A foul stench from that seat of gilded opulence…

Bookmarked.

They say a fish rots from the head down, so it was inevitable that the Pope would eventually be personally linked to the RCC's ever-widening sex scandal.

Really, the jig's up. Anyone who thinks the Catholic church is anything more than a front for the world's largest pedophilia operation needs to have their head examined.

The question is this: How will the faithful rationalize Ratzi's clearly criminal and conspiratorial behavior? How will they keep the faith?

Is it too much to hope that we might see the impeachment* of a Pope?

*or whatever it is Catholics do when the stink on one of their own gets too big to ignore.

Legion, just look at the comments to the article from a guy named Tom. It wasn't Jesus' church, it was fallible people. The CHURCH is fine. The people who did bad things just need to confess or something. It's such despicable tripe - he's the kind of guy you want to kick in the nutsack.

Nobody has yet been excommunicated for the rape and torture of children, but exposing the offense could get you into serious trouble. And this is the church that warns us against moral relativism!

Ratzinger himself may be banal, but his whole career has the stench of evil—a clinging and systematic evil that is beyond the power of exorcism to dispel. What is needed is not medieval incantation but the application of justice—and speedily at that.

Afrellingmen. Nothing has changed, all the catholic criminal organization is good for is spreading evil.

Ugh, the stench pervades in the comments:

Do you believe everything you read??!

Incidentally, to take a larger view, if it had not been for the Catholic Church's crucial role in the development of Western civilisation, there would be no schools, universities, hospitals, civil rights, legal system, arts, science, you name it, as we know it. You and I would probably be running around beating each other over the head with clubs rather than having a rational discussion. Please stop ranting, open your mind for a wee while, and look it up. I'm proud to belong to the Church. Yours, Sue

Time for beer. More than one, that left a very nasty taste in my brain.

They say a fish rots from the head down, so it was inevitable that the Pope would eventually be personally linked to the RCC's ever-widening sex scandal.

He was linked to the pedophile scandal years ago. In 2001, when then Cardinal Ratzinger was Prefect of the Inquisition Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith he sent a letter, Crimen Sollicitationis, to all bishops requiring them to keep secret all information pertaining to clergy suspected of sex crimes on pain of excommunication.

If I was still a Catholic, this would have been the thing to drive me out. How in the nine hells can this organization still be alive?

@ #7

You can't argue with stupidity.

Quick! Someone get George Pell on the phone - I want a comment!

(the top Australian cardinal - makes a wasp-stung rottweiler look cuddly)

`Tis,

apparently Crimen sollicitationis dates from 1962, whereas the 2001 letter by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (as he then was) is De delictis gravioribus (English translation, On more serious violations).

I think (haven't looked at both letters in detail) the bit about excommunication was already in the 1962 letter; if so, the 2001 letter merely confirms it (by failing to contradict it).

Oh, and among the “more serious crimes”, we find (translated):

1. Taking or retaining the consecrated species for a sacrilegious purpose or throwing them away.

Crackergate!

Pope Maledict:

the consecrated species

Everytime I see species used in that manner, I get a brain cramp. It's just so overwhelmingly stupid.

I'm sometimes a less extreme atheist. I'm prone to look at organizations such as the catholic church more kindly than some here seem to regularly do. Not THAT kindly, you have to understand.. but more as a sort of banal parasite than an actual instrument of evil.

Then something like this is dredged up. Ratzi speaks out against the "crime" of reporting sexual abuse of children to the authorities and crafts carefully constructed regulations intended to keep the crimes secret and the perpetrators unpunished.

They really do think that they're above the law, don't they? If you belong to the club you get absolute protection to the extent that not protecting the criminals in their midst is considered cause for excommunication.

This will somewhat color any further statements I may hear Ratzi make. Not that I was ever particularly receptive to such assinine comments as the ever popular "condoms make AIDS worse" in the first place. But now whenever I see him talking I'll be imagining a little label hovering over him that says "this man protected child molesters and enabled them to molest more children" as he preaches absolute morality and threatens people with eternal damnation for choosing to have sex without producing offspring.

