London Protest against Pope visit February 2010

Humanists, Secularists and gay rights activist protest against the (state-funded) trip of the pope to the UK. Separation of church and state, end of harmful religious indoctrination and religious homophobia were demands of the protesters.

WHATS WRONG WITH THE VATICAN

This tiny State inhabited mainly by priests is extremely powerful and its "moral" crusades adversely affect the lives of millions of people in Europe and in the world.

Officially part of the UN, its "observer-state" status means it engages in UN debates on a variety of issues ranging from favourites, such as birth control, abortion and homosexuality, to the environment, war and global trade.

The Vatican has diplomatic relationships with almost all the Countries in the world (174 when John Paul II died) and in many EU countries they benefit from the support of Catholic politicians or in many cases of Christian political parties. Of the 27 countries of the European Union, 14 are bound to the Vatican by at least one treaty. No other religion has such a power in Europe and in the World, thus prompting the Economist to publish an investigation about the diplomatic service of the Vatican, questioning whether it deserves its special status in the UN (21/07/2007)

The Catholic Church is an extremely profitable business. They own businesses such as hotels, restaurants, shops and private schools and they DONT pay any tax! On top of this, the Vatican receives public money in many countries: in Italy about 1000 million Euros from taxes is destined to the Vatican every year (930 millions € in 2006 ).

The Vatican wields considerable political and economic power. It uses its influence and privilege to impose an agenda on a variety of issues that affect our lives as European citizens, and limit our civil rights and our civil liberties.

THE POPE'S VIEWS ON WOMEN AND LGBT PEOPLE

The issue of women's rights and the Catholic Church goes way beyond the hierarchy of the church, where women are unable to ascend to priesthood as a result of their gender. Women who have had a divorce, women who want to have an abortion and women who are living as single parents in catholic countries are often victims of intimidation and discrimination. The Pope encourages us to view women as unequal to men, by consistently and publicly stating that the two genders are naturally different and that women are naturally inclined for domestic living. In some catholic countries, like Ireland and Poland, abortion is illegal. In others, like Italy, the right to an abortion is constantly under threat from the Vatican's pressure on the Government.

The Pope thinks being gay is an "objective disorder" and a "moral evil". In many countries in the world you can still get the death penalty for being gay. A proposal to de-criminalise homosexuality was opposed by the Vatican in the UN because it would mean that States where same-sex unions are not recognized would be discriminated against and unfairly subjected to international pressure.

Category:

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Tags:

• pope
• vatican
• catholic
• secular
• separation
• church
• state
• government
• Benedict
• papa
• protest
• gay
• glbt
• women
• rights
• equality
• equal
• uk
• london
• demonstration
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• pro-choice
• birth
• control
• humanist

[BrownEyez6890]

well no offense when your in a religion you believe that's the right way and anything outside your religion is wrong..if there were so many ways to God there their would be no point in religion or Jesus even coming here, Us Catholics don't shove our religion down anyone's throats. everyone always wants to hear the good but never wants to hear the bad that comes along with the religion..yea we know the Vatican is corrupt but it doesn't make our religion less of the true religion

[John1576able]

Guys, can you please stop this 'Child Molestation' crap about the Catholic Church. Statistically the numbers of children abused in Catholic schools and homes etc, is actually lower than in other institutions of a similar kind. It really is outrageous that such comments are made about His Holiness like are made here. At the same time as 2% of children in Catholic schools were abused, 50% (yes 50%) of children in Swedish Foster Homes were abused. Yet not one word about that here. Be reasonable.

[WAD0005]

i can accept people who are religious but it's a different story when they shove their beliefs down peoples throat and spread the message that everybody is going to hell for not following them.

[havock89]

@FA22raptero Also the bible is not the rulebook of christianity, it is the product of christianity. The chruch fathers choose what books would go into the bible for use in public litrugy, basing your knowledge of christianity only to the bible is deeply flawed and evetually becomes less and less profitably for you (spiritually speaking). If you want to see the rule book for orthodox christianity pick up the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

[havock89]

@FA22raptero Seeing as we are talking about the pope, its obvious what church I am referring to. The vast majority of christianity, the 13 rites of Orthodoxy and the 23 rites of Catholicism which are in communion with each other agree on the elements I have portrayed. Only protestantism disagrees, and their very nature is one of disunity and dis-integration. There are 45,000 protestant denominations now and the number is still rising. Soon there will be more than there are words in the bible.

[forever18forever]

@JorEl7771 devils??? you are the devils , i agree that the pope is the anti christ , but gays have mental illness, NO SURRENDER GLASGOW RANGERS

[JorEl7771]

Arrest the damn Pope!!!!!!!!! To Hell with Catholicism and false Christianity!!!! Two main religions from the Devil, IF THERE IS ONE!  I take that back, they are the devils! Religious fanatics are insane! This world needs a major change and SOON!!

[sjrodovalho]

Christian by choice...glory to the lamb of God.

[havock89]

@2LisbonTreaty Says the person who is a complete zombie slave to the secular humanist propoganda machine!

Yeah right! lol

[havock89]

@havock89 "The Pope encourages us to view women as unequal to men" That is an utter lie. The Church teaches that the highest of Gods creation is a woman is a woman. That woman is the Queen of Heaven, and the only creature in all creation to sit at Christs right-hand.

So much for women being fit only for domestic chores eh?

Please dont listen to these polemic lies being propogandered by this intolerant fool. Read the Catechism of the Catholic Church and learn the truth for yourself.