Reactions to Mafya's excommunication by the pope

[alhoon]

As many of you probably know, the pope excommunicated Mafya about 3 weeks ago (21st of June). Mafia takes Catholicism quite seriously (even if they kill, abduct, sell drugs and do everything non-Christian thing).

Here's a few things that happened since:
http://news.yahoo.com/church-parade-...182645959.html

"a church procession detoured from its route through a southern Italian town to honor a convicted mobster under house arrest.
...
Interior Minister Angelino Alfano on Sunday denounced the tribute in Oppido Mamertina, a Calabrian town and 'ndrangheta crime syndicate stronghold, as "deplorable and disgusting." He praised three Carabinieri policemen who abandoned the procession in disapproval.
...
Oppido Mamertino's bishop, Monsignor Francesco Milito, said he would take undescribed "measures" against those exploiting the church procession to pay homage to the 82-year-old local boss"

So, despite what Pope said, some priests defied his wishes openly. That got a reaction from the local bishop which is what I expected more or less.
And then, the minister of interior got in it. Minister Alfano commented on a couple of priests in a mob-hold kind of town defying the pope.
I didn't expect anyone to take that act of defiance by actually-nobodies that seriously.



Another reaction of interest:
"some 200 inmates in the maximum-security section of Larino prison told their chaplain they would boycott Mass, reasoning if they were excommunicated it made no sense for them to attend anymore"
Wooopsy. That's true. I don't think many would care, but still... 200 people, OK murderers but still people being cut off from confessing their sins?

[hellheaven1987]

OK murderers but still people being cut off from confessing their sins?

Are they still mafia? If yes, why bother to confess their sins then continuing committing same sins? In fact, the answer is ing simple - use your free will to pick mafia or God (I assume everyone has free will)!!

[Heathen Hammer]

Are they still mafia? If yes, why bother to confess their sins then continuing committing same sins? In fact, the answer is ing simple - use your free will to pick mafia or God (I assume everyone has free will)!!

Its not like being in Mafia is a career you can chose or avoid. A lot of people who are in it would probably get murdered right away if they try to leave.

[hellheaven1987]

A lot of people who are in it would probably get murdered right away if they try to leave.

Murder them first then, I thought that is a pretty simple conclusion.

[Karnil Vark Khaitan]

Murder them first then, I thought that is a pretty simple conclusion.

Uhh cant do that, thats a sin.

[hellheaven1987]

Uhh cant do that, thats a sin.

You can always confess them and promise not do it again; the point is not doing it again.

[Caesar Germanico]

Its not like being in Mafia is a career you can chose or avoid. A lot of people who are in it would probably get murdered right away if they try to leave.

Simply false, in some contexts Mafia is an integral part of society, but there is always a choice.Even for people born into a Mafia family.


The Pope's actions are really welcomed, especially considering the Church's past relations with Mafia organizations both at the local level and at the Vatican.He should press forward in that direction, he can do a lot.

[Condottiere 40K]

But Catholicism requires clerical intervention to draw God's attention to it.

Massive excommunication is to force a region, or in this case, members of an organization, to change their behaviour, or stage a coup d'etat against the current leadership. They could, of course, turn to Judaism.

[alhoon]

They could, of course, turn to Judaism.

They are hard-core (although deluded) Catholics. Christians that kill, steal, bribe, blackmail, embezzle, sell drugs, promote prostitution etc BUT are somehow they think they are good catholics because they are against abortions and give money to the local church.

[Roma_Victrix]

They are hard-core (although deluded) Catholics. Christians that kill, steal, bribe, blackmail, embezzle, sell drugs, promote prostitution etc BUT are somehow they think they are good catholics because they are against abortions and give money to the local church.

Those are some funny double standards right there. Sounds like someone's cherry-picking what they like and don't like from the Bible, ignoring the parts where it says you shouldn't kill someone (in their case, making them sleep with the fish...er...fishes...lol).

By the way, I already started a thread on this two weeks ago in the Thema Devia, although I requested to have it merged into the Mudpit (which the moderators have been too lazy to do so far). I suppose these two threads should be merged...

[hellheaven1987]

I suppose these two threads should be merged...

Don't worry, I would just post the fun part of that thread again.

[Edelfred]

But Catholicism requires clerical intervention to draw God's attention to it.

Massive excommunication is to force a region, or in this case, members of an organization, to change their behaviour, or stage a coup d'etat against the current leadership. They could, of course, turn to Judaism.

The populace of Southern Italian islands is from the Northern African Moslems conquired and baptized by enterprising Norman nobles in the 12th century .
Anywhere Protestantism can offer them a chance ....

[hellheaven1987]

Anywhere Protestantism can offer them a chance ....

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[Caesar Germanico]

The populace of Southern Italian islands is from the Northern African Moslems conquired and baptized by enterprising Norman nobles in the 12th century .
Anywhere Protestantism can offer them a chance ....

What?

[Dromikaites]

Only educated people see a contradiction between being a Mafioso and being a devout Catholic.

The Mafiosi themselves have a different image about their relation to God.

I had a childhood friend who grew up to steal cars. He used to pray God to help him...not to get caught. In his [very simple] mind, God was somebody who only demanded that people acknowledge Him to be the most powerful being. The 10 commands were optional, as long as one acknowledged nobody was stronger than God.

For the Mafiosi God is simply sitting at the top of the pecking order. They need to show respect to Him by sharing with God (= donating tot he Church) some of the money made illegally. Once God has received His cut, everything is fine in the Mafioso's mind.

[Roma_Victrix]

Once God has received His cut, everything is fine in the Mafioso's mind.

So God is essentially the don of dons, king of kings, and lord of lords. Got it.

[Karnil Vark Khaitan]

So God is essentially the don of dons, king of kings, and lord of lords. Got it.

"moses I need you to kill your son" -god "Why my lord"-moses "he is a informer"-god

[Roma_Victrix]

Don't worry, I would just post the fun part of that thread again.

Mafia God bless you, Hellheaven1987. Go with Mafia Christ, bro.

"moses I need you to kill your son" -god "Why my lord"-moses "he is a informer"-god

I think you mean Abraham, not Moses. It was Abraham who God (allegedly) ordered to kill one of his own sons. Moses just (allegedly, with no corroborating Egyptian or modern archaeological evidence to back the claim) killed a bunch of Egyptian first-born sons and gave them plagues because they were pork-eating gentile goyim scum.

[alhoon]

For the Mafiosi God is simply sitting at the top of the pecking order. They need to show respect to Him by sharing with God (= donating tot he Church) some of the money made illegally. Once God has received His cut, everything is fine in the Mafioso's mind.

So God is essentially the don of dons, king of kings, and lord of lords. Got it.

Those ideas alone, should be enough to get them excommunicated. The God isn't the top Don that you give a cut to. That's abominable thought for a "Christian".

And yes, everything is "optional" in the bible except that you should respect and love others. That is, not killing them, robbing them, stealing from them etc.

[Condottiere 40K]

Despite what most people think, religion isn't immutable but tends to be adapted and interpreted to suit the current needs and wants of the faithful.