[a piper too]

I agree: "Africans should detach from religious irrationalities and fanaticism. Africans should trust science and technology for development and advancement and eventual salvation of continental Africa and all peoples of African descent worldwide" - but wish to point out as a "one-world" citizen, that that statement must be extended to read "All peoples should detach from religious irrationalities and fanaticism. All peoples should trust science and technology for development and advancement and eventual salvation of... all peoples,... worldwide".

What applies to one applies to all, for "all people are created equal members of one human family". "Their wounds are ours". "Your wounds are mine".

It matters not whether one is black, white or brindle, male, female, or anywhere in-between, religious, or not. It is up to us (our own selves), each and every one of us, to take responsibility for our own actions, even as we recognize that "there is many a slip 'twixt cup and lip" (mistakes are easily made). That is why "loving" is so important.

Our one desire (to love, and to be loved in return) unites all, be "we", as sexual beings "hetero", "homo", "trans", "bi", or "a". Where we cannot love, we must, at the very least, respect, and "do no harm".

Blaming and shaming others for their (loving) activities does no one any good. All we as individuals can do is to take care of our own selves, and our partners, and use condoms for sexual acts where we do not know all aspects of our partners history: Talk, talk, and honestly talk. Respect, respect, and lovingly respect. Love, love, and love, and do as you will.

Let no one ethnicity, culture, or religion, or sex, claim that "theirs" is the only way. To claim so is a lie. "When to our death's we are led, it's all practice behind, and theory ahead !"

If we have truly loved much along the way, we can face our dying with "no regrets". That is the "heaven" we aspire to. Each and every one of us. The Pope included.