Let me yammer on about the Pope. This week's Savage Love pretty much describes my feelings towards the hypocritical nature of the whole thing - we love everyone except those we don't. There were those who grew up Catholic, and there were those (me) who spent 8 years at Catholic school. And, as is the nature of many things, I have nothing bad to say about my Catholic school or parish or the priests (besides that first anti-Santa guy) because on a local, everyday level, they were open, understanding people, ready to accept change and have a dialogue and allow girls to have a part in the Mass.
But on a national & international level, Catholocism looks completely ridiculous (like, having the incriminated Boston priest head up the Pope's funeral in Rome). And all the good things that Catholics have experienced on a personal level in this country are lost and overshadowed by a bureaucracy that wants to have its cake and eat it too. Like, premarital sex & birth control are evil and you are going to hell but we're covering up priest sex abuse scandals because those men just need forgiving. Like, let's convert as many Africans to Catholocism as possible and then tell them they should die instead of using protection. Or, divorce is evil unless of course you have the funds to pretend it never happened. Blecch.
And now the intense speculation over what hemisphere the next Pope will come from, as well documented on this enlightening chart. Hehe. The truth is, they will almost assuredly pick someone with hardline stances like John Paul II, with no reality check on what it's like to live in the 21st century. And the US should love it, as he will uphold everything the country advocates now (abstinence, partriarchy, marriage above all else, hatred of gay people).
Heard an interesting piece on the BBC World News this morning - seems like a large number of Latin Americans are converting to Pentecostal churches, as they believe them to be more dynamic and in touch with the people. Hmmm, Pentecostal over Catholic? Seems like that's saying something pretty big (and scary).
Posted by zippy at April 13, 2005 6:28 PM