A friend posted on Facebook (I hear it's all the rage these days) about an article in the Times Online where Father Gabriele Amorth, the Chief Exorcist [Is that a wicked cool title or what?!] for the Catholic Church revealed that the "Devil is in the Vatican". Apparently this is why the church has committed so many transgressions, why priests molest young boys and why investigations into suspicious matters on the part of the church (conducted by the church of course) have been conveniently expedited or flat out covered up.

Really? That's nice.

First of all it's extremely cool how you can 1) claim that there is a devil and then 2) claim that he is responsible for all the wrong that you do. That conveniently absolves you from any blame – except perhaps for not calling Father Amorth to exorcise that shit. If you cry foul to this argument then you are 3) a godless heretic and 4) probably have the devil in YOU. Old fashioned exorcism anyone?

ASIDE – I wonder just how busy Father Amorth is these days… is possession running rampant and I just don't hear about it or is he perpetually warming the bench and buying heaps of Preparation H stock?

Circular or self-justifying arguments are pretty sweet when you can pull them off and who better to do this than the biggest formal organization on the planet – the Catholic Church. Clubs (and yes, I am using the term loosely) achieve a sort of critical mass at some point and the Catholic Church reached that point loooong ago. There are now so many members and it's teachings are so socialized that if you speak out in opposition people look at you like you are insane.

ANOTHER ASIDE – It has always mystified me when people get al up in arms if you hold them to the standard of accepting ALL the teachings of the Catholic Church and not just the ones that they find convenient to adhere to. Have you ever heard someone say, "Well, I'm really just 60 percent Catholic, the other 40 are pretty hedonistic to tell you the truth. I mean I'm down with heaven and hell and all that, but a bodies' got to shoplift every once in a while in this tight economy just to get by." Didn't think so. And don't even get me started about all the closeted Republican politicians…

Fortunately there are a few 'insane' people out there that are more articulate than I and can throw some cold water on this charade; very eloquently of course.

One of these people is Stephen Fry, the well known British actor, writer, comedian, television presenter, film director, etc., etc. Although not a direct rebuttal to Father Amorth, this speech is awesome and pretty much sums up how I feel.

If you want, you can watch the complete, unedited version of the speech here.

Thank God for people like Stephen Fry. Irony intended.