NoToPope Coalition protests Pope and World Youth Day
A Coalition has formed to peacefully protest Pope Benedict's visit
to World Youth Day. They will address the World Catholic Youth and say
"Gay is Great", "Homophobia Is Unacceptable". Protesters will also be
telling the Catholic Youth - The pope is wrong: Gays are great and
condoms save lives.
The Coalition includes Atheists Sydney, Community Action Against
Homophobia (CAAH), the Metropolitan Community Church,
PopeAliceXorporation (PAX), the Raelian Movement, Resistance, the
Socialist Alliance, and the well-known androgynous rights activist
Norrie May Welby.
"This Pope is homophobic and condemns same-sex marriage," says
Rachel Evans, one of the spokespersons for the Coalition. "Pope
Benedict also condemns millions of people to AIDS via his world-wide
anti-condom policy." By calling homosexuality an objective disorder,
and saying gay sex is evil, Pope Benedict nurtures bigotry and
violence, not love," notes organizer Luke Roberts.
The United Nations estimates that by 2025, without new initiatives
more than 80 million may die from AIDS in Africa alone. Condoms are
highly effective in preventing HIV transmission, but the Vatican has
condemned any use of condoms and forbidden all church agencies from
distributing them. "The Catholic Church's policies and political
lobbying also plays a part in the estimated 67, 000 deaths annually
from unsafe abortions," noted Evans.
"This Coalition, which is made up of a range of community and
political groups, including both anti-homophobic atheists as well as
Christians, wants to constructively engage the broader community around
these issues - which should be of concern not just to church groups but
to society as a whole, and to young people in particular" said Anthony
Englund, representing Sydney Atheists. "We also want to protest the
fact that the Iemma Government should not have given $118 million of
NSW taxpayers' funds to the Catholic Church, an organisation that
clearly doesn't need the money, for World Youth Day", he continued.
"The money should instead have gone to badly needed community services."
The NoToPope Coalition will hold a press conference on Tuesday 24th
June at 10am outside Sydney's St Mary's Cathedral House, St Mary's
Road, Sydney to launch their World Youth Day campaign.
The Coalition will join together in public action on Saturday 19th
July at Taylor Square, 12 noon, holding a rally and then marching
towards Randwick Racecourse.
Taylor Square
- 2810 reads
Re: NoToPope Coalition protests Pope and World Youth Day
I understand that the Raelians are a UFO cult which worships the clitoris. It is a shame that such a nutty outfit was allowed to be part of a coalition of progressive organisations combatting the Pope's influence.
And by the way, the Metropolitan Community Church believes in supernatural mumbo-jumbo, that there is a God etc, so they shouldnt be let off that lightly either.
Re: NoToPope Coalition protests Pope and World Youth Day
o.k. I cannot resist the following comment and question.
Dykes should not persecute Tykes.
Tykes should not persecute Dykes.
Q.
What is the difference between worshipping the clitoris and worshipping the intact hymen of the Virgin mary?
from a Catholic Worker
Just to remind folks the Catholic Church is a voluntary organisation. To quote the state socialist Stalin "How many battalions does the Pope have?" There are a billion of us and the internal debate is healthy and of higher intellectual effort than this effort seems to be. On gay issues read James Allison's fine work "Faith Beyond Resentment - Fragments Catholic & Gay" for starters.
Anti-Catholicism has a long history in Australia. In recent history Ireland and East Timor it could cost you you're life merely for being identified as Catholic. Who has forgotten the U.S. sponsored Salvadoran military slogan "Be Patriotic - Kill a Priest!". It's hard to see this effort as anything more than beating the old Catholic drum eg. "catholics need not apply" was still evident in Australia in the '50's
In at time when we are involved in escalataing and expanding wars perceived as based on religious identitiy this effor t seems mite self indulgent Hopefully you've brished up on your Tetum to explain what you are doing to the East Timorese who are attending. Maybe you can explain why the Australian left (like the church) pretty much ignored thier genocide throughout the '70's & '80's
When you attack and religious or ethnic group thay tend to circle the wagons and hew the radicals and progressives suffer. This is pretty much what has happened o the Islamic reform movements in Iran since the U.S. military turned up either side of the country.
Everyone has the right to be young and stupid...but this effort is self defeating. Leave it to the Catholic radicals, and there are many of them, to confront their heirarchy with the teachings of Christ. We are not happy with this circus in Sydney. But the Australian left reactionary as ever will rush off to wherever they mainstream media spotlight should be falling. It is ever thus .....
www.peaceontrial.com
www.catholicworker.org
Re: from a Catholic Worker
Good on you Ciaron. It's just another excuse to attack us. There are so many bigger issues but they have to focus their efforts on hating a particular religion.
