The Pope has ignited a row by associating atheism with Nazism in the first speech of his UK visit.

Addressing the Queen and other guests at the Palace of Holyrood House, the Pontiff praised Britain's fight against Hitler's "atheist extremism".

"Even in our own lifetimes we can recall how Britain and her leaders stood against a Nazi tyranny that wished to eradicate God from society and denied our common humanity to many, especially the Jews, who were thought unfit to live.

"As we reflect on the sobering lessons of atheist extremism of the 20th century, let us never forget how the exclusion of God, religion and virtue from public life leads ultimately to a truncated vision of man and of society and thus a reductive vision of a person and his destiny."

The British Humanist Association (BHA) expressed its disappointment at the remarks.

"The notion that it was the atheism of Nazis that led to their extremist and hateful views or that it somehow fuels intolerance in Britain today is a terrible libel against those who do not believe in God.

"The notion that it is non-religious people in the UK today who want to force their views on others, coming from a man whose organisation exerts itself internationally to impose its narrow and exclusive form of morality and undermine the human rights of women, children, gay people and many others, is surreal."

The Pope's speech follows controversial comments by one of his top aides in an interview with German magazine Focus.

Cardinal Walter Kasper, 77, spoke about the Godlessness of a section of English society, claiming Britain was facing an "aggressive new atheism" and "Christians were at a disadvantage".

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-New ... 0650?f=rss

Did he bring up the Nazis just for a dig at atheism?



, and fcuking rich coming from him...

Twat.

This.

I couldn't have put it better myself.

But I thought the Pope had been a Nazi

I don't recall the Catholic church speaking out against Nazi Germany and the holocaust. They also had a cosey arrangement with Mussolini and his lot in Italy.

He was in the Hitler Youth.

He didn't have choice in the matter.

I thought Hitler was a Catholic (if lapsed)
Afterall he often quoted / called on God

Actually there are cases of catholic priests hiding jews in Italy. They were not universally bad. Though to describe atheism in terms of the Nazis is basically invoking Godwin's law. He lost the argument.

The fact remains that the Vatican stood by and said nothing whilst Jews, homosexuals and gypsies (amongst others) were murdered en masse.

It's not as if the Vatican could declare war though is it? Any gesture they made would be purely that, a gesture. However you have to say that if a religious group aren't going to make a gesture of sticking to the tenants of their faith, then frankly their faith can't be worth all that much...

I think it could have been put better, given that they are generally capable of providing pleasure for many people, which cannot necessarily be said of the Pope

Reminds me of the famous speach from Team America. No point quoting it here because it'll all be **** out

+2
Likening me to a Nazi, I'll kill him........... oh wait a second

To quote a phrase from a film "You were a witness. It doesn't matter if they didn't listen, you had an obligation to speak out" and they didn't

A friends facebook status:

the ever erudite Mr. Fry

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xbvr0m_shortfilms