Get into heaven, follow the Pope on Twitter

In an announcement that has surprised many, it turns out you can now get into heaven faster by following the Pope on Twitter.

In an attempt to embrace new technology, the Vatican announced that those following the developments of World Youth Day around the world would be eligible for "indulgences" just like those who actually make the pilgrimage there.

Plenary indulgences, the Catholic church teaches, reduce the time spent in penance for sins - and thus reduce the time spent in purgatory.

In the Italian paper Corriere Dela Sera, church officials were quick to point out it's not like "the way you get a coffee from a vending machine."

"What really matters is that the Pope's tweets from Brazil, or the photos of World Youth Day that will be posted on Pinterest, should bear authentic spiritual fruit in the hearts of each one of us," the president of the pontifical council for social communications told the paper.

Prayer, humility, and charity toward all are essential in the Christian life: they are the way to holiness.

— Pope Francis – ARCHIVE (@Pontifex266Arch) July 16, 2013

The announcement has been met with disbelief by some, with evolutionary biologist (and prominent atheist) Richard Dawkins tweeting "Please tell me Catholics aren't really that stupid."

Twitter indulgences to shorten purgatory. http://t.co/mgRIUZLfiq Please tell me Catholics aren't really that stupid.

— Richard Dawkins (@RichardDawkins) July 17, 2013

"So God does what the pope says? Do they think God is as stupid as they are?" he added.

Ouch.