"Auto-erotic" Spirituality

Benedict XVI: Ratzinger's positions on issues facing the Catholic Church

On secularism

"We have moved from a Christian culture to aggressive and sometimes intolerant secularism," Ratzinger said in November 2004 in an interview with the Italian newspaper La Repubblica.

"A society from which God is completely absent self-destructs. We saw that in the major totalitarian regimes of the last century."

On other religions

The cardinal has repeatedly condemned "religious pluralism" and relativism, the idea that other religions can lead the way to salvation, and he has been instrumental in blocking the advance of priests who support such views.

In an interview in March 1997, he caused a stir by calling Buddhism an "auto-erotic" spirituality that threatened the Catholic Church.

"'Auto-erotic' spirituality"? Look who's talking!