Dr. Ing. Patrick Attard is calling for the Head of the Malta's Catholic Church Media-Centre to resign. Dr. Attard sent a complaint to the Police Commissioner on a book sold at the Church's Media Centre and advertised prominently on the Media Centre's website.
The Book, THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AND HOMOSEXUALITY says that God sent AIDS to punish gays, homosexuality is diabolic and equal to bestiality and paedophilia. It says homosexuals are worse than murderers and that even the devils are disgusted by homosexuality. It describes in detail the punishments given to homosexuals during the Middle Ages such as burning, hanging, humiliations and torture, and these practice is not condemned, on the contrary, on reading the book, one clearly gets the impression that the author is defending or condoning these practices. All kinds of natural calamities and diseases are attributed to homosexuals; and it states that homosexuality is contagious. The book says that the Church has every right to label, condemn and discriminate against homosexual persons and justifies denying employment to homosexuals in the areas of teaching and the military, and defends prohibiting homosexual persons from fostering or adopting children.
It is not enough that this book is withdrawn from the shelves. Whoever has bought the book must be able to return the book and get his money refunded. Moreover The Church must pay adverts in newspapers to advertise the possibility of refund just like when dangerous toys which have been sold must be recalled. Just as there were consequences when a mouse's head ended up in a salad in Mater-Dei Hospital, this case must not be left without consequences. There is no guarantee that this mistake will not happen again. The recalled books must be destroyed in front of the person returning the book to confirm that it would not be re-sold. Dr. Attard is worried that this book was in an old stock and many copies might have been sold. There are also other books that talk about homosexuality in a similar way in the Media Centre Bookshop. Dr. Attard feels that this is the very tip of the ice-berg of the hatred a number of people hiding inside the Catholic Church's organisation, have against gays.
Whoever put this book on the bookshelves must be held responsible and if possile criminal prosecution should start. Just as Norman Lowell was held responsible to his speeches, in the same way action must be taken against the people responsible.
The Maltese Catholic Church must learn what accountability and responsibility is. A public unambiguos apology to all gay people must be made by a senior Church official must be made, and a clear declaration stating that no such books will be imported. The Head of the Church's Media Centre should resign, the person who was responsible on putting this book on the bookshelves must be sacked, and disciplanary actions must be taken against the person who translated the back cover in Maltese and the person who uploaded the summary on the Media Centre's website.
Related article: http://patrickattard.blogspot.com/2009/02/dr-ing-patrick-attard-condemns-catholic.html
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See also the following progams in Maltese. Open the links with Windows Media Player or Real Player.
DISSETT, TVM 17.2.09:
Archbishop talks about the withdrawal of a book from the Media Centre.
mms://194.158.37.72/TVM/disset/090217.wmv
Scroll to: 77th minute (1h 17)
mms://194.158.37.72/TVM/disset/090217.wmv
Scroll to: 77th minute (1h 17)
XARABANK, TVM 20.2.09
Censorship and Gay-Hate books
mms://194.158.37.72/TVM/Xarabank/090220.wmv
Scroll to: 1h 14
mms://194.158.37.72/TVM/Xarabank/090220.wmv
Scroll to: 1h 14
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