The Trouble with the Pope

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YardenUK

The Trouble with the Pope

Post by YardenUK »

With a thread on "religion" going on in the main forum, and 2 days before the first State Visit to Britain by a Pope, I watched a fascinating critique of Pope Benedict XVI's brand of catholicism last night:

The Trouble with the Pope
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the- ... er/3122111 or

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the- ... od#3122111


Background reading: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/tvandra ... h-the-pope
lvdkeyes
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Re: The Trouble with the Pope

Post by lvdkeyes »

When I click to start the video I get a message saying it is not available in my area. Does anyone else have this problem?
YardenUK

Re: The Trouble with the Pope

Post by YardenUK »

i just added a modified link - not sure if that will play in Thailand though
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Gaybutton
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Re: The Trouble with the Pope

Post by Gaybutton »

I had the same thing happen as happened to lvdkeyes. That's the bad news. The good news is that you can download it from VUZE. I'm downloading it as I write this.
YardenUK

Re: The Trouble with the Pope

Post by YardenUK »

Sorry guys, but at least GB and VUZE came to the rescue! It was really a very interesting documentary - not typical Pope-bashing as I expected from the outset!
penguin

Re: The Trouble with the Pope

Post by penguin »

It's written and presented by Peter Tatchell - a man who may not be familiar to non-UK people (though he's actually Australian born). He's a man with a remarkable record of fighting for human rights in the UK and elsewhere. He has probably beeen the most high profile gay rights campaigner in the UK over the last thirty years. He was co-founder of OutRage!, the gay rights protest group. He ran for Parliament in 1983 (as a Labour candidate) and was defeated after a really shocking campaign of homophobia against him - he was assaulted, his flat was attacked, etc.

He's often controversial, and it would be wrong to say that he is universally admired. On the right, and especially amongst right wing homosexuals, he is a hate figure. I have nothing but respect for him. He strikes me as a man of immense bravery and dedication.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Tatchell
YardenUK

Re: The Trouble with the Pope

Post by YardenUK »

Totally agree with penguin. He would have made a superb MP and would undoubtedly have won had the now "bisexual" Simon Hughes not allowed the Liberal Democrats to run a shameless hateful illiberal homophobic campaign against Tatchell.

I agree with penguin that he is loathed and pilloried by the right-wing press, but I do sense that Tatchell is finally much more widely respected and recognised for his universal advocacy and campaigning in all areas of global human rights and social justice. I sincerely hope he is given a wider public role (.........personally I think the House of Lords (a 'Peoples Peer'), would be a great platform for the man, and a timely recognition that he always had the makings of a fine, honest, hard-working parliamentarian). Maybe the huge number of people/groups he has fought tirelessly for over the decades should stand together and nominate him.............

One of his most recent and timely campaigns has been to highlight how in the Commonwealth - a 62 year old organisation of 54 member states that supposedly promotes human rights, diversity and respect - consenting homosexuals remain criminalised in over 40 of these countries (including Singapore, Malaysia etc).



I am a huge fan of the man, and I hope that mainstream media like Channel 4 start to use him more - his knowledge, campaigning skills are second to none, and the gay community (across the world) for one, owes him a huge debt.
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