According to this news article a drugstore in the german city of Fulda is now prohibited from selling condoms; their landlord happens to be the catholic church which does not allow to sell “stuff that damages the reputation of the church” (”Dinge die das Ansehen der Kirche in der Öffentlichkeit herabsetzen”) within their premises.

A church official defended this by saying that the church cannot possibly condem contraceptives ex cathedra and then allow them to be sold on church property. Well, it is only consequent, but other than the man assumes two little dumb things do not cancel each other out but instead make one very very very big dumb thing.

But at least this episode sheds some light on the question how the church did get that much influence on society.

“I tried to argue with the bishop”, the district manager of the drugstore chain recalls, “but at some point you simply give up and do what they tell you.”

Damn, I knew I do something wrong; to get to the top you obviously need to be both persisent and dumb.