Attacking women and queers is an old tactic of the Roman Catholic Church when they want to divert attention from the rampant child molestation in their clergy. They just won't let go of it. (From Edge 6/16/10)

The bishop of Essen, Germany--an epicenter of the clerical sexual abuse scandal now rocking Europe--has targeted gays with a declaration that homosexuals are headed to Hell.

Blog The Eponymous Flower posted a German news item on June 15 about the words of Bishop Franz-Josef Overbeck. The original June 10 article appeared at German Catholic news site Kreuz.net ("Cross.net") reported the Overbeck had appeared on a televised talk program in April, where he declared, "Homosexuality is a sin. We know this very clearly and unambiguously, and that’s that. It contradicts nature." Added the bishop, "Human nature is fulfilled in the conjoining of man and woman."

The Eponymous Flower elaborated on the bishop’s anti-gay message. "Whoever dies as an unrepentant homosexual, goes to Hell," the posting’s framing comments read. "The Bishop of Essen can not abolish the 10 Commandments: homosexual perversion is a mortal sin."

Instead of sentencing queers to a nonexistent hell, why not turn in some of the child raping priests you are protecting so they can go to very real prisons? Being used as scapegoats by a clergy that sees sex as sinful unless it is among married heterosexuals or involves adults molesting children is getting really old.

Can't they come up with something knew to distract the gullible? How about threats involving people who shave their beards or eat shellfish? Is it any wonder so much of the Roman Catholic flock is finally leaving that bigoted, greedy, and child molesting church?