Re: from a Catholic Worker
Its quite clear from my perspective, having known many of the organisors and those involved, that this is not an 'anti-catholic' action - organisors and people involved may hold strong views counter to even radical Catholics but the fact of Catholisism is not the reason for or the aim of the protest actions - it is simply the Pope's policies and pronouncements condeming homosexualisity and his continuing dangerous stance on condoms and sexual health. The simple act of handing out condoms is a simple but very effective nonviolent intervention in this context.
Its very important to recognise how movements can attract and fall into racist or prejudiced stances and use stereotypes to promote an otherwise valid viewpoint - but condeming this Coalition as 'anti catholic' is as simplistic as condeming Palestinian solidarity work as 'anti-Semitic' or anti Isreali- it's not and it wont ever be. Feminist activists in the Islamic world fighting for rights or recognition are routinely condemed as 'anti-Islamic' in order to undermine their legitimate rights-based campaigns.
Despite how uncomfortable it is - it is important that those impacted and targeted by the Catholic Church's policies, attitudes and values are able to voice and organise to counter them. Ideally and hopefully, reformers and radicals within the church will reach out in some way or make connections in solidarity, rather than simply condem at first glance.
Re: from a Catholic Worker
The Pope's stance on homeosexuality is not his own, but the teaching of the Church handed down through the apostles for 2000 years. The beauty of the Catholic faith is that it is unwavering on it's stance on truth, regardless of public opinion. It is not a sin to be Gay but that to act on it, just as a person in extreme anger does not manifest itself to hurting someone. Homosexuals need to know that they are loved by the Church, the Pope, and Christ, but we love the sinner, hate the sin. On contraception, it was developed as an ability to use the opposite sex. To make sex something that it was not created to be, it was created to be an expression self giving love but now it is an expression of selfish lust. And to think that condoms will reduce the number of HIV deaths is ignorant and flat out stupid. EDUCATION! Millions of dollars are spent every year dropping condoms off in Africa, and yet we still have AIDS and hunger, maybe we should spend that money on food and medicine and water, and send volunteers, who by the way are lining up here in the states, to educate our African brothers and sisters of AIDS. The prevention condoms offer is a good idea, but what if we took that one step further and focused our efforts on education of AIDS but also self dignity.'
It hurts me to think that this world has been so blind to the true problems that exist within it. People blame the Pope for the Church's stance on abortion, saying it caused 65,000 unnecessary deaths because they were not done properly, but what about the child, which science has proved that it actually is? 4,000 babies a day in the united states alone are murdered.
This is an incredible injustice to mankind, the progression of contraception, abortion, and homosexuality. And before everyone starts to condemn the Pope, maybe they should take a look for themselves as to what they teach, because I can promise you it is out of authentic, true, self giving life, like shown on the cross, that they are the way they are. And these truths will never waver. Thank you guys for letting me write this, God Bless
Re: from a Catholic Worker
I'd have had no problem with most of your opinions except saying Homosexuality is a sin? How? How could it even be unnatural? People just feel that way.. naturally. It's not illegal, it's not hurting anyone, and it's allowing people who feel the same to LOVE EACH OTHER. Condemning it and spreading the homophobia.. that sounds more like a sin. Such an attitude leads to people hurt for being themselves.
Re: NoToPope Coalition protests Pope and World Youth Day
the church or any organised heirachial religion is as ever the handmaiden the front line of conservatism and reaction.
it then claims it is being attacked even persecuted by progressives seeking social change .
so here we have the implied threat.
a pretty dangerous lot.
"When you attack and religious or ethnic group thay tend to circle the wagons and hew(then) the radicals and progressives suffer. "
and
There are a billion of us
and the ratheon 9 (very brave and worthwhile )but are still only 9 out a Billion overwhelmingly condition by the church to be conservatives circling the waggons.
(and it is interesting you use a white settler analogy in relation to modern christians)
So, your right Ciaron this mixed lot above will only conform the faithful that they have a superior set of morals compared to a bunch of "ratbags",
Re: NoToPope Coalition protests Pope and World Youth Day
I am not a member of any group, just an individual, ordinary person, however I too do not agree with the favouritism the Catholics are being shown in this case. Why should Australian tax payers fund this world Youth day? Many of these taxpayers are the very people the Catholics so revile. I'm not anti-Catholic as such, but I do disagree with the extreme cost, monetery and otherwise, of this day/week. Do we pay for every group or religion's activities? I need a new car, will the Pope and his worshippers pay for that? I say worshippers, because if there ever was a false idol, he is it! Pawn off a bit of your gold jewellery, Pope, and you could pay for the whole farce. There are so many other worthy things that money could be spent on. The new laws brought in for this day are ridiculous too. Annoying? This whole thing is annoying and inconvenient to many ordinary Australians.
