Immaturity

One of the classic signs of immaturity, in my experience, is people listening for offence, interpreting what they hear as offensive, and then reacting to what was not, in fact, said.

One should I suppose, expect no more of the children in the Secular Humanist movement, but it still saddens (but no longer surprises) me when the ever-wonderful BBC does the same.

So the Holy Father warns against the dangers of an aggressive atheism that denies the dignity of man, citing the Nazis as an example, and the BBC headline read something like Pope links atheists and Nazis. I say read, as it seems it has now been removed (which is why I can't quote it verbatim - I was too busy with other stuff last night to write this post immediately). They are now (gleefully?) reporting that the Holy Father's atheism and Nazis remark has sparked a row.

I'm not sure it has. All that has happened is that the British Humanist Association's knee has jerked in the predictable spasm.

They said:

The notion that it was the atheism of Nazis that led to their extremist and hateful views or that it somehow fuels intolerance in Britain today is a terrible libel against those who do not believe in God

And I say, if the cap fits wear it.

Clearly the Holy Father was specific in what he was saying, and they are generalising it with the sole intent of taking offence and thus having a righteous position from which to attack the Holy Father.

Note, in passing, how judgemental these non-judgementalists are, how intolerant these proclaimers of tolerance...