The Catholic Army is on the march again. As yet not as bad as the Spanish Inqusition, the Burning Times or the Conqistadores but never the less it should be a little disturbing to the free spirited Pagan. It is an secretive organisation and we need to keep a beady eye on it.

So what is this Opus Dei. For those members whom may not have heard of it here is a little info.

OPUS DEI is latin for work of god. It was founded in 1928 within the Catholic church in Spain. As Spain was a facist country one could speculate that it was formed as a bastion against facism but could the spectre of Burn the Heretics have been far from these 'holy fathers' minds?

Many high ranking catholic clergy in the vatican are members and the cult is answerable only to the Pope. The new Secretary for Education Ruth Kelly (a good old fashioned Irish Catholic name Kelly) is a high profile British member of the sect. I find this disturbing that the person in charge of the welfare and education of this countries children is a waccy racer.

As with all secret societies rumours abound. There have been unsubstantiated reports of secret initiations and mind control. The organistion has a director who controls all activities of members, personal as well as professional. Does this mean that a faceless Catholic priest can influence the educational policies of Great Britain? 

 

Members may be celibate or non celibate. Part of the ritual is that members are required to self-flagellate. Celibate members must wear a spiked chain, known as a cilis, on the thigh to 'mortify the flesh.' (Visions of the old Spanish torture chambers of the inqusition). And as good an excuse for having sex as any.

We know that the catholic church is enormously rich as well as powerful, however OD is reputed to be wealthier than many third world countries yet publishes no accounts.

I have just ordered the book and will review it here so watch out!

UPDATE!

It seems I may have been wrong! Following the demise of the Pontiff the church has stated, not in such plain English as I interpret their press release, that they are on the bones of their arse. They have no money. The Pope dies destitute. Pleeeze, do we believe and sympathise? Not this boy doesant.

I still believe that te RC church has millions. If not in ready notes then certainly in buildings alone not to mention artwork. They have certainly not spent the money on soup kitchens, accomodation for the poor and contraception.

Not got around to reading the book yet but this addition following the death of the POPE.

Will the new pope be liberal or a hardliner? Will he be in touch with the 21st century or a throwback. You know I hate having to say he. As a firm believer in free sex...that came out wrong, erm equality of the sexes, freedom of either sex to fill a role, I should not have to state he in that it is taken for granted the incoming Popeye will be a man, however I am beginning to fly off the theme.

Opus Dei. Several shortlisted to the papacy are Opus Dei which could mean trouble ahead. If right wingers elect an opus Dei supporter the liberalisation of Catholocism, (which I personally believe was pure propaganda anyway, take John Pauls stance on Abortion and Contraception, I mean pleeeeese, in 2005 should folk be told to abstain is best but if you cannot abstain it is better to have an HIV postive baby born) could be reversed. OK they did not say this aloud but their actions and words meant that this was inevitable. From experience I know that black African Catholics used their free condoms from the World Health Organisation as water carriers. The Church forbade them to use them as contraception and no mention was made regarding protection from STD. It is still acceptable for African men to have more than one wife, monogomy is alien. Therefore as Polygamy was forbidden by the church  it was acceptable to the tribes as traditional religion accepts it, if a man can afford more than one wife, paying the bride price or lobola in cattle and goats, then ignore the teachings of Christianity.

What I am trying to convey here is that the poorly educated person (not confined to) takes what suits them best from traditionalism and catholocism. So if to have sex without a condom. which as we all know feels better for both partners then if the church says ingnore what you are told by the government or health workers they feel they have hit the jackpot. Besides AIDS is easy to cure, a man just has to have sex with a virgin so the witchdoctors say, so any female from 3 months to 13 is game if she is a virgin.

TO BE CONTINUED.