The red guy with horns who lives underground

Apparently the pope declared that the Catholic church is okay with condom use as a last resort to prevent AIDS.  Condoms are still seen as immoral.  I suppose I should be happy about their slow and gradual liberalization, but the more I read the more I feel like the pope and I live on different planets.

From the NYT
 

 

The pope made clear that he considered the use of condoms a last resort and not a way to prevent conception. The example he gave of when they could be used was in the case of male prostitutes.

Amid his vigorous defense of the church in contemporary society, Benedict also acknowledged some of the church’s failings, like in the sexual abuse crisis, which he calls “a volcano of filth” sent by the devil. He pointed to a “readiness for aggression” among those who criticized him for revoking the excommunication of a bishop who denied the scope of the Holocaust.
 

Oh right, an immortal red guy with horns and hooves who lives underground is responsible for the actions of priests who commit sexual abuse of children?  This is both ludicrous and disturbing, as it allows people to place responsibility for their bad actions on an external party instead of on themselves.  

The pope has over 1.1 billion followers --1/6 of the human beings in the world.  I don't know how many of the 1.1 billion take everything the pope says at face value and think there's really a red guy with horns who lives underground, but it's wild to think that so many people are being led to some extent by him.

This is why we need an alternative to religion as soon as possible.