#36105: Axiom — 08/17  at  07:21 AM
Re the "Pope" article, I'm surprised that this is a civil case. A snippet:

"was involved in a conspiracy to hide Patino-Arango's crimes and to help him escape prosecution."

Isn't that the definition of "accessory after the fact?" That sounds like an opportunity for criminal prosecution.

Please note - in no sense am I assuming guilt. However, I believe that it is time to eliminate the whole "seal of the confessional"-type silliness. If someone commits a crime and then describes it to you in detail, you are now (potentially) an accessory after the fact and you SHARE in the guilt.

Seriously, who wants pedophiles in their club anyway. Why can't the church take the stance of "These guys were supposed to be pillars of morality but are, in fact, vile embarassments to humanity. Please lock them away. We don't want them anymore."

#36108: charlie wagner — 08/17  at  08:02 AM
HERO OF THE DAY

CRAWFORD, Texas - One of President Bush's neighbors will allow use of his land by dozens of war protesters who have camped in roadside ditches the past 11 days, giving them more room and halving their distance from Bush's ranch.

Fred Mattlage, an Army veteran, said he sympathizes with the demonstrators whose makeshift camp off the winding, two-lane road leading to Bush's ranch has angered most residents. Mattlage said the group will be safer on his corner 1-acre lot.
"I just think people should have a right to protest without being harassed," Mattlage told The Associated Press on Tuesday night. "And I'm against the war. I don't think it's a war we need to be in."

What are you doing to help?

FAX the White House at:
1-202-456-2461

#36116: — 08/17  at  08:46 AM

Seriously, who wants pedophiles in their club anyway. Why can't the church take the stance of "These guys were supposed to be pillars of morality but are, in fact, vile embarassments to humanity. Please lock them away. We don't want them anymore."

Ratzinger was, of course, head of the Congregation for the Doctine of the Faith, and organization which formerly had the much less PC name, The Sacred Congregation of the Universal Inquisition. The Inquisition!! Oh wait, all that torturing and burning at the stake wasn't officialy condoned by the church. It was merely the actions of certain individuals who happened to be Catholics. Right.

I don't really think Ratzinger is going to be the guy that reforms the Catholic church, admits they screwed up big time, and tosses out all the bad guys for setting a bad example. He's the head of the bad examples.

#36117: The Rational Thinker — 08/17  at  08:47 AM
It seems that the Pope was so excited to get to Cologne that he had to aplogize twice for being forgetful and rushing off

#36119: — 08/17  at  09:06 AM
Our chief weapon is suprise...surprise and fear...fear and surprise.... Our two weapons are fear and surprise...and ruthless efficiency.... Our *three* weapons are fear, surprise, and ruthless efficiency...and an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope.... Our *four*...no...*Amongst* our weapons.... Amongst our weaponry...are such elements as fear, surprise.... I'll come in again.

#36121: Axiom — 08/17  at  09:15 AM
I, too, was tempted to go for the Inquisition Skit. Sadly, I was chicken. Good to know that people still know their Monty Python skits that are NOT from the now-infinitely-cliche Holy Grail.

#36125: — 08/17  at  09:50 AM
er, PZ, manic depressives aren't psychos ...

#36126: PZ Myers — 08/17  at  10:02 AM
…and god doesn't exist, so let's not be too picky about psychiatric criteria.

#36128: Alon Levy — 08/17  at  10:04 AM
The Inquisition, let's begin
The Inquisition, look out sin
We have a mission, to convert the Jews (Jew-Jew-Jew-Jew-Jew-Jew-Jew-Jews)
We're gonna teach them wrong from right
We're gonna help them see the light
And make an offer that they can't refuse (that the Jews just can't refuse)
Confess... don't be boring
Say yes, don't be dull
A fact you're ignoring: it's better to lose your skull cap than your skull

#36154: — 08/17  at  12:41 PM
Come on, Alon - give Mel Brooks his due - someone might think YOU thought that one up, not Mel in 'History of the World, Part I'!

#36166: covington — 08/17  at  02:03 PM
That Kissing Hank's Ass video is fantastic. But it did give me flashbacks to catholic gradeschool.

#36197: — 08/17  at  04:59 PM
Hmm... If the Vatican were a country where the rule of law was practiced, there would be a way to impeach the pope for his complicity in this crime. Too bad it's a medieval absolute monarchy.

-jcr

#36259: Tony — 08/18  at  03:32 AM
This one is very interesting. I like the video also.

#36261: — 08/18  at  03:39 AM
God doesn't exist, but manic depressives (and people who care about them) do, and 'psycho' (psychotic, psychopath)as a throwaway term suggests something scary, threatening. I thought you scientists were *supposed* to be picky about terms (Darwinism?). Perhaps I'm thinking of philosophers. Yeah, I know I'm being petty. I'll stop now.