Wednesday 14 April 2010

OH HOW THE MIGHTY HAVE FALLEN



I was raised Catholic – by force of course. I left the flock decades ago. Then again, from day one, I knew I was never really a member. I remember being very suspicious, not to mention offended, when at the age of 8, my teacher told me I was going to the fiery depths of hell (she loved to exaggerate that one) if I did x or y. Of course in my head I was thinking, well heck, x or y looks fun, and hell doesn’t, so I know what I’m choosing. I also never could accept the long laundry list of things one had to do (seriously, you’re telling a child they have to do things, and expect them to listen???), couldn’t do, and moreover, those that were not invited into the flock based on reasons I couldn’t rationalize even way back when. It just didn’t add up. 

Then there is the hypocrisy on such a grand scale that pervades Catholicism – all religions really – that simply never added up for me. ‘Jesus loves all'….but gays apparently, and those that pray to other people. Screw em if they've chosen the wrong path. ‘Go forth and procreate,' but god forbid use protection and find yourself with 120 children and no way to feed them. ‘Religion is love’….and the major starter of wars, genocide and discrimination to the likes I’ve never seen. Yeah, like I said, not for me.

Then of course there are the BIG skeletons in the closet - the kind that would make Bill Clinton blush, and the respectable Catholic Church has been sweeping them under the carpet since the dawn of wafers and cheap wine. Yes, I’m talking about what everyone seems to be talking about at the moment - the rampant sexual abuse that plagues the church. And with every day, another scandal breaks exposing yet another pedophiliac monster cloaked in 'divine' robes, that has been caught devastating the life of an innocent altar boy or girl. Cause that is apparently the Christian way: commit a heinous crime, lie about it, cover it up for years, and then shift blame to anyone and everyone but yourselves. I got it now. Mrs. Thompson forgot to explain this part in my fourth grade class.

And of course in true religious spin, what did the church do this time? They had the Vatican’s second highest authority come out and blame the sex scandals on homosexuals, not celibacy…not a clear defect in their appointed flock. That’s it. Blame the group of people you’ve condemned to hell to cover yourselves. How about...clearly disturbed and sexually frustrated men forced to wear dresses and live a life of chastity, surrounded by pious altar boys and girls who will do whatever they say will eventually abuse their power and act out. How’s that for an answer?

A priest in Massachusetts called in a sermon last weekend for the Pope Benedict XVI (I had to look up what numeral sir Pope has after his name. I have no idea how many popes there have been and frankly, you could’ve told me it was the same man sitting up there, and I wouldn’t know the difference. All white haired men in dresses look the same to me) to resign over the church's sexual abuse scandal. Finally someone connected to an institution of religion that is speaking some sense.

Of course he should step down. He’s the boss. The CEO, the buck has got to stop somewhere, and people want blood. Even Nixon would agree with this move. 
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