That's a serious blow to Latin America, a region suffering from demographic explosion because of these bastards, and may benefit from genetic engineering.

How do they expect any advances in medicine or psychology without the ability to do human experiments? Note that in both fields the law and ethics prohibit experiments on people against their will.

The Catholic church actually made pollution a deadly sin?

*blinks*

That's the best thing I've heard the church ever do.

Where I can't deny there will be plenty of politicians who will use these new "sins" in exactly the way you anticipate, I don't think it will have so much impact as to necessitate a greater counter-pressure. Plenty of the "protestant" brands of Christianity already see all those activities as sins. Except pollution... that one's interesting. But It'll be discarded during the cherry picking process, I'll bet. No increase in Prius sales

I would like to see a collective eye-roll or proclamation of the new sins as a sheer reeking pile of bullshit, however. A nice nip at the thought before it gets entrenched any. Just on principle.

It's actually quite easy to figure out what's a sin and what isn't. Just ask yourself, what would God do?


Do not have other gods before yahweh: He's basically admitting an inferiority complex and that there are greater gods. Ok, that's a sin.
Do not make false idols: Adam and Eve. Ok, God did it. That's a sin.
Do not worship them: Placed Adam and Eve in a perfect little garden, a shrine if you will. Ok, God did it. That's a sin.
Do not use god's name in vein: That whole rant about "I am I AM! I am jealous! I am ...". Ok, God did it. That's a sin.
Remember the sabath: It's the day priests tell us we should pray, making god work. Ok, God did it. That's a sin.
Love your parents: As established earlier he's jealous of the higher gods and therefore hates his parents. Ok, God did it. That's a sin.
Do not kill: Floods, fires, etc etc. Ok, God did it. That's a sin.
Do not fuck other peopels partners: Mary. Ok, God did it. That's a sin.
Do not steal: Exodus, jews were stolen from the egyptians. Ok, God did it. That's a sin.
Do not lie: Promised Moses would lead the jews to the land of milk and honey. Moses through god lead them to another place that was pretty crap too. Ok, God did it. That's a sin.
Do not be jealous of others things: Tower of babel, anyone? Sure seemed jealous of that. Ok, God did it. That's a sin.
Do not be jealous of others relations: Lot's wife. Mary. Ok, God did it. That's a sin.

So ask yourself, what would god do? Would he polute the environment and manipulate genetic material? The floods were akin to polution and he sure liked people burning stuff for sacrifices, so that's a sin. He manipulated genetic material all the time even through jebus as he healed people ... so that's gotta be a sin too.

Yes genetic manipulation, holds the key to feeding the growing masses, as well as the cure for things like cancer, and Alzheimer's.

In the near future cloning human organs is even possible, which would allow transplant recipients to live much longer and normal lives.

For the religious fanatics to label the use of such technology a sin, is nothing more than condemning thousands, even billions to death.

The danger is easy to see, look at the political power the christian community holds in America...

Then multiply that by the number of countries that are primarily Catholic.

This is a very real danger, and should be given real attention, by those of the Atheist community.

...In a time where the world's largest stockpile of ICBMs packing nuclear warheads is 'one nation under God', I disagree. That the Church suddenly made such a bold move actually chills me to the bone. I see it as Bennedict making it clear to the international community that the Chruch still has the ultimate say in all issues, and reminding everyone of their ability to exert influence.

And that's pretty damn frightening.

If you doubt the ability of a small organization with so much reach to critically upset international tensions, I suggest researching the causes behind World War I. The pope doesn't need to propose a new Inquisition: he just needs to convince some radical catholic that it's their sworn duty to blow something up at the wrong place and time (much in the same way that Al Queda didn't need to launch a direct offensive against the US to get them to commit to military action; a few willing hijackers were sufficient).

Keep in mind, that the only small groups they need to sway are a countries politicians.

Once more, how many times have you been sickened by a politician giving speeches from a church???

Did you, or did you not see Harvard give special treatment to Muslim females, by giving them their very own exclusive time in the student gym? (what's the percentage of Muslim females at Harvard?)  small group, effects the whole campus.

The catholic church commands the ears of a huge portion of the human population anytime it makes any pronouncement. Catholics are not the only theists, or for that matter, atheists who listen to the Pope of Fascists, at the very least to hear what bullshit they've come up with this time.   That fact alone makes them a threat in many ways.  What we have to hope for is that fundies will brush off these new sins as something non-christian.  However, fundies will usually steal any idea they can if they see a way to make it serve their needs. 

Specifically citing abortion will give much new ammo to the anti-choice breed, and genetic engineering will give any good fundy who believes in the ingnorance of faith a weapon to attack many aspects of science.  Pollution on the other hand, will probably not do anything to excite fundies as they believe in end of days prophesy and probably want global warming to destroy the planet and us so they can get on with the afterlife snuggling with the sky daddy.  As a body the catholic church may not be much of a force.  As a voice their reach is vast and, used irresponsibly, can have a huge impact on the rest of the world.

Don't underestimate either, the tenacity of fundies in coming up with idea after idea (no matter how absurd) on how to use anything that could help their cause.  Theists are all dangerous to one degree or another, mostly without even trying to be so.