Vatican Troubles

Once again the Vatican is getting itself into all sorts of problems: now it is with the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office. It really should have kept quiet about the musings of a "junior" Foreign Official when he or she attended a brainstorming session. The whole idea of a brainstorming session is to think the unthinkable or the bizarre to assist problem solving. There would have been no intention to publish these ideas and certainly no intention to insult anyone, let alone the Pope. The idea of a brainstorming session would probably have been to make the Pope's visit better. The Vatican should "get real" and move into the modern age.



Imagine what would have happened if an official had lampooned the Pope in the 14th century; the humorist would probably been tortured to death. This is why we are lucky to live in a secular society: there can be no punishment for those who criticise or make fun of religious or political organisations.



The Roman Catholic Church and other religions should also be thankful that Britain is a secular society. If Britain were to become a theocracy again, no doubt the Church of England would reign supreme and if it obtained absolute power it would not be favourably disposed to Roman Catholics, Muslims, Hindus or even Baptists etc. The coalition of the faiths to attack secularism would, also, then be quickly disposed of by the newly powerful Church of England and we would go back to the attitudes of the 16th and 17th centuries and woe betide a Roman Catholic, Jew or Muslim.



Our secular society has guaranteed the civil liberties of all of its citizens including those of faith and those of us who are agnostics and atheists. I do not know why any religion in Britain should feel that it is under attack from either the British state or its non-religious citizens. There is really no need to be sensitive about some simple lampooning conducted in private.



The Vatican should stop trying to muffle criticism and put its house in order regarding crimes against children, holocaust denial and discrimination against homosexuals. The Vatican should also celebrate the fact that a secular society is still prepared to welcome the Pope despite the cover ups, denials and prejudice. Would a theocracy ever be that tolerant? I don't think so.