Tag Archive: Catholicism


FOUCAULT ON REASON AND MADNESS

Filed under: Books — Leave a comment
March 10, 2013

MADNESS & CIVILIZATION by Michel Foucault

(Translated from the French by Richard Howard) First published 1964

Subtitled ‘A history of insanity in the age of reason’, this densely argued and fascinating book shows how madness as a spectacle and disability has fascinated and haunted the history of mankind since the 15th century.

In this meticulously researched, controversial study Foucault observes how “fear of madness grew at the same time as fear of unreason”. This was represented in Goya’s famous etching ‘The Sleep of reason produces monsters‘. Hieronymus Bosch was another artist who depicted madness to symbolise the fall of man.

This book begins at the end of the Middle Ages after a cure for leprosy had been found. Foucault shows how the role of the leper in society was replaced by the poor, the criminals and the insane.

Madness represents the direct opposite of strength, purpose and reason so is associated with weakness, dreams and illusions. Continue reading →

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VAMPIRES OF NYC

Filed under: Atheism, Books, Movies, Politics — Leave a comment
December 16, 2012

THE ADDICTION directed by Abel Ferrara (USA, 1995)

I wanted to see this movie since, according to the Guardian film critic Peter Bradshaw, it is the best film ever made.

I like Bradshaw’s reviews and more often than not agree with his opinions. I especially like the fact that he doesn’t take an elitist position; he is as likely praise the merits of Toy Story as the works of Tarkovsky.

The Addiction is a vampire movie like no other. Actually it is better to see it as an intense existential drama with theological overtones rather than as a straight horror film.

Continue reading →

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PETER KENNEDY’S CHURCH WITHOUT CHRIST

Filed under: Atheism — 2 Comments
August 3, 2011

Peter Kennedy

Two fundamentals for religious worship are a belief in Jesus and faith in the power of prayer.

Peter Kennedy , a priest of St Mary’s Church, Brisbane, Australia, begs to differ. In 2009 he was kicked out of the Catholic Church for his unorthodox ideas.

Undeterred, the 72-year-old set up a thriving St Mary’s In Exile community so that he can continue preaching albeit well outside the narrow-minded parameters of Catholicism.

Tolerance and understanding of difference are high on his agenda, Kennedy recognises gay relationships and believes in equality for women; both fundamental positions the anachronistic Vatican authorities refuse to accept.

If there were such a thing as an interventionist God, he asks, why didn’t He intervene to stop the maniac’s recent killing spree  in Oslo. One might well ask why God never seems to intervene to stop evil acts or prevent natural disasters. If He (She?) is not prepared to give us any sign why should we believe.

I am reminded of the story of atheist philosopher  Bertrand Russell who was once asked what he would say to a deity if, when he died, he found there was indeed an afterlife. “I would ask why he didn’t give more evidence”, he replied.

A documentary film about the Aussie controversy – The Trouble With St Mary’s – was made earlier this year  by Peter Hegedus

Kennedy’s services sound to me a lot like Humanism –  “I think my way of prayer is to stand in wonder at the beauty of people and the wonder of life.”, he says.

I think the idea of people gathering to celebrate life , meditate and the show the value of community is a healthy idea – and if there more churches without christ I would be happy to join the congregation

Related link:
Priest without a prayer (Courier Mail.com)

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NO CROSSES TO BEAR

Filed under: Italy, Parenting — Leave a comment
November 3, 2009

God is watching!

I applaud The European court of Human Rights in Strasbourg for ruling against the use of crucifixes in Italian schools. In their judgement they stated that: “The compulsory display of a symbol of a given confession in premises used by the public authorities… restricted the right of parents to educate their children in conformity with their convictions.” Continue reading →

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JESUS WEPT

Filed under: Music — 1 Comment
March 8, 2009

A familiar theme on this Blog is the inhumanity and reactionary dogma at the heart of the Catholic church.

Another  reason to continue this comes with the case of the nine year old Brazilian girl who became  pregnant with twins as a result of being repeatedly raped by her stepfather.

Doctors carried out an abortion saying that the girl’s uterus did not have the ability to contain one child, let alone two. In other words,if  the pregancy had not been terminated there was a strong possibility that the girl would have died.

Abortion is illegal in Brazil but is permitted in cases involving rape or if the woman’s life is at risk, both conditions which applied in this instance.

In typically blinkered fashion The Catholic Church cannot see further than the ‘abortion is murder’ line – Brazilian archbishop, Jose Cardoso Sobrinho said that the law of God was above any human law. The doctors and the girls mother have therefore been excommunicated, a decison that has subsequently been endorsed by The Vatican.


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