Seems a church in New Zealand (yes...this isn't an anti-church thing) has put up a billboard "challenging stereotypes" of the Christ conception story, that I (admittedly as a non-Christian) find hilarious, however some Christians are finding offensive. Here's the billboard:

And you can read more about the controversy at BBC News. Meanwhile, the whole thing reminds me of a friend I had in college who told me about his very devout Catholic grandmother who once expressed that though she believes in the absolute word of the bible, she has some SERIOUS doubts about this whole virgin birth thing.

From Guest Voices: Impeach the Pope - On Faith by Robert S. McElvaine:

After insulting Muslims by declaring in 2006 that Muhammad had brought "things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached," after reiterating (through the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith) in 2008 that the subject of the ordination of women is not even open for discussion and declaring that anyone involved with the ordination of women will be automatically excommunicated, after lifting in January of this year the excommunication of Holocaust-denier Richard Williamson, now Benedict XVI opens a visit to Africa by telling the people of a continent decimated by AIDS that the distribution of condoms "increases the problem" of the spread of AIDS.

I am a Catholic and the idea that such a man is God's spokesperson on earth is absurd to me.

There are, of course, no provisions in the hierarchical institution set up, not by Jesus but by men who hijacked his name and in many cases perverted his teachings, for impeaching a pope and removing him from office. But there ought to be.

This rant is so good, I would consider going back to the Catholic Church if Robert S. McElvaine does a coup d'Eglise on Pope Rat*.
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This is the Catholic patriarch that wants to take down the John Edwards campaign with Amanda Marcotte and Melissa McEwan in tow.

Extra treat? The religious right of America

Awhile back I wrote a couple of articles on the Pope's speech that seemed to be insulting to Islam, quoting a Byzantine Emperor's statement that Islam was wrong to use violence in the name of religion. This generated some discussion regarding what the Pope's intent was and whether Muslims should be angry or not. All agreed that the violence that the Pope's statement inspired among some Muslims was uncalled for and, quite honestly, a bit crazy. But I maintain that the Pope should have made it much clearer that he did not agree with the Byzantine Emperor's statement after he had quoted that Emperor.

However, we are finally coming to what we all knew would happen: Muslim newspapers around the world are blaming Jews for the Pope's statement. Yes... even though many Jews around the world condemned the Pope's statement as being anti-Islam and inflamatory, Muslims are blaming it on Jews. Even though my source for the controversy was a conservative Israeli news source that was critical of the Pope, clearly it is all the fault of the Jews.

From the Anti-Defamation League

Arab/Muslim Media Allege Jewish Conspiracy Behind Pope' Comments
New York, NY, September 19, 2006 (new cartoon added 9/22/06) -- Cartoons and editorials published in newspapers in the Arab/Muslim world falsely portray Jews as the manipulators behind Pope Benedict XVI and his speech at a German university on the theological need for faith and reason, according to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL)...
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Last week I reported an incident where it sounded a lot like the Pope was calling Islam "inhuman and diabolical" and comparing it unfavorably with the more reasoned and peaceful Christianity. My original source was an Israeli news source which interpreted the remarks of the Pope similar to the way many Muslims around the world were interpreting them.

Many wrote to defend the Pope's comments as quoting a Byzantine Emperor's remarks not as his own, as advocating reason, not violence, and not being hostile to Islam. The people who defended the Pope's comments are people I respect and in all honesty I tried seeing it their way. I couldn't. No matter how I read the Pope's comments I couldn't see them as being in any way disagreeing with the Byzantine Emperor's comments. That Emperor's comments were critical of Islam for spreading its faith by the sword and the Pope was arguing that religion should not be spread by the sword but rather by reason. This Jesuit-like argument is fine in itself, but my reading of the Pope's comments still sounded like he was saying Islam is a backwards, evil religion because it inherently spreads its faith by violence while the more enlightened Christianity doesn't. I still feel that the Pope's speech was insulting to Islam.
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Is it just me or does the West just not get it when it comes to Islam. I remember thinking Bush was incredibly stupid when he called the fight against al-Qaeda a "crusade," a word BOUND to inflame tensions with Muslims. Now the Pope says something even worse.

I mean, I am Jewish and pro-Israel, but even I am well aware that if you go around saying bad things about Mohammed you are going to piss off a lot of people. I fell pretty solidly on the side of freedom of the press when it came to the Danish cartoons and thought the Muslim reaction was unfounded. But the Pope has just been inexcusably rude to Islam and thinks a half assed apology will suffice.

From Guysen Israël News:

Pope Benedict XVI "sincerely regrets" his comments deemed offensive by Muslims. The Pope is sorry that his speech was misinterpreted and hopes that the "true spirit" of his comments will be understood. The Holy Father had said in his speech, "Show me something new that Mohammed brought and you will find only inhuman and diabolical things, such as his order to spread his faith by the sword." The Vatican press release did not however go as far as to make an apology in the name of the Pope.

Um, so just what WAS the "true spirit" of calling Mohammed's teaching "inhuman and diabolical?"