That Darn Pope...
An article was published today in the New York Times and reprinted in the Minneapolis Star Tribune. It was about the Pope's newest raving encyclical. The article can be found here.
I found it deeply offensive. I wrote a letter to the editor at both papers. Some of you may find my letter offensive. So be it.
Here is the text of my letter, which may or may not appear in one or both of these newspapers:
Pope Benedict has released an encyclical blaming atheism (which he descibes as "man's attempt to banish God") for "the greatest forms of cruelty and violations of justice", such as "the Marxist revolution and the science that created the atomic bomb."
Religious beliefs, especially Christianity, have been misused to justify the murder, torture, oppression and abuse of millions of people throughout history. The Crusades, the Inquisition, the murder of women as witches, the genocide of American Indians and the practice of slavery were all justified by the using the Bible. Hitler was a devout Christian and demanded the same of his followers. The 9/11 attacks were not carried out by atheists. The Taliban's abuse and murder of women and children are perpetrated in the name of someone's god. The Catholic Church covered up widespread child abuse and promotes discrimination against GLBT people.
The Pope, anxious to link science and godlessness, has forgotten that most of the scientists who created the atomic bomb were men of faith, as was the president who chose to use them.
It is especially appalling to have this hypocrisy announced on World AIDS Day. Popes Benedict and John Paul II have spent a quarter century condemning the use of condoms among their devout followers, in the name of faith, instead of using their influence to save countless lives.
Instead of scapegoating atheists, the Vatican should look to it's own sins.