Pell’s exhortation to have more babies is just fundamentally outrageous, no matter which way you look at it. The silly fellow actually believes that our population in Australia is in real danger of going into decline!

What sort of an absolutely detached insular little world does he live in?

We all know the answer to that one Ludwig, it's called the Roman Catholic Church.

David

Well said, Ludwig.

Valerie, that’s a wonderful article, I totally agree with you.
I have no idea why anyone would still take cardinal Pell seriously after he claimed that abortion is morally worse than the sexual abuse of children by priests.

The things he says are outragious and like Sheik Al Hilali, he should be asked to resign or be sacked

'I have no idea why anyone would still take cardinal Pell seriously after he claimed that abortion is morally worse than the sexual abuse of children by priests.'

Personally I find both revolting but at least a child will receive a degree of healing when abused. The unborn have no say.

Well, I surprised myself the other day by coming to an understanding of Pell's views.

Don't mistake this for condoning it, I don't. I think it's an idiotic way to view the world, but his view is based on the supremacy of two things - firstly, that worshipping his god is all-important, and secondly that fetuses are to be considered as people.

So when you frame things in that context, I can see how he'd be concerned that the dwindling numbers of churchgoers means that those who are devoted catholics should breed.

It's idiocy of course, but they're his fundamental pillars.

Convincing someone that the bedrock of their beliefs is harmful to the world is a big ask. So much so, that catholicism and other rigid religious must drill it into their followers that to stray even remotely from their teachers is evil.

You can see it here, from certain posters who have been programmed to loathe secularism and anything else that detracts from their religion, regardless of the harm it causes. They've been conditioned to view everything this way, and until they can see their religion from the outside, I sincerely doubt they can be convinced otherwise. Unfortunately, they believe they are the ones with the answers and every single other religion, belief or culture in the entire world that doesn't fit their strangely specific doctrine is wrong.

(Note that this comment is all directed toward those with hostility toward other religions and those who defend harmful traditions, not live-and-let-live religious moderates).

When George Pell can carry a baby to term, or even marry he can then comment.
His words and dictate are meaningless, and shows him up for a charlatan. A person totally out of touch with the 21st century!