The Atheist Foundation of Australia is complaining about being “discriminated against”, having been refused Victorian Government funding for a conference in Melbourne, while the Parliament of the World’s Religions got $2 million.

The ironical part of this is that the Parliament of World Religions will do the Christian cause more harm than any Atheist’s conference could ever do.

It is mistaken and counter-productive for Catholics to participate in get-togethers with other “world religions”. Until fairly recent times this was understood by all, and accepted as obvious.

* * *

Pope Pius the Eleventh made the principle clear in 1928, when he wrote that:

 “conventions, meetings and addresses are frequently arranged . . . at which all without distinction are invited to join in the discussion, both infidels of every kind, and Christians, even those who have unhappily fallen away from Christ or who with obstinacy and pertinacity deny His divine nature and mission. Certainly such attempts can nowise be approved by Catholics . . . .

“the Apostolic See cannot on any terms take part . . . nor is it anyway lawful for Catholics either to support or to work for such enterprises . . . .

“this Apostolic See has never allowed its subjects to take part in the assemblies of non-Catholics: for the union of Christians can only be promoted by promoting the return to the one true Church of Christ of those who are separated from it . . . .”

* * *

The rot set when, in the 1960s, the Second Vatican Council’s Decree on Ecumenism actually encouraged Catholics to cooperate with other Christians and allowed them to take part in joint worship on “special occasions”.

Later, in 1986, Pope John Paul II called a meeting in Assisi, Italy, for all “world religions” to come together to “pray for peace”. The Buddhists were allotted Saint Peter’s Church, where they performed their Buddhist cult, adoring their idol which they put on the altar. Yes, on the altar.

Traditional Catholics must get back to basics and recognise such gatherings as a betrayal.

Remember how the original Christians preferred being fed to the lions rather than compromise with non-Catholic religion.