We have a Pope. The New Boss is Same as the Old Boss. Trust me on this. The basics of the Roman Catholic Church will remain. Women will still be relegated to 3rd class status (No Clergy For You, Honey), Gays will still have 6th class status, Contraceptives (from condoms to withdrawal to pregnancy termination) will still be the 7th level of Hell, priests will still take a vow of celabacy (sex….straight to Hell's basement), and the Church will continue to coverup for Pervy Priests.
This is no knock on the Catholic Church. At every gathering where Catholics are present I say to nobody in particular (certainly not to my Catholic friends)…"Ya know I could be Catholic…..I love the ritual, the litergy, the sense of family, religious training and education, and the basic values. But I have problems with the basic tenets of the Church." See above. The stance on Gays, Women Clergy, Divorce, Reproductive Freedom (sorry, I view abortion as a political issue….not religious…and the Supreme Court settled Roe v. Wade 40 years ago), and covering up the molestation of children…..i just think that stuff is wrong. (Perhaps that's why I am an Episcopalian)
The issue of homophobia and it's pervasive malignacy has really been bothering me lately. This should not have been newsworthy but Chattanooga last week elected it's 1st openly gay City Council candidate. So? Well, a few days before the election the incumbent, on TalkRadio 102.3 , blasted his opponent (the Council Rep. Elect) as being "a gay atheist". Really? Look, I know and like both men. But, after much consideration (prayful and otherwise….yes, non-Fundementalists pray to the same Diety) I decided, all things being equal, that I really needed to vote for the Gay Guy. This is 2013. Time to make a statement. Out of the Dark Ages and Into the Light. I voted for the candidate who happens to be gay. He won. Get over it.
Yes, God does love gays….and the people who hate them. You may hate on me and that's ok. Take a number. There's a long line of rednecks ahead of you.
Bill B.
