Church

A collection of 81 posts

Catholic Church

Pennsylvania Catholic Abuse: "It's Your Word against God's"

As many of you will know, Pennsylvania State has released a massive report of the Catholic priest abuse that has taken place over the years. If not, The Guardian reports it as follows: More than 300 “predator priests” were found to have committed sexual abuse in Pennsylvania, harming more than

atheists

Jean Meslier, Secret Atheist Priest

In a recent thread, Michael mentioned Jean Meslier. As Luke Mulheuser stated back in 2010, a year after the first English translation of the book was released: Jean Meslier (1664-1729) served as a Catholic priest for 40 years, but after his death was discovered to have written the very first

Church

Evangelist wants $54M jet: ‘Jesus wouldn’t be riding a donkey’

Oh dear. This is pretty commonplace in the evangelist megachurch world. But, man, it's a sad indictment of the American Dream as pertaining to belief in that socialist revolutionary, Jesus. The Prosperity Gospel really is a complete bastardisation of who Jesus supposedly was. As the Washington Post reports:

Bart Ehrman

Robert Price and Bart Ehrman on the Rise of Christianity

Given that there have recently been threads talking about why Christianity has succeeded in the way it has, this is topical: Robert Price, a double PhD in theology and prolific author on religion and Bart Ehrman, probably the most successful atheist writer on various aspects of Christian history, discuss Ehrman&

Church

Jacob Rees-Mogg, Abortion and Same-Sex Marriage

The phenomenon that is Jacob Rees-Mogg in UK politics is an interesting one. He is the quintessential English "gentleman" politician - an upper classed toff of a Conservative MP who appears to fulfil all the stereotypes you can muster. And I'm not just goint OTT here

Catholic sex abuse scandal

Catholic priest caught driving 13-year-old girl to motel

The Philippines is an odd place at the moment. Duterte is invoking his wrath upon criminals. I wonder if this will include Catholic priests and their not uncommon predilection for things they shouldn't desire. This is from The Independent: A 55-year-old priest and head of a Catholic school

blogging

To Ban or Not To Ban, That Is the Question

I recently wrote a post answering a critique by fellow Patheos (albeit Catholic channel) blogger Dave Armstrong. Fairly quickly, a number of atheist commenters, some of whom were regular commenters here (and some not), came on to make it known that they had been banned by Armstrong. Many, if not

Catholic Church

Are Catholic Clergy more Likely to Be Paedophiles than the General Public?

This is a question that has been kicking around ever since the child sex abuse scandal involving the Catholic church came to the fore. In around 2010, loads of articles came out, citing some data, that the priesthood was broadly in line with national averages, some people claimed it was

Catholic Church

Cardinal Pell Charged with Historic Sex Abuse

It's been a long time comin'. I have reported on this ongoing investigation before, several times. What is it with the One True Religion™? Here we have someone, Cardinal George Pell (Vatican treasurer), in one of the most senior positions in the church being accused of one

Big Bang

Reminder - Pope: Big Bang and Evolution True; God Doesn't Use Magic Wand

A few years  ago, the Pope made some important announcements that warrant repeating. As the Vatican attempts to move into the 21st century, parts of the US still remain stubbornly behind. Speaking at the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, Pope Frances, in 2014, said... ...nothing particularly extraordinary since these are not

Church

How Gypsies have moved from fortune-telling to fervent Christianity

The BBC has an interesting article documenting the movement towards evangelical Christianity in the traveller communities. It seems Catholicism, the traditional home of such communities, is no longer so attractive. At a time when large numbers of people are drifting away from formal religion, one church is bucking the trend.