stupid in the head
Stupid people
Bernardo Bertolucci, Alexis Carrel, Karel Capek, Nicholas Copernicus, Sean Connery, Salvador Dali, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Dorothy Day (founded the Catholic Worker Movement in 1933), Marie Curie, Francisco de Goya, Rene Descartes, Pierre Duhem, Frederico Fellini, Mozart, Voltaire, Beethoven, Maradona....artists, musicians, scientists, doctors...I'm in good company...are you?
Re: Stupid people
Your imaginary friends are mostly dead people + a really old actor and a football player from the 80's... 0_o
Re: NoToPope Coalition protests Pope and World Youth Day
I strongly object to being told by the state government that I have no right to protest during an event which goes against everything I believe in and yet for which I must pay. If every Catholic in the state had been asked to pay for the World Youth Day fiasco and left the rest of us out they would perhaps not be quite so keen on the event being staged in so grand a manner.
Our nation is murdering people in Iraq supposedly in the name of free speech. Why then do I not have the freedom of speech in NSW? I will be there on Saturday, handing out condoms I will pay for before leaving Newcastle. Because condoms are something I believe in.
If the Pope's parents had believed in condoms we would not be going to such expense now.
Re: NoToPope Coalition protests Pope and World Youth Day
If your parents used a condom, would you be here right now? If they had said 'no', would you be here right now? Tell you what, I'm glad you are here, because in God's eyes you are worth it.
What I see in this world is the selfish 'it's all about me' attitude. People are more interested in attacking those who have come to learn what it is like to truly live in peace, to walk away from a life of simply giving your body over to pleasure, in and out of relationships. The biggest thing that God has done for me is to help me to see inside myself, and I became a Catholic during the course of some long hard searching, digging out the need to find my next physical encounter. I was a selfish, anti-religious, pig headed fool, who thought that celibacy was for people who felt they were of some higher order, looking down on those who got by on the 'if it feels good, do it' policy. What does the Catholic Church have to do with condoms? Simple, we know there is a better way, and that is through educating people in the truth about love and sex.
I have a message for anyone who may give me a condom.......I will simply pass it back and peacefully state......"true love waits".
Shalom.
Re: NoToPope Coalition protests Pope and World Youth Day
I don't know whether to wince or to laugh when I read all these comments by what seems to be a majority of anti-Catholics. Just the issues bought up are realistically so trivial and childish, from a common sense point of view that is. And I feel so sad for people with such uniformed and angry perspectives.
Over a quarter of Australia is Catholic Christian, and I've done my share of reading and research in such areas. The issues many of bring up, you are of course entitled to, but you do so with so much anger and resentment. It seems globally that the moment gay communities do not get the favor of authorities over religious or rather Christian lobbying, they get all puffed up and very annoyed. Humility I've noticed is not their character trait.
Money and human rights appear to be the key worry in the 'No to the Pope' Coalition. Ok so let's talk about it from a different angle. It is quite obvious if the national guest was anybody but the Pope, such as George Bush Jr, Ingrid Betancourt, or even Rabbi Sachs, people wouldn't bark up their voices so much. The only reason a few folks are having tantrums about the Holy Father coming to visit our wonderful God-made land here is because they reject the message he represents which is no different from what it was when Christ gave us the roots of it many generations ago.
Excuses are made about money spent, etc. Is it not so that when a guest comes to your home, you make them welcome, even if they are unexpected? Here is a national guest who represents peace and hope, and you can't wait to slam the door in his face. Who's the hateful one? I may not agree with gay views, but I'm not going to regard people with such views any less than other people. It is about finding common ground to build bonds with others, rather than home in on what you don't like or agree about a person, or the Catholic Church.
You may well dispute the presence of the Pope with global challenges as AIDS, etc. Not only is the use of contraception not right on the basis it cheapens the gift of procreation and the expression of marital love, for why cannot people control themselves appropriately? Would it be right to suggest that people including gay folks are all on heat all the time? That's a hypothetical question just so you know.
But also these sexual diseases aren't exactly hindered well with homosexual relationships in certain places. In fact the first scientically recorded HIV case was in the United States in the 80's between a gay couple. That's a fact. You can perceive that as you will. But if people do not take responsibility for themselves and their personal lives, what can you expect but sexual diseases and emptiness in heart in later years when you come to consider quietly what is life really all about.
