As a Catholic I was initially appalled by some of the comments on here: not because there were some pretty lame jokes, any number of posters who clearly think they're funnier than they actually are and the usual 'Aren't-I-great-because-I-actually-believe-in-nothing?' mob.
Catholics are an easy target in Britain; have been for 500 years and always will be, so it's nothing new, but I very much doubt that anyone on here would have dared to be so critical of Islam or Rastafarianism, the Dalai Lama or the Chief Rabbi.
What now makes me laugh at and pity some of the posters in equal measure is that they get so riled by something they claim is so irrelevant - be it organised religion, Christianity in general or any or all of the following: the God, the Pope or Catholicism in particular.
In an age when respect is a much-coveted commodity, paradoxically it's now reserved for those who have either not earned it or do not deserve it: the flotsam and jetsam of reality TV, talent show fodder and idols such as Wayne Rooney with, inevitably enough, their feet of clay.
Feel free to line up alongside noted attention-seekers like Ian Paisley and Peter Tatchell (neither of whom have ever come up with a worthwhile idea in their respective sorry lives), surround yourself with the trappings of conspicuous consumerism, even though no credo states that happiness equals such 'necessities' as a fortnight in Florida, a BMW or a 40" flat screen TV, or take issue with the Ten Commandments (and perhaps dream up an eleventh, but be warned: you'll be hard pushed), but personally I think there may be something more.
Have a discussion by all means, but whether you have Faith or not, at least show a modicum of 'respect' towards those who have.
