On Monday 9 April, 2012, I was watching ‘Q&A’, an Australian talk show where the audience asks a panel (consisting of politicians, dignitaries, well-to-do and famous people) questions relating to that week’s ‘hot topic’. 

That week’s topic was Religion and Atheism.

Halfway through the show, Cardinal George Pell (leading Catholic figure head of Australia) was asked the question, “I am an atheist. What do you think happens when I die and how do you know?” and in short, his reply was “If you’re good you go to heaven”. He said that you are denied access to heaven if you commit an evil act; atheism apparently not being one. The denial of god and all deities is not evil in the eyes of a god? Hm.

My mum piped up and said to me, “so, you will go to heaven, even though you deny and hate the idea of god, but a devout Christian, well doing, kind, loving gay man is going straight to hell?”

Hm. Sure, THAT makes a load of sense.

Well done, religion. Well done.