Syria, Homs - Human Rights Watch Update

The Pope's Good Friday Message On Human Brutality...

...and my reaction to it!

This is just a small quote that I thought was worth sharing; Thanks to the Telegraph for the original story. 

So the Pope says "We are shocked to see to what levels of brutality human beings can sink."  I will add that he is speaking at the 7th station of the cross where Jesus was mocked, and

 comparing that to the way he sees Western secular society (i.e.; me) mocking religion.

I'm always impressed by the audacity of religious leaders like the Pope who will go through the motions of rituals like he did this week, washing the feet of vatican priests, as Jesus supposedly did to his disciples. The purpose; to show humility. Sounds good so far, right? 

WRONG!

He does this foot washing using a solid gold basin. 

I wonder, if that gold basin was sold off, how many starving people would it feed? How many living in tents in Italy right now because of the recent earthquake could benefit from the funds that would supply for rebuilding or food and medicine?

Lets not forget the vast riches the church has at its disposal, acquired over hundreds of years by questionable means along with donations from the faithful. 

What if these riches were all used in the spirit in which Jesus preached? Would it solve world hunger? Could it save one life? Of course it could, in fact the church could save thousands of lives and improve the quality of

 life for millions more. 

And its not even just about the money. The church could simply use its influence that it has with its audience profoundly better. One simple way would be to stop lying to the uneducated masses in Africa by telling them that condoms could increase the risk of becoming HIV positive or getting AIDS.  You might as well disallow them AIDS medication while your at it. 

As far as I'm concerned this institution is guilty of being an accessory to mass murder. At the very least just shut up and don't talk about condoms. After  all, priests are supposed to be celibate, so really condoms are not something you are best suited to be talking about to begin with. 

So finally, while your carving the easter ham, or happily decorating easter eggs. In the spirit of being shocked to see to what levels of brutality human beings can sink I humbly submit the following for you to reflect upon this easter weekend. Personally as an atheist, I will be celebrating the nice spring weather and the passing of another cold winter.

1. Legal basis for some inquisitorial activity came from Pope Innocent IV's papal bull Ad exstirpanda of 1252, which authorized and regulated the use of torture in investigating heresy.  For more click here.  
   
2. Here is one really sick family that is not Catholic, but the depravity is based in religion.
3. From the misguided Pope John Paul II, one which I take particular offense to, as someone who is a gay sexual abuse survivor. This statement reinforces the incorrect belief by some that homosexuality equals pedophilia.  The Pope decreed: because a significant majority of victims were teenage boys, disallowing ordination of men with "deep–seated homosexual tendencies"
4. For those who prefer visuals, watch this short video for a look at some of the torture tools of the inquisition.
5. Its not just christians: A pig caused hundreds of Indians to kill one another in 1980. The animal walked through a Muslim holy ground at Moradabad, near New Delhi. Muslims, who think pigs are an embodiment of Satan, blamed Hindus for the defilement. They went on a murder rampage, stabbing and clubbing Hindus, who retaliated in kind. The pig riot spread to a dozen cities and left more than 200 dead. Full Article Here
   

In The 'Big Surprise' Department

CIA interrogation techniques used on al-Qaeda suspects "constituted torture", according to a leaked report by the international Red Cross.

The findings were based on testimonies by 14 so-called "high-value" detainees who were held in secret CIA prisons.

They were interviewed after being transferred to Guantanamo Bay in 2006.

President George W Bush denied torture had happened and President Barack Obama has banned US agents from carrying out such practices.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has an international role in monitoring standards for prisoners and trying to ensure compliance by governments with the Geneva Conventions.

It was denied access to the prisoners until their transfer to Guantanamo Bay.

Source: BBC News

Bone tests on teenage athletes in south China have shown that thousands had faked their age, often in order to keep competing in junior events.

Tests on nearly 13,000 athletes found that more than 3,000 were older than their registered age, according to the Sports Bureau of Guangdong Province.

At least one athlete was seven years older than their stated age, but most were said to differ by a year or two.

The news comes as Guangdong prepares to host the 2010 Asian Games.

The investigation is the latest in a number of initiatives by the Chinese authorities to crack down on the practice of age-faking, which many experts believe is rampant.

Source: BBC News

And finally...

A vegetarian diet may help to protect against cancer, a UK study suggests.

Analysis of data from 52,700 men and women shows that those who did not eat meat had significantly fewer cancers overall than those who did.

But surprisingly, the researchers also found a higher rate of colorectal cancer - a disease linked with eating red meat - among the vegetarians.

Writing in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition the team said the findings were worth looking into.

Although it is widely recommended that people eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day to reduce their risk of cancer and other diseases, there is very little evidence looking specifically at a vegetarian diet.

Source: BBC News

Sign The Petition!

This week, the US Senate is debating if it will set up an independent inquiry into Bush?s War on Terror! Such an investigation could have massive global consequences, and if properly set up would have the power to fully investigate torture, secret prisons and cover ups attributed to the CIA and the US Department of Justice. A decision could be made as early as this week. If enough of us around the world make clear to the US Government that we support an effective and powerful inquiry - we could tip the debate. Click here to learn more:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/end_the_war_on_terror/96.php?CLICK_TF_TRACK