From a reputable source.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11317441

 

One of the Pope's senior advisers has pulled out of the papal visit to Britain, after reportedly saying the UK is a "Third World country" marked by "a new and aggressive atheism".

 

Cardinal Walter Kasper, 77, made the remarks in a German magazine interview.

 

The Vatican said the cardinal had not intended "any kind of slight", and was referring to the UK's multicultural society.

 

It added that he had simply pulled out of the Pope's visit due to illness.

 

The German-born cardinal was quoted as saying to the country's Focus magazine that "when you land at Heathrow you think at times you have landed in a Third World country".

 

He also was reported to have criticised British Airways, saying that when you wear a cross on the airline "you are discriminated against".

 

Vatican sources said Cardinal Kasper was suffering from gout and had been advised by his doctors not to travel to the UK.

 

The Pope is spending four days in Scotland and England, starting on Thursday.

 

The BBC's correspondent in Rome, David Willey, said the cardinal's reported comments were "a slightly clumsy thing to have done on the eve of the visit".

 

However, he added that he did not think it would have much effect on the Pope's trip to the UK.

I think you'll find it's the Catholic church that's living in the dark ages!:dozey:

oh wait......it isn't?:uhoh:

then I must be living in the worst country of all

I oppose the Pope visiting this country, not because I am an athiest but I find it very cheeky that the Government are cutting welfare to millions of struggling families and reducing public spending yet have the gall to spend an estimated £22million on security and "popemobiles" for an event that is not essential. :thumbsdown:

Gotta love the advertisements. Wanna know what shows up for me right now?

 

"Vatican Gifts: The Blessing from the Vatican City"

http://www.vaticangift.com

 

 

I oppose the Pope visiting this country, not because I am an athiest but I find it very cheeky that the Government are cutting welfare to millions of struggling families and reducing public spending yet have the gall to spend an estimated £22million on security and "popemobiles" for an event that is not essential. :thumbsdown:

Y'all don't have "separation of church and State"? As a fellow atheist, I too would be pissed if my tax dollars were going toward that. I mean LIVID. I'm sure there's things that get through the cracks here, but if the £22million (~$35 million) happened... people (atheist or not) would be raising hell (tee hee).

 

 

 

The UK is more of a Church of England country with the Queen as head of the church instead of Pope (whom smokes dope). At least the CoE allows female bishops

I oppose the Pope visiting this country, not because I am an athiest but I find it very cheeky that the Government are cutting welfare to millions of struggling families and reducing public spending yet have the gall to spend an estimated £22million on security and "popemobiles" for an event that is not essential. :thumbsdown:

Exactly!

 

Y'all don't have "separation of church and State"?

 

Technically he is a state leader as head of the Vatican.

Henry VIII will be turning in his grave............................ :rolleyes:

I doubt he turned for the last few years of his life, never mind now!

Well heads would have rolled, that's for sure......................... :P

Indeed.

 

First papal state visit to U.K. met with apathy, protest

 

Pope Benedict arrives in Britain Thursday for the first papal visit to the nation in 28 years, but organizers are having difficulty selling tickets to appearances and many high profile Britons have signed a letter protesting the visit.

 

It will be the first-ever state visit to Britain by a pope, an occasion that Prime Minister David Cameron has said is "incredibly important and historic." :whatever:

 

But many ordinary Britons don't seem to agree that the pope is deserving of the honour of a state visit, which is expected to cost close to CDN$20 million at a time when the nation is struggling with high debt and unemployment. (Shock, horror :dozey:)

 

The Telegraph newspaper reported that an event originally scheduled for Coventry Airport, which can hold 200,000 people, was scaled back to Cofton Park, Birmingham, with officials saying a maximum of 60,000 can now attend.

 

Other events across the country were far from sold out, or capacity was being scaled back.

 

And more than 50 public figures in the U.K., including author Philip Pullman and Stephen Fry, signed a letter to the Guardian newspaper protesting the visit over the pope's stance on birth control, homosexuality and abortion.

 

CTV's London Bureau Chief Tom Kennedy said England is among the most secular countries the pope has visited during his papacy. That, combined with recent scandals over sexual abuse and Benedict's controversial stance on key issues, has resulted in widespread apathy about the visit.

 

"Even among Catholics in this country there's a great deal of doubt about some of the teachings and ruling of Pope Benedict who is widely seen in this country as a very conservative pope," Kennedy told CTV's Canada AM.

 

While Pope John Paul II was welcomed by ecstatic Catholics during his visit in 1982, Benedict is expected to generate less excitement.

 

"Pope John Paul II was a very charismatic leader, he was very popular even among non-Catholics in this country, and it generated a great deal of excitement," Kennedy said.

