Not really relevant to your latest idiot, but here's a story I came across that hasn't got much attention in the atheisitic blogoshpere. I'm kind of a fisher of dirt on the RCC, so I've think I've landed a fairly large one here (Italian priestly pedophelia). Could become big. Italy and the RCC have an interesting history and relationship. I'm waiting to see how this plays out.
<<http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090913/ap_on_re_eu/e...

Nice provocative post vjack. It's good to remember how religion can influence politics or vice versa. I've been reading thru some of the aptly named papal "bulls" . Some of these authorize various crusades. Some are totally political. Some are screeds against witchcraft. I'm glad that today religion takes a far back seat to secular society. No one would suggest that we attacked Iraq because they are muslim. It's really quite irrelevant to the invasion. We attacked Iraq for oil.

The secularization of society is inexorable. Much to the dismay of the catholic church whose power is mainly being usurped. When did marriage transfer from a totally church institution to a state one? Will it ever go back? I think not.

I suspect the real fear churches feel is that they are losing members and their way of life is in decline. The quick reversal of atheism from being anti-social to chic has got to be very scary. This is especially so if you consider the demographics of atheists vs. the religious.

You have wide rivers and deep rivers. I sure wish I had more up-to-date facts, but I think the atheist movement is in fact very wide, but not very deep. Most people I engage in religious conversation say "I was raised so and so, but I don't go anymore". This seems to occur most frequently with Catholics. They are reluctant to label themselves atheist. The number active atheists is miniscule; most are actually embarrassed by it. In raw numbers atheists are about 15% of the US population, but only half admit to it. That puts it 2nd behind the RCC. The trend is also progressing phenomenally fast. At the current rate, atheists will dominate the US in 20 to 50 years (maybe sooner). This is a huge demographic shift. I would like to see some better reporting on this by the mainstream media and polling houses.

I'm new to this blog. Lots of good stuff here. Anyway, I have been recently following the story about the "legionaries of christ". This is an ultra-conservative, secretive group within the catholic church. The previous two popes have supported the group and their founder Fr. Marcial Maciel. Recently the new pope excommunicated him for doing all sorts of bad stuff (drugs, homosexuality, fathering children out of wedlock). There's lots more too. The RCC is investigating the order with a "visitation" that just started. Too much to mention here, but you should check the story out.