Here's a hint, Ratzi, in case you're confused. There is absolutely no chance of making babies if you get a choir boy drunk and make him suck your wang.

The timber in your own eye is blocking your view of the rest of the world, you pompous monster. Spend the rest of your natural life trying to get your own church in order and maybe, just maybe your successor will be in a position to be criticizing someone outside of the catholic church.

But I'm sure it's easier to ride around in an armored Mercedes and to tell poor people how to live their lives before returning to your own personal palace.

I felt sorry for the popes and all their troubles; I thought somebody should tell the story from their point of view... so I wrote a song.

http://digitalcuttlefish.blogspot.com/2010/03/two-they-say-to-tango.html

I dunno, maybe he won't like it.

This is what Philip Adams touched on in his presentation at the conference. Churches have generally been shrinking under their own power. The thing most likely to make a believer more moderate, distance themselves from the organisation or leave entirely are the actions of the organisation itself. We can help them with some of the arguments, but generally atheist books don't wrench people from the bosom of the church. Often the church (whichever one) drives them away.

And sometimes the best thing we can do is be there for them if they have questions, be aware of where they are coming from, and accept that it can sometimes be a long process for an individual.

This inspired me to look up my local laws for concealing crimes.

(1) If a person has committed a serious indictable offence and another person who knows or believes that the offence has been committed and that he or she has information which might be of material assistance in securing the apprehension of the offender or the prosecution or conviction of the offender for it fails without reasonable excuse to bring that information to the attention of a member of the Police Force or other appropriate authority, that other person is liable to imprisonment for 2 years.

Very promising, but then there's this:

(4) A prosecution for an offence against subsection (1) is not to be commenced against a person without the approval of the Attorney General if the knowledge or belief that an offence has been committed was formed or the information referred to in the subsection was obtained by the person in the course of practising or following a profession, calling or vocation prescribed by the regulations for the purposes of this subsection.

Guess which professions are prescribed in the regs?

Cuttlefish:

(or click here for just the tango, but it's music only, no video)

It is wonderful. Thank you.

Cuttlefish, you are the Tom Lehrer of Pharyngula...

To finish off one thing I hadn’t fully checked out prior to posting #10: Panzerfaust’s De delictis gravioribus explicitly cites the earlier Crimen sollicitationis (and not this musical version!), which as Hitchens correctly points out, demands the complete secrecy of internal criminal investigations and “trial”, under threat of automatic excommunication.

Caine, does it sound any better as “consecratarum specierum” in the original Latin? The idea is just as stupid, naturally.

It’s just a frakking cracker.

Caine, does it sound any better as “consecratarum specierum” in the original Latin?

No. It just sounds like solemn and spectacular stupid. ;)

A foul stench from that seat of gilded opulence ...

It even reaches here.

THANK YOU
I will so be able to sleep soundly tonight, my mind numbed by the comedy that is Pharyngula.

Pope Maledict DCLXVI,

It’s just a frakking cracker.

Amen!

PS it's better than nothing, when it comes to sampling V*egemite. Having it straight would be Hellish.

</faint praise>

FuckingCuntPrickCockSuckingArsesholeRapistsShitPeddlers. I think nothing makes me more furious than sanctimonious old men in dresses that do, condone and conceal such abominable acts.

Yes almost any organisation, especially those that are supposed to be responsible for children attract and have a percentage of child rapers, but the Roman Catholic Church stands supreme as the masters of concealment and denial. The sooner all of these perverted pulpit pontificates are rounded up and thrown into jail and forced to pick up soap in the shower block in font Hugo Hugecock, the murderer who was arse raped by a priest when he was six, the better.

Cowcakes@22, are you trying to aggravate the MooneyBaum syndrome? ;)

(Kudos, either way!)

Nomad

They really do think that they're above the law, don't they?

It would perhaps be fair to say that the Middle Ages were the struggle between the Catholic Church and the secular authorities to see who would come out on top. Most of the time, the Church won.

