God Told Pope Benedict To Resign.

Benedict, or to use his now formal title, Pope Emeritus, said he resigned because 'God told him to' during what he described as a "mystical experience", a Catholic news agency reported.

Pope Emeritus is reported by the Zenith agency to have told a visitor, who wishes to remain anonymous,"God told me to do it".

Benedict told the mysterious visitor, that God did not speak to him in a vision but in what he fancifully called "a mystical experience", adding that Pope Francis' actions confirmed to him, "God wanted it this way".

The Italian Media is more inclined to accept, Benedict's decision to resign was influenced by the numerous scandals surrounding the Vatican, from the cover up of child sex offenses, to financial irregularities and accusations of laundering.  Not forgetting the documents released by his butler detailing scandals at the Vatican stretching right across the board. 

The majority of Catholics will no doubt elect to believe his resignation was motivated by a sign from God, rather than the more serious underlying criminal activity.

Reuters

Sorry I'm A Christian. - Chris Tse

SORRY I'M A CHRISTIAN - CHRIS TSE.

I am a Christian.
I’m sorry

I’m sorry for the way that I come across
So fair and fake friendly and full of myself so judging your spiritual health by the words that you say and the way that you dress and the things that you do
Or maybe just judging you

I’m sorry for the way I live my life.
So confident of my own beliefs that I would never think to think about thinking about yours

I’m sorry for the wars
Iron clad crusaders are mounting studs and drawing swords with such spirit but the spirit…
[Something about the spirit being out and the sword of the spirit was the word]
…but the word was with God and the word was God and they preached this as they marched on the holy land.
Singing and praying
And killing and slaying.
And preaching and healing
And raping and stealing.
It’s ironic that they lined their pockets in the name of God
Just like the priests who lined their pockets in the name of God.
Just like the people you can’t stand because they always raise their hand and spread their faith and hate and judgment in the name of God.
I’m sorry that I take the name of God in vain – or rather I’m sorry that I stain the name of God. Defending my selfish actions and selfless actions pertaining to the will of God.

I’m sorry for being intolerant.
For trying to talk down to you, for trying to talk over you, for not letting you talk.

I’m sorry for not walking the walk. For being a hypocritical critical Christian. Criticizing your lifestyle while my own lifestyle styles itself like the televangelist’s hair. All slick and sly and slippery… (something about a syllable sliding into your ear)… but that’s my greatest fear.
That the steps I take won’t match the words I speak so when I speak all you hear of me is a weak hypocritical critical Christian. Doing one thing and saying another. Loving my friend, but hating my brother – it’s a show.

I’m sorry I get drunk on Saturday’s and go to church on Sunday’s to pray for my friends who get drunk on Saturday’s.
And on that note, I’m sorry for making the church about the pews and the cross and the steeple, because the building is not the church; the church is the people.

I’m sorry that I hate you because you are gay.
I’m sorry I condemn you to hell because you’re gay instead of loving I jump to hatred. Mouth open and tongue preaching, eyes open but not seeing that you are the same as me just a fucking human being.

I’m sorry that I only hang out with Christian friends and we only do nice Christian things like pot luck dinners and board game nights. While in the night a man beat his girlfriend again. Another homeless man dies again. Is this the that my own pride has been but here I am with my same friends again, but see what I always forget is that Jesus didn’t come to hang out with the priests and the lords, no. He hung out with cripples and beggars and whores.

Love.

I’m sorry for history. For native tribes wiped out in the name of the church. Lodges burning. Stomachs churning and yearning for justice as mothers, screaming and bleeding, pleading for their young ones are dragged away to church schools where they were abused.

I’m sorry for the way that I refuse to learn your culture, instead I just came to spread the gospel - and the plague.

I’m sorry that I stand at the front doors of abortion clinics screaming at fifteen-year-old girls as they enter instead of waiting at the back door to hug them as they leave.

I’m sorry for taking my wars and my faith to your lands when historically your lands is where my faith was born. And in the face of the storm I realize that if God is Allah and Allah is God, then why are we shooting instead of sharing? Why are we launching instead of learning? Why are we warring instead of walking together? Why are we taking instead of talking together? Why are we bombing instead of breaking bread together? You see I think looks down and He’s sad. And from His right hand throne above, Jesus asks “where is the love?” And if it takes Wil.I.Am and Justin Timberlake asking the same question for us to start asking the same question then where the fuck are we headed?

So I will take this stage to be my chapel and this mic to be my confessional, and in the presence of God and of you, the blessed, I confess I am a Christian. I’m sorry.

Atheists Are More Successful Than Christians.

ATHEISTS OUTPERFORM CHRISTIANS. 

UK Atheists Are More Successful Than Christians.

In the UK, the number of Christians in England and Wales fell by 4 million over the last ten years. 

One in four atheists hold executive positions or have a job in one of the professions, compared with less than a fifth of Christians holding any such position.

The breakdown of employment and religious belief, produced by the Office for National Statistics from the 2011 census, confirms campaigner's claims Christians find it harder to get to the top.

The report showed high levels of senior and professional employment among the Jewish and Hindu communities.

Barrister Andrea Minichiello Williams, a member of the Church of England’s General Synod, said: ‘If you hold views that are contrary to the prevailing orthodoxy you are seen as potential trouble. This is a real phenomenon. Christianity is now a bar to appointment or promotion.’

Economist Ruth Lea, of Arbuthnot Banking Group, said: ‘Jews and Hindus are proportionately so much more successful than Christians. Ambitious people tend to come from minorities.
'Christians are the majority group, and they do not seem so ambitious and hard working.’
Miss Lea, who is an Anglican, added: ‘There doesn’t seem to be any discrimination here. What these figures say is that if you are determined you can make it.’

Source: BBC