Church

Transubstantiation and Elvis

I like this quote (H/T Bert): If you wake up tomorrow morning thinking that saying a few Latin words over your pancakes is going to turn them into the body of Elvis Presley, you have lost your mind. But if you think more or less the same thing about

catholicism

Confession and Unknown Sins - Guest Post by Geoff Benson

Thanks to Geoff Benson, regular reader and all-round legend here, for putting his thoughts into words for this piece: The issue of sin, and sinning, has been covered many times, and I'm sure will continue to be. I think it's safe to say that as regards

Church

Mormons Are Mass Resigning over LGBT Beliefs

Homosexuality is frowned upon in Mormonism. Increasingly so. In 2015, the LDS church produced some pretty staggering anti-gay policy: It added same-sex marriage to acts considered to be a renunciation of the Mormon faith and thus subject to church discipline, including excommunication.... The new church policy follows a landmark US

Church

A Little Fun Poked at Religion

Here is Rowan Atkinson et al having a good old poke at religion. All very British. http://youtu.be/IUQcCvX2MKk http://youtu.be/fTzXJMU1sLc http://youtu.be/Ku9lt_TvR1k http://youtu.be/BiYhMyRJicc

Church

Growing Numbers of Muslim Refugees Are Converting

According to the Guardian: A growing number of Muslim refugees in Europe are converting to Christianity, according to churches, which have conducted mass baptisms in some places. Reliable data on conversions is not available but anecdotal evidence suggests a pattern of rising church attendance by Muslims who have fled conflict,

Church

Thousands Quit Churuch of Denmark After Atheist Tax Campaign

Some three thousand people have quit the Church of Denmark recently after a campaign by the Atheist Society. Christian Today explains: Nearly 3,000 baptised cancelled their membership last month after Denmark's Atheist Society, Ateistisk Selskab, launched a nationwide campaign advising people they could save money by opting

Canada

Canadian priest claims to have gambled away funds earmarked for Iraqi refugees

The Guardian reports on this classic what would Jesus do moment: * Father Amer Saka of Chaldean Catholic church allegedly told bishop * Police investigate as much as C$500,000 earmarked to help Police in Canada have launched an investigation after a Catholic priest in southern Ontario claimed he had gambled

Church

Damning Report Church of England's Failure to Act on Abuse

I have given a good deal of coverage to how the Catholic Church has been battered, and rightly so, over abuse scandals. It seems it is the CofE's turn. Over to the Guardian: The Church of England is to make far-reaching changes to the way it deals with

Church

19th Century Feminists: Religion & Church As A Barrier To Gender Equality

As it's International Woman's Day... Annie Laurie Gaylor wrote a super chapter ("Woman, What Have I To Do With Thee?) in John Loftus' book Christianity Is Not Great (in which I myself have a chapter on morality). The chapter details "Christianity's

Catholic sex abuse scandal

Hundreds of child sex abuse complaints made against Christian Brothers

The Royal Commission has their work cut out for them in investigating historic sex abuse from clergy and religious institutions in Australia over previous decades. As the Guardian reports: In Australia, 853 people have made a claim or substantiated complaint of child sexual abuse against one or more Christian Brothers,

Church

Shock Horror! Pope Gets Angry! He's... Human!

Media outlets are reporting the Pope getting annoyed at being pulled onto a wheelchair user by supporters. The Guardian states: Pope Francis, who is usually calm and accommodating with his admirers, tells an overexcited follower in Mexico not be selfish after he was pulled over by his sleeves. The incident

Catholic sex abuse scandal

Catholic bishops not obliged to report clerical child abuse, Vatican says

Ack. This just doesn't seem to go away. The Guardian reports: The Catholic church is telling newly appointed bishops that it is “not necessarily” their duty to report accusations of clerical child abuse and that only victims or their families should make the decision to report abuse to

Catholic sex abuse scandal

Offer to Help Cardinal Pell Appear at Sex Abuse Hearing

I reported that Australian Catholic clergyman Cardinal Pell was looking to be too ill to travel by plane to a crucial hearing into sex abuse by the Catholic church. Well, it appears it may be that he has to appear by video link. However, a seemingly kindly doctor from the

Australia

How Convenient: George Pell Too Unwell to Fly... Just Before Sex Abuse Commission

The most senior Australian Catholic, who you might have seen in debate, Cardinal George Pell, is too unwell to fly from Rome to address a Catholic organisation in the US. This might seem pretty innocuous, but it comes after he refused to fly to Melbourne in December mere days before