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April 19, 2005
The new Pope
Full Disclosure - I am Catholic. I don't practice Catholicism very well, but I am very much a Catholic.
I am appalled, dismayed and disgusted by all the people in the Blogosphere who are damning the new Pope Benedict because he is not a liberal willing to say that abortion is okay for Catholics. Or, that he doesn't appear to be in favor of female priests. Good Lord - he just got elected Pope today - give him a break, already.
And, by the way - Catholicism is a very old religion - the first Christian religion, and it started with St. Peter. People who don't like the Church's Doctrine can leave any time and join a church that matches their beliefs better. There are plenty of religions out there willing to change what is good and bad to get more adherents - like the Unitarians, and more and more, Episcopalians.
Why is it okay to slam Catholics? Why is it okay to throw fits because the Church is not going to say that homosexual marriage is okay or because the Church (hopefully) will never allow abortion except to save the life of the mother (not the mental health, but the life) or that the Church will never say that sex outside of marriage is okay.
That is the entire point of a religion - to set moral standards - not to change standards to make members feel less guilty.
What many non-Catholics do not understand and do not realize is Catholics understand that we are all sinners. We aim to follow Church doctrine, but if we fail, we can ask for and gain forgiveness through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
Lefties, righties, middle of the road people - this is our faith, our religion. You have no right to stomp your feet and tell us that it should be this way or that way.
It's not like Catholics are trying to force the world to follow Sharia law.
So cut it out.
Posted by Beth at April 19, 2005 8:49 PM
Comments
Excellent points, every one!
Posted by: Julie D. at April 19, 2005 10:27 PM
It's like you and my friend are sharing a brain. We just had this same conversation like an hour ago. You are right on.
Posted by: caltechgirl at April 19, 2005 10:40 PM
Great post!!! :)
Posted by: pam at April 20, 2005 8:13 AM
Amen! You said it! The church isn't going to change for whatever is popular at this moment. And as a Catholic, that gives me GREAT comfort!
Posted by: Laura at April 20, 2005 9:03 AM
As noted at the Castle -- non-Catholics like myself should butt out, not our place to suggest the direction the Church should take. I will say that the traditionalist viewpoint of the new Pope is exactly what I would expect, and seems a good thing for the future of the church -- but I am a traditionalist in many ways.
Posted by: Barb at April 20, 2005 9:48 AM
So people's problems with the Pope is that he's Catholic. Well, what the helk did they expect?
Posted by: Masked Menace© at April 20, 2005 10:08 AM
Right On, Sista!!!
Posted by: Rosemary the Queen of All Evil at April 20, 2005 6:52 PM
Beth, very well put. Looking at it as a Presbyterian, I've just been floored these past couple of days by all the people— many of them not even religious believers, many of them people who in fact despise religious belief— who've been all bent out of shape that the new Pope is unmistakably and unapologetically a Roman Catholic...
Posted by: Paul Burgess at April 21, 2005 12:32 PM
Interesting that you mention how there are more and more Episcopalians as every sunday I an one episcopalian who is getting closer and closer to becoming catholic.
Posted by: countertop at April 22, 2005 4:43 PM