The Hazards of Belief

Roman Catholic priests are to read out a letter in each of the Church's parishes in Scotland criticising the Scottish Government for plans to introduce gay marriage.

Last week the leader of the Church in Scotland, Cardinal Keith O'Brien, broke off discussions about the issue with the First Minister, Alex Salmond.

The church has declared 26 August as National Marriage Sunday.

An expert group is due to report to the Minister for Health next month on the implications for Government of a 2010 European Court of Human Rights ruling.
Speaking on RTÉ's This Week, Cardinal Brady said the Catholic Church's role in opposing any attempt to introduce abortion would include a media campaign, lobbying public representatives and providing resources to priests to preach on the topic.
He said the church believed that a referendum on abortion was possibly the only solution to the issue.

Responding to Cardinal Brady's comments on a referendum, Minister for Communications Pat Rabbitte said the Government did not see any necessity for undoing what had been done to date, but did need to address the fallout from the X Case and decision of the European Court of Human Rights.
Minister Rabbitte said he was somewhat surprised at the Cardinal's reference to lobbying.
He said he did not have any objection the church stating its position and making it clear, but that it was a retrogressive step to go back to the Catholic Church dictating to elected representatives on how to address this issue..

Seventeen civilians have been killed by Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan's southern Helmand province, reportedly for attending a party.

The bodies of two women and 15 men were found by the side of a road in the Musa Qala district.

They were either beheaded or had had their throats cut. Some showed signs of beatings or had gunshot wounds.

Meanwhile, 10 Afghan army soldiers were killed in a Taliban attack in the same province.

In eastern Afghanistan, two US soldiers were shot dead by an Afghan National Army soldier.

The bodies of the 17 civilians were discovered on Monday morning.

Local officials said the men had gathered to listen to music and watch the women dance when they were attacked. The Taliban disapprove of men and women mixing socially.

The Taliban have killed 17 civilians – reportedly by cutting their throats – in a remote and violent corner of Afghanistan's Helmand province that government officials admitted is entirely beyond their control.
The reason for the slaughter was variously given as a fight between two Taliban commanders over women, Taliban anger over a music and dance party, or an insurgent crackdown on suspected government informers.
The group, which included two women, were killed early on Sunday afternoon but news of their deaths only reached government-held areas on Monday.
"This happened in a desert area, known as Roshanabad, which is not under the control of the government," said the Kajaki district governor, Mullah Sharafuddin, who said he did not know the motive behind the bloody attack. "I am the governor but I don't have full details because this land is under Taliban control."
The Helmand police commander was told the 17 victims were targeted as government spies, said spokesman Farid Ahmad Farhang, who also acknowledged the area was in insurgent hands.
The provincial governor's spokesman said the dead were probably caught up in a fight between two rival Taliban commanders for control of the dead women.

robindch wrote: »

The BBC on the latest child "preacher":

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19377143

Can't believe that parents allow their kids to do this kind of thing. It's obscene.