The usual anti-Catholic bile from chronically bilious people.

Followed by the usual defense of the indefensible by the flock.

And then there are those like you who have no heart and no sense of tolerance. And people wonder why there is so much evil violence and hatred in this world. The anti-religious of this world just pompously sit back and attack and blame those who believe and those who know that there is a better way to living. The anti-religious faction in this world need to take their fair share of the blame of the evil that goes on everywhere.

Stating a FACT about a religious organization is not being anti-religious, however injecting it into the conversation about this tragedy is in very poor taste, as poor in taste and twisted as using it to further a political agenda.

Every time The Pope tries to interject himself into public affairs, someone needs to remind him (and everyone else) that he's representing an organized group of pedophiles, and has no moral authority whatsoever. I see nothing wrong with that.

You know what would put some 'weight' behind the popes words?..if his 'flock' took no part in the 'senseless' wars of this world...but no, Catholics are neck deep in fighting one another, from WWI till now the Catholic flock participates in war after war, bloodshed galore.

Pope, put Jesus words into play...he said: the one way you would be able to tell who his disciples are is the love they show for one another.

Until he and his flock live up to this, people will not take his words of 'grief' seriously.

Oh look! Supposedly "new age", "enlightened" and "tolerant" people preaching hate, rather than posting about the TOPIC ON HAND. Now let me put on my suprised face.

Carry on, children. Carry on.

@Kai - Which war are Catholics exclusively involved with? Your argument is nonsensical. If you're talking about the wars the US is involved in... That is just a few people. There are a billion catholics in the world. It's safe to say they aren't all soldiers.

@EarlyOut - FEW priests molested kids. That's not to say all do. Of course, the church handled that poorly. It's the same as the boy scouts, they've had some do the same thing. Does that mean every scoutmaster is a pedo? No. They did handle theirs much better though. To the point about him injecting himself, that's his job.

For balance, I am a "recovering" catholic. Was raised catholic, never really a believer. But what I am saying is I have met many priests and nuns, they're usually very good people that help the community out a great deal. Don't prejudge all of them.

EarlyOut-1524710

"Every time The Pope tries to interject himself into public affairs, someone needs to remind him (and everyone else) that he's representing an organized group of pedophiles, and has no moral authority whatsoever. I see nothing wrong with that."

That has got to be one of the most ignorant statements I've read in a long time. Using your logic, I guess since there have been teachers who have illegally had sex with minors, well forget about the hero teachers and principals we read about, everyone in the teaching profession must be an organized group of pedophiles. Since there is a Jerry Sandusky, and many others like him, then I guess all coaches in sports are an organized group of pedophiles. And the same with any organizations. Because there are members of a group who are evil and abuse innocent human beings, then using your perverted logic, all members of that group are pedophiles. Yes, just brilliant.

FEW priests molested kids.

Statistics are difficult to come by, of course, but the number of molesting priests identified between 1950 and 2002 tops 4,300. And those numbers are from the Catholic Church itself, which would lead the more skeptical among us to suspect that the real number is higher. A lot higher. Wake up.

AJGallo, the Church is unique. It claims to be divinely inspired and guided, unlike teachers or coaches. It's the stark contrast between the Church's claim to having a direct line to an all-knowing, all-powerful, loving deity, and the fact that it has harbored thousands of criminals, that is so breathtaking in its cognitive dissonance.

EarlyOut,

Well put. I also see nothing wrong with calling the Catholic Church out on its crimes every.single.time it tries to swoop in like a vulture when calamity strikes.

I used to be a devout Catholic, and now I realize that I suffered from a type of Stockholm syndrome while under the influence of that religio-industrial complex.

Here The Hard Facts of Prevention: When a firearm is purchased at an arms store there is the NICS national clearing center form for people buying firearms to Answer and Fill Out to ensure they are sane enough to own and handle a firearm. BUT in that form There Is NOT THE ESSENTIAL QUESTION: Are You Or ANYONE in YOUR HOUSEHOLD Mentally Impaired or receiving psychiatric therapy or afflicted with a personality abnormality AND/OR DISORDER. If that question were on the NICS information form and Nancy Lanza Answered YES, The ENTIRE Tragedy would have been Prevented.