They just haven't caught on to the fact that we're a post-Enlightenment society, yet, it seems.

Cowcakes, that fantasy of yours is not justice, it's revenge.

The trouble with fighting evil is that it is very difficult to avoid becoming evil. The abyss is staring back at you.

JohnnieCanuck, if Cowcakes was actually able to bring the church down and make sure every single person who molested or aided in covering it up were to land in a cell with Hugo Hugecock, then it would be revenge. As that's not likely to happen, I don't think Cowcakes needs prissy lectures.

Also, given the church's history in abominable acts, you know, burning people, hanging people, torture on a world wide scale, flaying people alive, imprisoning people, giving aid and comfort to monsters, perpetrating lies which kill (AIDS, condoms, etc.), generation after generation after generation of rape, etc., it's a little hard to say exactly what proper justice would be. Given the situation, I don't think a bit of verbal hyperbole is hard to understand.

Cuttlefish, copypasta'd.
Can I repost on FB linking to your page ?

I was watching CNN on Monday, and Anderson Cooper had a report on this, and Ratzi's involvement, and I thought, wow...Then like 2 hours later the British CNN mob was on, and they were still talking about it ! Not that bringing this one down will likely improve anything, but to see him, if not brought to earthly justice then at least sacked as dog's man on earth, would be a nice signal.

“consecratarum specierum” Holy Spiced Rum?

“consecratarum specierum” Holy Spiced Rum?

Heh, that wouldn't be so bad! It means "the consecrated species," Jesus in wafer form.

Ah, the flatulence of the opulent - such a sweet smell to some.

@Pope Maledict: It's interesting that the letter was written in Latin when the previous pope had already decreed that English shall be the official language of the church (it's so damned hard to find anyone who knows Latin these days). I wonder how frequently the official language is actually used now - or do people revert to Latin in some misguided belief than no one outside the cadre would understand it?

Cowcakes, that fantasy of yours is not justice, it's revenge.

And an interesting one at that given that under biblical laws of an eye for an eye it is appropriate.

However I have evolved past the scrawled ramblings of superstitious herdsmen in a 2,000 year old book and would settle for the public exposure and ridicule, trial and imprisonment of these monsters along with the seizure and confiscation of all monies and assets of the institution that encourage and sheltered them. These assets could then be handed to an accountable organisation to compensate and care for the victims.

Call me a sickfuck if you must but the thought of a paedophile priest receiving the unwanted attentions of Hugo has a certain appeal. ;-)

“consecratarum specierum” Holy Spiced Rum?

Now I have Johnny Depp in my head: "Where has all the rum gone?

In all seriousness I like Hitchen's manner of putting things. Instead of calling it abuse, they should name what's happened. Have a son not much older than that. It really makes it more confrontational, which is what the punters need, I think.

But remember, Cowcakes, only metaphorically! :)

The trouble with raping the rapists and torturing the torturers is that it has no logical end. An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind, as the T-shirt says.

“consecratarum specierum” Holy Spiced Rum?

Sure, that’s the other form of Eucharistic “species”, Jebus cordial, usually involving a sweet red wine (or grape juice for wussbag Claytons religions that would be offended by alcohol). Usually guzzled in huge quantities at the end of communion by the whiskey priests (hic!) because, you know, wastage is bad. People could do bad, bad things with discarded bits o’ Jebus!

And because it’s theologically no longer wine but has been transubstantiated into Jebus’ blood, if you get pulled over when driving for random breath testing, you’ve got a ready-made defence: ‘One cannot become drunk on the blood of the Lamb’ (and yes, that’s a real quote I’ve heard from a priest, albeit a catholic-leaning Anglican rather than a Real™ Roman Catlick).

Whether this defence gets a free pass from the authorities is an interesting question – probably not, since the same priest had the interesting habit of (1) crashing into parked cars (2) leaving the scene of an accident (3) refusing a breath test after the police arrived at his rectory, on the grounds he’d had a stiff drink to “steady his nerves” after such a shock and (4) had the book thrown at him.

