Whose message is more appealing?
Protestors are now free to stage their antics at World Youth Day to ridicule Church teaching.
A Sydney court has overturned a law that would prevent protesters from “annoying†pilgrims at World Youth Day, ruling that it limited free speech.
Authorities wisely decided that if they’re not outlawed, they can’t claim to be denied free speech.
The merit of this move is clear, considering the scenario:
Activists said they plan to hold a rally on Saturday to demonstrate against the Church’s teaching on homosexuality and contraception. They say they will wear “provocative†T-shirts and hand out condoms.
Some reports add that they’ll be handing out coathangers to protest the Church’s teaching against abortion, which is the teaching for the sanctity of all human life.
Immediately following the decision Rachel Evans, one of the two protesters from the “No to Pope†group who took the case to court, started handing out condoms to pilgrims while wearing a shirt that read “The Pope is wrong, put a condom on,†according to the Times Online.
How’s that going to work out for them, given that this swarm of pilgrims is their target?
A rapping priest, Beethoven at the Opera House and a concert on Bondi Beach. A festive spirit gripped Sydney today as tens of thousands of Catholic pilgrims descended on the city for World Youth Day celebrations.
“We are sharing our faith with young people from all over the world,” said Susy Gomez, 26, from Miami, wrapped up against the winter chill as she walked along Circular Quay. “We are the future of the Church.”
They’re rockin’ and partying and praying.
More than 300 city streets were closed to traffic to make way for groups of pilgrims waving flags, singing hymns and cheering as they walked to morning religion classes, before an afternoon festival of music and dance…
“The atmosphere is incredible,” said Rubens Chavez, a 28- year-old systems analyst at the central bank of Brazil, who stayed up all night to attend three church services. The pilgrimage to Australia is part of his journey of “self improvement and spirituality,” he said…
“My faith has grown stronger after every World Youth Day,” said Hildanith Aponte Rivas, 33, from Puerto Rico, who attended the event in Toronto in 2002 and Cologne in 2005. “When you get together with the other youth of the world, you know you are not alone in putting God first in your life.”
Provocative shirts and condoms, or a papal lovefest and communion. Hmm….Who’s going to convince whom?