VERSION|0.5.1|NAME|HarryR|DATE|1368015823|CONTENT|Thanks, HornsDino. I missed TFTD today so some kind of gist helps mark the day.

OT but here&#039;re some instances of the catholic church threatening parliamentarians with excommunication if they pass laws loosening the absolute restrictions on IVF &amp; abortion in two democratic countries, Ireland and Poland.

[url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11605216]Polish MPs debate regulating IVF after Church &#039;threat&#039;[/url]

[url=http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/cardinal-keeps-excommunication-threat-hanging-over-abortion-tds-29242992.html]Cardinal keeps excommunication threat hanging over abortion TDs[/url]

Even if those so threatened have as much concern about excommunication as they would care about being sprinkled with &quot;holy water&quot; this is a direct intrusion into the functioning of democratic politics and it&#039;s attempts to modernise laws in accordance with popular support.

It&#039;s almost as if the RCC doesn&#039;t care what the people think and or that their politicians should reflect their views. Perhaps the RCC should propose that only observant catholics should have the vote? Or just cut out the voting rigmarole and centralise all political power in the office of the head of the catholic church  each country, a role assigned by the vatican. Would the RCC be content then?

How would such a society would differ from that of North Korea?|IP-ADDRESS|80.153.30.244|MODERATIONFLAG|