 

"Pope Benedict is a very different leader of the world's Catholics and the perception of him is that he just doesn't generate the kind of excitement and enthusiasm that his predecessor did."

 

http://winnipeg.ctv.ca

Not new, but from last year, I feel this from Steven Fry highlights some major flaws with the Catholic Church.

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEhtOhwL8xk]YouTube - Stephen Fry Speaks Out Against the Catholic Church Part 1[/ame]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BH0safHyhPo&feature=related]YouTube - Stephen Fry Speaks Out Against the Catholic Church Part 2[/ame]

 

 

Quite damning on the Pope personally as well.

What a fantastic speaker! Well worth spending another 19 mins past my bedtime!

What a fantastic speaker! Well worth spending another 19 mins past my bedtime!

 

Yeah, I've always thought he was a decent bloke, but after watching that earlier this year and then trawling through other videos of him, I have a lot of respect for him and his principles in life.

I don't have any interest at the Pope's visit (I'm not an atheist but nor am I religious either - I believe in some form of a God - what that is or what it does is unknown) so it is wasted on me and millions of other people who aren't Catholic nor religious. But he's welcome to come if he wants to - just don't bother spending millions of pounds of tax payers money next time.

To the Pope's defence, I very much doubt they are all child rapers.

Pope likens the rise of atheism in Britain to the Nazis as he admits his 'shock and sadness' over abuse scandal

 

 

By Daily Mail Reporter

Last updated at 5:33 PM on 16th September 2010

 

• Comments (329)
  
• Add to My Stories
  

 

 

• Queen and Prince Philip welcome Pope in Scotland
  
• He invokes Nazi Germany in attack on 'atheist extremism'
  
  
• Aide axed from trip after ill-judged comments about UK
  
  
• Pope: 'I was shocked and saddened by sex abuse scandal'
  
• Staunch Catholic Susan Boyle sings ahead of Papal Mass
  
  

The Pope controversially likened the rise of atheism in Britain to Nazi Germany today as he warned against 'aggressive forms of secularism' at the start of his historic state visit.

Risking sparking a new row after one of his aides likened the UK to the 'Third World', the former member of the Hitler Youth invoked Nazi Germany in an attack on 'atheist extremism'.

It came after Benedict XVI apologised for the Catholic Church's handling of the child abuse scandal as he flew to Scotland this morning.

The 83-year-old Pope admitted on the flight that the church had not dealt with abusive priests decisively or quickly enough.

The comments are his most thorough admission to date of failings in the way the sex abuse scandal was handled.

 

 

Arrival: The Pope walks to the altar to say Mass at Bellahouston Park

 

 

 

Etiquette: Benedict XVI replaces his zucchetto after listening to the national anthems with the Queen

 

 

The Queen exchanges gifts with the Pope inside the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh

 

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh talk with Benedict during an audience this morning

 

They appeared to be a clear attempt to divert attention from insensitive comments by one of his aides who sparked fury on the eve of his trip, the first British visit by a Pope in 28 years.

Cardinal Walter Kasper was dropped from his entourage after accusing Britain of harbouring aggressive atheism and discriminating against Christians.

More...

 

 

• Pope hit by a celebrity vendetta: Famous names in concerted protest against the state visit
  
• Coalition 'does God': Tory chairman says government will restore faith to the heart of Britain
  

 

The Pontiff touched down at Edinburgh International Airport from Rome on board an Al Italia flight - called Shepherd 1 - shortly after 10am this morning.

As the jet taxied down the runway at the start of his four-day trip, Union and Vatican flags were flown from the windows. Unusually, the Duke of Edinburgh was on the runway to welcome the aircraft.

The Pope, who is being given the full honours due to a world leader on what is the first Papal visit to Britain for 28 years, then travelled to Holyroodhouse Palace to meet the Queen.

His motorcade, surrounded by outriders, made its way through the packed streets of Edinburgh and on arrival he and the monarch stood side by side to listen to the national anthems.

Inside the lavish building, they exchanged gifts and held private talks before the Queen and Benedict gave short addresses.

Anticipation: Crowds wave banners as Susan Boyle sings ahead of the Pope's arrival

 

Susan Boyle waves to the crowd, after performing on stage ahead of the Papal Mass in Glasgow

 

The Pope wasted no time in warning about the rise of secularism in society, in what is likely to be an ongoing theme of his trip - but it was his reference to Nazism that raised eyebrows.

As the Queen looked on, he said: 'Even in our own lifetime, we can recall how Britain and her leaders stood against a Nazi tyranny that wished to eradicate God from society and denied our common humanity to many, especially the Jews, who were thought unfit to live.

