Monday, June 8, 2009

Just a thought

What Pope Nazipants thought about the investigation into priestly child abuse in Ireland (from Fox News):

"He was very visibly upset, I would say, to hear of some of the things that are told in the Ryan report, how the children had suffered from the very opposite of an expression of the love of God."
I started to think this the first time I actually heard His Holiness speak, and he sounded so frail and troubled: maybe the pope isn't actually a douchebag. Perhaps he actually means well, but just doesn't get it. I realize some of you may have come to this conclusion earlier than I have, but you are all much nicer people than I am. I feel kind of bad for him. Being pope must be a crap job.

5 comments:

Self said...

I suspect this is the case more often than not - many of the things he says seem to be either taken out of context or poorly translated by the press.

That said, the work he's done with regards to the Church's image, stance on birth control and indulgences etc, Ratz isn't entirely without cringeworthy moments (a priest at a parish near me is practically giddy with excitement about bringing back the indulgences. Not that they were ever really gone, but thanks a bundle, Ratz).

But Nazi related nicknames aside, it's hard these days for a real asshole to become Pope, even if their views are a little anachronistic, so I suspect he's an okay guy.

Plus, I'm guessing part of the reason they chose him was because he's pretty old anyway, so he shouldn't be around much longer :-)

LiturgyGeek said...

Well, good on you for coming to this conclusion. I admit to a little more grouchiness of the: "oh, he was upset, was he? How noble of him to be UPSET! That makes it all better, then" variety.

The compassionate words are there, but his actions show only mercy towards the monsters who committed these atrocities, with no support for justice for those who were abused. Since those people did those deeds in the name and with the imprimateur of The Church, it really is on him to call for that justice.

He could do so much more than just be "visibly upset" that I wish he would. Since he seems to have no problem acting when it comes to condemning homosexuality, priestly infidelity with adult women, or thievery, one wonders why he does so little to support victims of abuse at the hands of the church.

But you are right, I think, in that being pope must be a crap job. So we will pray for and with him.

Jocelyn said...

LiturgyGeek - Totally. But from what you're saying we come to a conclusion that hopefully everyone can agree on: Pope Nazipants (like many popes before him) is not a good leader. He is not equipped to deal with the huge issues within the Catholic Church that desperately need addressing. I believe his heart is in the right place, but he is ineffectual, even at accomplishing the things he means to accomplish.

I wonder if he sits around hoping to die soon.

Anonymous said...

What Would Lucifer Do?

http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2009/06/11/meanwhile-in-spokane

Jocelyn said...

Yeah, I saw that. To be fair, though, I'm pretty confident (but I could be wrong) that the Church of Satan is actually an atheistic religion. As far as I know, they don't worship Satan. They just chose that name because 1. it would piss off super Christians and 2. the original meaning is "adversary", which, apparently, they are.

Regardless, I hope the pope knows he was upstaged by Satanists.

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