Noted on the ABC news site:

The US-led war on terror is only fuelling more violence by focusing on military solutions

ACCC chief calls for ’fair go’

..........and on the subject of the good vicar, Pell, it’s all very well for him to have his own opinion, even to expressing the view of his church on the issue of stem cell research. In fact, on any issue.

Extend Aboriginal porn ban to ACT, say Christians

When we hear about knee-jerk reactions to particular problems, this one has to be right up there with the jerkiest.

I heard a fleeting mention of this story on this morning's Radio National early morning news. Initial reactions ranged from "Kaysar Trad? .... Islamic idiot!" to "Australian law doesn't permit polygamy, nor does our culture. You want legal polygamy, then fuck off to where it's legal". Sentiments echoed by a couple of workmates as we discussed various issues over lunch.

I googled for a news reference to include in this post. Second link from the top, after the Triple-J RSS link, was this one. I recognise the nom de plume from mentions on Troppo, and y'know what? I think I agree with him. I'm not sure what he's trying to say in his cut 'n' paste post, but I get the impression he'd like to have written the same.

Who said 'lefties' and 'righties' can't agree?

I suspect they are by now. This is just plain bizarre, but not at all unusual in my view. Not unusual for a religion which relies upon symbolism, icons, ritual and pretence to capture its audience. And their money. You can bet your last holey dollar that a great many transient dollars will be separated from their temporary owners during the Catholic church's big drive to retain the interest of young people in its convocation of pomp and ceremony later this year, in Sydney. It's bizarre, to me, because idols and such are supposedly anathema to monotheism, especially the christian religion.

I'm driven to wonder how many young catholic acolytes will be caught up in some kind of emotive religious fervour, and want to, or even attempt to touch the casket of this long dead Italian rich man's son? Will the dry and dusty remains be on show, or will the faithful be required to exercise that faith by simply accepting that inside whatever container the Vatican decided to send out to Australia, lies the mortal remains of an unfortunate who died of poliomyolitis 83 years ago?

Yes, I'm an aethist. I have never understood this thing called religion, the need for it to be so rigidly structured and demand so much of it's followers. I've also wondered often at the idolatry which christianity practices in holding up it's chosen as being larger in death, than they ever were in life. Apparently they were almost always no-bodies in life. Aren't we all no-bodies in life? Why should some become somebodies because organised religion says so?

Crutch of the weak-minded? Cruel, but I believe so. If you think a box of bones - if there are any bones in the box - holds something special for you, then I'm afraid you're in need of a little more than a trip to Roman Catholicism's version of the Big Day Out.