Campaign to "Make the Pope Pay. No state funded visit to the UK"

Pope Benedict will be visiting the UK to the delight of the Nations's Catholics. However not all are impressed. A campaign has been launched to "Make The Pope Pay" as we have picked up from Vegan Miranda Pandaqueen's Twitter. They are saying that the taxpayer should not have to foot the bill for the Pope's visit including policing or security. They say the Pope and Catholic Church should pay.

For more on the Pope's visit to the UK [possibly September] visit Times Online.

Anon [Found from Vegan Miranda Pandaqueen 's Twitter]

Comments

Hide the following 29 comments

Pope led cover-up of child abuse by priests

08.02.2010 20:43

The Pope played a leading role in a systematic cover-up of child sex abuse by Roman Catholic priests, according to a shocking documentary to be screened by the BBC tonight.

In 2001, while he was a cardinal, he issued a secret Vatican edict to Catholic bishops all over the world, instructing them to put the Church's interests ahead of child safety.

The document recommended that rather than reporting sexual abuse to the relevant legal authorities, bishops should encourage the victim, witnesses and perpetrator not to talk about it. And, to keep victims quiet, it threatened that if they repeat the allegations they would be excommunicated.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23369148-pope-led-cover-up-of-child-abuse-by-priests.do

Anon

Pope has spoken out against factory farming and for AR activists against farming

08.02.2010 21:15

The Pope has spoken out against factory farming. He has spoken up for AR activists who are against factory farming. It is madness for a vegan to say "make him pay".

anon

but..

08.02.2010 21:38

It’s good that he has spoken up for animal rights, but it doesn’t let him off the hook for covering up child abuse.

And why should my tax money pay for his visit? I am not catholic. And it is not as though the catholic church is strapped for cash now is it.

another anon

DON#T LET HIM IN

08.02.2010 21:56

If there is a protest against this I am there - with a "THE POPE IS A MURDERER" placard........( relating to the anti-condom policy)

PROTEST

@ anon

08.02.2010 21:56

You're so right,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Matthew

Miranda hates ALL Popes and didn't know this one was paedophile..

08.02.2010 22:42

When she wrote this she didn't know he was a paedophile. Miranda is just anti any Pope, all Popes.

anon

Fascist anti-Catholic zealots confuse matters and belittle the abused

08.02.2010 23:05

When anti Catholic zealots are against all Popes any Popes this doesn't help when something like this happens.
Sometimes teachers or people in children's homes abuse children, this does not mean that they ALL do it.
I think fascist anti Pope / any Pope attitudes belittle the effects of institutional abuse on children when it occurs.

Catholic

steer clear of above call

08.02.2010 23:11

people should steer clear of supporting the above idiotic call. religious intolerance, anti catholic bigotry, xenophobia and racism have no place on indymedia.

Ste

It's his flying arrangements that annoy. {Fuck bigots like Miranda Kill Popes}

08.02.2010 23:19

Whatever your views and while I think that yes "Miranda kill the Pope" sounds like a bigot [I checked out your Twitter young lady...] it is THIS that should piss you off...his flying arrangements. Why does one man need a whole damn plane to himself?

annon

Fuck The Pope

09.02.2010 01:17

Funny how all the Catholic astroturfers have turned up.

The Catholic Church is a bigoted, homophobic, intolerant institution that has been responsible for millions of deaths over the years. I can't believe anyone could defend it, especially not the leader of the hierarchy. Why should we tolerate intolerance? And why the fuck should my tax-payer's money go to some crazy guy who talks to his pretend friend in the sky?

That's not to say any of the other religions are any better, they are all as bad as each other.

And it's not to say followers of the religion are all bad people. Hell, some of my best friends are Catholic :-P

anon

The pope is a c**t

09.02.2010 01:50

This pope and the others promote homophobia, encourage AIDS ridden countries not to use condoms and protect paedophiles. They don't deserve respect and neither do their idiot followers. Sorry Catholic but your Church is utterly flawed and your Pope is a vile waste of space.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsFrS5PMMac

Rod

odd

09.02.2010 08:46

odd. the uk has hosted numerous state visits over the years, among them some of the vilest, murderous, most war-mongering leaders and despots on the face of the planet. a recent example being the war criminal george w bush.

there were no calls for a block on state funded visits then.

