Vincent Nichols - bugger off back to Italy and take the rest of your squalid church with you

So, now we have Catholic Gauleiter Nichols threatening to withdraw co-operation from joint projects.

As someone who thinks that scvhools, adoption agencies, and frankly, british society, would be far better without the vile and disgusting influence of the Catholic Church, this can only be welcomed.

What an institution. Criticising consenting gay couples when half its priests are shagging schoolkids, have a history of abuse of everyone from single mothers to schoolboys, trying to prevent people from deciding when they wish to die, preventing women from controlling their own fertility - and we actually think this is a suitable organisation to be allowed to run anything?

The sooner the Catholic church in Britain breathes its last, the better for all of us

Rowan Williams - foot in mouth once again - and other thoughts

So now Williams gives an interview with the catholic herald which, naturally, he claims is misquotes. That may be the case. But why is this happening once again? Could it be that Williams (other than being a spineless, disloyal, pathetic , hypocritical irrelevance?) simply has neither media nor political skills, and is utterly incapable of doing anything other than providing vague, opaque soundbites that are clearly meant to mean exactly the opposite to how they read to everyone else?

As time moves on, I become ever more detached from organised religion of any description. I still go along to Quaker meeting, sometimes, but even there the spectre of those who cannot resist telling others what they should do, how they should think, what they should believe.

I have come to the conclusion that churches simply attract bossy people and that religion appears to be largely about policing of others.

Yes, this blog does still exist....

And my excuse is that I have a new job.
Which I am enjoying. I don't talk about work on this blog as a matter of principle but it is going well.

So...what to say

Gormley's Iron Men. I live in the Crosby area, and there is currently a local controversy with regard to the future of a public art installation currently on the beach - Another Place.
http://www.visitliverpool.com/site/product-p76741 for more details.

The short-sighted philistines who run Sefton Council - in particular the Tory group and PPC for Sefton Central Debi Jones (who is actually OK other than her politics) and some renegade LibDems of the 'we're working class, you know' variety, have voted not to give planning permission for its permanent place on the beach. It is a ludicrous decision. There is huge potential here - Crosby beach and marina is sorely needing renovation and needs a focus point. With the upcoming Capital of Culture in Liverpool, it is imperative that these statues remain here. Please write to Graham Haywood, chief executive of Sefton Council, graham.haywood@sefton.gov.uk and say so. They have a stay of execution until March as there is an appeal.