'I also recall the regime’s attitude to Christian pastors and religious who spoke the truth in love, opposed the Nazis and paid for that opposition with their lives.

'As we reflect on the sobering lessons of the atheist extremism of the twentieth century, let us never forget how the exclusion of God, religion and virtue from public life leads ultimately to a truncated vision of man and of society and thus to a “reductive vision of the person and his destiny".'

 

Crowds: Pilgrims walking up to the park from the M77 motorway this afternoon

 

Auspicious day: Nuns take up their position in the park before the open-air Papal Mass

 

 

Bird's eye view: The incredible scene from the air at Bellahouston Park tonight

 

He added: 'Today, the United Kingdom strives to be a modern and multicultural society. In this challenging enterprise, may it always maintain its respect for those traditional values and cultural expressions that more aggressive forms of secularism no longer value or even tolerate.

'Let it not obscure the Christian foundation that underpins its freedoms; and may that patrimony, which has always served the nation well, constantly inform the example your Government and people set before the two billion members of the Commonwealth and the great family of English-speaking nations throughout the world.'

President of the National Secular Society Terry Sanderson claimed the attack stemmed from the Pope's fears about his own diminishing power.

'The Pope is hardly off the plane before he launches his first attack on secularism as a threat to the power that he feels should be his alone to wield,' he said.

'The British people have embraced a secular identity of their own free will, perhaps as a reaction to the ultra-conservatism of this recent papacy and the extremism that has been manifested by some forms of Islam. The secular identity of the British people is not something to criticise, but to celebrate.'

 

Benedict rides in the Popemobile down Edinburgh's Prince's Street

 

 

Crowds watch and wave flags as Benedict passes by

 

 

Keeping warm: The Pope wears a tartan rug over his shoulders as he sets off in the Popemobile

 

After the address, Benedict left in the Popemobile and drove slowly through the crowds on to a private lunch with the Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh.

Earlier, on the short flight from Rome, he spoke of his shock at the scale of the Catholic Church's sex abuse scandal and vowed to help the victims.

 

 

He told reporters he felt 'sadness also that the church authority was not sufficiently vigilant and not sufficiently quick and decisive to take the necessary measures'.

Bright: The Pope's red shoes contrast his white cassock

 

The row has gathered pace with revelations in Belgium of hundreds of new victims, at least 13 of whom committed suicide.

Today, the Pope said abusive priests must never have access to children, saying they suffered from an illness that mere 'goodwill' could not cure.

He said it was now his top priority to help victims heal and regain their trust in the church.

The Pope also acknowledged anti-Catholic protests planned for his visit, saying Britain had a 'great history of anti-Catholicism. But it is also a country with a great history of tolerance'.

He said he expected a warm welcome from Catholics and other believers and 'mutual respect and tolerance' among those with anti-Catholic sentiments.

But he immediately risked angering sectors of British society with an extraordinary salvo about the dangers of atheism, likening it to Nazism.

The highlights of his visit will include a mass in Bellahouston Park in Glasgow this afternoon and the speech tomorrow in Westminster Hall.

Benedict will lead a prayer vigil in Hyde Park on Saturday and on Sunday will conduct the beatification service for Cardinal Newman, the Victorian convert from Anglicanism, in Birmingham.

His arrival comes hours after Cardinal Kasper pulled out of coming to Britain for being condemned as racist by secular protesters determined to disrupt the Papal trip.

The 77-year-old Cardinal had told a German magazine: 'When you land at Heathrow you think at times you have landed in a Third World country.'

He is a veteran of Vatican negotiations with the Church of England, and until last year Rome's chief of relations with other Christian churches.

 

Ring of steel: Police outriders surround the Pope's motorcade as he travels through Edinburgh

 

Luxury: The Queen and the Pope walk through the Morning Drawing Room at Holyroodhouse

 

 

 

Historic: Benedict XVI receives flowers from boys outside the Palace and (right) travelling up Prince's Street

 

Roman Catholic leaders in England were quick to distance themselves from his views and today demanded he apologise.

PRINCE PHILIP'S BLOOMER...

 

The Duke of Edinburgh asked Scottish Conservative leader Annabel Goldie if she wore tartan knickers at today's papal reception.

The exchange was laughed off by Miss Goldie, who said afterwards it was good to know the royals have a 'sense of humour'.

It happened when Prince Philip met a group of dignitaries at an official reception at the Palace of Holyrood.

Prince Philip admired Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray's special papal tartan tie and then

turned to Miss Goldie to ask if she had a 'pair of knickers made out of this?'