Again, absolutely no mention whatsoever, from the Pope or any other religious organization, about this country's obsession with violence, death and guns. The fact is... if this disturbed person's mother didn't have an assault rifle and pistols with extended magazines, this may not have happened at all.

If the religious organizations do not decry the existence of objects created solely to snuff out lives, who do they expect to do it? I'm so sick of hearing how everyone is so upset about this tragedy, yet no one wants to do anything about this country's gun culture and the lack of available mental health resources.

The Catholic Church kills the spirit and the soul of each and every child that a Priest molests. Then, since "IMAGE" is all that counts for this disfunctual institution--they insist on not taking any responsibility for the unimaginable devestation that they have caused.

No kidding -- in fact, that foul Pedophile Cult kills the spirit of practically everyone who walks thru its doors.

And, the leader of the Pedophile Catholic Cult has the gall to make some public comment as if he gives a damm about the welfare of children? That nazi low-life?? Who does he think he's kidding, other than his brainwashed, mind-numbed supporters?

Their own history is so riddled with dead bodies, raped children, murdered women and destroyed families, this is like listening to Adolf Hitler speak in support of the United Way. GET REAL!

Troy Hendrickson: Stating a FACT about a religious organization is not being anti-religious, however injecting it into the conversation about this tragedy is in very poor taste...

No. Sorry. WHAT WOULD BE in poor taste is allowing the leader of the most foul Pedophile Cult on the Planet to make some public statement, acting like he cares about the welfare of children -- a statement ONLY designed to try and increase his stock among the world community -- when, in fact, he and his organization are foul, hateful child rapists who prey on children and their families, and they are in this game ONLY for massive profiteering, nothing more. NOT saying something factual in direct response to his hypocrisy and lies WOULD BE in poor taste!

The ignorant strike again! Less than 3.5% of all Catholic Church personnel have bee even accused of crimes related to these tragedies! Anti-Catholicism lives on in the prejudice and lies spread by the media and the supposedly enlightened left. You people sicken me. Calling the Church a "child-rapist haven" when in fact it is more like a haven for people like Mother Theresa, Saint Vincent De Paul, and MANY, MANY other great men and women...far more than the atheist left has produced. Lets see here....Stalin? Yep, atheist leftist. Mao Zedong? Yep...Both responsible for the biggest rounds of mass murdering th world has ever seen.

You people sicken me...hate never dies.

You might want to think twice about tossing out Mother Theresa as an example of the fine work the Church does. This is the woman who routinely withheld pain medication from people because she believed that suffering brought them closer to Jesus. Despicable.

SemperAugust.

The raving ILLOGIC that you use in drawing your conclusions is only underscored by the low IQ it takes to draw such comical conclusions.

So, you are suggesting that Stalin and Mao Zedong lacked a belief in gods, and THAT was the primary reason for the murdering they are credited with (which is still much less than the foul, murdering history of catholicism, but that's a different argument altogether).

So -- since they also lacked a belief in leprechauns, pixies, and other mythical creatures, can you please tell us all and PROVE to us all exactly how the lack of a belief in your unprovable cult gods (instead of leprechauns or other unprovable mythical creatures) is what fueled their killing.

Because, every historian before you wholly disagrees with the notion that people kill in the name of "No God". I'd like to hear how you come to this conclusion -- since it is the most ridiculous statement I've read so far today.

The church is a really a political organization any statement now is about "damage control" the obviuos question is where was god on Friday?

Where have you been since the 1960s? It's clear that God is not welcome in any American public school. And, quite frankly, God has been snuffed out of nearly every aspect of American culture and society.

Man is the cause of the world's gore and disillusionment, not God. Accept the One, True God, and his graces would actually have effect on the soul.

And, quite frankly, God has been snuffed out of nearly every aspect of American culture and society.

You're kidding, right? You need to get out more. This country is drowning in religious hokum. It's a veritable Tsunami of Stupid. Religion is crammed down our throats at every turn. The percentage of people in this country who admit to being "believers" is downright embarrassing.

The people in most other first-world countries are truly mystified by it. I've spent time with Europeans, and one of the things they often ask is some form of the same question: "How is it possible that in one of the most technological countries in the world, so many people persist in believing in medieval fairy tales?" They find the contradiction utterly perplexing.

I'm sick to death of this "Christian victims" nonsense. It's bunk, crapola.