An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind, as the T-shirt says.

I want that T-Shirt Cath.

@Pope Maledict: It's interesting that the letter was written in Latin when the previous pope had already decreed that English shall be the official language of the church (it's so damned hard to find anyone who knows Latin these days).

Are you sure? The diplomatic languages of the Holy See are Latin and French, and the common spoken languages of the Vatican City are Latin and Italian. Even if there had been such a decree – which doesn’t ring true given the continued appearances of Latin papal encyclicals – it wouldn’t be to the liking of Pope Palpatine, who is known to have a special preference for 16th century forms of worship (a.k.a. the Tridentine Mass).

I saw that yesterday. Excellent stuff.
Enjoy.

Bill Dauphin if you read this, I sent you an email and entered a bracket for you but if you can check your email add your bracket to the group with the info I sent you.

If anyone is still interested there is still a few hours to jump in the Pharyngula NCAA bracket "challenge".

Not sure why I posted that here.

Sorry.

Look on zazzle and cafepress for Tshirts. Mine is from Amnesty International, but they seem to have stopped selling them.

The condoning of religious evil continues:

Grauniad
Telegraph
Times

There can't be many organisations less well suited than Catholics to the task of deciding who gets custody of children.

I think it’s time for another wonderful letter (i.e. NOT) from our favourite Inquisitorial wunderkind, prolific letter writer and author of hate speech, Cardinal JARhead of the CDF.

This is the one which characterises homosexual inclination as an “intrinsic moral evil” and all homosexuals as “objectively disordered”.

Well, fuck that shit.

This is the one which characterises homosexual inclination as an “intrinsic moral evil” and all homosexuals as “objectively disordered”

Don't forget that Bennie and the Kid Fuckers also consider the adoption of children by gay people an act of violence against the child.

Rorschach-- but of course!
Send a copy to the pope
If you would like to.

Ok. Boy takes cracker back to friend to show him fancy cracker. He's an immoral heretic that should be expelled from school, thrown in jail, if not killed, and has probably committed a sin against the Holy Ghost which cannot be forgiven and he is doomed to burn in hell for all eternity for his sins by his loving God...

Notable atheist Internet blogger pushes nail through a cracker. He must be verbally attacked, physically threatened, thrown in jail (for receiving stolen religious icons) and lose his job (and possibly all of his worldly possessions). He will, of course, burn in hell for all eternity as punishment for his "sins" by his "loving" God...

The Catholic Church, that gives out these crackers, hides scores, maybe hundreds, of child raping priests who have made thousands upon thousands of victims. The Pope, leader of this church, is directly involved in the cover-up of these horrible crimes.

The Church and the Pope are defended as forces of "good" in the world...

And I didn't have to pick crackers. I could pick charitable works. The Vatican is worth billions and billions and billions... They make billions each year. Virtually none of it ever goes to making the world a better place...

I could pick medicine and their lies about AIDS. I could talk about the scam of Mother Teresa and her six-bed hospital of hell...

How anyone with two functioning brain cells could ever support the Catholic Church is beyond me...

Christopher Hitchens is a real treat to listen to - especiallly when he is debating and demolishing the childish beliefs of the believers of superstition - such as the recent Intelligence Squared debate about why the catholic church has not been a force for good.

Hitchens is spot on correct in his Slate article about Joe Ratzinger. The theists often claim that Ratzinger is some type of intelectual heavy weight especially as to matters of religion. As some one who went through 12 years of Catholic schooling I am still fascinated by biblical scholarship. I attempted to read the Pope's recent book "Jesus of Nazareth" to see what great evidence for god the leader of the catholic church would present. Well to no surprise it was basically nill. His big argument is that you must first approach the bible with the belief that it is the true word of god.

Interistingly in most of these debates by theists - they always identify with their god as being Jesus. To no surprise they almost never identify with Yahweh. The bible is clear yahweh is the supreme God, despite tiune god nonsense arguments, his son admits to si t on his daddy';s right hand side and that his dad is the greater one. Under Yahweh actions of what he does and condones in the bible, child rape would certainly be acceptable, along with infanticide, genocide, incest, slavery, racism etc........

