Pope to leave Vatican by helicopter

[Chopper Dave]

...in the 13th Century, a pope had a whorehouse full of nubile young wenches attached to his palace for his own personal pleasure.

And you think they don't any more?


Seriously though, the bloke operates one of our helicopters so he's fine in my books.

[Pompski!]

Seriously though, the bloke operates one of our helicopters so he's fine in my books.

The pope?

I am not sure he could operate a pencil sharpener!

[Far Post Brisley]

...in the 13th Century, a pope had a whorehouse full of nubile young wenches attached to his palace for his own personal pleasure.

And you think they don't any more?

There are some great tales from the corruption of the early catholic church.

As a catholic, I am quite relaxed about them and the books about the Borgias, keep an eye out for Pope Alexander VI, the TV series was a little far fetched or perhaps simplified.
I would like to think that the church has moved on since the 1400s

I am also more than aware that the cases where priest have abused the trust put in them by the Church and the community around them have been horrific. I would struggle to justify any behaviour that has caused damage to the innocent by anyone.

The complete objection I have is to the dreadful assumption and misapprehension fuelled by the ill advised and the poorly informed that all Catholics, all priests, all nuns are as guilty as the very few evil doers; especially in the press where reports of similar cases in mosques and synagogues get no attention for fear of reprisal or accusations of racism or anti semitism.

Catching out a hypocrite is always exciting, but tarring everyone of the same faith with the same brush is a slippery slope that the Human race has often slid down.

Useful reading for those interested.
"A History of the Church in the Middle Ages" (Psychology Press, 2002).
"The Borgia Pope" (Kessinger Publishing, 2006)
"Christianity: the First Two Thousand Years" (Continuum International Publishing Group, 1997).

[Ziggy Sawdust]

I was brought up a Catholic. Mass every Sunday till I was 18 (except at 16 I used to tell my parents that I was going to the Saturday evening mass, nip in to see which priest was on duty and get outta there) and confession every 3rd Saturday. My sins were never very exciting and always made up. I wonder if it's a sin to make up a sin. Be quite nice to go now. Bit of therapy and absolution at the same time. Nothing that can't be forgiven after three Hail Marys and a Glory Be.

[formerly known as]

I was brought up a Catholic. Mass every Sunday till I was 18 (except at 16 I used to tell my parents that I was going to the Saturday evening mass, nip in to see which priest was on duty and get outta there) and confession every 3rd Saturday. My sins were never very exciting and always made up. I wonder if it's a sin to make up a sin. Be quite nice to go now. Bit of therapy and absolution at the same time. Nothing that can't be forgiven after three Hail Marys and a Glory Be.

****** you'd be there all day

[Miss Tickle's bottom]

I was brought up a Catholic. Mass every Sunday till I was 18 (except at 16 I used to tell my parents that I was going to the Saturday evening mass, nip in to see which priest was on duty and get outta there) and confession every 3rd Saturday. My sins were never very exciting and always made up. I wonder if it's a sin to make up a sin. Be quite nice to go now. Bit of therapy and absolution at the same time. Nothing that can't be forgiven after three Hail Marys and a Glory Be.

I too was brought up as a Catholic. I was educated in Scotland and had my first confession at a ridiculously early age, and was then required to attend confession on a weekly basis. The only sin I was guilty of at that age was inventing sins at confession. Oh, and completely ignoring the penance, on the grounds that it wasn't deserved.

[Pompski!]

I wouldn't admit to owning a Gary Glitter record any more. I wouldn't brag about my Jim'll Fix It badge and I wouldn't admit to being a fan of Lance Armstrong, so why do Roman Catholics still think it's fine to support a network of racist, homophobic, paedophilic nazis?

[formerly known as]

[quote="Pompski!"]I wouldn't admit to owning a Gary Glitter record any more. I wouldn't brag about my Jim'll Fix It badge and I wouldn't admit to being a fan of Lance Armstrong, so why do Roman Catholics still think it's fine to support a network of racist, homophobic, paedophilic nazis?[/quote



Funny post.

[Ziggy Sawdust]

I was brought up a Catholic. Mass every Sunday till I was 18 (except at 16 I used to tell my parents that I was going to the Saturday evening mass, nip in to see which priest was on duty and get outta there) and confession every 3rd Saturday. My sins were never very exciting and always made up. I wonder if it's a sin to make up a sin. Be quite nice to go now. Bit of therapy and absolution at the same time. Nothing that can't be forgiven after three Hail Marys and a Glory Be.

I too was brought up as a Catholic. I was educated in Scotland and had my first confession at a ridiculously early age, and was then required to attend confession on a weekly basis. The only sin I was guilty of at that age was inventing sins at confession. Oh, and completely ignoring the penance, on the grounds that it wasn't deserved.