The purpose of World Youth Day is not simply to bring Catholics together. It is a way for the Catholic Church to encourage people worldwide to come together in unity and to celebrate life. Even non-Catholics are much welcomed, and as equals.
So please, before you start letting out your hate or your opinions,know well they are already heeded. But that is not why Pope Benedict is coming. He comes to greet you and to know you and us as a wonderful community, in spite of his and our faults as people. There lies hope in all things, and I hope you may welcome him, even just as a visitor to our beloved Australia.
Re: NoToPope Coalition protests Pope and World Youth Day
We paid over $3000 for our daughter to attende WYD (she was the one who wanted to go) - you want us to pay $1 more, no sweat.
But I expect that every one of the half million pilgrims have put much more than that amount into the Australian economy with purchases of food, housing, entertainment, souvenirs, etc.
You are in my prayers, it must be very painful to be so full of the anger your note indicates.
And by the way, if your parents had believed in condoms, I might not be writing this reply right now.
G'day, mate
Re: NoToPope Coalition protests Pope and World Youth Day
"There are a billion of us"
implying most are not white and privileged like you. And we are not the homogeneous morons you'd like us to be.
We are voluntary orgamisation. You want to deny us the right to assemble and free speech.
"and the ratheon 9"
I don't know if any of the Raytheon 9 are practising Catholics, my hunch is they aren;t.
They are not pacifists but anti-imperialists
3 are members of the Socialist Workers Party.
3 are memebers of the 32 County Sovereign Committe
and I guess three may be non aligned Irish Republicans.
check their website www.raytheon9.org
this was not a faiothbased plowshares action
www.plowsharesactions.org
it was a nonviolent disarmament action
My support for their action and while on trial was based on my support for nonviolent resistance to the war not an agreement with their socialist or republican politics. If you resist the war nonviolently I'll support you too...even if you are an anti-Catholic bigot. The Pope has a better position on the war than any left wing party in power running the Australian and British war effort!
"(and it is interesting you use a white settler analogy in relation to modern christians) "
That's because I am a white settler dufus. Denial just ain't a river in Egypt!
"So, your right Ciaron this mixed lot above will only conform the
faithful that they have a superior set of morals compared to a bunch of
"ratbags","
take a break let the Catholic rads engage the contradictions within their own church.
You'd be better off confronting the Catholic hierarchy with biblical and church quotes and pointing the inconssitency of Pell (see "Meet the Press" last year) on the forthcoming executions of the Bali 9 and the Australian involvement in the war
"Why should Australian tax payers fund this world
Youth day? Many of these taxpayers are the very people the Catholics so
revile. I'm not anti-Catholic as such, but I do disagree with the
extreme cost, monetery and otherwise, of this day/week. "
I agree with you the church should have nothihng to do with the state
"I strongly object to being told by the state government that I have no
right to protest during an event which goes against everything I
believe in and yet for which I must pay. If every Catholic in the state
had been asked to pay for the World Youth Day fiasco and left the rest
of us out they would perhaps not be quite so keen on the event being
staged in so grand a manner.
Our nation is murdering people in Iraq supposedly in the name of
free speech. Why then do I not have the freedom of speech in NSW? I
will be there on Saturday, handing out condoms I will pay for before
leaving Newcastle. Because condoms are something I believe in."
You have a lot of faith in condoms. You really think it is Catholic teaching that is sholding back Australians using condoms, that's a little naieve.
Re: NoToPope Coalition protests Pope and World Youth Day
I'm sick of religious groups hiding behind a self imposed image of being the bastian of all that is right.
religions are responsable for all the atrocities of human history.
it is no different with this farse called 'world youth day'(which happens to take up a whole week). damn charlatans hiding behind innocent titles.
seeing as the 'government' has 'donated' over $1 million of services to the event, how is it valid that they are endorsing people who wish to attend, to pay for eg. $75 for a weekend 'pass'?
who knows what obscene amounts they've shamelessly squeezed out of the gulible plebber privately.
and as for the sith lord pope, I dont even need to go into the pricless riches the vatican sits on while millions around the world starve to death.
no different from the bigoted, selfish, money laundering, fear mongering christianity has stood for over 2000 years.
what a pile of garbage.
wish i could be there for the protest. but on second thoughts, they aren't worth being arrested if I happen to be 'annoying'.
I'm disgusted in the Iemma mafia. the government has a responsability to not have a religious bias.
does anyone know of any online petitions against wyd08?
A good thing you have plenty to eat
Let's hope you never have to turn to St Vincent de Paul or the Salvos for food, accommodation and general help! Can you direct me to the Atheist Help-the-Poor organization? I could do with a food voucher myself.