yet when the leader of the world's billion strong roman catholics, a man who embraces and embodies peace, holiness and integrity plans to come to britain, all the nations anarcho-bigots come swarming out in a frenzy like wasps.

palao

state visits

09.02.2010 09:44

@palao
actually there was a massive protest against Bush when he came and we toppled a statue of him on Trafalgar Square and every time anyone from the Chinese state is invited there are many pro-Tibet protesters. So there's nothing odd at all here. When nasty people with blood on their hands are our guests we make them feel 'welcome'. x

Re: odd

09.02.2010 10:08

palao, you need to get better at astroturfing :) you clearly have not researched Indymedia or the people who use it particularly well.

There are numerous war criminals who have visited the UK and have had the welcomes they deserve:-

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/04/395922.html

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/06/400742.html

and more recently:-

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/12/443503.html

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2010/01/445428.html

grassroots

Re: steer clear of above call

09.02.2010 10:18

"religious intolerance, anti catholic bigotry, xenophobia and racism"

So the pope is black now? Your cries of 'xenophobia' seem reminiscent of zionists who cry 'antisemitism' against all those who oppose ethnic cleansing. There are plenty of people in Italy who actively oppose the vatican; currently the catholic church are trying to ban a new pill which would make abortions less invasive and traumatic and there are many Italians who are fighting to oppose this. The catholic church is a patriotic male-dominated entity who clearly want women to suffer for their 'sins'. Unfortunately, like the mafia the catholic church has a great deal of political power in Italy. They are a corrupt and authoritarian organisation who should be opposed at every opportunity.

grassroots

re grassroots

09.02.2010 11:12

since the Pope clearly isn't a war criminal then, he should be welcomed and not subject to ill-thought out and vainglorious "no state funded visit to the uk" calls.

as for all the criticisms of the church that have been tagged onto the initial post, none of these things were cited by the original poster as reasons as to why people should support no taxpayer funding for the pope's visit.

in fact the poster didn't give any reason at all.

the roll call of dubious, questionable xenophobic and bigoted allegations that attempt to scape goat the pope and hold the current pope for the shortcomings, mistakes and errors of judgement of individuals within the church going back generations, have actually been added by subsequent commentators.

re abortion, while I personally support it in limited circumstances for genuine medical reasons provided there is no pain to the foetus or harm to the mother. however, no better example of the topsy turvey 'good is bad, bad is good' logic found above can be found in your own comment which attempts to paint people and an organisation that opposes the incomprehendably painful torture and murder of unborn children, and campaigns for their protection, as the villain. aren't progressives supposed to be on the side of the oppressed and the voiceless? or have we given up on that, and just turned our attention to mindless anti-catholic and anti-pope hate mongering?

the rc church is the world's largest charitable organisation. the world would be a poorer place without it.

re above

To all you God botherers,

09.02.2010 12:04

along with tooth faries, elfs, santa claus and satan, let me break it to you all... They do not exist!
As for the pope, that abuse hiding, life destroying ridiculous pervert, fuck him and all who support him including you animal rights hypocritic supporters, your all doomed.

ps Hiltler loved animals (and was a committed catholic by the way) does that mean we should forgive him for his crimes?

No Gods
No Masters

@narchist
Homepage: http://God is Dead.com

re: @narchist

09.02.2010 12:40

and doubtless you believe in freedom of speech and belief ONLY so long as people agree with you!!

hitler may have been a catholic at one time - but catholics were rounded up along with all other dissenters in nazi germany and the catholics played vital roles in much of the underground - especially poland.

the Pope's visit to the u.k is his right as a religious leader - same for the dali lama and all other world faith leaders - you don't believe - fine, you'll have a few days in september free when others are making plans to do something!

indymedia is for anyone who is concerned about the issues - globalisation, the gap between rich and poor and the environment are all things which the catholic church are concerned with and the pope is a tierless traveller trying to get these issues addressed.

no one can defend child abuse or its cover up - and personally i don't agree with the pope's position on condoms or on the role of women in the church - but personally i welcome his visit and will do my best to be there.

dannyl

as if...

09.02.2010 12:46

Oh such a hard life, being a tireless traveller (at the expense of us all)!

George Bush & Tony Bliar were also tireless travellers, trying to put right the injustices of the world.

