Dawkins plans to arrest Pope Benedict XVI

---Yes!!,,,Yes!!,,,Yes!!,,,Yes!!,,,Yes!!,,,Yes!!,,,Ye s!!,,,ARREST HIM ...

It should be noted that this article is a just a little over-sensational. Over at Richard Dawkins' website he made the following comment in response:

Needless to say, I did NOT say "I will arrest Pope Benedict XVI" or anything so personally grandiloquent. You have to remember that The Sunday Times is a Murdoch newspaper, and that all newspapers follow the odd custom of entrusting headlines to a sub-editor, not the author of the article itself.

What I DID say to Marc Horne when he telephoned me out of the blue, and I repeat it here, is that I am whole-heartedly behind the initiative by Geoffrey Robertson and Mark Stephens to mount a legal challenge to the Pope's proposed visit to Britain. Beyond that, I declined to comment to Marc Horme, other than to refer him to my 'Ratzinger is the Perfect Pope' article here: 'Ratzinger is the Perfect Pope' by Richard Dawkins - The Washington Post - RichardDawkins.net

Here is what really happened. Christopher Hitchens first proposed the legal challenge idea to me on March 14th. I responded enthusiastically, and suggested the name of a high profile human rights lawyer whom I know. I had lost her address, however, and set about tracking her down. Meanwhile, Christopher made the brilliant suggestion of Geoffrey Robertson. He approached him, and Mr Robertson's subsequent 'Put the Pope in the Dock' article in The Guardian shows him to be ideal: 'Put the pope in the dock' by Geoffrey Robertson - guardian.co.uk - RichardDawkins.net
The case is obviously in good hands, with him and Mark Stephens. I am especially intrigued by the proposed challenge to the legality of the Vatican as a sovereign state whose head can claim diplomatic immunity.

Even if the Pope doesn't end up in the dock, and even if the Vatican doesn't cancel the visit, I am optimistic that we shall raise public consciousness to the point where the British government will find it very awkward indeed to go ahead with the Pope's visit, let alone pay for it.

I would be like a dream come true

Originally Posted by keckster

---Yes!!,,,Yes!!,,,Yes!!,,,Yes!!,,,Yes!!,,,Yes!!,,,Ye s!!,,,ARREST HIM ...

Well perhaps not him, per se.

But I would like the Papacy to be formally and legally answerable to someone.

If anyone else had been involved in child abuse, then we’d rightfully have to go to court. Why should divine status shield someone?

They're going to have one hell of a challenge charging someone for a crime not committed in their own country.

Who says it wasn't? If the Catholic Church in Britain engaged in criminal activity and it can be linked to the Pope, then I suppose there's an outside chance that he could be criminally implicated.

Also, some countries allow prosecution for crimes that occurred outside the country's borders. The case of Pinochet established that British courts can cite "universal jurisdiction" in the case of especially serious crimes.

This is very interesting. I'm glad to see Richard Dawkins taking this sex abuse scandal more seriously since one part of his book "The God Delusion" seemed to underestimate the trauma caused by sexually abusive priests. The pope should be held to account for his actions around the charges of sexual interference. Only by insisting that these abuses and cover-ups be treated as crimes will the victims receive the support and vindication they need.

This offers an interesting post idea.
Is there a fate worse then death?

Some of us know what rape is like.
Some of us can tell you how cruel mankind can be. But death?

On the other hand, it's considered mercilous to kill something that is suffering with no promise for any sort of survival.

Is there a fate worse then death, if the prospects for survival were not in question?

interesting.

Should hold every single one of them accountable for the breach of trust and the crimes against children. Kids are taught to trust adults, especially those of the church...bullshit when they are abused (repeatedly) and everyone walks away scott free...bull! hang 'em all! string 'em up by their rose beads!