In a recent address to Scottish bishops, Pope Benedict said: "You can be proud of the contribution made by Scotland's Catholic schools in overcoming sectarianism and building good relations between communities. Faith schools are a powerful force for social cohesion, and when the occasion arises, you do well to underline this point."  Now we know that the Pope is not capable of rational thinking but he seems not to understand simple cause and effect.  How can teaching a Religion reduce conflicts in society?  If some people think Jesus was God and others think he was merely a prophet, how can that foster social cohesion?  At a minimum, Catholics are teaching their kids that a large number of people around them are wrong.  That's hardly teaching cohesion.

He went on to say: "A strong Catholic presence in the media, local and national politics, the judiciary, the professions and the universities can only serve to enrich Scotland's national life, as people of faith bear witness to the truth, especially when that truth is called into question."  He's saying that when politicians, judges and professors do their jobs, they must remember they are Catholics and push the Catholic viewpoint irrespective of what the electors or the laws require.  Does he not understand the concepts of law and democracy?  Clearly not.

And back to schools, he told the bishops  that schools are a Catholic tool to perform the Catholic Mission, I quote: "As you encourage Catholic teachers in their work, place special emphasis on the quality and depth of religious education, so as to prepare an articulate and well-informed Catholic laity, able and willing to carry out its mission "by engaging in temporal affairs and by ordering them according to the plan of God"  These quotes are from the transcript of his speech here.

Is he jealous of the fervour and radicalism of his biggest competitor, Islam?  Does he want an "army" of Catholic laymen pushing the Catholic line?  And we allow Catholic schools to exist!   I know that secular teachers often have a bias on other things - but let's tackle one thing at a time.  Schools should not push viewpoints; they should only teach facts.

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