Re: A good thing you have plenty to eat
get a job rather than looking for hand outs
so you need food vouchers, but you obviously have access to a computer & internet service.?
rather than pity yourself, give a thought to the africans & asians starving to death.
you should feel grateful for what you have. not expect the world owes you a living.
also you assume about my circumstances.
show me a christian based charity where the funds actually go to those in need rather than lining the pockets of those who run them as an under cover profit organisation.
christian childrens fund for eg. ???
Re: NoToPope Coalition protests Pope and World Youth Day
The Raelians ought to organize a world youth day of their own. I can see Nordics, Greys and Reptilians turning up from all over the galaxy.
Re: NoToPope Coalition protests Pope and World Youth Day
Pagan Classics
Help me Santa Claus
Re: NoToPope Coalition protests Pope and World Youth Day
state aid makes the christans look good
Obama pledges to expand aid to religious charities
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/politics/la-na-campaign2-2008jul02,0,1813376.story?track=rss
Re: NoToPope Coalition protests Pope and World Youth Day
I am Jewish, but I support the Pope and the Catholic church.
The Pope, and the Catholic Church, are one of the few bullwarks against the attacks of communism and islamism. Weaken the Church, and you open the door wider to invasions by islam and communism.
Like it or not, the church stands for decency, good behavior, morality and the basics of Western civilization.
The gay priest scandal was a huge black mark, for sure, but really, this is what happens when you allow gays into positions where they can exert power over defenseless children. Just further example of why the level of gay child sexual abuse is FIVE TIMES HIGHER than that of heterosexual males.
Follow the path of who is attacking the Pope and the Catholic Church, and at the end, you will probably find a useful idiot, a communist or a muslim---ALL of which seek to bring down our culture, and replace it with their infected cult.
Again, I speak as a Jew, BUT I still know and appreciate the value of the Pope and Catholic Church.
Long may He/it live and flourish.
Re: NoToPope Coalition protests Pope and World Youth Day
Never heard of the catholic church organised “ratlines’for fleeing nazi criminals hyguy?
Re: NoToPope Coalition protests Pope and World Youth Day
Shalom!
World Youth Day
It is disturbing that people are not going to be free to protest in the city during WYD
In fact I will probably get told to move on from expressing my own religious beliefs even if they are not anti Catholic just in case I "annoy" a catholic!
I've seen the Police act this way for other big events like the Olympic games because they don't want anyone "annoying" the tourists!
The state is in serious trouble when an ordinary policeman can decide if he does or does not like your beliefs and fine or arrest you for them.
Re: NoToPope Coalition protests Pope and World Youth Day
The only thing I can say to everyone.. is SO WHAT?
The event is happenning. No one can change that.
And do you really think you can change the minds of Catholic people attending World Youth Day by protesting, RUINING and disrupting the celebration of their faith? They will be close minded to the futile attempts because you people are close minded and INSENSITIVE to what is important to them. I know that it's good to protest as there are a lot of people there etc, but I personally think that the people who are going to World Youth Day are convinced about their faith and beliefs. Why else would they go?
I know you have your reasons to protest.. but you should remember that you should still respect and be sensitive towards people, as any human being should, no matter what religion, belief, faith or lack of faith/belief, because that is your main message isn't it?
Re: NoToPope Coalition protests Pope and World Youth Day
You have said this very well. I will be a Catholic pilgrim and among thousands who are coming in peace, to enjoy and absorb what is truly sacred to us.
I am always happy to embrace what others have to say, but would never consider using another's celebration to get my point across. Often, we can look back on how we have reacted to situations, even if we've gone in quietly to express ourselves, timing is always everything.
Somebody mentioned something quite valid to me the other day. It was about a gentleman who became so disenchanted with other religions and organisations bashing the Catholic Church, that it dawned on him that he had never actually heard a member of the Catholic Church doing likewise. It was this that turned that man's heart around, and now he sees what it was that made him come to hate the Catholic Church.....his inability to look into the facts.
We can all be guilty of rushing into opinions and getting caught up with the hypes. I can look at another person and genuinley love them right where they are, and I am not afraid of living as I believe.
I implore all people to just be at peace and don't give your opinion because you think the other guy is wrong. Just let it go. I have said in another reply that if someone happens to give me a condom I will simply give it back and reply....'true love waits'. I respect others opinions because that is where they are and lovingly expect the same in return.
dominus vobiscum......
Re: NoToPope Coalition protests Pope and World Youth Day
Amen! I will be there too and I will be praying for you! Thank you for your frank and honest response.
