a heretic speaks in defense

[corngirl_jo]

After an exhausting day yesterday and almost as exhausting night, countless phone calls to my Polish family, I've decided - not without reservations, to check my mail, and that led me to the LJ. Now I'm very sorry that I ever did that.

But let me not point fingers and criticize, let me give a personal perspective to those speaking of "media circus

Comments

[talona]

The Pope IS a great man. One thing that has greatly disturbed me about the media coverage is their tendency to speak of him in the past tense. Last night I was running around my apartment with the TV, the news came on, and of course the Pope was the first subject they talked about. I was astonished, I kept hearing things like "he was a great man...", "He will be remembered...", "He could...". I'm not catholic, or even for that matter christian, but it botheres me greatly that they would kill a man in the news before his actual death. For someone who may believe in the spiritual power of prayer, who would be hoping for a miracle, speaking in those terms would be a terrible blow in terms of Morale

[brynnmck]

I completely understand, at least as far as I'm able to, being American. I was raised Catholic, and like you, I've totally rejected the church, but I've found myself incredibly affected by these last two days' events. I think part of it is that it reminds me very strongly of my grandfather's death, that slow disintegration of the body, everything going wrong at once, but more than that, this is the Pope. And he is, as you say, a great man, a great humanitarian, not perfect, but a great man and a peacemaker who has done a tremendous amount of good in the world. And I think that these mass expressions of grief, these vigils, are beautiful and powerful. Whatever issues I may have with the church, I do believe that there is tremendous power in that kind of connection, that kind of energy, so many people united in grief and sadness and good will and prayer for the passing of such a significant figure. It's beautiful.

I'm sorry that you have to be away from your family during this time. You'll be in my thoughts, definitely.

[caitie]

Thank you for writing this. I was raised Catholic, too. I went to Catholic school until I was fourteen. And I am decidedly progressive, an anti-abortion pro-choicer and pro-gay rights. And I have shed a few tears and said a few prayers over the past three days. This /is/ a big deal. Even though I didn't always agree with Pope John Paul II, there's no debating that he's given a life of service to his church and to the world and he deserves at least a modicum of respect and reverence.

[fatascribunda]

And I am decidedly progressive, an anti-abortion pro-choicer and pro-gay rights

no one ever seems to understand what that means. you're one of the few people i've ever seen describe themselves that way.

um. sorry, drive-by comment.

[leelu92]

You've been in my thoughts regarding this situation- and will continue to be. I'm just a good ole Presbyterian andlike you I may not agree with many of his ideologies- but I still have a GREAT deal of respect for him and his life.

{{{{{hugs}}}}}}

[wisteria_]

Thank you so much for this post -- you've helped me see why he was so important to so many people, and everything is beautifully-said. May I link to it on my LJ?

[corngirl_jo]

Of course you may link.