And if you believe the statement that the head of a worldwide hierarchy give a shit about anyone but themselves then you are seriously deluded.

@ dannyl

09.02.2010 13:16

"hitler may have been a catholic at one time - but catholics were rounded up along with all other dissenters in nazi germany and the catholics played vital roles in much of the underground - especially poland."

No one is discounting catholics as people here, just pointing out that you support a powerful and corrupt organisation who systematically covered up child sexual abuse and have been the main cause of the spread of HIV and AIDS throughout Africa. The world would be a better place without catholicism.

"the Pope's visit to the u.k is his right as a religious leader - same for the dali lama and all other world faith leaders"

Has the dalai lama covered up child sexual abuse and caused the spread of HIV and AIDS throughout Africa causing tens of millons to die?

Furthermore why are you coming to Indymedia? You clearly have fuck all in common with this community and don't usually frequent this neck of the woods. Astroturfing?

lie after lie after lie

09.02.2010 15:19

"the rc church is the world's largest charitable organisation. the world would be a poorer place without it. "

A lie, they do not even appear in the top 25, despite their astronomical wealth (accumulated by force over centuries I should add):-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wealthiest_charitable_foundations

"the incomprehendably painful torture and murder of unborn children"

Another lie, there is no scientific consensus whatsoever that foetuses feel pain before 24 weeks and much evidence to suggest otherwise:-

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4180592.stm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetus#Fetal_pain

"the roll call of dubious, questionable xenophobic and bigoted allegations that attempt to scape goat the pope"

"anti catholic bigotry, xenophobia and racism"

As someone already mentioned: "the pope is black now?" and "There are plenty of people in Italy who actively oppose the vatican".

Snoop

Re: lie after lie after lie

09.02.2010 15:23

Looks like some confessions are in order here ;)

hail mary

pope on a rope, wash away all yer sins!

09.02.2010 17:23

Ponder this my catholic friends: If the character Jesus did exist, from what I've read, I'd say he'd be pretty pissed off with said church. There's no way there'd be any toleration of child abuse, infact the shares in millstone production would rocket. The pope would get two stones for being such a tit for letting Blair into the club without the required repentance for Iraq etc. and hiding said international child abuse, for years!!
C'mon snap out of it.
Yeah I think you're right @narchist it's probably the same person - but you know what? there's hundreds of millions who think like that and they're pumping up to stuff the 'non-believers' just like the other mind controlled religeous nuts.

Constantine

mobilise

10.02.2010 10:37

We must all mobilise against this visit from the pope and show the strength of opinion against this patriarch and the religion he represents. Whether we believe in god or not, christianity has permeated all levels of our life and culture and is the perfect of example of the institutional nature of patriarchal, heteronormative, racist society and culture.
In Ireland women are even now denied the right to control over their own bodies, and in our relatively recent history women that were pregnant and unmarried, mentally ill, "sexually promiscuous", etc etc were locked up for life with the full knowledge of the catholic church in the notorious Magdalene laundries (there were also some in the uk too). Not to mention the current revelations of the systemic sexual abuse that was perpetrated and covered up by the church in ireland.
I agree that religious tolerance is important, but that should not stop us criticising and challenging the oppressive nature of many organised religions and their domination of culture and societal values, especially catholicism, as anarchists it is our duty.

anarchafeminist survivor of catholicism

Not everyone on here is an anarchist...and many Pope haters are nazi fascists

10.02.2010 17:05

"Kill Papists" attitudes are fascist.

anon

To the APP Vegan Miranda Panda "The aliens and 12 foot lizards are here"

10.02.2010 17:12

Can't you put the Pope in one the UFOs belonging to your mates?

anon

dodgy pontiffs

10.02.2010 17:31

Don't forget how the papal orthodoxy, Ratzinger among them, worked with the right wing parties in Latin America to suppress burgeoning workers right movements and liberation theologists.

Check out what happened to Oscar Romero...

There are so, so, so many reasons why we should be out on the streets protesting against the Pope and all he stands for.

unnecessary

Vatican radio banned Novartis over contraception.

10.03.2010 05:41

Novartis make contraceptives. The Pope's radio station banned Novartis!

anon

FUCK the pope

26.12.2011 13:40

FUCK the pope
FUCK the pope
FUCK the pope
FUCK the pope
FUCK the pope
and all those goddamn priests child molesters

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