Not sure if you've been following some of the recent
comments from
Pope Francis, but he is definitely a better "Maverick" than McCain and
Palin. I know there are many different levels of belief on this email
list (each no better than the rest), so I don't mean to get too deep in
the religion weeds here. But as a lifelong confused/jaded Catholic, I
mostly just want to comment on the new pope's effectiveness vis-a-vis
the core beliefs of the church, and what his org needs to do to be more
successful in the 21st Century.
http://news.yahoo.com/pope-says-church-cannot-obsessed-gays-contraception-abortion-163220900.html
Yes, Christianity has to be about more than quasi-arbitrary rules...
all the things we are not supposed to do (and imposing that on others
who are doing no harm). That is Taliban style. Faith isn't about
prohibition and guilt - it's about being happy and doing good. And what
is the point to fight for the welfare of unborn fetuses when you will
turn your back on them after they are born into bad circumstances? Many
Christians do act like Christ, but many more are astoundingly silent or
complicit regarding greed (Francis
spoke out),
violence, and basically any other bigotry and injustice that doesn't
directly affect them. But that is the strange marriage of Christianity
and western free market & social conservatism - for them to pretend
to be compatible, something's gotta give (and it's usually an abdication
of core Christian values).
Francis is like the polar opposite of Benedict (the least
inspiration pope since the Nazi appeasers IMO), and is more in tune with reality and
modernity (and Jesus' teachings). I think some hardliners are seriously going to plot to kill
him (it has likely happened
before).
Francis is saying/doing all the right things considering the
constraints of his office, except really coming
clean and contrite about the sex abuse scandals and the inferior role of
women in the church. Maybe he's working up to that. But so far he has
chosen to live like a common man (as opposed to Benedict's Prada
slippers), literally
washed the feet of his flock, and held a peace vigil and fasting for the people of Syria.
Other Christian denominations are leaps and bounds ahead of
the Vatican on gender and sexuality tolerance, but on the record Francis
said that he is not opposed to gay priests, and has no right to judge
anyone who practices goodwill and searches for the Lord. Let's see if he
actually implements this in the church. This contrasts Benedict's
statement in 2005 that gays would not be welcomed in the priesthood (but
bishops who cover up sex abuse are fine?), and that homosexuality is an
evil
disorder.
Supposedly God loves all his children, so why would he create and curse
some to lead "evil" lives just so self-righteous bigots can denounce
them to feel better about themselves? Well, why would God curse innocent
children to be born into starvation, war zones, and AIDS (and bless
others with safety, riches, and opportunity)... but I guess we'll never
have an answer for that.
He's also said that
atheists
can go to heaven just like believers. Doing good is the criterion, not
some ceremonial label. Clearly stuff like this has ruffled some feathers
among the stuffy establishment types. But the College of Cardinals
picked this man to lead (and came to their decision rather quickly
compared to Benedict). It's not like Francis was always a rebel, or he
would have never risen in the church's ranks. As recently as 2010
Francis spoke out against gay adoption in his native Argentina, but
apparently he has changed his views for the greater needs of the office
(some might think divine inspiration, or just sensible rebranding?).
Maybe the Cardinals realized that the church has pretty much been
failing in every way, especially with the young, vulnerable, and poor of
the world (the most blessed people according to Jesus). So a big change
was needed, like Obama-sized change. I just hope at the end of his
papacy, we have more to show for it than a health care policy mess and
drone strikes.
So far Francis has been mostly talk, though that's kind of his
job. He isn't the head of a state (well, not a very big one), so he
can't really change our lives as much as civic leaders. He does have a
lot of financial and human resources at his disposal that he could
deploy. But in general he is there to inspire. And it seems he is doing a
good job of that, especially in the "growth markets" that the church
will depend on in the future. He's the first non-European born pope in
centuries (though he is ethnically Italian), and he is a huge hit among
the young of the developing world. During the Brazil protests, he
mingled with the crowds and spoke about inequality (Brazil is the
largest Catholic country in the world and also has one of the biggest
wealth gaps). While the silver-haired septuagenarians in the west are
the church's core following (and cash cow), everyone knows that their
time is short (and their kids and grandkids are not going to church
anymore). Maybe the pope's message doesn't resonate with them, and he
may make them uncomfortable (not necessarily a bad thing for a leader to
do at times). But where are they going to go... join the LDS? :) Maybe
Francis could get some of them to rethink their antiquated and frankly
un-Christian beliefs. Ironically or maybe not, most of this email has
nothing to do with religion. It's about getting people to consider the
benefits of not being intolerant, selfish pricks. If Francis can move
the needle a bit there, then he should be canonized.
Like the GOP, there is a struggle for the soul and future of
the church. The hateful, egocentric, self-serving, and power-hungry
factions of both the GOP and the Catholic Church may hold
disproportionate sway now, but it can't last or their future is doomed.
Just get back to basics: why does the church exist? Not to look after
itself, conceal crimes/
corruption,
and act superior judging others. It should help people through
education and compassion. I think Francis realizes that the bigger the
leader, the more of a servant he or she must be. A servant, not a king.
Any leader could benefit from that lesson, from POTUS to parent.
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