Or, a number of things that won't happen.
1. The Pope tells Obama to stop drone and other attacks on civilians and makes participation in drone attacks a mortal sin.
2. The Pope urges the prosecution of Presidents Cheney and Bush on war crimes for their initiation of the Gulf Wars.
3. The Pope begins the sell-off of the Church's vast holdings and uses the proceeds to feed and house the poor.
4. The Pope denies Communion to any politician in the US and elsewhere who takes bread from the mouths of the hungry and shelter from the homeless. Paul Ryan is immediately excommunicated as an example.
5. The Pope acknowledges that sexual desire is natural and good and that humans can find moral expression of this desire in any way they choose between consenting adults. Masturbation is acknowledged as a nearly universal and healthy phenomenon.
6. Vows of celibacy among priests are abolished; the priesthood is transformed to include both men and women, straight people and gay people.
7. Masses of Confession and Contrition are regularly said for the Church's transgressions in abusing children sexually. Survivors are encouraged to speak out if they wish and restitution is made.
8. The whole anti-birth control/abortion thing stops now.
9. The Pope declares healthcare to be a human right. Bishops and Cardinals in countries that do not offer healthcare are urged to work for it, including denying Communion to those politicians opposing it.
10. The Catholic Church shall consider itself in a state of sin until the people of Haiti are delivered from their misery.
I was raised Catholic. Even after I came to doubt the existence of god, I still enjoyed the rituals and mythology of the Church, the chanting and incense, the majesty of the cathedral where I sometimes still attended mass.
For a time, I accepted the term "fallen away Catholic". But I didn't fall away, I walked away. It was a conscious choice. And when I looked back, what I saw, in an institution that I once admired, appalled me. That was years ago.
The Church beckons to ex-Catholics like me, to reconciliation and reunion. But the Church is not about to change and it is no longer relevant in my life except as an unfulfilled potential for good.
That stuff up there seems pretty harsh, or maybe not. It is what I have thought for many years. On this day of the election of Pope Francis the 1st, I thought I would post it.
I completely agree with you on 3, 5, 6, 7, and 8, and mostly on 4 and 9, too.
ReplyDeleteBut to be honest I don't much care about the opinions of the pope; I was never Catholic and I only care insofar as his opinions hurt other people. I hope Francis I will be a more open and humaniterien pope than Benedict XVI, but I remain sceptical.
I don't have much to do with organized religion anymore. I guess I still consider myself Christian, but not religious. Too many harmful things coming from people like the former pope, priests and churches to want to be associated with them. I prefer the spiritually I now practice, even though I am still officially a part of my church and have no plans to change that. (I consider my church to be okay and there are some practical and social reasons for remaining with it even if I don't consider myself religious anymore).
Those views may be highly radical in the USA, but I think they are refreshingly honest. And if the pope are to do something, he should try to do something good that won't harm others. Maybe try to actually be like Christ. ;) That would look good on him, I think.
Hi Benni, I don't know enough about Catholicism to comment on any of this. It is all way beyond my silly blonde head.
ReplyDeleteI am a "born again" Christian, belonging to a Methodist based church, which actually hails from the US strangely. Church of the Nazarene.
My stepson recently married a lovely girl brought up as Catholic and he converted to the faith. They go to church regularly, but I would not call them religious and I actually doubt whether any of this with the Pope retiring or a new Pope being elected has entered her pretty little head *grins*
I like this remark of yours
"And if the pope are to do something, he should try to do something good that won't harm others. Maybe try to actually be like Christ. ;) "
We all should aspire to be more like Christ, should we not? (jeiks but so difficult)
Loves and Hugs
I like your conditions and agree with them, everyone. And once the priesthood is open to all genders, I'd expect the next pope to be a black, pregnant Lesbian. hehehe.
ReplyDeleteI'm not Catholic either although I live in a Catholic country. We'd live in a true Utopia if all your demands were met, and I'm not saying that I disagree with any of them. Saying I'm not Catholic doesn't change the fact that I loved and love Mother Teresa.
ReplyDeleteI'm not Catholic, was brought up in a Nazarene church, so I don't understand the Catholic way. I always say whatever is in your heart is what matters. Hugs, Mary
ReplyDeleteThank you all for your comments. Belief in a god is not necessary to be a good person, but I think if you do believe in a god, it behooves you to be a good person. Jesus the Christ, as presented in the Bible, wanted people to take care of each other. As people have said in various ways here.
ReplyDeleteAs an atheist, I appreciate your comment "belief in a god is not necessary to be a good person". I fully agree with that.
ReplyDeleteIt is unfortunate that morality is often equated with a belief in god(s).
DeleteI don't suppose you'd consider becoming Pope Benni?
ReplyDeleteI'm Italian, that's about my only qualification.
DeleteWell, I don't get a vote, being both Jewish and agnostic in various degrees on various days. And I like some of your specifics.
ReplyDeleteBUT what I really like - and support - is that you have your own moral views and you will post them, whatever any so called leaders (religious or otherwise) will say.
You're Italian??
I was raised Church of Christ, but I think my intelligence, such as it is, made me doubt things long before I admitted it. One of my friends had a great cartoon about that. I'll find it if I can and repost on Facebook for you to laugh at with me...
ReplyDeleteThe comment about selling off their vast holdings to feed the poor struck me hard: I remember thinking, while looking at my ex-inlaws house, that NO one could claim they were caring, loving people and let others go hungry while they had so much. His salary alone was triple the value of the work he did...