Tuesday, August 10, 2010

RC Bishop Links Love Parade Tragedy To 'Sin'

An Austrian bishop has described a German music festival stampede where 21 people died as a sinful event and suggested the deaths may have been God's punishment for losing faith.

Salzburg's Roman Catholic bishop, Andreas Laun, described the Love Parade and participation in it as "a rebellion against creation and against God's order, (which) are sins and an invitation to sin".

As well as the deaths, more than 500 people were injured when a lethal bottleneck formed as revellers tried to get in to the festival in the German city of Duisburg on July 24.

Writing on the German-language website Kath.net, Mr Laun warned against judging the dead and warned against judging the dead.

At the same time, he indirectly linked the deaths to God's right to punish apostates - those who turn their back on the true faith.

The provocative comments are expected to draw outrage from victims' families and survivors.

The remarks from such a senior member of the clergy are also feared to draw the embattled church hierarchy into further criticism of its rigid attitude to modern society.

In recent months the church has tried to weather storms over successive child abuse claims, a lack of sympathy to predator priests' victims and a crisis of legitimacy.

A memorial service was attended by the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, amid assertions that the parade would never be held again.

SIC: SKYNews