The Popes visit to Britain.

[m27]

Apologies, I’ve not read the rest of the thread so if this post may be going off at an irrelevant tangent.

I’m a Catholic but would freely admit rightly or wrongly that the Vatican is almost an irrelevance to me. At times I don’t see much correlation between the actions of the Vatican and the core principles of the faith they promote. Clearly it has a role to fulfil in setting the doctrine of the faith but when I go to church I listen to the scriptures and I like to think I’m bright enough to draw my own conclusions as to what the message is. I would say this applies to most Catholics I know. The notion that people blindly accept a party line is, in my experience at least, incorrect. For many faith is a personal thing, the church just provides a bit of focus.

Despite my indifference to Rome though it saddens me when I hear people attack the Catholic Church and organised religion. The Vatican may be a figurehead but the real essence of the Catholic Church is the ordinary people worldwide who contribute so much.

When I think of Catholicism, I think of some of the clergy I’ve met over the years who have inspired me with their wisdom, insight, humour and kindness.

I think of sitting in a hospital in Lourdes listening to the elderly and infirm (some non Catholics) talk about how grateful they were to be given the opportunity of a change of scene and the chance to feel part of a group and normal.

I think of when the mother of my best friend (an atheist) died and the comfort he & the family took from the visits of the priest.

I think how happy the old lady along the road is each week to get a visit off my mother brining her communion.

I would never deny that the Church as an organization has its faults from top to bottom and it should by no means be exempt from criticism. At the same time however it also draws a lot of people together in a sense of community and encourages them to do positive work on a local, national and global scale. It provides support and comfort to many in both good and bad times. We all need people on our side in life and sometimes the church doesn’t get the acknowledgment it deserves for this.

I like you, I hope you post more in religious topics and discuss your faith. I don't agree with your views necessarily, but I like the way that you state them.

Shands is a great poster. One of the best for me.

Magical music taste as well.

He has a lovely way of writing which means you nod in agreement even if you don't actually agree!!

 

[Halfpenny]

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/andycatlin/4995872040/in/pool-1338400@N20/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.flickr.com/photos/andycatlin ... 38400@N20/</a>

Best protest placard ever.

 

[TheMightyQuinn]

It's just the minority, as ever, making others look bad.

Happens in all walks of life. Most Muslims are great people, a small few like to bomb shit, most Catholics are good people but the few like to fuck kids, most blues are ace but a small amount are contemptible arseholes.

People should just move on.

If you're Catholic then the Pope is apparently the closest thing to God. OK, fine. If not then he's just a little old man in a dress with weird views on shit. Either way, who really fucking cares?

Fuck me, mandatory marijuana would sort this shit out.

Adopt my ethos and sit back, relax, spark some izm and say 'who fucking cares?'. It's all a spectacle of massive proportions anyway.

 

[m27]

It's just the minority, as ever, making others look bad.

Happens in all walks of life. Most Muslims are great people, a small few like to bomb shit, most Catholics are good people but the few like to fuck kids, most blues are ace but a small amount are contemptible arseholes.

People should just move on.

If you're Catholic then the Pope is apparently the closest thing to God. OK, fine. If not then he's just a little old man in a dress with weird views on shit. Either way, who really fucking cares?

Fuck me, mandatory marijuana would sort this shit out.

Adopt my ethos and sit back, relax, spark some izm and say 'who fucking cares?'. It's all a spectacle of massive proportions anyway.

To be fair mate, I don't know any Catholics who like to fuck kids. Never have.

I should know as well, I went to a school full of them.

Don't disagree with the tone of your post though.

 

[Damocles]

Adopt my ethos and sit back, relax, spark some izm and say 'who fucking cares?'. It's all a spectacle of massive proportions anyway.

No.

For too long we've sat back and said we don't care while we were fleeced by MPs, had millions of privacy invasions, marched into numerous countries under the banner of freedom, had our economy turned upside down by immoral bankers and open doors immigration, destroyed much of our precious environment and have all the while had people telling us who and what to be afraid of.

Well, fuck that.

I do care. I care about our country, the ethics of our government, the opinions of our society. I care about what sort of world we have now and leave behind. I'm not willing to give up on it, and neither should you. All progress is made by unreasonable men, your viewpoint is basically to sit back, open your legs and let people fuck you in the arse simply because it's easier than objecting.

 

[TheMightyQuinn]

Adopt my ethos and sit back, relax, spark some izm and say 'who fucking cares?'. It's all a spectacle of massive proportions anyway.

No.

For too long we've sat back and said we don't care while we were fleeced by MPs, had millions of privacy invasions, marched into numerous countries under the banner of freedom, had our economy turned upside down by immoral bankers and open doors immigration, destroyed much of our precious environment and have all the while had people telling us who and what to be afraid of.

Well, fuck that.

I do care. I care about our country, the ethics of our government, the opinions of our society. I care about what sort of world we have now and leave behind. I'm not willing to give up on it, and neither should you. All progress is made by unreasonable men, your viewpoint is basically to sit back, open your legs and let people fuck you in the arse simply because it's easier than objecting.

I've not given up, it's more that I can't play the game any longer.

Also, I've never been a picket line kinda guy, I'm more like the dodgy bloke in the parka hanging out round the back strapped with explosives and Marxist quotes.

 

[The Pink Panther]

So I was sat in my car eating my dinner at Barnsley services on Tuesday when I witnessed the most bizzare thing.
The Pontiff turned up in his Popemobile with his heavies who were following him in a Range Rover at the Esso station.

It was a ridiculously funny sight and then he was photographed reading a newspaper and I then realised it was some sort of piss take

On the side of the Popemobile was <a class="postlink" href="http://www.popewatch.org" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.popewatch.org</a>. I've only just Googled this tonight and if you click on this link, at the bottom is a Youtube vid of his stop on the M1

<a class="postlink" href="http://popewatch.org/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://popewatch.org/</a>

 

[Helmet Cole]

I can't believe that a great nation like ours that prides itself on tollerance, free speech, and human rights is letting an un-convicted nazi, paedo, and witch (my mate reckons) like the pope just come over here and do these things on TV. I've nothing against practising catholics, but the fact that the pope has openly said he wants to shag our kids and burn gays/jews is surely reason enough to deny him entry to our nation?

 

[Ancient Citizen]

It's just the minority, as ever, making others look bad.

Happens in all walks of life. Most Muslims are great people, a small few like to bomb shit, most Catholics are good people but the few like to fuck kids, most blues are ace but a small amount are contemptible arseholes.

People should just move on.

If you're Catholic then the Pope is apparently the closest thing to God. OK, fine. If not then he's just a little old man in a dress with weird views on shit. Either way, who really fucking cares?

Fuck me, mandatory marijuana would sort this shit out.

Adopt my ethos and sit back, relax, spark some izm and say 'who fucking cares?'. It's all a spectacle of massive proportions anyway.

Your ethos sounds fine by me. If he adopts this would he be a 'Pope Head?'