Do you remember being taught about the waiting room that was Purgatory? Used to terrify me - like a kind of painful car/jetwash for the soul to get it sparkly clean and buffed up before being allowed into the shiny showroom that is heaven. Mind you, at least we knew if we'd made it to purgatory, we wouldn't be going to hell like all the non-Catholics.

What a load of old b0ll0cks!

[Pompski!]

I was brought up a Catholic. Mass every Sunday till I was 18 (except at 16 I used to tell my parents that I was going to the Saturday evening mass, nip in to see which priest was on duty and get outta there) and confession every 3rd Saturday. My sins were never very exciting and always made up. I wonder if it's a sin to make up a sin. Be quite nice to go now. Bit of therapy and absolution at the same time. Nothing that can't be forgiven after three Hail Marys and a Glory Be.

I too was brought up as a Catholic. I was educated in Scotland and had my first confession at a ridiculously early age, and was then required to attend confession on a weekly basis. The only sin I was guilty of at that age was inventing sins at confession. Oh, and completely ignoring the penance, on the grounds that it wasn't deserved.

Do you remember being taught about the waiting room that was Purgatory? Used to terrify me - like a kind of painful car/jetwash for the soul to get it sparkly clean and buffed up before being allowed into the shiny showroom that is heaven. Mind you, at least we knew if we'd made it to purgatory, we wouldn't be going to hell like all the non-Catholics.

What a load of old b0ll0cks!

Child abuse is that.

[HappyHour@TheBreweryOfLife]

I was brought up a Catholic. Mass every Sunday till I was 18 (except at 16 I used to tell my parents that I was going to the Saturday evening mass, nip in to see which priest was on duty and get outta there) and confession every 3rd Saturday. My sins were never very exciting and always made up. I wonder if it's a sin to make up a sin. Be quite nice to go now. Bit of therapy and absolution at the same time. Nothing that can't be forgiven after three Hail Marys and a Glory Be.

I too was brought up as a Catholic. I was educated in Scotland and had my first confession at a ridiculously early age, and was then required to attend confession on a weekly basis. The only sin I was guilty of at that age was inventing sins at confession. Oh, and completely ignoring the penance, on the grounds that it wasn't deserved.

Do you remember being taught about the waiting room that was Purgatory? Used to terrify me - like a kind of painful car/jetwash for the soul to get it sparkly clean and buffed up before being allowed into the shiny showroom that is heaven. Mind you, at least we knew if we'd made it to purgatory, we wouldn't be going to hell like all the non-Catholics.

What a load of old b0ll0cks!

Or "the Pope's Pants" as they say around my parts. Okay, just I say. I've never said that.

[Miss Tickle's bottom]

I wouldn't admit to owning a Gary Glitter record any more. I wouldn't brag about my Jim'll Fix It badge and I wouldn't admit to being a fan of Lance Armstrong, so why do Roman Catholics still think it's fine to support a network of racist, homophobic, paedophilic nazis?

I'm no more a fan of religion than you are, Pompski, but this is completely over the top. Go back and read the post by Far Post Brisley, especially this bit:-

Catching out a hypocrite is always exciting, but tarring everyone of the same faith with the same brush is a slippery slope that the Human race has often slid down.

[Pompski!]

I wouldn't admit to owning a Gary Glitter record any more. I wouldn't brag about my Jim'll Fix It badge and I wouldn't admit to being a fan of Lance Armstrong, so why do Roman Catholics still think it's fine to support a network of racist, homophobic, paedophilic nazis?

I'm no more a fan of religion than you are, Pompski, but this is completely over the top. Go back and read the post by Far Post Brisley, especially this bit:-

Catching out a hypocrite is always exciting, but tarring everyone of the same faith with the same brush is a slippery slope that the Human race has often slid down.

OK I see you point. But it's not just that Roman Catholic priests (however few of them) are getting up to no good but they are at the same time preaching to others how to live their lives while covering it all up. They are telling their followers to be tolerant of each other, while they themselves are homophobic. They claim to be reaching out to the third world while at the same time killing them with AIDS because they disapprove of condoms. etc. Not all Roman Catholic priests are rapists but those who are still hold a position of authority. That's my main problem with Pope.

[Far Post Brisley]

I wouldn't admit to owning a Gary Glitter record any more. I wouldn't brag about my Jim'll Fix It badge and I wouldn't admit to being a fan of Lance Armstrong, so why do Roman Catholics still think it's fine to support a network of racist, homophobic, paedophilic nazis?

