A new Pope

Okay, maybe the word "we" isn't the most accurate one that I could use since I'm not Catholic. I always tell people that I'm Catholic lite. I was brought up in the Anglican or as they say here in the US, Episcopalian Church. Everything is essentially the same as the Catholic church except our priests marry and the hierarchy is more inclusive of women.

I like everyone else have been very caught up in this whole Pope thing. At 35, Pope John Paul is really the only Pope I remember. I vaguely remember the guy before him coming in and keeling over in no time but John Paul has been a veritable institution. I've always been fascinated by the Pope and his leadership of the church. I've never understood how a man who's never been married, essentially never really had to deal with the day to day trials of working for a living, making ends meet and supporting a family makes decisions that affect millions of people. This is a job that states that people must practice natural birth control - the most unreliable method of contraception known to man because it is impossible to truly control your cycle as any woman will tell you. I'm living proof. I was practicing natural birth control, the result of which is my wonderful son who I wouldn't trade for the world.

But how does someone who has never been married counsel people about being married. How does someone who has never parented or stayed up late at night wondering about the seed of your loin tell someone else how to raise their child and how to feel about them. It has always been very strange for me.

Then there's the whole church scandal thing with the priests and the little boys. Everyone knew the priests and nuns were having sex, it had been happening for years, but the fact that the church seemed to cover up the fact that children were being abused just seemed wrong to me. Humans are sexual creatures, it's the way we are made and for a very specific reason - the perpetuation of the human race. When we attempt to deny this most basic need (as stated by Maslow, Food, water, air and sex are the basic needs), it leads to a myriad of issues. Another interesting fact is the notion of celibacy. Nowhere in the bible are we asked to be celibate for the purpose of religious life. Many people don't know this but priests used to marry. Some insane Pope, I'm assuming that he was either impotent or truly bitter about some woman decided in the 6th century that priests would no longer marry. This is a church law not a religious law. For those who are offended by my comments aobut the insanity thing, you give me a reason for this silly law.

I was watching a documentary about priests which stated that part of the issue of molestation came about because young boys were put into the seminary at 13 so they were sexually immature. As a result of the stunting of the sexual growth and thier now extended association with boys, they assoicated sex with boys and boys of 13. It makes sense if you think that boys generally marry women that either remind them of their mother or some woman who had an inpact on them in their youth and girls look for a younger version of their Dad's. It's just weird that spiritual leaders and the Catholic church would spawn an entire group of miscreants and pedofiles.

Anyway, I don't want to bash anybody's religion or faith, that's not my aim, it's just that I've always wondered. At 15, I left my confirmation class because Father Thompson told me that a couple who were married but not going to church, raising their children as christians and cheating on each other was a more blessed union than a non-married couple who were raising God-fearing children and totally committed to each other. I told him that I couldn't be part of a church from whom I had such a divergent view. I think he was shocked that a 15 year old could be so bold. I further told him that the church didn't bless a union, God did. And that if he thought that because people stood in church and declared themself in front of him and a few guests that that was made the union blessed then he was sadly mistaken. I eventually did reconcile some of my annoyance with the church and finally became confirmed at 18.

Whew, guess I had a lot to say on this topic. I hope that Pope Benedict XVI does his religion, his race (human), the church and the office proud. You'll notice that he's 78 and not in his 60's like John Paul, I don't think they want to have another Pope for 25 years. The job is designed to last a few years not a generation. I take it that they figure that at 78, he has maybe about 10 years before he joins John Paul in eternal slumber.

I'll pray for him and hope that he makes good decisions. The world is in a very bad way and for those who follow his teachings and doctrine strictly, he needs to make sure that he leads them well.

Nuff said.