Sums it up nicely really; this prat is not needed .....

[woolybanana]

Gluey, would you please notice that is used the word "Perhaps" at the beginning of my statement, indicating that is was opinion based. However, given that most of the UK is neither Catholic nor Anglican, but is concerned by the idea of paedophiles in positions of trust, and that various senior prelates would seem to have at least covered this up over the years, I would dare to suggest that they do not want this man is pink lace in the country.

The empathy between the two groups is based on reactionary Anglicans who are unable to stomach the idea of women priests and bishops and issues around gay priests and gay marriage ijn churches. Most sound Anglicans would, I SUSPECT, be quite disturbed at the idea of being taken over by the Catholic church, for being welcomed back into the fold is how the latter group see it (witness the comments by the previous pope as proof).

[Quillan]

I can't speak for the 'rest of the country' but being in one of the small minority of faiths (0.5% of the population) and although not practicing I personally don't recognise the Pope of being anything special other than the leader or 'boss' of another faith. If I was to follow my faith then strictly speaking he would theoretically not exist in my world. What I do notice is that in reading the readers comments in all the major UK newspapers many people do feel very strongly about recent events and that the Pope has only offered a token apology for what has happened and many have shown their displeasure of the Catholic church, both Catholics and none Catholics I might add. The only way to discover what the 'whole country' thinks is to ask them but to be honest its not that much of a major issue so why bother. We can however get a feeling or 'straw pole' from the readers comments in the newspapers.

Just like as head of his faith he is ultimately responsible for what his priests do so is the departmental head of those that wrote these comments. Fair enough punish those that did it but also punish the 'boss' for not exercising enough control over them. Personally speaking as they have behaved in a somewhat childish manner as has the person who leaked what they wrote they should all, along with their boss, be made to sit down and write personal letters of apology to the Pope. Likewise I think the Pope should write personal letters of apology to each and every known person who was subjected to these sexual attacks by priests under his direct or indirect control. I thought the Popes public apology somewhat lacked feeling and sincerity.

[Boiling a frog]

[quote user="Gluestick"]

And with increasing and ongoing empathy between the Anglican Commune and the Holy See, I would suggest that a majority of the Christians in UK, whether Anglican, Catholic or non-conformist, would find the comments made by the FCO employee objectionable.

Thus the comment "Perhaps it is a young man who dared to say what he thinks, and what most of the country does too." is untenable.

 

[/quote]

 

I have conducted a straw poll amongst my family, relatives and friends. My wife and her sisters, brothers etc are Roman Catholics. Only one ,her mother, an Irish Catholic, has taken this as an insult to the pope. All the other, some 14 people, think it was rather amusing, and certainly do not wish to defend, in any way the actions of the RC church over the years.

The others are protestants, and again think it was slightly amusing.

So, out of 25 people ,only one finds the comments by the FCO objectionable, and she would defend to the death the catholic church., and has buried her head in the sand over the abuse scandal .

And

Not one is a rampant athiest or agnostic[:)]  

[cooperlola]

Darling Gluey - not all lefty atheists are anarchists. Not all atheists are left wing and some lefties believe in god.  Some are even offended by crimes commited against children.

Not all those who believe in god would find the remarks offensive - some might even have a giggle about them.

Sweeping generalisations are beneath you.

These days every time an unpleasant event happens, a rash of jokes is spawned as a result and does the rounds of the internet.  9-11, the death of Diana, the pope's crass remarks and ignorant attitude towards a woman's right to chose and her place in modern society - all get lampooned and the "jokes" (some funny some not) inevitably make some people laugh, others cringe, and others get offended.  As a woman I am deeply offended by the catholic church's attitude towards my sex.  If their leader had his way we probably still wouldn't have the vote and I'd be expected to bang out a baby a year like my grandmother, or have to turn down my husband's nightly advances just to avoid procreating, as was the only choice for my mother (explains a lot about her and the fact that her marriage collapsed - leaving her alone and bitter because she is not allowed to remarry.)  But of course, my feelings are unimportant because I'm a lefty atheist.  Who cares if I am daily offended by the doctrines of the catholic church? - I don't subscribe to their mythology so my feelings are irrelevant. And there was me thinking that it was christians who were supposed to love their neighbours as themselves.

[tegwini]

[quote user="woolybanana"]Nothing like na good rant to clear the bowels, Sweets![/quote]

Recently I've discovered  yogurt with prunes. Brocolli is also good.

Far better choices than ranting!

Tegwini

[Benjamin]

Probably seemed like

a good design at the time.