Should the Pope be given the honour of a UK state visit?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.guardian.c...k-state-visit-protest

So /// Stephen Fry, Terry Pratchett, Philip Pullman and Richard Dawkins are among more than 50 public figures who have signed a letter to the Guardian arguing that the pope should not be given the "honour" of a UK state visit.///

Roman Catholic, Religious or not,

Why should the Pope not be given the honour of a UK state visit, just because of the Vatican's record on 'gay rights', 'abortion' and 'birth control'?

Would they also criticise other religions on their various records of their faith?

[mike11111]

"Just because a few celebrity sausage jockeys get the hump over someone who considers their sexual preferences abnormal."

Now that's what I call revenge!

[zita-green]

The very least he could do would be to apologise to the abuse survivors as he has done in other countries. The legacy of abuse is lifelong and dreadful.

[sandyRoe]

Ceausescu of Romania received one. More recently so did the leader of China. Why shouldn't His Holiness be treated with the courtesy his position deserves?

[B00]

So you believe this squalid little man who appears to condone what his priests do in the name of religion deserves respect and adoration sandy?

Wow!

[B00]

I also believe it is also the business of those children and their families steve.

[mike11111]

Not to mention the late Emperor Hirohito of Japan, when ex-servicemen turned their backs on him during the state procession.

[sandyRoe]

Paedophile priests don't do what they do in the name of religion.

[jackthehat]

They have got away with it *because* of their religion.........!!!
Because the heirarchy have chosedn NOT to deal with the issue head on but to shuffle these predators sideways and threaten their victims with excommunication if they made too much noise.

Utterly despicable !

[B00]

Maybe not Sandy, but its nicely hushed up and glossed over in the name of it, by that horrific man.

[B00]

I've nothing really against the Catholic church itself. What I do object to is people, in this case priests, doing what they do and then their crimes are as ive said hushed up and glossed over.

I don't care if they're Catholics, Mormonsor little green men from Mars. If they are accountable to someone, and in this case they are to their "boss" the Pope, he should at least acknowllege, apologise and punish those said priests.

[jno]

Steve... you're not saying the pope's black?

[mike11111]

"Steve... you're not saying the pope's black?"

Not yet perhaps, but then again 32 years ago one might have said, "You're not telling me the PM's a woman!"

[anneasquith]

im sorry to say but havnt read the answers of this thread, because a similar one was asked today, and yesterday,,, can i just say a few things,, im am as appauled as anybody re sexual abuse, by anyone, it is worse when the abuser is in a position of power,but.................. not all catholic priests are child sex abusers,.............. catholics do not condone any cover up the pope may have been involved in.................. and before any of you ask, my religeon is not foe discussion, i will not be going to any venue tomorrow to see the pope, i believe some abers have used these question about the pope to "take a swipe " at catholics.

[B00]

anne- which is why I wrote..."I've nothing really against the Catholic church itself. "

[Prudentia]

Sadly pope Benedict xvi is destined to destroy the catholic church within his lifetime, may it be through negligence, ignorance, his avoidance of clear evidence of the child abuse, complicity or sheer fate. History shows that you must never put one of the teutonic race in charge of anything other than his own ability to eat his breakfast. To those who doubt, please just wait and see. It pains me that I will be sadly proven right, rest assured I will be in due course. Prudentia xxx

[mike11111]

Bit strong that, Prudentia. As an Anglo-Saxon, and thus a member of the Teutonic race, I must beg to differ with regard to our capabilities.

[Prudentia]

We are not talking about some ethnic groups but a head of the catholic church that who was complicit in covering up child abuse, defend that and forever be damned. Prudentia.