Alan B wrote:Is this still practised in some mentally backward Catholic countries?

Most likely yes, in countries such as the Philippines, some South American nations that are wholly catholic etc.

Doubt that it's publicised though.

aban57 wrote:Why don't Catholics like C-sections ?

The Guardian story briefly explains, but doesn't make it completely explicit:

At the time, the established medical consensus was that having more than three caesarean sections was dangerous, and that further pregnancies would have to be stopped by sterilisation or contraception.

Voluntary sterilisation is considered a 'grave sin' by the Catholic church.

When I was going to a Presbyterian youth group in the late seventies...for the outings and the girls, not for any deep seated religious belief...I remember a fair bit of animosity towards the Catholic church, and stories of "nunneries in Ireland and England where unwanted babies of priests and nuns were buried in mass graves". The less religiously brainwashed of us glanced at one another and said "Yeah sure..."

Maybe they were on to something...it's obviously a story that's been around for quite a while...

Bloody catholics. What have they ever done for us?

Well... uhm... uhm.... nothing. Built big churches.

Only slightly, tangentially related:

Scot Dutchy wrote:Well... uhm... uhm.... nothing. Built big churches.

What has any religion done for us?

johnbrandt wrote:When I was going to a Presbyterian youth group in the late seventies...for the outings and the girls, not for any deep seated religious belief...I remember a fair bit of animosity towards the Catholic church, and stories of "nunneries in Ireland and England where unwanted babies of priests and nuns were buried in mass graves". The less religiously brainwashed of us glanced at one another and said "Yeah sure..."

Maybe they were on to something...it's obviously a story that's been around for quite a while...

It's entirely possible that the truth was coincidental to these stories, though you never know. It's possible there were rumours but no one ever took it seriously enough to actually investigate.

They knew damn well. The people did know but were terrified of the church. Excommunication was a powerful weapon back then.

I think to a lot of catholics, excommunication is still a powerful weapon. It certainly is for committed JWs.

Agrippina wrote:I think to a lot of catholics, excommunication is still a powerful weapon. It certainly is for committed JWs.

I'd love to get excommunicated as they don't accept defection requests any more. In reality it's not easy. The most recent group I can think of was a breakaway sect, in Italy I think, who revered Mary as a goddess. Killing and raping children certainly won't do it for you

Animavore wrote:

Agrippina wrote:I think to a lot of catholics, excommunication is still a powerful weapon. It certainly is for committed JWs.

I'd love to get excommunicated as they don't accept defection requests any more. In reality it's not easy. The most recent group I can think of was a breakaway sect, in Italy I think, who revered Mary as a goddess. Killing and raping children certainly won't do it for you

Many pedo priests are moved to other locations when it's discovered they raped little boys rather than excommunicate them. It's been reported here in Australia that up to 40% of priests have pedo tendency in some parishes.

Well isn't to be expected when you force virile young men to give up the one thing they're supposed to be doing as apes approaching maturity? If they can't get it from the normal sources, they'll use the most conveniently available one. Allow priests to marry, and the rates of child abuse will most likely drop. Obviously their hands aren't quite enough to sort out their problems.

Humans need to get over the idea that the fact that we wear clothes and are able to manipulate our environment to the extent that we do, has removed us from the classification as an animal. Once we come to terms with being just another species of animal, and not some special creation of the silver teapot in the sky, maybe we'd stop doing stupid stuff like forcing young people to be celibate.

We do a lot of ape things. Laughs, cheers, boos, hoots, yeehaws, clapping hands, standing up and waving arms yelling woohoo when your team scores a run.
Next time you watch a show with an audience, pay attention to that. Though a warning, you may never hear these things the same way again.

Very true Piper. Yet try to tell that to someone who believes that the earth is 6,000 years old.

Agrippina wrote:Well isn't to be expected when you force virile young men to give up the one thing they're supposed to be doing as apes approaching maturity? If they can't get it from the normal sources, they'll use the most conveniently available one. Allow priests to marry, and the rates of child abuse will most likely drop. Obviously their hands aren't quite enough to sort out their problems.

Humans need to get over the idea that the fact that we wear clothes and are able to manipulate our environment to the extent that we do, has removed us from the classification as an animal. Once we come to terms with being just another species of animal, and not some special creation of the silver teapot in the sky, maybe we'd stop doing stupid stuff like forcing young people to be celibate.

Agree with that to a certain extent. But I think the priesthood itself attracts paedophiles. Let's not forget that it's mainly little boys that are molested by these monsters!

While the, er, 'normal' priests have a captive audience - the nuns.

nvm

Alan B wrote:While the, er, 'normal' priests have a captive audience - the nuns.

Who fall over themselves to get under his cassock.

Eye witnessed by my late girl friend at her catholic boarding school here and my wife's time at catholic schools in Ireland. My wife was given a day of school if a priest was visiting.

Coo. Couldn't have got much schooling...