Lindy, IMHO the Catholic Church shot itself in the foot with its
backward contraception policies, for couples feel that the church
has no business in their bedrooms. So people have left, from Europe
to South America, joining other denominations. Only in Africa,
where people are still less educated and more superstitious, is the
church growing.

What you think is great is simply realpolitik calculated by the
numbers men in Rome. If they tried to clamp down on the few remaining
churchgoers, they might as well keep closing churches down even
more then they already are.

My bone to pick with the church is that it has absolutaly no respect
for the rights of those like me, who think that their so called
divine law is a heap of codswallop. I seem to recall various statements made
by JP2, where he made it quite clear that the church
would try to enforce its dogma on everyone, not just Catholics. They
achieve this by huge political lobbying, done very cleverly, I admit.

About a year ago we had a well publicised case in WA, of a bloke
who'd led a fullfilling life, but due to various misfortune, he
was in palliative care, unable to move anything but his mouth.
Nothing but years of this lay ahead of him. He frankly had had enough
and had a lawyer trying to find ways to get to Switzerland, not an
easy thing in that condition. I felt huge empathy for this guy and
frankly I too would want a choice about my future, in that situation.
Only Catholic dogma and their influence on the political circus stops
it happening. So my fight with the church will go on.

Hate to break it to you, Yabby, but that's not the Catholic Church imposing its dogma on you, that's democracy. The reason things like euthanasia aren't legal in this country is because a majority of people don't want it, and most of those people aren't Catholic, let along practising Catholics. If a majority want it, they'll get whether the Church likes it or not, and I think you'll find that it's Protestants who constitute the bulk of pro-life activists. I know what you're saying, but I think it's really unfair to blame the Catholic Church just because they speak up on certain issues. Ultimately, the people decide, and if you think Australians give a hoot about excommunication you really are loopy! lol

I hate to break it to you Lindy, but the majority of Australians
are overwhelmingly in favour of voluntary euthanasia.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/breaking-news/per-cent-support-voluntary-euthanasia-poll/story-fn3dxiwe-1225791455181

It just doesn't come up at election time, as there are so many
other issues, all parceled into one vote.

Perhaps the church will agree for us all to hold a referendum on
it?

Of course those Catholic politicians fear losing their alleged ticket
to heaven. Religion is hardly based on the rational.

A referendum would remove their guilt and would limit the amount
of political manipulation that the church could do behind the scenes.

But it would be very democratic.

And how many Catholic politicians would that be, Yabby? The DLP is the only remotely Catholic party - and even it has non-Catholic members, so that would be one Senator and perhaps Tony Abbott (but he's not much of a Catholic if he won't do anything about abortion). So what Catholic politicians are standing in the way?

Even if a majority of Australians are pro-euthanasia - and I'm pretty sceptical about polls, especially their wording - it can't be a very important issue for them. I think they've got better things to worry about. I know I have!

Plenty of Catholic politicians, Lindy. They don't have to belong
to a Catholic party. We saw what happened when the NT tried to
introduce voluntary euthanasia. Remember who led that one?
He's still in parliament too. Then we have the intense lobbying
from a small band of pro lifers, using every tactic in the book
on their local MP. Chain letters, phone numbers to call and all
the rest. I once joined a US Catholic lobby group, just to
understand how they functioned. (until they kicked me out when the
truth came out) Every tactic in the book was used.

A referendum would be fair democracy, would you not agree?

Really, Yabby, what world are you living in?! C'mon, there's no way there's a majority or even a substantial minority of practising Catholic pollies in Australia. How many are there (and of those there are how many haven't already been excommunicated by their votes)? What percentage? You say you've done "research" into all this. Back up your conspiracy theory!

That said, a referendum wouldn't bother me, though I suspect most people would think it was a waste of money. Wouldn't mind a referendum on the useless carbon tax, though....