I think maybe the Pope and half the Vatican may be perverts themselves if they object to getting rid of priests who Molest children.

EarlyOut, you are preaching with the very hate you seem to be preaching against. There are many, many priests and catholics who choose to serve for very little money and no personal gain simply out of a desire to help people. Catholic organizations help people all over the world. A very small number committed horrible acts against children and you lump them all together. Your vitriol is sickening. The Pope decides to offer his condolences to the victims of thhis tragedy and you attack him with hate speech?

If God interfered, wouldn't that take away our free will?

Correctly characterizing the leader of a gang of criminals and a flock of delusionals is not "hate speech."

If God interfered, wouldn't that take away our free will?

And if he's just a passive observer, why worship him or offer prayers? What's the intent?

And if he's just a passive observer, why worship him or offer prayers? What's the intent?

The theoretical after-life.

I don't hate Catholics (or the adherents of any other religion, for that matter). I think their leadership contains an inordinate number of criminals and their enablers. I think their beliefs are silly, childish, and nonsensical. But these are all curable problems.

I don't hate Catholics (or the adherents of any other religion, for that matter). I think their leadership contains an inordinate number of criminals and their enablers. I think their beliefs are silly, childish, and nonsensical. But these are all curable problems.

Well scientifically speaking, we have only two purposes on earth. To survive and reproduce. My question to you is how are you helping me do either? If you are not, then it is logical that I should eliminate you as a potential competitor.

However, those Christians with their silly, childish and nonsensical beliefs, think I should treat you with kindness and tolerance. Which would you prefer?

Human beings have been wired by evolution to treat each other pretty well, and to watch each other's backs. If that weren't true, the species would not have survived. If it were "every man for himself," we'd have had a short career as a prey species, followed by extinction. That's what makes the exceptions so noticeable to us. The faulty wiring of an Adam Lanza stands out like some sort of grotesque beacon in the night.

Religion didn't invent the notion of treating one's fellow humans ethically. It just codified what the vast majority of us were already predisposed to do. It doesn't need to be coupled with a belief in sky pixies, or to a belief in some sort of purgatorial punishment for violating the code, in order to work.

wow, lots of posts from you. I take it you have nothing better to do? feel sorta sorry for people like you...NOT!!

If I can make just a few more people wake up, it's worth the effort, bobby. Some of us are not content to throw up our hands, helplessly, in the face of ignorance. I'll even respond to you, though I suspect it might well be pointless.

Human beings have been wired by evolution to treat each other pretty well, and to watch each other's backs. If that weren't true, the species would not have survived. If it were "every man for himself," we'd have had a short career as a prey species, followed by extinction. That's what makes the exceptions so noticeable to us. The faulty wiring of an Adam Lanza stands out like some sort of grotesque beacon in the night.

Religion didn't invent the notion of treating one's fellow humans ethically. It just codified what the vast majority of us were already predisposed to do. It doesn't need to be coupled with a belief in sky pixies, or to a belief in some sort of purgatorial punishment for violating the code, in order to work.

First off you failed to answer my initial question to you, which was, how are you helping me, or the species for that matter survive and reproduce. Secondly, we treat each other like crap. In our own country there are 2.2 million people in prison. You can argue mistreatment of either us or them on that one. Then there is slavery, which does still exist in this world, mainly as sex slaves. Although it was widespread in all forms not too long ago. Then there is pretty much the whole continents of Africa and Asia. China, a secular state is one of the biggest human rights violators on the planet. Lets not even get started on the Middle East. Then there are historical examples. The Holocaust, along with WWII and WWI. The genocide in the Baltic states in the 90s. What European Imperialists did to Native American populations. The Mongol conquests, when the Khans razed cities and killed all the inhabitants. The Crusades with similar instances. The Arab expansion. The Romans with there widespread Crucifixions, slavery and killing people for entertainment. The Maya and the Aztecs practices widespread human sacrifice. The Assyrians in there conquests killed entire populations. Fact is we we treat many of our own kind like cattle.

Also we were never a true prey species. We have forward facing eyes and small canines. We've been predators and eating meat for a very long time, and there are many predators that have lived on this planet for tens to hundreds of millions of years as primarily solitary hunters and that practice cannibalism with no real need for groups. Sharks and Crocodiles are the two best example of those.

