The ex-Archbishop of Canterbury admits his irrelevance

Finally! Per the BBC:

In his first interview since quitting in November last year, [Justin] Welby said his forgiveness of John Smyth – arguably the most prolific abuser associated with the Church of England – was “irrelevant”…

Asked by the BBC if he would forgive Smyth, Welby said: “Yes. I think if he was alive and I saw him, but it’s not me he’s abused.

He’s abused the victims and survivors. So whether I forgive or not is, to a large extent, irrelevant.”

After centuries of claiming that Christians have a hotline to their god (a non-evidential creator deity), and therefore the power to issue blessings, forgiveness and, in the past, absolutions and indulgences (discharge from ‘sins’ for a fee!), at last, we have it on the highest authority that the whole thing is a scam.

Welby said it was more important that abuse victims be ‘cared for… liberated to rebuild their lives’ by the Church rather than talking about forgiveness. So, don’t speak about forgiveness then! ‘Cared for’ is a fine intention, but ‘liberated to rebuild their lives’ is something that the Church is unable to accomplish. Who are they to be able to ‘liberate’ someone? Liberate them from what? Why do they make groundless statements? Why are so many people deceived?

We can add this to the other ridiculous claim that Christians make: that ‘Christ died for our sins’. You try making that a defence in court. ‘Not me, m’lud, I’m innocent. Christ died to make sure of that!’ There is only one person responsible for actions: the individual who committed them. Sacrifice is such a primitive concept, originating in the public slaughter of a lamb for the ‘glory’ of a ‘god’. How these Stone Age ideas survive today beats me…

I could rant more but it’s needless. My point is made.

Religions are paper tigers.

We need to Break FREE!

We want to Break FREE!

We must Break FREE!

Atheism UK (AUK) launched the Break FREE! campaign at ‘Hitchmas’, which featured Sir Stephen Fry, Richard Dawkins, Douglas Murray, and Lawrence Krauss celebrating the life of their late friend Christopher Hitchens in the Royal Geographical Society’s hall on 14 December last year. You can join AUK or make a donation and receive a Break FREE! button badge at our website: atheismuk.com.