More Pope-ing

I really don't know a whole lot about Catholicism, other than I know I was baptized. I'd imagine that was a nice thing at the time - all the wholesome stuff, with a godfather and all that. I don't know who mine is, where he lives, or the back-story or anything. Not that it matters I guess..

Andrew Sullivan is a gay-Catholic-conservative writer. He's a very smart guy, but he has an unnerving streak of conformist about him. Okay.. Andy belongs to Jews for Hitler.

Here's what he wrote about the new Pope selection:

And so the Catholic church accelerates its turn toward authoritarianism, hostility to modernity, assertion of papal supremacy and quashing of internal debate and dissent. We are back to the nineteenth century. Maybe this is a necessary moment. Maybe pressing this movement to its logical conclusion will clarify things. But those of us who are struggling against what our Church is becoming, and the repressive priorities it is embracing, can only contemplate a form of despair. The Grand Inquisitor, who has essentially run the Church for the last few years, is now the public face. John Paul II will soon be seen as a liberal. The hard right has now cemented its complete control of the Catholic church. And so ... to prayer. What else do we now have?

Andy Sullivan really wants to be a conservative Republican very badly. He supported Bush in 2000, and Kerry in 2004 only reluctantly. He's very conservative in most every way.

But, time and again I read about Andy's disappointment in the Republican point of view on an issue, or the Catholic churches point of view on an issue. The thing that Andy just hasn't been able to realize is - what he loves hates him back.

You know, there was a time when I considered myself "conservative" believe it or not. But, the world changes and the labels become stale and useless. I came to a conclusion - you have to take a stand, and there is a place for you.

Andy says he's struggling against what his church is becoming. How he even writes that is beyond me. Andy - they hate you, have always hated, and always will hate you. Why? Because you represent the loss of control.

I think Andy may be starting to come to terms with that now. For a long time, he has done what a lot of other people do. They disagree with doctrine, but try and work within the system for change. It may also be the case that their little corner of the world is a little different than the larger organization. Perhaps their parish priest is a very nice man, and those issues of disagreement with the larger organization aren't discussed. You pretend like they don't exist. But they do - and silence is complicity all the same.

I write about these topics a lot, because it bothers me to be hated. I wish it wasn't that way but it is. I'm always going to write about the hypocrisy of organized religion. I'm always going to make fun of the BSC's. I really don't think the right wing is what people believe or want. At least I don't think that's what people want unless they are jealous, hate filled, and self loathing to begin with.

It comes down to some very simple issues.

If you believe
that you are allowed to make your own decisions in life, good or bad;
that all persons are inherently good and righteous in God's eyes;
that all beliefs are as valid as your belief;
that you should be able to love and marry whoever you choose;
that you should decide on what's best for your own body;
that your life is better by making other people's lives better;
that sex is not a dirty and guilt infested thing;

Then I don't see how you could be a Republican, or a Catholic or other evangelical Christian denomination.

I've been reading Andy for a couple of years now. It's been very sad to see time and again the power authority he worships spit on him. I remember when Bush announced his support for the Federal amendment banning same-sex marriage. Andy had spent all that time and effort supporting Bush - only to find out Bush hates him.

Andy will bitch and moan, as he is doing now. Then he'll lower his head and go back and ask for forgiveness to his master. Somebody did something to him somewhere along the way that really crushed his soul. He likes to let on that he's rationally considered all the factors when making a decision, but in reality, he has been victimized at some point and he cannot make the break.

Some of us have to become our own religion. Some of us have to become our own political party. And some of us have to come to terms with the wrong things that were done to us and say 'fuck you', it doesn't matter and it can't affect me anymore.