A poll suggests that three quarters of Britons believe the taxpayer should not have to fund part of the cost of Pope Benedict’s forthcoming UK visit. Seventy-seven per cent of participants on an online survey of 2,005 adults did not agree that the taxpayer should contribute to the bill for the four-day state visit this month. The survey, conducted by theology think tank Theos, found that only 24 per cent of respondents were actively opposed to the visit, but the majority disliked the idea of state funding for it. Paul Woolley, director of Theos, said: “The British public clearly has a problem with the funding of the papal visit.” But he added: “It is only a relatively small proportion of people who are actively opposed to the visit itself. On the whole, the public is more disengaged than hostile.”
Although the majority disagreed with the taxpayer funding part of the bill, 79 per cent admitted to having no “personal interest” in the Pope’s visit. Forty-one per cent said that the Pope should not speak out on social and political issues, while 36 per cent said he should. The survey also asked respondents whether they agreed with 12 statements the Pope has made – without citing him as the source. The majority of those polled agreed with 11 of the 12 statements on the environment, the economy and human rights. Eighty-one per cent disagreed with the statement ‘poverty is often produced by a rejection of God’s love’.
Read more at Pink News
As a non-catholic, why should I be expected to contribute to this visit? If the purpose of the trip is to ‘spread the word’ surely the papalcy have heard of social networking – zero overheads and a potential audience of millions. If Catholics want to see this chap, check out easyjet’s cheap deals and make a holiday of it.
Forgot to add… With our government looking to make savings on our economy through local sector job and pay cuts, why not let the catholic church use some of it’s own acquired funds to cover the costs of their self-promotion?
I think the biggest issue is the pope openly disagreeing with what are long established laws in the UK. His opinions on homosexuality, same sex marriage, and contraception are quite frankly outdated. If you or I openly stated them we’d be accused of bigotry at best and jailed at worst.
Let him come, but he can keep those opinions to himself or be asked to leave.
Finally, the Roman Catholic church has more than enough money to pay for his visit, so let them pay.
A sporting event has to pay for policing, so why not the church?
I always have a problem with online polling. You don’t get a wide ranging demographic taking part, only people interested in what the site is about. In this case Theology.
I’m sure if this was done by pollsters with clipboards, stopping people in the street, the figures disagreeing with his visit would be higher. I am pleased to see that even Religious people don’t think it should be state funded though.
i dont get this at all – why on earth should I pay for the Pope to come here? He’s welcome to visit every week if he wishes, and talk about whatever he wants, but I can see absolutly no reason why we should have to pay for it? I doub’t he’d be best pleased if the Italian government paid for Dawkins to come and ‘preach’!!
Why should the taxpayer pay for the Pope’s visit, I didn’t ask him to come. Maybe if I decided to visit the Vatican I could ask the church to pay for it!
Anyhoo isn’t the Church one of the biggest organisations in the world raking in billions of $’s a year and what with all the properties and assets around the world I am sure they can afford to fund their visits.