Resources to help with World Youth Day resistance
Your source for FREE World Youth day artworks to print as high resolution posters or tshirts: GO TO
http://www.eggbenedict.org/
& click through the Madonna
Some people you wll be protesting-report from Basic Catholc Comm
Hello all, my name is Luke and I am in my last day in Timor Leste after spending 3 months here with my wife Sarah. It’s my turn to fill people in about what’s been happening in CER in the last month. The big news and cause for much excitement up here is the 350 East Timorese who have started journeying to World Youth Day in Sydney, including 7 from the villages where CER operates. Br Bill left on the 18th of June to attend the Christian Brother Oceania Province Chapter and a well deserved break. I have missed my State of Origin Car Radio Listening Friend. It’s been a busy time and I certainly have a better appreciation of the fuller extent of Br Bill’s responsibilities and stressors. Sr Gael continues her valuable ministry to the youth and people with disabilities around Dili. One of her roles has been to prepare the young people for World Youth Day. Sr Gael has recently been ferrying delegates to the airport and is allowed past the immigration barrier to help the young people fill in the forms and feel a little more at ease before what is for the majority of them their first journey in an airplane. School finished on the 30th of June for Rebecca. She attended the graduation ceremony which turned into an all night party, in true East Timorese style. Rebecca has also been busy preparing four of the World Youth Day delegates and they have been exploring themes of social justice, spiritual preparation and Australian Culture. I have really enjoyed observing the excitement of the young people attending, and how proud their families are. One young man who works with me has been telling everybody that jumps in our car for the last month that he is going to Australia for World Youth Day, and then proceeds to share his itinerary. Another young person who Sr Gael has helped prepare who lives at Ahi Saun (a service providing support for people with disabilities) is excited about sleeping in the same house as the Adelaide Archbishop, seeing the Pope and attending a mayor reception in a country town in South Australia. Sarah has been busy assisting the health team and preschool teachers. The preschool teachers have attended a week of training in Dili and have come back to the hills with renewed passion and vigor. Sarah has been working with one of the preschool teachers who sustained a knife injury to the throat during a family dispute, and has trouble projecting his voice. It is a great development that his confidence has improved greatly, and he has started teaching again. Hopefully with time his voice will continue to improve. Sarah has also been working on updating role descriptions for the health team in light of the increasing involvement of the government health service in the district.I have been busy finishing up the road projects before we leave – Tino and Flory did the final tying of the last rock basket at 7:00 on Thursday night while I was in the car operating the brake light to supply enough light so they could finish the task. I have also been looking after the Deleco school building project while Br Bill has been away. One of the exciting developments for CER is that a water upgrade project has started from funds supplied by the Casino parish. The project will decrease the distance numerous families need to travel for water on the Railako Leten- Samalete border. CER is looking after the finance but the project inception, design, management and construction is been looked after by the villages and led by Ludivico. Sarah and I had our first wedding anniversary in Samalete on the 30th of June which was very nice. We have enjoyed our time up here and very grateful to Br Bill, Rebecca and Sr Gael for their support over the last three months. We hope that we keep the fire that this experience has started burning when we get back to Australia. On a personal note my father was a Christian Brother for a time before he got married and unfortunately passed away in 1985. I really appreciated this time up here learning a little more of the values and passions that he had as a young person and I’m sure he would be proud of the dedication and focus of the people that support CER. CheersLuke
Re: NoToPope Coalition protests Pope and World Youth Day
This is awsome news.......look at this people and celebrate with them! Yay!
Re: NoToPope Coalition protests Pope and World Youth Day
the catholics and christians murder millions, cathars, templars, native peoples, "heretics"..those with a different point of view, crusades, vatican helped nazi's, inquisitions, burning pagans "witches".......this is a foundation of Blood....not of love....of power and control....a fortress for the ego......they kill so many people and there are laws to say we cant wear a t-shirt in protest....what a joke....force rules the world still, religion is not the path to freedom. hell is a roomful of catholics/christians.
Catholics and Christians Murder Millions, etc
SO YA BETTER NOT ANNOY US, RIGHT?
Re: NoToPope Coalition protests Pope and World Youth Day
Catholics are fundamentally against freedom of speech, they helped create Fascism and Nazism. Any decent human being should protest against this evil & selfish group.
Re: Catholics are fundamentally against freedom of speech
THAT IS TRUE!!!
And they officials often lie.
Please listen to Mr Pell if you not convinced!
Re: NoToPope Coalition protests Pope and World Youth Day
"Catholics are fundamentally against freedom of speech, "
Run this by me again. Catholics decide to gather in Sydney to talk to each other. Y'all attempt to deny their right of assembly, free speech and religious belief. Whose oppressing who here? Let 'em alone.
