(no subject)
I'm annoyed.
I read this article this morning. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070710/ap_on_re_eu/pope_other_christians;_ylt=Aj87tThnP9pbUwjiE25yNOLMWM0F
If you're not interesting in reading it, allow me to sum it up. The pope re-released a statement that other Christian denominations (Protestants, Methodists, Episcopalians, etc) are not true churches, and that only the Catholic church has the "true means of salvation."
This really pissed me off for a few reasons.
First, I will not try to act like I've ever thought the papacy made any fucking sense. If he's so close to god, ordained by God, then why doesn't god pick him instead of a few guys who blow smoke out of a chimney thing? Why is any mortal closer to God than any other? This idea seems very un-Christian to me...we are all equals under God. Giving up sex for your life doesn't make you any better than anyone else. It just deprives you of the precious gift of creating another of God's children (and of having a GREAT deal of pleasure in your life). [insert altar boy joke here]
So obviously I have some long-standing issues with the Catholic church. But, all of that aside, can't we agree that this is totally unfair for the Pope to say? What do you mean, catholics only have the "true means to salvation"? Are the rest of the believing, God-fearing Christians going to "purgatory"? Are only YOU, ever perfect one, going to heaven? And by the way, how do YOU know so specifically who will be saved? Must be your special relationship with God that the rest of us are incapable of, since we're lesser fucking beings or something.
Or is this your way of saying, "Those who do not believe in ME shall not have eternal life"? Is that what this is about? Just angry because some of us Christians think you're just the same as the rest of the believers in God's eyes?
What's really sad to me, is it is exactly this kind of thing that turns non-religious people further from religion. The constant bickering over rules and regulations, what is right, what is acceptable, who will be saved. It's silly to me, because none of us really know. All we can do in the meantime is love our neighbors, treat others with respect, and basically not be a bunch of assholes. The Pope's actions are what divides Christians. He says that he believes in ecumenical progress, but I just don't see how that can be! That's like calling a black dude a piece of shit n-word and expecting him to be your friend. He could have called the churches different, he could have said they have different beliefs, but instead he had to go and profess the primacy of his own beliefs. And that's why he's wrong.
In the words of Luke 23:24 "Forgive them, Lord, for they know not what they do."
All I have to say to you, Pope Benedict, is that when God talks to you, I hope he tells you what a bad boy you've been and sends you to bed without your dessert.
I read this article this morning. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070710/ap_on_re_eu/pope_other_christians;_ylt=Aj87tThnP9pbUwjiE25yNOLMWM0F
If you're not interesting in reading it, allow me to sum it up. The pope re-released a statement that other Christian denominations (Protestants, Methodists, Episcopalians, etc) are not true churches, and that only the Catholic church has the "true means of salvation."
This really pissed me off for a few reasons.
First, I will not try to act like I've ever thought the papacy made any fucking sense. If he's so close to god, ordained by God, then why doesn't god pick him instead of a few guys who blow smoke out of a chimney thing? Why is any mortal closer to God than any other? This idea seems very un-Christian to me...we are all equals under God. Giving up sex for your life doesn't make you any better than anyone else. It just deprives you of the precious gift of creating another of God's children (and of having a GREAT deal of pleasure in your life). [insert altar boy joke here]
So obviously I have some long-standing issues with the Catholic church. But, all of that aside, can't we agree that this is totally unfair for the Pope to say? What do you mean, catholics only have the "true means to salvation"? Are the rest of the believing, God-fearing Christians going to "purgatory"? Are only YOU, ever perfect one, going to heaven? And by the way, how do YOU know so specifically who will be saved? Must be your special relationship with God that the rest of us are incapable of, since we're lesser fucking beings or something.
Or is this your way of saying, "Those who do not believe in ME shall not have eternal life"? Is that what this is about? Just angry because some of us Christians think you're just the same as the rest of the believers in God's eyes?
What's really sad to me, is it is exactly this kind of thing that turns non-religious people further from religion. The constant bickering over rules and regulations, what is right, what is acceptable, who will be saved. It's silly to me, because none of us really know. All we can do in the meantime is love our neighbors, treat others with respect, and basically not be a bunch of assholes. The Pope's actions are what divides Christians. He says that he believes in ecumenical progress, but I just don't see how that can be! That's like calling a black dude a piece of shit n-word and expecting him to be your friend. He could have called the churches different, he could have said they have different beliefs, but instead he had to go and profess the primacy of his own beliefs. And that's why he's wrong.
In the words of Luke 23:24 "Forgive them, Lord, for they know not what they do."
All I have to say to you, Pope Benedict, is that when God talks to you, I hope he tells you what a bad boy you've been and sends you to bed without your dessert.