By Peter Finocchiaro - April 8, 2013

Gen. Augusto Pinochet's military dictatorship was responsible for the deaths of as many as 3,200 people in Chile in the 1970s, but the Vatican dismissed reports of bloodshed at the time as "communist propaganda," according to diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks on Monday.

By TOM CLIFFORD - March 14, 2013

“We have much to be sorry for...The attitude of the church was scandalously close to the dictatorship to such an extent that I would say it was of a sinful degree.”

- Father Ruben Captianio, speaking on the collusion between the Catholic Church in Argentina and the ruling Military Junta, 1976-83.

By Bill Van Auken - 16 March 2013

Placed on the papal throne is not only another hard-line opponent of Marxism, the Enlightenment and all manner of human progress, but a man who is deeply and directly implicated in...Argentina’s “Dirty War”...[T]he Vatican spokesman was compelled to address the past of the new Pope Francis — the former Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Jorge Bergoglio. He dismissed the accusations against him as the work of “anti-clerical left-wing elements.”

By Patrick O’Connor - 14 March 2013

Former cardinal of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, was yesterday installed as the new head of the Catholic Church...Within Latin America, the Church has long worked hand in hand with the most reactionary political forces, in league with US imperialism, against left-wing movements of the working class and oppressed peasantry...“History condemns him...It shows him to be opposed to all innovation in the church and above all, during the dictatorship, it shows he was very cosy with the military.”

By Laura Gottesdiener - AlterNet

They say that religion is the opiate of the masses, but it seems that the opiates of the religious are anti-depressants...Some states have startlingly medicated populations.

Benedict XVI represents the worst of reactionary theocrats. Expect more of the same from his successor. It's longstanding policy. It’s the Vatican way.

Feb 10, 2013 - CBC News

An evangelical organization that describes homosexuality as a "perversion" and a "sin" is receiving funding from the Government of Canada for its work in Uganda, where gays and lesbians face severe threats...[T]he federal government is providing $544,813 in funding for Crossroads Christian Communications — an Ontario-based evangelical group that produces television programming — to help dig wells, build latrines and promote hygiene awareness in Uganda through 2014.

By David Swanson - December 25, 2012

Hundreds of Americans, young and old, are regularly going to prison, sometimes for months or years or decades, for nonviolently resisting U.S. militarism...More often than not, a great sacrifice is made with no apparent success in terms of governmental behavior, either immediately or even after a lengthy passage of time. Police are becoming more violent. Sentences are growing longer, and prisons are becoming more awful.

By Jonathan Cook - December 23rd, 2012

...[W]ho would imagine that Israeli Jews could be so intimidated by the innocuous Christmas tree?...[W]hat is clear is that there is plenty of religious intolerance verging on hatred being quietly exercised against non-Jews, mostly behind the scenes so as not to disturb Israel’s “Jewish and democratic” image or outrage the millions of Christian tourists and pilgrims who visit Israel each year.

By Laura Gottesdiener - November 21, 2012

In Kentucky, a homeland security law requires the state’s citizens to acknowledge the security provided by the Almighty God--or risk 12 months in prison..."This is one of the most egregiously and breathtakingly unconstitutional actions by a state legislature that I've ever seen..."

Modern Mormonism isn't just a religion. It's a money making machine.

Islamic fundamentalism is vilified in the West. Extremist Jews are largely ignored. In Israel they're dangerous. They influence government policy. They seek control of Israel's rabbinical system.

Cuba's leaders are not only proud of this miserable propaganda, but they go so far as to consider their philanthropic values ennobled by their alleged similarity to the Christian slogans promoted by the Pope. That's why they aren't bothered by the fact that the Cuban campaign for values actually has a common denominator with the clerical one: anti-materialism. Both sides want to convince the people to give up their materialistic ambitions, their need for some kind of modest prosperity, or at least a secure survival. The only difference the two ideologies have to offer concerns their reason and purpose.

By Katherine Stewart - Wednesday 30 May 2012

The [Child Evangelism Fellowship] and the legal advocacy groups that have been responsible for its tremendous success over the past ten years are determined to "Knock down all doors, all the barriers, to all 65,000 public elementary schools in America and take the Gospel to this open mission field now!["]...The CEF wants to operate in the public schools...because they know that young children associate the public schools with authority and are unable to distinguish between activities that take place in a school and those that are sponsored by the school.

By Lauren Kelley - AlterNet

Although the majority of Americans now believe that gay and lesbian citizens should have the legal right to marry, homophobia obviously runs deep among many in this country. One of those raging homophobes is Pastor Charles Worley of the Providence Road Baptist Church in Maiden, North Carolina, who recently told his congregation that "the queers and the homosexuals" should be "detained in camps" and left to die.