Respect free speech, it begins with respect for people you disagree with the right to articulate their beliefs. Don't it?
Re: NoToPope Coalition protests Pope and World Youth Day
The protestors should try lecturing the pilgrims coming from the third world about social justice and I think they will be able to tell you a few things. If you don't agree with Catholic beliefs, don't believe them. We are a voluntary group.
As for abortion, the Catholic CHurch is right in opposing this as it harms many women and babies every year. As for state funding for WYD, I agree, the church is being co-opted by the state. If the church was more indpendent we would have more Catholics demanding an end to the illegal wars this country is waging. There are a lot of radical Catholics in the church. Catholicism is about radical change in society, assisting the poor and promoting justice.
On the left's stupidity craeting a blank cheque for crushing civ
Isn't the state involved in funding the Gay Mardi Gras?
Why?
Because it attracts pilgims to Sydney/ Australia.
How many gays and Catholics (estimate 500,000) will stay on for a look around and spend tourist dollar?
It's not an ideological allignment by the NSW government - its a capitalist investment.
If the attacks on the Gay Mardis Gras in Budapest recently was repeated at Sydney's Mardi Gras you'd get the same cop response you're getting in this instance to protect the tourist dollar.
The state can say they are deploying to protect the rights of Catholics to assemble (and they may have a point) from people who share the same slogan "No to the Pope" as the Reveran Ian Paisley, LVF UDA Ku Klax Klan and other assorted death squads. The stupidity of the "left" on this occasion plays into the hands of the state to shrnik civil liberties. Same scenario the jerk offs of Baader Meinhoff created with their tactics that fast tracked a police state in West Germany in the '70's
Re: NoToPope Coalition protests Pope and World Youth Day
As the pope stood on the tarmac at Richmond RAAF base (probably waiting for the NSW parliament to kiss his ring), a gust of wind blew his dress up. He was wearing red shoes.
Does this signify, as with women, "I'm not wearing any underwear?"
Re: NoToPope Coalition protests Pope and World Youth Day
I'm kind of agnostic I suppose. I find it discriminating that the pope is always a man. Women in the cathilic church are more in cleaning and cooking and ironing...
About the condom - I know many of so called catolics are using them anyway.The priests also. Many of priests have children. Some of them do pay occasionally for abortion.
So, this week is just a sharade.Or should I say a good marketing for Australia?
Re: NoToPope Coalition protests Pope and World Youth Day
Congratulatons Amber Evans & Ravchel Pike on your Federal Court win to protect our civil liberties.
well then
Iam not a satanist i do not believe in any religion , i believe people onli believe in god because they are weak and they are scared that there will be nothing when they die so they create this belief in there mind that there is some one looking after them well tell me this
why is it that
people go hungry
children get raped ( o and a little coincidence catholics hate gay relationships but its ok for a priest to molest RAPE a little boy , thats not gay at all is it
AIDS is a problem
people die from cancer all the time
people are murdered all the time
o n wasnt jesus born in a jewish land yet so many people hate jews JESUS WAS A JEW going by the fairy tale book the bible
i love how my friends and a close family member of mine cannot get married and show how much they love eachother BECAUSE SOME FUCK WIT RELIGION STOPS THEM FROM BEING TOGETHER IN LAW how would u religious fucks like it if ur wife or husband was dieing and by law you could not see them in hospital to tell them you love them and will never stop
religion is a fairy tale
so many people die on the surgery table and come back and they say there was nothing there no light NOTHING just darkness and no this isn because they were bad people they were actually once believers in all this jesus and god crap
Re: well then
My friend has a breath freshenerthat makes you believe in god. It might help you with your problem.
If
not, try drinking the tap water. A good combination of fluride and lead
poisoning from the pipes aids having faith in fairy-tales.
Re: NoToPope Coalition protests Pope and World Youth Day
this is a fantastic page - I mean interesting and diverse commentz. Me,
I come down on the catholic side . Anyway I'm sure everyone is getting
some fun with the WYD thing, let's focus on that.
OK. Anyone who succeeds in giving the Pope a condom should get their own TV show.
Re: NoToPope Coalition protests Pope and World Youth Day
Its not fun, the catholics are an annoying pain and about as spiritually enlightened as my ass.
