Sad sad sad

This letter (from Mlive.com) is important, and as such I have decided to post it in its entirety:

Reinstated bishop who denies Holocaust is sign of church changes
by Harry Vischer Jr.

The current controversy regarding the Holocaust in Germany during World War II, was it fact or fiction? It is being led by persons such as Roman Catholic Bishop Richard Williamson who was first excommunicated, then reinstated, then placed into limbo and lay persons such as movie actor Mel Gibson and his father Hutton Gibson. They each claim that it never happened even though there is solid evidence that it did.

Auschwitz-Birkenau is a camp that comes to mind. The commandant, Rudolph Hess, even bragged that he could gas 2,000 Jews in one half hour but complained that the ovens slowed the process down. Sadly, professing Christians stood silently by during that period and it is professing Christians who are in denial now.

I have German blood, I profess Christ, I cannot accept the claim of these, but I can understand it.

Born and raised in a German settlement in the United States, not once did I hear condemnation of what was being done by the Hitler group. What was heard was that Jews killed Jesus and the Bible said that they are forever to carry that guilt.

It was about that time when I began to question the accuracy of the Bible, whether in its entirety it was as God might wish or if man's interpretation had, on occasion, been substituted.

Not possible, say those claiming only through a belief in Christ Jesus could eternal life be achieved.

That meant that Jews, Muslims and all other faiths that did not accept that would be condemned to hell, something that just does not make sense to me.

At the age of 36, I chose the Roman Catholic faith as my way to reach a Christian ideal. At the time I was told that the church advocated tolerance and professed that life after death was possible for non-Christ believers.

At the time, Pope John XXlll had recently died but his dream of change was in progress. It was a joyful time for me. Not only did I like Catholic people but a love of Christ could exist without a feeling of guilt when living life to its fullest.

Liberation theology was the norm among the many religious people I came to know. It felt good to touch the poor rather than just preach to them.

But then, in the 1980's something changed. For me, it began when Pope John Paul condemned liberation theology in South America. Then, quietly, the laity was more restricted and I felt that there was a movement afoot to return the church to the days of pre-Vatican 2.

The death of John Paul and the elevation of Benedict XVI revealed that the church I loved was being replaced with the type of church that I had left so many years ago.

In 2000 and 2004, my bishops backed George W. Bush for president. Even though I disagreed, to remain in good standing, I decided to go along to get along, which I deeply regret now.

In 2008, it was too much when a Michigan bishop pronounced all who voted for a candidate who was pro-choice were to be considered intrinsically evil. I had to object and did.

I wrote a Viewpoint, printed in this newspaper. What I feared became reality. I was informed that I would no longer be able to receive the Holy Eucharist, so I left.

Has this caused anger? No, just a sadness, a sadness for all who are being led backward to a time that our prophet, John the XXlll wished to lead us away from.

John, the common man who became the common man's pope, who proclaimed that it was not enough to just preach to the poor, they must be touched as well.

He eased relations with Jews. He acknowledged that yes, they could receive eternal life without believing in Christ Jesus, but today the concept that only acceptance of Christ as the true son of God is being instituted.

This has opened the door for persons like Williamson to claim that the Holocaust is a sham.

There are enough fundamentalists in the world, Pope Nazipants. Why don't you join one of their churches and leave Catholicism alone?

...I want Pope John XXIII back.

Note to self: not all Catholics suck

Obviously, this is the case, since my family are mostly really nice people, and also mostly really Catholic people. Anyway, just in case some of you needed re-assuring, here it is (from UPI):

The dissident pastor of a dissident Roman Catholic church in St. Louis has been laicized, or stripped of his priestly functions, officials said.

The Rev. Marek Bozek told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that he plans to carry on at St. Stanislaus. He said that he and the church board will ignore Pope Benedict XVI's action.

"We don't recognize this unjust action, the same way we don't recognize the excommunications," Bozek said.

...At St. Stanislaus, Bozek advocates the ordination of women, an end to clerical celibacy and the recognition of gay relationships. While this has upset some members of the parish, the church has acquired scores of new members who welcome the change, the Post-Dispatch said.

Bravo, Bozek. I think it's pretty clear that the Vatican can't keep kicking everyone out and expect Catholicism to continue to exist. If shit like this keeps happening, they will eventually have to adapt or die. I think, in the end, they will choose adaptation over disintegration.