Miss Goldie retorted: 'I couldn't possibly comment - and even if I did, I couldn't possibly exhibit them.'

A Tory insider said afterwards that Miss Goldie was in 'hoots of laughter' over the exchange.

She said: 'It's marvellous to know that humour is alive and well in the royal family.'

 

 

Cardinal O'Brien, the Scottish leader, said this morning: 'That was unfortunate and each and every person's aides sometimes do make awkward, difficult remarks.

'And simply, if we do that sort of thing we apologise for it.

'I'm sure Cardinal Kasper will apologise for any intemperate remarks which he made some time ago.'

The leader of Catholics in England and Wales, Archbishop Vincent Nichols added: 'I find the remarks of Cardinal Kasper quite inexplicable. This is a very diverse country and we rejoice in that diversity.

'There is a great richness of people, culture and contributions made in British society and they are an enrichment.

'I am sure of one thing - that on Saturday when the Pope drives down the Mall, there will be people of all sorts of cultures and races there to welcome him.'

The ill-judged comments from Benedict's close circle were a gift to the collection of celebrities and Left-wing atheists mobilising against his visit.

Yesterday a group of 55, including Stephen Fry, author Terry Pratchett and academic Richard Dawkins, claimed it introduced overtones of racism into the controversy.

 

Touch down: The Pope arrives at Edinburgh Airport this morning for his four-day visit to Britain

 

 

 

Pomp: Benedict XVI was met by the Duke of Edinburgh and given a guard of honour

 

 

Blustery: Benedict struggles with his robes in the wind at Edinburgh Airport as he walks to his official car

 

 

 

 

Gay campaigner and anti-Papal demonstrator Peter Tatchell said: 'This is another own goal from the Vatican.

It shows just how out of touch the Pope and his entourage are. Most Catholics will be appalled by the remarks.

'The explanation from the Vatican smacks of racism. It looks as if he is alluding to the large number of Asian and African people who work at Heathrow airport. It is an astonishing statement to come from a church that preaches compassion.'

THE 'LIBERAL' CARDINAL

 

 

Walter Kasper is another German-born priest who has risen to the highest levels of the Vatican.

Unlike Pope Benedict, and despite his comments this week, Cardinal Kasper is actually regarded as a liberal, and he has tested the patience of some leading Catholic conservatives who are suspicious of his opennes s towards other churches and faiths.

Born near Stuttgart in 1933, he studied at the Roman Catholic university at Tubingen in the 1950s and came under the sway of Hans Kung, a liberal theologian admired by Tony Blair.

Kasper worked for several years for Kung, who disagrees with the Vatican on sexual morality and who was stripped of his rights as a religious teacher 30 years ago for denying Papal infallibility.

Kasper took a high-level position in 1999 as Vatican head of relations with other churches and faiths.

 

 

Cardinal Kasper made his comments in an interview with Focus magazine in his native Germany earlier this week.

He also told the magazine: 'An aggressive new atheism has spread through Britain. If, for example, you wear a cross on British Airways, you are discriminated against.'

The airline ran into a religious row four years ago when it banned a check-in worker, Nadia Eweida, from wearing a Christian cross.

Yesterday he was pulled out of the Papal party for the state visit, with the Vatican saying he had withdrawn for health reasons.

Monsignor Lahl said: 'He is very disappointed not to be going. He has been ill for a few days and can hardly walk. He was looking forward to seeing his friends.'

The Catholic bishops of England and Wales promptly issued a statement aimed at isolating the Cardinal and minimising the damage.

It said: 'The attributed comments of Cardinal Kasper do not represent the views of the Vatican, nor those of bishops in this country. Clearly, they are the personal views of one individual.'

It added: 'Catholics play a full part in this country's life and welcome the rich diversity of thought, culture and people which is so evident here. This historic visit marks a further development of the good relationship between the United Kingdom and the Holy See. We are confident that it will be a huge success.'

But the atmosphere of controversy - and sometimes outright hostility - is likely to persist throughout the four-day visit.

 

Protesters will be in attendance wherever the Pope goes, and Benedict himself will anger anti-clerical critics on Friday when he delivers a speech in Westminster Hall.

CANCER BOY'S PAPAL BLESSING

 

 

A nine-year-old boy who wrote to the Pope asking him to 'help keep his cancer away' will be blessed by the Pontiff during his visit, the Vatican confirmed last night.

Anton McManus, of East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire, was diagnosed with a cancerous tumour on his spine when he was four and underwent chemotherapy, radiotherapy and two gruelling operations.

He is now far better but fears the cancer will return.

Anton's parents, Kevin and Tammy, said he has been given a 'chance in a million' after being told the Pope will bless him tonight in Glasgow.

