!1 n/t

[KonaKane]

12. I wonder if Jesus would have said the same

as he wandered into general society of his time? "Yes, I'll come and speak on your mountains, but I don't like the way some of you look."

The papacy has become a sick joke. Apologies to all you good Catholics out there, I hardly think many of you would align yourself with this misanthrope.

[surrealAmerican]

13. They have enough "religious freedom" to allow your followers ...

... to practice, so there's really nothing to complain about. The pope ought to remember that Britain has its own state religion, and it's not catholicism.

[joeybee12]

14. The Pope doesn't want his flock to practice its beliefs, but practice its ignorance. n/t

[Toasterlad]

15. Not All Catholics Are Like the Pope!

They don't mind funding the pope's homosexual agenda, and giving him the moral authority to demonize gays, and allowing him to blame the church's horrific pedophilia on some handy gay scapegoats, and letting catholic charities try to blackmail American cities into denying gays rights, and contributing money to fund anti-equality propositions and measures all across the country. But they really like gay people, personally.

[Fumesucker]

16. Yes, damn those cheeky Brits for daring to ban the burning of heretics..

Who do they think they are?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giordano_Bruno

[Flying Dream Blues]

17. How anyone believes this man is God's emissary is beyond me.

He's a hateful POS and no two ways about it.

[foxfeet]

18. Where's Henry VIII when you need him?

[Jane Austin]

19. He'd better not wear those

pretty ruby slippers to England if he's gonna make cracks about gays!

[TlalocW]

21. It amuses me when Catholic clergy at any level still think they have any kind of moral authority

The Catholic church has long been one of the most corrupt religious organizations in history. Unfortunately for them but fortunately for us, eventually the governments (along with their military powers) that were intertwined with the church separated themselves from the church's influence.

TlalocW

[Starry Messenger]

23. What limitations??

This drives me up the wall. What freedoms have been infringed?

[flvegan]

25. Dear Pope, get bent.

Yours,
flvegan and Bluebear

[Bluebear]

27. From The Two Of Us.

[flvegan]

28. Heh, I updated appropriately.