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The Case of the Pope- Geoffrey Robertson QC

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  • 03-10-2010 5:34pm
    #1
    checkyabadself
    Registered Users Posts: 471 ✭✭


    I just finished this book and I have to say it is a bit of an eye opener for me. I was aware of a lot of Benedict`s crimes and attempts at cover up the abuse scandals, but I never realised just how far that man, as Joeseph Ratzinger tried to pervert the course of justice.

    Each chapter reads like a rap sheet of offences and Robertson has meticulously presented his "case" against the current Pope in the same fashion as he would present a book of evidence on a notorious dictator guilty of crimes against humanity.

    He pays tribute in particular to the great work done by the Murphy and Ryan reports in uncovering the scandals that Benedict was and still is trying to keep under wraps.

    Id like to hear others thoughts on it.


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    #2
    Improbable
    Registered Users Posts: 1,576 ✭✭✭Improbable


    I haven't read it or even heard about the book so I'd also be interested what both sides (atheist and the religious) have to say about the book.


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    #3
    checkyabadself
    Registered Users Posts: 471 ✭✭checkyabadself


    Improbable wrote: »
    I haven't read it or even heard about the book so I'd also be interested what both sides (atheist and the religious) have to say about the book.

    It`s fairly new and its a Penguin "special" so it was out in record time. I`m interested to see if anyone else was wondering why none of the victims didnt accept damages, along with their gagging order and instead choose to drag them throught the courts (and media) so the world could see what weas really happening.

    The book is only €5.40 from the book depository.... http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/book/9780241953846/The-Case-of-the-Pope


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    #4
    Seth Brundle
    Moderators, Politics Moderators Posts: 39,257 Mod ✭✭✭✭Seth Brundle


    checkyabadself wrote: »
    I`m interested to see if anyone else was wondering why none of the victims didnt accept damages, along with their gagging order and instead choose to drag them throught the courts (and media) so the world could see what weas really happening.
    It sounds like you have answered your own question.
    I would have thought that the victims wanted to expose the truth and weren't after money!


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    #5
    checkyabadself
    Registered Users Posts: 471 ✭✭checkyabadself


    kbannon wrote: »
    It sounds like you have answered your own question.
    I would have thought that the victims wanted to expose the truth and weren't after money!

    I wasn`t asking a question, so much as throwing the idea out there for discussion, but you`re right I seem to have answered it.

    I cant for a minute try to imagine how painful it must be for those affected and I`m guessing that victims just want to close the door on that chapter of their life, without any more trauma.

    Also I was never aware at how vast the scale of abuse was worldwide, Robertson is very thorough in going through each countries cases. The most striking thing for me, was how Benedict seemed to have his finger on the pulse of every abuse report and was an expert at moving guilty priests around and keeping everything so secret. Several "canon" laws are quoted throughout and frankly they are terrifying to comprehend as being effective in tackling child abuse.


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    #6
    Seth Brundle
    Moderators, Politics Moderators Posts: 39,257 Mod ✭✭✭✭Seth Brundle


    checkyabadself wrote: »
    Several "canon" laws are quoted throughout and frankly they are terrifying to comprehend as being effective in tackling child abuse.
    This is where a lot of the problem lies. For some reason the Catholic Church believes that Canon law actually means something in real life!
    As was said before, Canon law has no standing in a society. It does not affect anyone's rights any more than the rules of the local golf club.


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    #7
    MagicMarker
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 32,865 ✭✭✭✭MagicMarker


    This book is currently in the post to me but I probably won't get to read much of it for a while, looking forward to it though!


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    #8
    MrPudding
    Registered Users Posts: 9,788 ✭✭✭MrPudding


    checkyabadself wrote: »
    It`s fairly new and its a Penguin "special" so it was out in record time. I`m interested to see if anyone else was wondering why none of the victims didnt accept damages, along with their gagging order and instead choose to drag them throught the courts (and media) so the world could see what weas really happening.

    The book is only €5.40 from the book depository.... http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/book/9780241953846/The-Case-of-the-Pope
    I got it a few weeks ago, really enjoyed it. As I said in another thread somewhere, I found it quite difficult to read in the sense that it made me very angry and I had to keep putting it down to have a bit of a walk around to calm down. It really confirmed that I am right to despise that organisation.

    I was very interested in the issue of whether or not the pope is a head of state. I found Robertson's arguments against his head of state status quite persuasive.

    Whatever the reason for people to go public with the details of their abuse we must be thankful for it. The method the church uses to "investigate" reports of clerical abuse is despicable. It is interesting to note that discussing an investigation of child sex abuse is "crime" punishable by ex-communication but raping children is not.

    As I have said before, the RCC is to me evidence that god does not exist. If the god they preach about did exist how could it conceivable allow the continued existence of an organisation as despicable, immoral and nasty to masquerade as its agent on earth?

