Magicana Drofulcus wrote:
5 minutes on Google reveals that the organisation is not reputable, and its tribunal has one member (Who appears to be a general malcontent). I know atheists put pride in the discovery and the supremacy of facts, so please do some research next time before posting rubbish.
I think you skimmed over my comment underneath the article.
Anyway, I'm aware Cam. The title of the article was a bit of a dead give away. The end of the Vatican could be near? Lol! Yeah right. Just wishful thinking.
Magicana Drofulcus wrote:
Oh just noticed the part at the top of your post.
Maintenance of old knowledge that could have died out after Barbarian (Heathen/Pagan/Atheist, whichever you like) invasions of Rome.
Modern calendar
Renaissance (Greek texts which were translated from Greek into Latin by Orthodox scholars following the push by Islam into Byzantium).
Mediation - In a world wracked with war and turmoil, the Church has consistently acted as a mediator.
The arts - Fueled by funding from the nobility, a lot of the magnificent art from the Renaissance was funded by the Church (And may I repeat, funding from the nobility allowed a lot of this to happen).
The Catholic Church was one of the few entities to stand up and publicly criticize the Nazis in the 1930s.
I never said the Church hasn't positively contributed to society in the past. I'd still make the trade without hesitation though. My main point was that the Church and in particular the Pope has now become unnecessary and irrelevant in today's world, that's all. Of course, an overwhelming amount of people would disagree with me. That's okay, I'll live.
Nevertheless, your last point is laughable. I think you're being fairly dishonest or at least very selective bringing that gem up.
Magicana Drofulcus wrote:
Also I guess the billions of dollars worth of aids, and the millions upon millions of man-hours worth of charity work mean nothing as well.
See my last comment re: AIDs. The Church's general stance on condoms (one of, if not the, best preventives of AIDs) over the past few decades is nonsensical gibberish that belongs in Dark Ages and should not be accepted by any person capable of individual thought.
Cam, I think good people will always find a way to do their good deeds, whether the Catholic Church exists or not, regardless of their religion or lack of. Being charitable is not unique to the Church. I would expect those involved with the Church who are charitable would continue to be charitable should the Church cease to exist. Much like I would expect them to continue being charitable should they ever lose their faith. I don't see how the Church's (dubious) spirit of giving, a spirit possessed by many, necessitates their existence in today's world.
What I do wonder is what would happen to any secular organisation that systematically covered up the molestation of children by their "employees" for decades.
If we have to have another Pope, would it be too much to ask for one a bit more in touch with reality?