The Pope: Doesn't like condoms, but pedophiles are ok

This Pope is out of touch, gives poor advice, and has protected felonious criminals in the past. Can we stop taking him seriously yet?

Joseph Alois Ratzinger, better known as Pope Benedict XVI, is the Catholic church’s 265th Pope. He is currently touring Africa explaining to the Aids ravished continent why "condoms increase the problem". (This, by the way, is a much more humane approach than archbishop Maputo Archbishop Francisco Chimoio took in 2007 when he claimed, and preached to his flocks, that condoms are purposely contaminated with the aids virus.) This tour follows the wildly successful "lifting of the excommunication" of holocaust denier Bishop Richard Williamson.

I've wanted to write something about the topic of the Pope's character and credibility after watching the excellent documentary, Deliver Us From Evil a while back. (Synopsis: Moving from one parish to another in Northern California during the 1970s, Father Oliver O'Grady quickly won each congregation's trust and respect. Unbeknownst to them, O'Grady was a dangerously active pedophile that Church hierarchy, aware of his predilection, had harbored for over 30 years, allowing him to abuse countless children. Juxtaposing an extended, deeply unsettling interview with O'Grady himself with the tragic stories of his victims, filmmaker Amy Berg bravely exposes the deep corruption of the Catholic Church and the troubled mind of the man they sheltered.)

Cardinal Ratzinger, while serving as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, sent a letter in 2001 to all Catholic Bishops ordering them to keep all child sexual abuse investigations secret threatening excommunication for the victims, victims’ families, as well as priests and other church officials. Power and control was obviously more important than truth and morality for this future Pope.

This was an obstruction of justice. Enough so that the Vatican requested immuinty for the Pope from President George W. Bush in 2005. Immunity was granted. If Joseph Ratzinger were in business or government, he would almost certainly be in jail now. (Well, assuming we could find a jury of peers. For the Pope.)

So, while this man tours Africa spewing his archaic 15th century ideas and ideals, and you try to interpret the deep meaning of his words and thoughts, keep in mind he's protected thousands of child molesters and rapists from prosecution over the years.

I would argue he's not a moral leader.