    MrP


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    #9
    Seth Brundle
    Moderators, Politics Moderators Posts: 39,257 Mod ✭✭✭✭Seth Brundle


    Is the book an impartial one or should it be taken with a pinch of salt (and I know the organisation (especially at the heart) is rotten)


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    #10
    MrPudding
    Registered Users Posts: 9,788 ✭✭✭MrPudding


    kbannon wrote: »
    Is the book an impartial one or should it be taken with a pinch of salt (and I know the organisation (especially at the heart) is rotten)
    I have been trying to figure that one out. I would say it is reasonably impartial. In general, when he says something he provides a citation. There are a number of comments he makes where I thought a citation would have been useful, and without one the comment seems somewhat... implausible, well perhaps not implausible but possibly not as bad as he seems to be trying to make it out.

    I think that he does a reasonable job of explaining his thoughts on the legal position of the pope as impartially as he can. It is a very hard subject to be completely impartial on and clearly the law is very open to interpretation and as a barrister his job is to try to explain the law with a bias in his favour.

    All in all I think it is worth a read.

    MrP


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    #11
    Seth Brundle
    Moderators, Politics Moderators Posts: 39,257 Mod ✭✭✭✭Seth Brundle


    I tried ordering the book on that bookdepository link but it doesn't acept Maestro without a CCV code :rolleyes:

    ANyhow, I'll source it elewhere.
    Some interesting reviews:
    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/bookreviews/8006376/The-Case-of-the-Pope-by-Geoffrey-Robertson-QC-review.html
    http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/books/review-the-case-of-the-pope-by-geoffrey-robertson-qc-2352506.html
    http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/product-description/0241953847/ref=dp_proddesc_0?ie=UTF8&n=266239&s=books


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    #12
    Rabble Rabble
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,367 ✭✭✭Rabble Rabble


    Bredan O'Neill, of spiked online, not impressed by the Ryan report.


    http://www.spiked-online.com/index.php/site/article/9548/


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    #13
    Seth Brundle
    Moderators, Politics Moderators Posts: 39,257 Mod ✭✭✭✭Seth Brundle


    With that attitude, I wonder how his kids will turn out!


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    #14
    sonicthebadger*
    Registered Users Posts: 446 ✭✭sonicthebadger*


    I bet he'd have had a ball in a Catholic school in 1970's Ireland.


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    #15
    MagicMarker
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 32,865 ✭✭✭✭MagicMarker


    MagicMarker wrote: »
    This book is currently in the post to me but I probably won't get to read much of it for a while, looking forward to it though!
    Well, it only took 20 months, but I started this book today, and already I want to put my fist through the wall.

    I'm incredulous as to how anyone can actually defend Ratzinger. This guy, along with the RCC hierarchy, are simply evil.


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    #16
    Gbear
    Registered Users Posts: 12,775 ✭✭✭✭Gbear


    **Adds to wish list**


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    #17
    efb
    Closed Accounts Posts: 35,514 ✭✭✭✭efb


    bought on iTunes


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    #18
    MrPudding
    Registered Users Posts: 9,788 ✭✭✭MrPudding


    MagicMarker wrote: »
    Well, it only took 20 months, but I started this book today, and already I want to put my fist through the wall.

    I'm incredulous as to how anyone can actually defend Ratzinger. This guy, along with the RCC hierarchy, are simply evil.

    It really wound me up as well. This is one of the reasons the apologists for that dispicable organisation wind me up too. Most of them will never read that book or try to follow up the sources cited. They prefer to tell us how amazing, kind and holy he is, without really knowing what they are talking about.

    I would have liked to have seen more discussion about this book in the media, I thought it really would be a conversation starter. Shame it wasn't.

    MrP


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    #19
    aidan24326
    Registered Users Posts: 5,925 ✭✭✭aidan24326


    MrPudding wrote: »
    It really wound me up as well. This is one of the reasons the apologists for that dispicable organisation wind me up too. Most of them will never read that book or try to follow up the sources cited. They prefer to tell us how amazing, kind and holy he is, without really knowing what they are talking about.

    I would have liked to have seen more discussion about this book in the media, I thought it really would be a conversation starter. Shame it wasn't.

    MrP


    Faith engenders an unquestioning attitude, pretty much by definition. Of course the flock won't read it, that would require an open-mindedness that simply doesn't go with the territory.

    The media won't mention it too much either because, remember, we're not supposed to question or criticize religious beliefs and certainly not his holiness the pope (who doesn't deserve the honour of capital letters).

    If he came to Ireland there'd still, in spite of everything that's happened, be tens of thousands of fawning idiots (politicians included) falling over each other to kiss his arse and having no idea what he's really about.

    He was instrumental in covering up some of the most despicable crimes of our time. If he was anyone else he'd probably be the subject of a criminal investigation.


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