In the theists arguments for god/yahweh creating the universe and eventually humans they never address the big question of why Yahweh, who is defined as being all perfect etc... had a need to create humans. He certainly did not have an evolved chemically driven emotional need to fulfill. Why did he create the universe, earth and homo sapiens? Was he bored?

@melinda.a.kelly (33):

Now I have Johnny Depp in my head: "Where has all the rum gone?

Is there any better place to have Johnny Depp? I'm a straight man and I think he's sexy.

Hmmmm haven't heard much from the Catholic league on the subject of the world wide priestly child-rape issue. Has Wild Bill given up?

After watching Hitchens debate countless theologians and apologists - it is understandable why he would need to drink to make it through such mind numbing debates.

@melinda.a.kelly(33)
and
@Kevin (48)

Merde, now I want some spiced rum. It's 5 o'clock somewhere right?

@Poor Wandering One (51):

I think it's 5'o clock in Europe somewhere.

For a sensible and informative Catholic take on all this:

http://ncronline.org/news/accountability/will-ratzingers-past-trump-ben…

It would perhaps be fair to say that the Middle Ages were the struggle between the Catholic Church and the secular authorities to see who would come out on top. Most of the time, the Church won.

Nah. The times the church successfully stood down kings and princes are famous precisely because the later usually won.

@Legion

...at we might see the impeachment* of a Pope?
*or whatever it is Catholics do when the stink on one of their own gets too big to ignore.

Bad idea. How do you think the pope is elected? The one who stinks more is the one who gets the job.

OT, except for the theme of religious atrocity:

12-y.o. girl sacrifices 4-7y.o. boy to "some deity".

Poor Wandering One @ # 49: ... haven't heard much from the Catholic league on the subject of the world wide priestly child-rape issue. Has Wild Bill given up?

Wild Bill never gives up - especially when it's all the fault of the New York Times, rabbis, psychologists, and psychiatrists.

You have to admit, the Catholic Church could have NO BETTER face to represent what it is that Pope Ratzinger.

Even his feckin' NAME, fer Zeus' sake!

And I thought JPII was despicable (and I was right, but,... man! "Ratty" takes the bum-cake!!!!)

SL @ # 58,

Ratti? No, that’s Pope Nazi’s predecessor, Pius XI.

But I admit, hearing JAR’s name always used to crack me up when he was head of the Inquisition, almost as much as reading the latest insanity from the toxic waste known as the “AD 2000” magazine.

(By way of explanation: I’ve sung in many various choirs up to professional standard, and a rather good church choir I was in for many years used to attract copies of this vile publication, which was usually full of Catholic apologetics and praise for anything that fell out of the mouth of Ratzi.)

In The Independent today:

Johann Hari: The Pope, the Prophet, and the religious support for evil

"The fact you believe an invisible supernatural being approves of – or even commands – your behaviour doesn't mean it deserves more respect, or sensitive handling. It means it deserves less. If you base your behaviour on such a preposterous fantasy, you should expect to be checked by criticism and mockery. You need it."

Okay, I'm not entirely certain about my Latin, here, but would there be any support to giving Papa Ratzi the nickname Pope Patronus Pedophilium? (I think that's how "pedophile protector" would translate, though as I said, I'm not 100%.) It has a catch bit of alliteration to it, at least.

Was just reading the local news:
Victims disappointed by Pope abuse letter.

She¹ said the Pope's letter focused too narrowly on lower-rank Irish priests without recognising the responsibility of the Vatican and senior Irish clerics for protecting offenders and dealing with victims.
"There is nothing in this letter to suggest that any new vision of leadership in the Catholic church exists," she said.
The letter also does not refer to the resignation of the head of the church in Ireland, Cardinal Sean Brady, which victims groups have demanded, she said.

--

¹ Maeve Lewis, executive director of victims group One in Four.