 

 

 

The 'Third World' remarks only served to inflamed those already lining up to condemn the Papal visit.

Terry Sanderson of the National Secular Society said: 'Compared to the Vatican we are a glowing example of civilisation. To hear the Vatican talking about us in that way is pretty sickening.'

The Pope's visit has been dogged by bad luck, misunderstanding and criticism since it was announced last year.

First, the Vatican was angered by Gordon Brown's decision last March to allow his aides to leak news of the trip.

Then there was the satirical memo written by junior Foreign Office officials suggesting a range of 'Benedict condoms', an invitation to the Pope to open an abortion clinic, and a Papal blessing for a gay marriage as ideas to mark the visit. The trip was nearly called off in the resulting row.

In recent months, Pope Benedict has faced accusations of being personally linked to the continuing child abuse scandals involving Roman Catholic priests and bishops.

Critics have also rounded on the £10million bill to the taxpayer for the trip and questioned its status as an official state visit, an honour that secular opponents say should not be granted to a religious head.

 

 

[caption

 

 

 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1312531/POPES-UK-VISIT-Benedict-XVI-likens-rise-atheism-Nazis.html#ixzz0ziBZMdty

Given the fact he was in the Hitler Youth he's probably one of the few people who should know if Britain is indeed similar to the beginnings of Nazi Germany. For some reason though I can't seem to believe him. It pains me to make a pun but what he has said is absolute noncesense.

Given the fact he was in the Hitler Youth he's probably one of the few people who should know if Britain is indeed similar to the beginnings of Nazi Germany.

 

I know. What a hypocrite.:dozey:

 

For some reason though I can't seem to believe him. It pains me to make a pun but what he has said is absolute noncesense.

 

Or maybe, Popeycock?:rolleyes:

But he's welcome to come if he wants to - just don't bother spending millions of pounds of tax payers money next time.

Indeed. And you would think with all of the "donations" they receive, they would have plenty of money to pay for their own security, etc.

 

 

(From Article) The Pope controversially likened the rise of atheism in Britain to Nazi Germany today as he warned against 'aggressive forms of secularism' at the start of his historic state visit. ... As the Queen looked on, he said: "Even in our own lifetime, we can recall how Britain and her leaders stood against a Nazi tyranny that wished to eradicate God from society and denied our common humanity to many, especially the Jews, who were thought unfit to live."

Interesting comparison the Pope makes there. The last time I checked, there wasn't any master plan by atheists to gather people of all religions and force them to wear symbols of their religion to "brand" them, and then shove them off to concentration camps and gas them to death.

Ironically, he looks a bit KKK-ish in that picture.

 

 

To the Pope's defence, I very much doubt they are all child rapers.

Very true, but it's shocking that any of them could be. And you never think it would happen near you; just this week a scandal broke in the news, from a church not 2 miles down the road. The pastor thought he was going to meet an 11-year old girl (and her mother) at a hotel to to teach "sex training", and arrived with 'toys' and a rope. (Yeah, a rope.) Little did he know, it was an undercover sting operation, so he was arrested. He is married, and has a 19-year old daughter. What would possess a pastor to do that?!? Does he (and all the others) think he can get away with it, because Jesus died for his sins, and as long as he repents he will be forgiven and still get into heaven anyway, even if he does the rest of his time on earth behind bars? I don't get it.

 

 

Interesting comparison the Pope makes there. The last time I checked, there wasn't any master plan by atheists to gather people of all religions and force them to wear symbols of their religion to "brand" them, and then shove them off to concentration camps and gas them to death.

 

Good point.

 

Ironically, he looks a bit KKK-ish in that picture.

 

Are you sure it was a coincidence?:rolleyes:

 

 

 

Very true, but it's shocking that any of them could be. And you never think it would happen near you; just this week a scandal broke in the news, from a church not 2 miles down the road. The pastor thought he was going to meet an 11-year old girl (and her mother) at a hotel to to teach "sex training", and arrived with 'toys' and a rope. (Yeah, a rope.) Little did he know, it was an undercover sting operation, so he was arrested. He is married, and has a 19-year old daughter. What would possess a pastor to do that?!? Does he (and all the others) think he can get away with it, because Jesus died for his sins, and as long as he repents he will be forgiven and still get into heaven anyway, even if he does the rest of his time on earth behind bars? I don't get it.

 

I'm pretty sure these people are just taking these "career paths" as a front, much as the religious extremists are.

Incidentally, it appears it is very easy to assume the title of "pastor" if that's what you want. That became clear during that "book burning" episode.:dozey:

Maybe I am a Nazi after all :dozey: