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I love that Pope Francis seems so much less political than your average pope, but I can't help wishing he'd be... well, a little more politic.
He keeps making these statements which mean one thing in the context of Catholic teachings-if you take those teachings as a given, which, surprise! most reporters do not-and mean something very different to the average secular person.
But what I'm finding most frustrating is that, first with Francis's statement on unbelievers and now with his statement on homosexuality, the media is inventing a sort of battle between the charitable, loving Pope and the mean nasty stickler bishops, who come in and "spin" everything he says by putting it in the context of church doctrine.
Newsflash: That is Catholicism. A religion of love, charity, and lots of tough rules most people do not want to follow.
For instance, when Francis uttered the now famous words "who am I to judge" a couple days ago, it was in reply to a question about supposedly gay priests, and the full quotation was: "If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge?"
That's right: PRIESTS. What are Catholic priests supposed to be again? Oh yeah, CELIBATE. Is it reasonable to take this statement to mean that Francis is saying gay sex should proceed full speed ahead with his blessing? Or to conclude that it's only intolerant jerks like the Vatican and the Conference of Bishops who would dare to suggest that Pope Francis maybe, possibly, did not mean exactly that?
Newflash #2: Liberal secular Americans, if you don't like the core teachings of the Catholic Church, you don't like the core teachings Pope Francis promotes either. Because they're the same. His being elected head of the church should probably have been a giveaway.
He keeps making these statements which mean one thing in the context of Catholic teachings-if you take those teachings as a given, which, surprise! most reporters do not-and mean something very different to the average secular person.
But what I'm finding most frustrating is that, first with Francis's statement on unbelievers and now with his statement on homosexuality, the media is inventing a sort of battle between the charitable, loving Pope and the mean nasty stickler bishops, who come in and "spin" everything he says by putting it in the context of church doctrine.
Newsflash: That is Catholicism. A religion of love, charity, and lots of tough rules most people do not want to follow.
For instance, when Francis uttered the now famous words "who am I to judge" a couple days ago, it was in reply to a question about supposedly gay priests, and the full quotation was: "If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge?"
That's right: PRIESTS. What are Catholic priests supposed to be again? Oh yeah, CELIBATE. Is it reasonable to take this statement to mean that Francis is saying gay sex should proceed full speed ahead with his blessing? Or to conclude that it's only intolerant jerks like the Vatican and the Conference of Bishops who would dare to suggest that Pope Francis maybe, possibly, did not mean exactly that?
Newflash #2: Liberal secular Americans, if you don't like the core teachings of the Catholic Church, you don't like the core teachings Pope Francis promotes either. Because they're the same. His being elected head of the church should probably have been a giveaway.