The New Pope and
Celebrity Junkies
The white smoke went up, the new
pope stepped out on the balcony, and everybody gushed with praise. The news personalities (they aren’t really
reporters) began to babble away. “He is
a simple man.” “Look a wooden cross.” Then the spin masters of the church, the bishops
and Vatican experts, spoke their scripts about how holy the new pontiff was
offering insight into his humility and by inference the goodness of the church and
all that jazz. Then the pageantry followed
that display of opulence that people love, colorful displays of excess,
processions of medieval soldiers and all that goes along with an
anachronism. The faithful, who have been
duped ever sense the Romans stole the church from the true Christians, flail
about like koi in a too small pond, looking to grab whatever morsel falls from
high. For those who think this
characterization is too cynical, too critical, consider this.
We have a church that ministers to
millions in this 21st century and yet its practices remain stuck in
some time warp. While it is progress to
note that the practices of the Inquisition have long past, it must be remember
these “holy men” were the dispensers of torture that only the sickest of our
species still practice. Today, the
Catholic Church is an institution that enslaves its most devoted with cannon
“laws” that are outdated and serve little but to make delusional old men think
they are promoting the word of god.
That said, let’s start with the
news personalities who are all flushed with excitement over the election of the
new pope though behind the scenes some executive is eyeballing the ratings dictating
what shows up on the screen all the while selling space to those who would
bloat us with useless food products or medicines to rid of us acne or keep men
erect. See how they solicit comments
from the clergy and collect all that “expert” opinion, background if you will,
that supposedly put things in “context.”
As they extol these “holy” men before us they never ask the questions
that need to be asked and more importantly answered by those who claim
authority in the church? Let’s start
with pedophiles. When are those in
authority in the church going to work with law enforcement to expose and bring
to justice the creeps who have been masquerading as spiritual leaders when they
are nothing but scum? Is this too harsh
of a question on this solemn of all occasions?
If not now when? And the next question might be, how about the
nuns? When is the church going to stop
enslaving women and chastising them for doing charitable work? The last pope was highly critical of nuns
taking an active role in charity work, real charity work, not that other stuff
which was another safe haven for creeps.
While we are on the subject of women, what is the deal with this cannon
law that only men can be priests? Where
did this law come from? It certainly
didn’t come from Jesus because two women in particular were very close to him,
some say even closer than distorted apostolic history would have it. Then there is this celibacy stuff. OK, I can deal with religious types of all persuasion
adhering to this sacrifice, but come on now.
History and practice have shown that it isn’t too big of deal, just look
at other Christian religions, they seem to do OK with married clergy. Certainly, other issues, like gay rights and
birth control are matters that a 21st century church should not only
tolerate but embrace.
Sure, we have a new pope, but one
has to wonder if anything will come from an institution so stuck in the arcane
practices of a by-gone era. Most likely
this bastion of faith will continue on its trajectory. If so, what is the big deal with this nonevent? It seems to be but another empty pageantry
signifying nothing. So let the bishops
gush, let the news personality fawn, let the faithful swooned, but me I want to
see if any real change comes out of this hullaballoo.
To my mind, I think quite frankly
this particular sect of Christianity needs to get on with the business of
Christian principles and I am not talking about what born again tv talking money
grabbers refer to. I am talking about
charity and love and forgiveness. I am
thinking that if Jesus were around, he would be as pissed as when he went into
the temple and saw all the money changers.
You will recall he drove those supposed priests out of the temple.
