Richard Dawkins calls for arrest of Pope Benedict XVI

I want to see what happens. Either way, it will tell a lot about the state of society. Over here, the people sees the pope as human answerable to the laws of this world. But go to a country like Brazil, where a large part of society still sees the pope, cardinals & priests are the direct voice of god and above the law, an act like arresting the pope will cause all sorts of outrage, calls of blasphemy & threats of a not very Christian nature. Oh, where is my pop corn?

[Messie]

Yes I realise that which is one reason why are one of the best country's to press the charges. We are not particularly religious, well at least church and state are separate, and the Queen is the Head of the Church of England, which is protestant in essence

Patently not going to happen. The Pope is a Head of State and is therefore immune from prosecution.

[Messie]

That is a debatable point also. The state that he is head of, the Vatican, is not recognised by the UN as a full state. They are given observers rights only as it was some sort of scam (can't remember the details) to get them out of a fix with Mussolini

Originally Posted by Messie

That is a debatable point also. The state that he is head of, the Vatican, is not recognised by the UN as a full state. They are given observers rights only as it was some sort of scam (can't remember the details) to get them out of a fix with Mussolini

It may not be a UN member state, but its Sovereignty is recognised.

[Messie]

Originally Posted by simesb

It may not be a UN member state, but its Sovereignty is recognised.

Is it? By whom? By anyone that matters? It can't issue its own passports for example

Originally Posted by Messie

Is it? By whom? By anyone that matters? It can't issue its own passports for example

The FCO for starters!

[Drew Carey]

Here you go.....all the facts of "State or not state" etc.....

http://www.ejiltalk.org/can-the-pope...abuse-scandal/

[Messie]

That's a very interesting read, most of which I didn't know. I was working under a couple of reports that seriously questioned whether the Pope could be seen as a full HoS and whether the Holy See/Vatican was truly a full State.

I will also watch with interest the outcome of this. If anyone has the conviction and connections to pull off such a charge, then Richard Dawkins if the man