I do find it strange how there seem to be so many still-practising members who only seem to use the Church to go to weekly or occasional mass, and even receiving communion, and then return home and do their own thing, ignoring the Church's strictures on the most personal aspects of their lives. But that's only a feeling I get. Maybe I'm wrong, and they all do, in fact, practice what is preached to them.
I see that among the contenders to fill the papal red slippers, the most 'liberal' is considered to be Ghanaian Peter Turkson - at 64 a mere chit of a child. However, I think it's safe to conclude that 'liberal' is a relative term in an organisation where anyone with even slightly progressive thoughts about the status of women and gays would never have been allowed to advance to the position of cardinal in the first place. And half of those voting for the next Pontiff were appointed by His Holiness the present ailing one himself - and he would never have allowed any back-stabbers to sidle in unsuspectingly. I shouldn't imagine that there is a single one of those 'qualified' to vote who will support the election of anyone (if such a one exists) who is going to rock the boat and tell them, at their advanced ages, that all their lives they have been wrong! No, whoever gets this 'crown of gold - sorry, thorns' I'm sure we can look forward to more stern finger-wagging and 'naughty boy' tellings-off at our 'sinfulness', and how we are such a force for corruption and a dire threat to humanity's very existence. And that our only possible salvation lies in our return to grace through repentance - whether we believe in a God (let alone one of the Papal-approved variety) or in an after-life at all.
As a former R.C. myself (why is it such a palaver to 'resign' one's 'membership'?) I eagerly look forward to further instalments of Papal Bull - and whoever sits on the still-warm throne, I'm pretty sure he won't be disappointing us. I think my desire for a suitably qualified bigot to succeed will indeed be fulfilled. The odds are very encouraging.
Deo Gratias.
over here, such a BFD about nothing. the extortion, the child molestation, the invisibility of women and gays, the male domination will all continue. good riddance to a nazi and h8er!
ReplyDeleteIt completely flummoxes me, A.M., how ANY reasonable person can - despite ALL that's going on, and STILL going on - see this personage as the sole true representative of 'God on Earth!' If that was to be the case all I can say is "Heaven help us - literally!"
DeleteI hope the door hits him where the good Lord split him.
ReplyDeleteNice one, Bob! :-0
DeleteIf Turkson is liberal, then I don't know the definition of the word since he supports all those "kill the gays" bills in Africa.
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure you're right as to a successor. I figure the RCC is about 10 centuries away from modernity, based on the 21st Century version of that. Which is too bad, because they could do SO much good for so many people. It angers me to think how much money they've spent to fight the whole sex scandal, to fight gay marriage, etc. and wonder how many people who are hungry could have been fed, how many homeless sheltered, how many sick comforted.
Peace <3
Jay
Yes, Jay. Turkson being the most 'liberal' of the candidates was how the BBC described him - and if you take out his support for the horrific Uganda legislation as well as his doubts (at best) or disapproval (more likely) of the use of condoms to prevent AIDS he might just qualify as 'liberal' on other matters (I guess not on women, also). But even if he is, I think that refusing to toe the 'party line' on ALL issues effectively rules him out. However I do think that he stands a good chance if only because choosing him would make the Church 'look good' - at least to some - and, boy, does it need it!
DeleteIn my own lifetime there's been an immense change in the Church's attitude to divorce and illegitimacy as far as the Church having gone quiet about them. I recall the opprobrium which the Vatican heaped publicly onto Jacqueline Kennedy when she married the divorced Onassis while his former wife was still alive. They wouldn't do that publicly now. In fact in recent years they've been cosying up to divorced and re-married world leaders without the slightest suggestion of disapproval, as long as those leaders make a show of supporting the Church - (and the less said about Berlusconi, the better). No, they're prepared to sup with the devil if it helps them to hang on to their mitres. So, attitudes to gays MUST change in time if only because it's what the hypocrites will have to do in order to survive. Trouble is, by then we'll probably all be dead - I certainly will!
I'm 100% with on the amount of time, money and energy they are ploughing into opposition to equal marriage and in trying to cover up their own sins. There's 'true' priorities for you!
I love your philosophy, and agree with it 100%. I cannot wait until the World Court indicts the Vatican and whomever may hold the position of Pope for crimes against humanity in its decades-long conspiracy to cover up the thousands of instances of child rape and protect the perpetrators of these crimes.
ReplyDeleteI think your wait may well be a very long one, Cubby. There is still a stupefyingly level of reverence for this long-outmoded institution from most governments and (at least in the U.K.) from just about all branches of the media. You'd think that the 'norm' is to hold the Church in respect and that it's critics who are the ones out of touch, if the latter get reported at all.
DeleteIn our recent Parliamentary debate on equal marriage it was so disheartening seeing the number of Members of Parliament declaring their allegiance to 'Christian' principles generally and to the R.C. Church in particular - people who I'd otherwise expected to have been advocates of equality. But no - because the Church refused to allow it so they felt that they had no alternative but to follow like obedient sheep. Maddening!
I was quite disappointed in hearing R was going to be pope. I hope this next one has a bit more élan.
ReplyDeleteI think we were ALL disappointed, Dr Spo (well, maybe apart from those dyed-in-the-wool reactionaries, whose numbers just keep on growing) - despite just about all the Church's big-wigs spouting otherwise.
DeleteYes, 'more 'elan' would be about the best we could hope for - and I would imagine that probably every single one of the candidates could trump Papa Benny on that score.