Adam Lanza doesn't stand out because of some supposed faulty wiring. He stands out because fear rules our judgement. Stalin killed tens of millions of his own people and he ruled Soviet Russia for thirty years.

Religion did start the notion of treating each other ethically. Prior to religion, we killed each other at will. Our entire modern moral and legal code has its basis in Judeo-Christianity, in fact all the worlds major religions started at roughly the same time periods. Judaism and Hinduism, started at roughly 2000-1500 BC, and then evolved their concepts through Buddhism and Christianity. Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism and Christianity all evolved with a few hundred years of each other and given the distance and mode of travel involved, that time capsule is amazing. They all taught the same basic concepts of treating your fellow man with kindness and tolerance. Why would several religions thousands of miles apart, all teach the same concepts with in a few hundred years of each other, if it wasn't a major issue?

You're right in the fact that it doesn't need to be coupled with the belief in an all powerful god that will punish you if you don't comply, however the deeper levels of Christianity are on par with Buddhism in terms of their Theology and Buddhism although it believes in a god, has no requirement that its practitioners do so, the same with Confucianism and Taoism. However, Christianity evolved in a different climate than the other religions and out of a culture, that being Judaism, that is religiously intolerant itself and Christianity was forced upon many of the nations that believe in it today, which was not its founders intent.

Christianity's religious zeal is its biggest strength and its biggest weakness. It inspires great faith and deeds but also causes great persecutions. Pointing out the religions own hypocrisy is one thing, however pointing out an organizational flaw and a flaw of men, particularly in an instance where someone is simply wishing for kindness and mercy is hypocritical in its own right. Your comments derailing the Pope and Catholicism or Christianity as a whole are not constructive and if anything make you seem angry and foolish. Just the like these worshipers that you despise.

I could be mistaken but I would guess you live in the United States. Here you have no requirement to believe in a god. You are free to think and believe what you will. So don't believe in one if you don't want to. If you believe in basic human decency, why derail or mock someone wishing well to some others. Particularly because he believes in something, that the belief itself hurts no one. In fact many Catholic and Christian organizations do much good around the world. To derail them in your actions and beliefs makes you just as guilty of persecution as the zealous believers that tell you you're going to burn in hell for your beliefs. You have the right to think and say what you please, but I do not think commenting on this article in the manner that you did is either the time or the place for them.

FreedomFan22: EarlyOut, you are preaching with the very hate you seem to be preaching against

No, he isn't. He is speaking factually about the Pedophile Catholic Cult. Only a coward would defend such a filthy organization.

In fact many Catholic and Christian organizations do much good around the world.

So what! It all comes with TOO HIGH a price tag. I don't give a goddam how many soup kitchens and immunization camps that filthy Pedophile Cult operates here and throughout the world. It has cost us too many raped children, too many murdered men and women, too many destroyed families. When it comes with that kind of price tag attached, it's no goddam good! PERIOD!

Ever see the Monty Python "Robin Hood" skit in the movie Time Bandits? Every time one of "the poor" were given an item of value, they had to be punched in the face and knocked down, all bloody. One of RH's henchmen would give one of "the poor" a nice gold plate, the next henchman would knock him down with a hard punch in the face. THAT is the Catholic Church -- they cannot do any good without doing even more damage to the people they claim to be "serving".

Stop being cowards! Stop being mindless supporters of that foul pedophile cult! Learn to think for yourselves, and walk away from that ridiculous goddam cult and BuyBull, and Live in the real world!

So what! It all comes with TOO HIGH a price tag. I don't give a goddam how many soup kitchens and immunization camps that filthy Pedophile Cult operates here and throughout the world. It has cost us too many raped children, too many murdered men and women, too many destroyed families. When it comes with that kind of price tag attached, it's no goddam good! PERIOD!

Ever see the Monty Python "Robin Hood" skit in the movie Time Bandits? Every time one of "the poor" were given an item of value, they had to be punched in the face and knocked down, all bloody. One of RH's henchmen would give one of "the poor" a nice gold plate, the next henchman would knock him down with a hard punch in the face. THAT is the Catholic Church -- they cannot do any good without doing even more damage to the people they claim to be "serving".

Stop being cowards! Stop being mindless supporters of that foul pedophile cult! Learn to think for yourselves, and walk away from that ridiculous goddam cult and BuyBull, and Live in the real world!