Re: NoToPope Coalition protests Pope and World Youth Day
You know, guys, you don't have to be miserable . All this politics; there are many happy people in the catholic church who agree with some of the ideas, not all. It cannot be fun, looking for people to argue with, all the time? I don't know. C'mon, you did have some fun here on the forum, hey. Have another look
So - the pope's gone and I expect NTP won't last long. No-one gave him a condo, I should have gone to Sydney, i.e. done this myself. See y'all
Re: NoToPope Coalition protests Pope and World Youth Day
I was confirmed a Catholic. 2 incidents caused me to doubt that Church. A priest gave me a dollar ( in a state school scripture class) for a composition I wrote on the Ascension. A dollar note was a bit of money in the early 70's. Then the nuns objected to my brother being my confirmation 'sponsor' because he was adjudged by them not to be a 'good enough Catholic'. I think they lost me from that point. I have a theory that the Catholic church creates more Communists than any other Christian sect. So many boys from Catholic schools were ardent supporters of Maoism and other communist 'faiths' at Australian universities in the 70's.
And I'd like to have a have a dollar for every dollar of the difference between what is spent by the NSW Govt on Gay Mardi Gras v. World Catholic Youth Day. Spending on this Christian sect's festival by the State Government is nothing short of civil conscription - could anyone imagine $100 million being spent by the Government on Gay Mardi Gras? The only reason they spent this much on it is that the State Government is full of Catholics and they wanted to have an excuse to expand police powers to crush what would otherwise be lawful protests. A follow-up to the police violence of APEC - you bet! Wouldn't Mary McKillop be proud of this regime?
Is handing someone a condom 'assault', or is the Pope's opposition to condom use consigning millions to death by AIDS, especially in Africa, but increasingly on our doorstep in Asia? If the Pope promoted condom use instead of criticising it, millions of African & Asian Catholics' lives would certainly be saved. I reckon that would be the Christian thing to do!
Of course the 'sleepover' at Randwick Racecourse will in 9 months or so produce hundreds ( perhaps thousands) of new Catholics ( and a similar number of abortions). What a 'miracle' that will be! And all courtesy of a State Government extemely grateful for the diversion from the troubles of those prominent Catholics from the Central Coast ( and of course to those 'terrorist' railway unionists for calling off their strike) - their reward will have to await them in the 'hereafter', as you can bet the State Government will sack them in droves - thanks Morris & Michael, your 'Christian' mercy & charity is so much appreciated by your exploited public sector workers. More power to the dissenting Catholics - you are brave people to challenge the power of Pell et. al. (including Tony the Pious Abbott). And what will happen to the beloved Randwick Racecourse? It will be destroyed. But of course good Catholic racegoers will forgive His Eminence, won't they? To destroy Royal Randwick will be the true sacrilege!
Re: NoToPope Coalition protests Pope and World Youth Day
No to Pope Coalition - Defending Free Speech! So long as they’re the only ones talking!
You may remember the NTP Coalition in the federal court a week or two ago, fighting the good fight in its crusade to defend our freedom of speech. The NTP argued that the right to cause an “annoyance” was fundamental to freedom of speech and, as a result, had the NSW State Government’s ill conceived WYD nuisance laws overturned. So, with this sort of pedigree in the defence of our liberties you’d expect that their own website would be a bastion of free speech, right?
Wrong! The NTPC’s own website had a forum that is now shut down, supposedly for excessive “flaming”. Now I’m not sure whether the definition of “flaming” extends to expressing an opposing opinion but, in the lexicon of the NTPC, it seems to. In the forums there was a debate going on about the merits and validity of their cause. During that debate, the Head Administrator, a fellow going by the screen name “Star Adrael” would frequently delete certain sections of people’s posts for this supposed “flaming”. I myself was subjected to such deletions in my posts for some fairly mild rebukes in response to opinions that ranged from outrageous to downright bigoted. But it didn’t stop there. Star Adrael would also, where he saw fit, insert editorial comments into the posts of others! Star Adrael would proudly claim that the NTPC were opposed to all forms vilification yet breezily and off-handedly made such statements as “the Catholic Church indoctrinates babies” and “the Catholic Chruch supports “pedophilia” (sic) and homophobia” When I lightheartedly suggested that pedophilia “rather sounds like a foot fetish”, guess what happened? That’s right, deleted for “flaming”!
In the end I suspect it all got rather embarrassing for NTPC because, after my own and others repeatedly pointing out their own ideological inconsistencies the forum was shut down…… for “flaming”.
So with all of that in mind, I call upon the No to Pope Coalition, in the interests of free speech, to restore the forum, even if only to allow the public to read the posts and to make up their own minds on the opinions that were expressed. I further call upon the NTPC to reinstate all posts in their original, unedited form so that the public can make their own judgments on what constitutes “flaming” Then the public will be better equipped to judge whether you are worthy guardians of our civil liberties or whether you aren’t just a bunch of “flaming” hypocrites!
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