Brazilian priest suspended for support of condoms

(From the Associated Press)

A Catholic priest (Rev. Luiz Couto) serving in the Brazilian congress has been temporarily suspended from his priestly duties for supporting the free distribution of condoms to prevent the spread of AIDS.

I guess to a Catholic, this is kind of the same sort of deal as a safe-injection site. We know they're going to do it anyway, but should we make sure they do it safely? Or is that encouraging them?

Well, yeah, Catholics. It is encouraging them. Encouraging them to use condoms, which is a pretty good idea, particularly if you don't want them to get AIDS. You will never, ever convince everyone to be abstinent. Ever. It will not happen. Ever. What you can do, if you want to prevent this horrible, horrible disease that only rich people can afford to treat, is make sure that if they're going to have sex (which they are), they wrap it up. Seriously, Catholics. It's a good idea.

So, good for this Priest, being all pragmatic and everything, but bad for the Archdiocese responsible for suspending him. This is just further evidence that the Catholic church is priming itself for another split. Either they get their shit together, or the Catholic church we know today with be the Society of St. Pius X compared to the Catholic church that will split off from them. Actually, I'd probably go to mass more often if that happened. You know, with the liberal ones... obviously.

Anywayz, I leave you with this:

Matthew 13:52 (NIV) says:

He said to them, "Therefore every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old."

Faith and dogma are not stagnant. They do not stop at 2000-year-old wisdom. This is not the same world it used to be, and many of the old rules no longer apply. It is men like Cuoto - who are able to take the message of Christ and adapt it to a new age - who are the future of the Church, not the men who would stop him from preventing disease. I'm pretty sure that what Cuoto has done is WTF Jesus would do.

Christians + Gays = Lurve

Seeing as WTFWJD has now been plugged by Dan Savage and is therefore the most popular blog ever, I thought it would only be fair to discuss some positive things going on in Christianity. Here's what came up on my news feed today:

Catholic Denomination says Gay Priests are OK

“We walked away from the papacy in 1870,” Michael Seneco, the Archbishop of the NAOCC, said to the New Haven Advocate. Seneco, who is openly gay, said he and his colleagues belive the stances that the Roman Catholic Church has taken on homosexuality and women as priests don’t gibe with Jesus’ teachings. “Jesus was a radical and the church has forgotten that,” Seneco said.

THAT'S the Jesus I'm talking about. Good job, pseudo-Catholics.

Rebel Australian Priest Defies Sacking

A rebel Catholic priest sacked for blessing gay couples and allowing women to preach has vowed to defy his archbishop and lead mass on Sunday.
Father Peter Kennedy of St Mary's parish in the east coast city of Brisbane said he expected a "packed church" to show support against his dismissal this week by Archbishop John Bathersby.

You know, I make fun of Australians a lot. Mostly because I am a horrible person and I make fun of everyone a lot, but you've really got to hand it to a country that will use the word "Sacking" in a newspaper headline. Pretty dope, Australia. You've also got to hand it to Father Peter Kennedy for having the balls to defy the Catholic Church from the inside. Way to stand up for what's right, Padre. Amen.

US Lutheran task force suggests 'structured flexibility' on gay pastors

The long-awaited position on ordaining gay clergy in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America isn't a clear yes or no.

An ELCA task force admitted yesterday that it could not reach a consensus on the issue that has polarised its members for years.

But with the matter expected to dominate this summer's national convention in Minneapolis, Minnesota its position paper offers this suggested solution: The ELCA will allow the ordination of gay pastors but will leave it up to individual congregations and synods whether to ordain or appoint pastors. The term used to describe this compromise is "structured flexibility".

Kay so Lutherans are thinking about it, which is pretty decent of them. I always liked Lutherans. One time when I was a kid, my choir sang at a Lutheran church service. It was just like a Catholic service, except people seemed happy to be there. This is the conversation that happened when I got home:

Me: "Dad, I'm Lutheran now."
Dad: "No you're not. You're Catholic. Go to your room."

A similar thing happened when my choir sang at an Episcopal church service:

Me: "Dad, I'm Episcopalian now."
Dad: "No you're not. You're Catholic. Go to your room."

Anywayz, I don't know about you, but I'm pretty pleased that certain branches of Christianity are at least open to the discussion about accepting gay people as their brothers. Perhaps this means that America will one day follow. Until then, I leave you with this (1 John 2:9-11):

He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.
He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.
But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.

Way to walk in the light, guys. That's WTF Jesus would do.