OK, and with that logic since Penn State is a State University that receives tax payer dollars, we should dissolve the University and the state on Pennsylvania. Since Pennsylvania is supported and protected by the Federal government we should dissolve the entire United States of America. Congrats, you no longer have a country.

Earlyout, clearly you attempt to sow the seed of despair and mistrust. You've made several deceptively snide insinuations and outright anti-Catholic and anti-God comments in this one thread alone.

Several of the comments you've made are perfect in a Mad Libs book. Insert "American government" or any other human group of choice and your anti-Catholic defamation applies to so many more humans you seem to glorify as your own saviors.

The ignorant strike again! Less than 3.5% of all Catholic Church personnel have bee even accused of crimes related to these tragedies! Anti-Catholicism lives on in the prejudice and lies spread by the media and the supposedly enlightened left. You people sicken me. Calling the Church a "child-rapist haven" when in fact it is more like a haven for people like Mother Theresa, Saint Vincent De Paul, and MANY, MANY other great men and women...far more than the atheist left has produced. Lets see here....Stalin? Yep, atheist leftist. Mao Zedong? Yep...Both responsible for the biggest rounds of mass murdering th world has ever seen.

You people sicken me...hate never dies

SA. Is this your only thought? You have no other thoughts, so you keep cut/pasting this everywhere?

GBR: OK, and with that logic since Penn State is a State University that receives tax payer dollars, we should dissolve the University and the state on Pennsylvania...

Logic? That isn't the "logic" that follows... What logic course did you take and completely fail?

Really. Is that so. Imagine that.

People who try to use this tragedy to further a political agenda in any way are as sick as the lunatic who murdered those children.

Troy,

That's emotional psycho babble. You just want to have to ability to tell people who don't like your faith to shut up. You are probably in favor of blasphemy laws too.

Maybe because those children weren't killed by Chantix, or a sleep aid, or a drug, or a Manchurian Candidate (not sure about that last one, though).

In fact, the more I think about it..... Laurence Harvey as Adam Lanza, and Angela Lansbury as his mother. Works for me.

What's next, EarlyOut? Why not just make a statement that a Catholic man or someone who-wanted-to-be-Catholic killed those children?

Jerk off.

Your opinion, regardless of how much blatant bias, irrational hate-mongering and slander, is protected by our constitional free speech rights. Just as much as mine are to call you out.

Oh my, you're even more confused than most of the others posting in here. I think you need to pray more, and leave the rest of us alone.

Self promotion on a news blog message board? Sounds like a legit book...

steve, you should join the Freedom From Religion Foundation. Keeping America's godless Constitution out of the hands of theocrats.

25% of Americans are not Christians. I suppose you hate Jews as well?

I think I'd have preferred "Adam Lanza without a gun" to "Adam Lanza heavily armed."

I can only imagine how filthy you must feel after trying to defend that pedophile catholic cult -- you probably feel like you need to take a shower now...

...of course, I'm assuming you have a conscience.

DMorgan, I do. I am also fair - I do not recklessly falsely accuse, nor do I give a pass for those who have done wrong. As a survivor, I demand accountability from those who have actually done wrong, and uphold those who have done right. The Pope has done right.

Many have agendas against Pope Benedict - if he would allow women priests or gay marriage or promote condom programs in Africa that do not work nor make the AIDS situation better (an admission even held by Harvard's head of AIDS research), then he would be all right by them. No, on second thought, he upholds God, so therefore he must be destroyed.

Again, as a survivor, I am glad for those who have done right - the new bishop who finally came in and suspended my abuser and then turned his case over to Pope Benedict for the defrocking (for it was too late for the civil authorities to do anything - statutes of limitations), the many good Catholics (both priests and laity) who helped me heal and come to terms with what happened, and others who seek truth and justice.

So DMorgan, I will gladly uphold Pope Benedict, who has done all he can to help us who have been abused. He has worked on, and is working on, getting better bishops in place who will handle the problems that previous liberal bishops (many themselves abusers) failed to do. My conscience would not have it any other way.

And since you falsely accuse, DMorgan, by calling the Church a "pedophile cult", I question your conscience.

I agree about the internet gun sales and the video games. Call of Duty, WOrld at War is the absolute worst.