I'm no more a fan of religion than you are, Pompski, but this is completely over the top. Go back and read the post by Far Post Brisley, especially this bit:-

Catching out a hypocrite is always exciting, but tarring everyone of the same faith with the same brush is a slippery slope that the Human race has often slid down.

OK I see you point. But it's not just that Roman Catholic priests (however few of them) are getting up to no good but they are at the same time preaching to others how to live their lives while covering it all up. They are telling their followers to be tolerant of each other, while they themselves are homophobic. They claim to be reaching out to the third world while at the same time killing them with AIDS because they disapprove of condoms. etc. Not all Roman Catholic priests are rapists but those who are still hold a position of authority. That's my main problem with Pope.

Preaching to others how to live their lives?
Why not drag in politicians, teachers, journalists, pop stars, celebrities, anyone who has written an autobiography and posters on this message board. Religions are faiths, beliefs rather than opinions. Personally I would not have the training or guts to stand up at the front if a room full of people (less full than 30 years ago but more full than 5 years ago by the way!) and preach, interpret and update the information provided.
Not all catholic priests from experience, are homophobic. Some are and in an organisation that preaches it is shaky ground, agreed but the main tenet this is based upon is sexual moderation. In the eyes if the church, sex is for the creation of life, not for a quick shag after meeting in a pub, nightclub or parish quiz night. Once you limit your sexual partners to the one you want to bring up children with, much of the other unpopular policies write themselves.
CAFOD is a charity, see what they do to reach out to the lesser developed countries, without asking for them to become Catholics first, they give, offer and assist.
Killing them with AIDS? No. They preach a simple message to not sleep around which gets ignored. There have been some catholic bishops who endorse contraception as a method to protect oneself from infection. The problem is that this would then be interpreted as the Catholic Church finally endorsing teenagers to sleep around. Personally I have used condoms. It may make me a bad catholic in the eyes of some but perhaps I don't need their judgement.

If I was accused of being a Catholic, a Christian or just a good human being, I want there to be enough evidence to convict me. For me, i want enough to convict me on all three counts.
I doubt if the evil doers who were priests etc will be able to say the same thing.

by the way, I often pray for all football fans, sorry if anyone gets caught in the crossfire!

[Pompski!]

Preaching to others how to live their lives?
Why not drag in politicians, teachers, journalists, pop stars, celebrities, anyone who has written an autobiography and posters on this message board. Religions are faiths, beliefs rather than opinions. Personally I would not have the training or guts to stand up at the front if a room full of people (less full than 30 years ago but more full than 5 years ago by the way!) and preach, interpret and update the information provided.
Not all catholic priests from experience, are homophobic. Some are and in an organisation that preaches it is shaky ground, agreed but the main tenet this is based upon is sexual moderation. In the eyes if the church, sex is for the creation of life, not for a quick shag after meeting in a pub, nightclub or parish quiz night. Once you limit your sexual partners to the one you want to bring up children with, much of the other unpopular policies write themselves.
CAFOD is a charity, see what they do to reach out to the lesser developed countries, without asking for them to become Catholics first, they give, offer and assist.
Killing them with AIDS? No. They preach a simple message to not sleep around which gets ignored. There have been some catholic bishops who endorse contraception as a method to protect oneself from infection. The problem is that this would then be interpreted as the Catholic Church finally endorsing teenagers to sleep around. Personally I have used condoms. It may make me a bad catholic in the eyes of some but perhaps I don't need their judgement.

If I was accused of being a Catholic, a Christian or just a good human being, I want there to be enough evidence to convict me. For me, i want enough to convict me on all three counts.
I doubt if the evil doers who were priests etc will be able to say the same thing.

by the way, I often pray for all football fans, sorry if anyone gets caught in the crossfire!

The problem with religion though is that believers are pursuaded to believe what they are told because they will go to hell if they don't.
You obviously pick and choose which bits benefit you and ignore the rest. For example in the eyes of many devout RCs you will go to hell for not following the letter of the law, so to speak. Other RCs who break more even more of these 'rules' than you will still believe they are going to heaven because it's all about 'belief'. It would be like me saying I am going to heaven because I said a prayer once.

The AIDS issue is a real one. OK you say the RC church is just saying "you shouldn't use condoms because it encourages sleeping around" but to a devout follower of the faith it reads "if you use a condom you are going to hell". To a young believer, this is seen as fact and this is the bit that sticks in the mind when he succumbs to sexual temptation. He doesn't understand it's an interpretation of an original sin. He is possibly then condemned to a life of hell followed by a death of hell, just because someone somewhere in the RC church turned the "don't sleep around" arguement into a "condoms are evil" arguement. Blood on their hands I'm afraid.

If religion is really all about interpretation, then I interpret it as a big fat lie. Therefore I am still going to heaven.