Ugly work
The Vatican is a nasty piece of work. Let’s not ever lose sight of that fact.
A senior member of the Vatican has drawn up a new list of mortal sins…Along with drug use and social injustice he listed genetic manipulation and experiments on humans.
First of all, how does he know? How do they know? How does anyone know? Do they have a private phone line to the deity so that they can get updates on what sins are mortal and what are venial? Who the hell are they to decide which ‘sins’ are relatively minor and which ones deserve eternal torture by way of punishment? But second, what hateful sadistic shits they are, threatening people with eternal torture at all. Don’t forget, Ratzinger told us just a year or so ago (I don’t have time to look it up at the moment) that hell isn’t just some abstract but comfortable thing, it is literal physical torture; he wanted us to be clear about that. And we’re supposed to think of them as Good, because they’re Christian. They’re not Good; they’re evil. The whole idea of hell is evil, and this business of using it to try to coerce people into obeying a church is…simply disgusting, that’s all.
And of course using it to threaten scientists doing research that will help people with horrible medical problems is beneath contempt. The Vatican sucks.
“Don’t forget, Ratzinger told us just a year or so ago”
“The fires of Hell are real and eternal, Pope warns”
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article1572646.ece
Yes, the Vatican is a nasty piece of work. However, until recently, the Vatican was taken very seriously as a moral authority. John Paul II, for all his failures, seemed a credible figure, but Benedict is not. He is not sympatische at all. Do you not think that this message is coming across more clearly in reports about Vatican idiocies? In fact, since he reversed John Paul II’s stance on hell, as, essentially, symbolical, has Benedict not received less approving press regarding his moral claims? That’s my own sense, and I wonder if others sense it too. But, to be sure, the Vatican is a nasty piece of work.
Well, I just discovered three new mortal sins myself:
1) Belief in Hell.
2) Willingness to enjoy Heaven while others burn in Hell.
3) Worshipping the monster who created this atrocious set-up.
Could any of you with a direct phone line to the Deity ask Him or Her whether drug use is a mortal sin in countries like Holland where some drugs
are legal or if so, will the Vatican break diplomatic relations with the Netherlands? And if using legal drugs like cannabis in Holland is a mortal sin, does the Vatican include tobacco, alcohol and diazepam, which are legal drugs in most Western countries, on its list?
Damn, I want to say something clever and searing and elegantly phrased.
But I can’t stop laughing long enough.
Just called Him. Holland is out. He’ll review the rest, will be back tomorrow with news.
He added: addressing Him with ‘Him or Her’ is definitely also a mortal sin. No need to get back to Him, there will be a priest near you to take confession. Don’t try the Netherlands, the priests there are too busy He says in his omniscience.
I discovered another mortal sin.
I really suspect that, when I reason things through with other people, and without the assistance of a god, we may be able to approach closer to the truth. And I didn’t need to call Him/Her/It or the Vatican in order to conclude this.
The Vatican has created seven new wonders of the world. Nevertheless, in so doing has it at all considered how the sinful laity is ever going to be able to unburden all these deadly wonders? After-all, countless of its own holy counsellors come into the category of having committed, at least, one of the new deadly sins. Moreover, they shall be very busy lining themselves outside the confessional boxes. There shall consequently not be sufficient room for the drug takers and all those very rich people. Whom I am almost sure would just love to relieve themselves in the confessional of all their wares/deadly sins.
Anyone know how they rate any of the following:
Standing in the “7 items or less” queue when you know FULL WELL you’ve got at least 8 things in your basket?
Whistling off-key in a public place?
Not turning out the lights when you leave the room?
Remembering those less fortunate/well-off than yourself, but only in the context of wishing there were rather more of them than at present…?
Seeing a famous politician on the telly, and instantly regretting the fact they aren’t dead yet?
Not minding the gap?
‘Worrying’ sheep, by reading them economic forecasts for 2009 (alternatively, simply shouting “mint sauce” at them out of the van window?)
Having a strange predilection for Finnish “Symphonic Metal” music?
Teaching your child to indicate their thirst by shouting “Drink!” in the manner of ‘Father Jack Hackett’…?
Teaching someone else’s child various other declarations from Father Jack’s repertoire?
Failing to appreciate ‘conceptual art’?
Lying about…ooops..I mean, creatively embellishing your resumé?
Any guidance gratefully received!
“John Paul II, for all his failures, seemed a credible figure”
Yeah that was the problem. He was still the pope! He still forbade contraception and abortion, and he was dead set against ‘liberation theology’ and all other forms of liberalism. Yet because some people (especially in the media, at least in the US) thought he was a sweety, he didn’t get dogged nearly as much as he should have. The nicest pope anyone can imagine is still the pope.
Drug use a mortal sin? so smokers and people who take a drink or smoke the odd joint are going to burn in hell what a crock!
One of the new mortal sins is “the excessive accumulation of wealth by a few”.
I trust that the next list will include the sin of lacking irony.
Ratzinger has the PIN number of God’s online account, and can declare whatever he pleases to be a mortal sin: the playing of tiddlewinks if he wants to.
It’s all there in Mathew 18-19, at http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=47&chapter=16&version=53
Matt Damon and Ben Affleck got a good film out of that line. If only the Popenfuhrer would take up the Buddy Christ message…
Gregor Mendel, the father of genetics, was an Augustinian priest so bit of an own goal there…
My theory is that by i) bringing back indulgences and ii) increasing the number of mortal sins der Popenfuhrer is trying to massively increase Church income.