Now the Bishops

In Structural and Moral Failure I first wrote about the scandal of sexual abuse within the Roman Catholic church.

Although during his recent visit to America the pope repeatedly expressed shame and remorse for the church’s role in the disgrace and met with some of its victims, the willingness of the Catholic church to deliver its known paedophiles to civil authorities for their prosecution, regardless of the damage to the church’s reputation and finances, remains ambiguous.

When the pope met the US bishops in Washington, he said that the scandal had sometimes been poorly handled and that it is their “God-given responsibility” to heal the wounds and restore shattered trust. But given the scale of the problem (over 5000 known victims since 2002) the problem cannot easily be swept under the carpet by pious words and prayer. Clear action, recompense, and structural change is needed.

The Living Dead

Some things are just too remarkable to ignore.

I stumbled across a fact that had somehow managed to pass me by until just recently. As someone who used to be in the Christian camp, I thought I knew a fair bit about the Church of Jesus Christ and the Latter-day Saints (LDS), more commonly known as Mormons. When they came to my door (which they frequently did) I would often try to engage in the pointless task of trying to help them see the errors of their ways. I knew about the absurdity of the Book of Mormon (known for its plagiarism of the King James Bible - using Victorian English in what is supposed to be an American translation of an ancient, historical record - and the absence of archaeological and historical records supporting the book’s story, as well as an array of anachronisms). A few months ago I learned about their special underwear (don’t ask me how), but yesterday I discovered something that made even my hardened jaw drop.

Esteem Me!

It’s official. You have to show me more deep respect. The Roman Catholic Archbishop has said so!

Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor called for more understanding and appreciation between believers and non-believers, urging Christians to treat atheists and agnostics with “deep esteem”. In a lecture given at Westminster Cathedral, which comes after a spate of public clashes with secularists over issues such as stem-cell research, gay adoption and faith schools, it appears that the Cardinal is trying to build bridges.

There are two reasons why you should esteem me:

Beyond Legitimate Boundaries

It’s about control, control, control! Why won’t they leave us alone?

It seems that almost everywhere you look religious authorities are trying to impose their conclusions about how they think people should behave, what they should say, how they should dress, what they should or should not do with their sexual desires on people who either do not wish to subscribe to their faith, or believers who do not subscribe to their strictures.

Let me give you two examples from the past few days.

God and the Virgins 4

Readers who were disturbed by the God and the Virgins posting of 13 December, 2007, may be interested to read this update from Religion News:

State police on Tuesday arrested on sex charges the leader of an apocalyptic sect in northeastern New Mexico.

Wayne Bent was arrested on three charges of criminal sexual contact, said state police spokesman Peter Olson.

Holding Onto The Plot

There were some events that I just never expected to happen during my lifetime - the ending of Apartheid in South Africa and the decline of Communism in Europe and the fall of the Berlin Wall, for example. Thankfully, sometimes seemingly impossible things do happen, though I never thought the ‘Irish Question’ would ever be resolved.

Throughout my teenage years and adult life I have lived with the ‘troubles’ in Northern Ireland. Bloody Sunday, the hunger strikes, the murder of Lord Mountbatten, the attack on Margaret Thatcher in Brighton, the mortar attack on the Cabinet Office, the ’shoot-to-kill’ policy, the Omagh Bombing were all events that made a particular impression on my consciousness living on the other side of the Irish Sea.

Lost The Plot

Dr Who has been summonsed in an attempt to ward off the imminent threat of extermination.

The Telegraph carried a story today about a conference which was held last week in order to revitalize the Church of England. Doctor Who has caught the attention of Anglican leaders, who are encouraging clergy to study the science fiction series to learn about its religious parallels.

The number of under-16s attending Church of England services fell by almost 20 per cent between 2000 and 2006, but the Church believes that improving communication can reverse that trend. Clergy have been urged to use examples from the programme in their sermons in an attempt to make Christianity more relevant to teenagers.

What Has Divorce Got To Do With It?

Perhaps it’s my age. I find myself getting very angry at things these days. Years ago I would have rebuked myself for that and told myself that anger was wrong. Now I just see it as a healthy emotion in response to injustice and threat.

Although I first read about this story several days ago in Hemant Mehta’s Friendly Atheist blog, it wouldn’t lie down and has been steadily building up steam in my ‘heart’ ever since. I need to write about it.

The story is quite simple. Kent Gramm has worked as an English professor at Wheaton College (a prominent American Evangelical Christian College) for the past twenty years. After thirty years of marriage, he and his wife recently got divorced. Because he doesn’t want to discuss his divorce with his employers he can’t work at Wheaton anymore and has been put in a position where he felt he had to resign.

Sexist Anglicans

Why is sexism still tolerated within the Anglican church?

In a hard-hitting article in The Guardian, Theo Hobson takes the Church of England to task for its ‘wet clerics’ and their failure to carry through a reformation of the church in relation women. He laments the fact that division and injustice are being perpetuated because of liberal woolly-mindedness.

In 1992 the church finally agreed to ordain women but allowed those who disagreed and who wished to teach against this to keep their jobs. In 2005 the church agreed that women could, in theory, become bishops and finally break through one glass ceiling so firmly trodden on by men. However, in a recent report, the church is still arguing that the toleration of dissent should still be encouraged.

Saving the Baptistry

Initially I thought I would have to bin it, but after about 30 minutes work I think I finally managed to salvage something.

The John the Baptist Baptistry in Florence (Il Battistero di San Giovanni) is thought to be one of the oldest buildings in Florence. It stands in the Piazza del Duomo, just to the west of the Duomo. Until the end of the 19th century all Catholic Florentines were baptized in this church. I thought it was one of the most attractive buildings and was keen to photograph it.