Barry Duke, the Angry Atheist

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   “The curriculum had already drawn tensions among the county’s religious parents, with some worrying about appropriateness and arguing the material…

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   As someone who produced dozens of nativity plays as a teacher and a Sunday School leader, that title ‘A Gay…

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   The defence of a Christian view never seems to be settled by debate: exchange of facts, reference to historical events.…

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   But …… Rwanda is a safe place: Parliament says so.https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2024/8/contentsSafety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Act 2024 S 2 Safety…

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   Religion can survive only on the most unquestionable assumptions. The statements made on Sundays on the BBC as if they…

THE woman pictured above—Sicilian “psychic” and fraudster Gisella Cardia—recently incurred the wrath of the RCC by collecting large donations from imbeciles who flocked to see a statue of the Virgin Mary that that she claimed wept tears of blood … and could multiply pizzas and gnocchi!

Cardia, whose real name is Maria Giuseppe Scarpulla, became a respected “instrument of God” by those visiting her site at Trevignano Romano, near Rome. But, according to Spanish news outlet El Pais the Church had grown weary of her shananigans and one of its bishops—Monsignor Marco Salvi—ruled:

The analysis of a committee of experts which included a mariologist, a theologian, a psychologist and a canonist, as well as the external consultancy of some specialists—decreed that the apparitions explained by Cardia ‘have no ecclesial value, nor can they be used as such, not even in the civil sphere.’

The bishop also prohibited the “psychic” from appearing again in the Trevignano meadow where she prayed along with her followers. She was also threatened with excommunication.

It was then reported that Cardia, who was sentenced to a two-year prison term ten years ago for fraudulent bankruptcy, had done a runner, taking Mary with her.

Although not directly referred to, Cardia’s case might well have led to the issuance by the Vatican yesterday (Friday) of a new document that urges Catholic functionaries to take a more sceptical approach to alleged miracles.

According to the new rules local bishops will have to investigate supernatural phenomena more thoroughly by creating an Investigatory Commission, made up of one theologian, one canonist and one expert on the specific occurrence, and submit their judgment for approval to the Vatican’s doctrinal office.

Until the bishop receives Vatican approval, he is not allowed to make any public pronouncement on the case.

The new norms “are not intended to control or (even less) stifle” the spirituality of the faithful but “in some events there are serious critical issues that are detrimental to the faithful.”

A genuine miracle

Photo credit: Barry Duke

Back in the 1980s the local authorities in Valencia province miraculously gave permission to a local entrepreneur to open a Catholic Church-themed gay bar near the coastal resort of Benidorm. I attended the opening night together with my late partner Brian Parry, left, and local hotelier Pepe Iborra, pictured above kissing at a table beneath a statue of Mary.

Staff were dressed as priests and nuns, free food—including chocolate-flavoured communion wafers—was provided, drinks were served from faux confessionals, and an enormous Bible was placed on an altar.

A queue of young Spaniards, laughing and joking, formed a queue to rip pages from the Bible, used communion candles to set them on fire and lit their cannabis joints and cigarattes from the flames.

Memories of that surreal and irreverent night will remain with me always, as will my disappointment that the cries of “blasphemy” from Church leaders finally led to the bar’s closure.

Hat tip: Barriejohn

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