Veils and Bodily Fluids

It occurs to me that the Pope is not really in a position to make changes to Catholic doctrine because it has all been put in place by previous popes who were infallible. However, according to the BBC, "Catholic experts are expected to advise Pope Benedict XVI that the traditional state of limbo - somewhere between heaven and hell - should be abolished". The infallible pope has advisors? Do these advisors believe the pope is infallible?. I thought that Catholics have always believed that people who died unbaptised end up in limbo. It seems however that the Catholic Church has never been very clear on the matter. I was never baptised, so I guess I learn my fate when the pontif does his thing.

This whole story is interesting to me. Apparently Muslim teaching states that still-born children have a direct ticket to paradise. It has been suggested that this gives Islam a stronger marketing position and that the developing world is leaning towards Islam because it looks like a better deal. This raises two issues as far as I can see. First, it would seem to show that people choose a religion, not on the basis of what they believe to be true, but what they want to be true. And secondly, it looks as though Catholics may be willing to shape their doctrine to take advantage of this apparent phenomenon to i ncrease their numbers - Shocking!

Now, what is Jack Straw up to? He's not stupid. At least, I don't think he is. He was a Tony Toady and it had been suggested that he was very anti war, but kept it quiet so that he could keep his cabinet post and help show a united front. He has fallen out of favour with Tony however. He lost his key cabinet post at the last reshuffle, and is now leader of the commons. I have no idea what the leader of the commons does, probably nothing. He seems to be deliberately courting controversy however with his veil remarks. Is he trying to grab some limelight before a leadership contest is launched?

Specificaclly, Jack Straw has said that he thinks muslim women should remove their veils in the interest of community relations. He says he asks veiled women to remove their veils when they vist his surgery in his constituency. This has been, somewhat unfairly in my view, compared to the French stance which bans muslim girls from wearing a headscarf at school because it is not part of the uniform. I think the Straw stance is more coplex than the French. The French appear to be asking muslims to adapt to French culture so that French culture is not lost. Straw is suggesting that muslims remove the veil to aid cultural relations, because it makes non-muslims uncomfortable. I never thought I'd hear myself say it, but I have some sympathy for the Straw approach here. I've never had a conversation with a woman in a burka as far as I remember, but I think it might make me uncomfortable. Would you hire a woman for a job if she turned up for the interview in a veil? I think I'd feel very strange about hiring someone I couldn't see.

And finally, today's picture is brought to you courtesy of the dragon. Children, bodily fluids, I don't think I need to say any more...