More tea vicar?

"If I were to suggest that between the Earth and Mars there is a china teapot revolving about the sun in an elliptical orbit, nobody would be able to disprove my assertion provided I were careful to add that the teapot is too small to be revealed even by our most powerful telescopes. But if I were to go on to say that, since my assertion cannot be disproved, it is an intolerable presumption on the part of human reason to doubt it, I should rightly be thought to be talking nonsense. If, however, the existence of such a teapot were affirmed in ancient books, taught as the sacred truth every Sunday, and instilled into the minds of children at school, hesitation to believe in its existence would become a mark of eccentricity and entitle the doubter to the attentions of the psychiatrist in an enlightened age or of the Inquisitor in an earlier time." Bertrand Russell 1952.

Fox fight

I’ve been fiercely critical of religious hypocrites in the past. You know the sort of people who ignore the central message of all religions, that love is always better than hate and who use their religion to spread a message of intolerance. Amongst the worst of the bunch is the Jim Phelps’ Westboro Baptist Church who appear mainly to be a bunch of anti-gay bigots hiding behind their religious beliefs. Followers of Westboro believe that the Iraq war is a result of the USA’s tolerance of homosexuality and that the soldiers who die in that war are being taken by god as punishment. They even turn up at the funerals of the Iraq war dead and demonstrate.

I have also been fiercely critical of Fox News, mainly because I feel that they should be more honest and call themselves the ‘Isn’t George Bush Fabulous' News Channel. One thing I will say about Fox though is that they are passionately patriotic; blindly so on occasions. But they do love America and love is sometimes blind isn’t it?

So when Shirley Phelps Roper of the Westboro sect met Julie Banderas of Fox News there were bound to be sparks. And there were. Have a look.



Ms Banderas, I salute you. Minx.

The Pope is an idiot

Oh yes he is.

Muslim anger grows at Pope speech

A statement from the Vatican has failed to quell criticism of Pope Benedict XVI from Muslim leaders, after he made a speech about the concept of holy war. Speaking in Germany, the Pope quoted a 14th Century Christian emperor who said Muhammad had brought the world only "evil and inhuman" things.

So, what were the Catholic church up to in the 14th century? Was it the inquisition? I think it was. Was the inquisition a celebration of joy and godly love? Or could the inquisition also be described as "evil and inhuman"? Take the plank out of your own eye matey.

I did find one bit of good news though.

Nun tried to kill priest after finding him in bed with another woman

A jealous nun appeared in court charged with threats to kill and an arson attack on a priest's house - after she caught him in bed with a married woman. Sister Silvia Gomes De Sousa, 39, saw red and set fire to Father Carmelo Mantarro's house after she nabbed him 'in flagrante.'

Nice to see a Catholic priest in bed with a woman for a change.