Queen of Swords

It's not his hand you're supposed to kiss, it's his ring.

I can just see myself if he ever held his ring out to me for a smooch : "Say, how much is that thing worth?"

Skeptictank

Excuse my legal ignorance, but isn't what the church did in the US a crime? They KNEW a felony had taken place (the molestings) and CONTINUED to let it happen again and again with priests they knew were dangerous! To me this seems like: conspiracy (several times over), reckless endangerment of a minor, contributing to the deliquency of a minor, and probably a whole host of other indictments against the Catholic Church higher ups. Why haven't some of the superiors (a.k.a. the Boston Cardinal etc) who let this happen REPEATEDLY been haulded before a judge?!?!
I say take 'em all down!

Amos

Well you have to admid that that is hard on the shepherd/sheep image.

Godless Dave

Hey, this is the same church that took 400 hundred years or so to admit they were wrong about Galileo. I think this was pretty quick decision making for them.

IvanK

From what I understand of Catholic doctrine, the preisthood was instituted by Christ through his disciples. Priests serve the faithful through performing rites, sacraments and so forth, but their intermediation is not strictly necessary; if the elements of the sacrament are present and the intentions of the participants are correct valid sacraments can be performed in the absence of a priest. For example, an atheist can perform a baptism as long as his or her intentions are right, and in the sacrament of reconciliation the priest does not forgive sin, God forgives sin and the priest informs the parishioner that his or her sins have been forgiven.

FaithNoMore

--I think God was smoking crack when he was making his moral codes and standards. But then again, who actually made them? God, or religion? I think we all know the answer to this one, but I'm being cynical.

Captain Pedantic

Damnit, I had a link regarding gay, criminal and paedophile popes, but I've forgotten it. I'll go and look for it and show you.

Edit: it's here at <a href="http://www.antichrist.com.au/popes/popecont.html" target="_blank">antichrist.com</a>.

[ April 25, 2002: Message edited by: Captain Pedantic ]</p>

PopeInTheWoods

Bravo, 'tank! Excellent questions! Don't we have RICO (Racketeer Influenced and CORRUPT ORGANIZATIONS) laws to go after groups like this? Let the victims and the government relieve these criminals of some of their tax-free property (and maybe reduce my taxes along the way ).

Andy

edited for spelling....

[ April 25, 2002: Message edited by: PopeInTheWoods ]</p>

Bree

EEW - my question would be "who kissed this thing before me?"

bonduca

Er....is it just me, or is that an unfortunate comparison?

[ April 25, 2002: Message edited by: bonduca ]</p>