To hope the Pope does indeed punch his assistant...

[PausingFlatly]

... and get arrested for assault.

Seems he thinks it's clever to state that people who insult his mother should be punched.

As an example of how to treat people who insult him or religion.

And I'd thought this Pope wasn't dim. Looks like I was wrong.

And where was his respect for me?

So thanks, but as I say, I'm comfortable to disagree with him to his face, no matter how much that upset, insults or offends him.

I'm even prepared to tell him his beliefs and behaviour are misogynist and self-serving, if he stands there long enough. He might find that insulting, too.

Personally I wouldn't wear trousers in that situation. In a place where it is culturally not acceptable to wear trousers

I would laugh at him if he told me in London

I've just said it WAS culturally acceptable, and other women were wearing trousers.

I did laugh at him.

He probably thought I was being nastily offensive.

Oh well in that case he was just being an idiot.

As I said earlier some people think simply disagreeing is offensive...that's not helpful

Sorry x-post

So... you've just been nastily disrespectful to his religious beliefs! And would be in London, too.

Sometimes it's important to do so.

And if he'd punched me for it, it would still have been important to do so.

No I haven't (I wouldn't call him an idiot - poor choice of words I agree)

Being nastily disrespectful about his religious beliefs would be saying something nasty about the prophet/religious leader, or something similar. Saying I disagree and am therefore wearing trousers in a place it is culturally acceptable to do so is not nasty.

If cartoons or stories that failed to do this were made about Jews, blacks or homosexuals, they would never be tolerated

I do think there is some truth to this sadly. However I think it stems in part from our underlying anger/fear re. Islamic extremism - and the threat which we feel it poses us. Since 9/11, IMO, the possibility of what may happen (whether media exaggeration or not) constantly bubbles under the surface, and it does not make for a relaxed background to community relations. The weekly massacres in Africa and the massacre at the school in Peshawar, for example, cement the fear and mistrust. Of course this has nothing to do with the moderate Muslims who make up 99% of the communities in Europe, but I don't think (to my knowledge) that the Charlie Hebdo cartoons were aimed at them. However the moderates are sadly, IMO, victims of the climate of mistrust, anger and fear. H (who is Indian) says that life in London has been harder for him since 9/11 in terms of the everyday reactions to him of the people he meets as he goes about his life / work.

Of course this is implying that we can do no wrong when the subject of to what an extent our foreign policy has brought about the radicalisation of extremist groups is one which would be the subject of many more threads. It's also implying that we are not racist at all as a society which is obviously not the case.

Is my humble and convoluted opinion on the matter.

Does anyone else read just the first and last page on a largish thread and think WTF? Or is it just me?

I've just gone from New Testament Catholics to women wearing trouser, lol.