So the pope prayed before the graven image of Mary that
people will remember the poor this Christmas. Nice sentiment.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/09/pope-francis-poor-rome_n_4412540.html?utm_hp_ref=religion
I was deeply moved by the pope's prayerful appeal to god, for god to make people remember the poor this Christmas. Evidently god suspended freewill at the pope's request because while standing in line at Tiffany's I prayed for the poor to all receive a platinum Rolex from Jesus.
Wow, god really DOES act in strange and mysterious ways. Well, my work is done. Hallelujah!!!
I was deeply moved by the pope's prayerful appeal to god, for god to make people remember the poor this Christmas. Evidently god suspended freewill at the pope's request because while standing in line at Tiffany's I prayed for the poor to all receive a platinum Rolex from Jesus.
Wow, god really DOES act in strange and mysterious ways. Well, my work is done. Hallelujah!!!
Strangely, I neither need a god nor the pope's prayers to it
for me to do the right thing and make a couple of contributions to the food
bank in my town, like I have been doing for years, and through out the year.
Funny how Xtians tend to require a prompting from their shaman and god to do
what should come naturally as simple humanity and empathy.
Understand, I’m not criticizing the pope for hoping or wishing his followers do the right thing for the poor. Not at all…I hope they all do as well. I criticize the need for him to pray to a graven image, to influence a non-existent boogie-man to suspend peoples' allegedly "god given freewill" to get people to do what they should be doing as civilized beings. And more...by his not setting a real world example.
How much better had he said:
“I want every one of my billion plus sheep to give to the poor this Xmas…whatever they can, and in some meaningful real world way. And if necessary short change the collection plate in order to make a meaningful difference directly to a person or family you know is in need.
Additionally, I vow to sell off $2 billion of the Vatican's golden trinkets and art work this year, and donate it directly to Doctors without Borders, Unicef, and two other secular institutions that will ease the burden of the poor and needy; and do so - annually & in perpetuity - incremental to our own Catholic charitable works.”
If he could only do that. If he could only get off his knees and make an appeal not through some imaginary middleman but directly to his flock; then take meaningful action that would knock the socks off the hypocrites that infect his church, then he’d have credibility and my genuine respect.
But, as usual his prayerful appeal is getting the oohs and ahhs from his followers, as well as from easily fooled freethinkers, enamored over how wonderful this “humble man” is and how close he is to the common man.
I guess expecting reality to rear its head and supplant make believe and imaginary third person intervention to get people to help the poor is a few hundred years ahead of the Church's time. What else is new?
Understand, I’m not criticizing the pope for hoping or wishing his followers do the right thing for the poor. Not at all…I hope they all do as well. I criticize the need for him to pray to a graven image, to influence a non-existent boogie-man to suspend peoples' allegedly "god given freewill" to get people to do what they should be doing as civilized beings. And more...by his not setting a real world example.
How much better had he said:
“I want every one of my billion plus sheep to give to the poor this Xmas…whatever they can, and in some meaningful real world way. And if necessary short change the collection plate in order to make a meaningful difference directly to a person or family you know is in need.
Additionally, I vow to sell off $2 billion of the Vatican's golden trinkets and art work this year, and donate it directly to Doctors without Borders, Unicef, and two other secular institutions that will ease the burden of the poor and needy; and do so - annually & in perpetuity - incremental to our own Catholic charitable works.”
If he could only do that. If he could only get off his knees and make an appeal not through some imaginary middleman but directly to his flock; then take meaningful action that would knock the socks off the hypocrites that infect his church, then he’d have credibility and my genuine respect.
But, as usual his prayerful appeal is getting the oohs and ahhs from his followers, as well as from easily fooled freethinkers, enamored over how wonderful this “humble man” is and how close he is to the common man.
I guess expecting reality to rear its head and supplant make believe and imaginary third person intervention to get people to help the poor is a few hundred years ahead of the Church's time. What else is new?
After all, pope Frank needs to maintain his irrelevance. He prays for that.
ReplyDeleteYou don't get more humble than irrelevant.
ReplyDeleteOh, but I do like the way he's shaking up Catholics with his "gay-so what?" (paraphrased) and his suggesting "that the church has become too 'obsessed' with issues such as contraception and abortion"(http://thinkprogress.org/home/2013/12/11/3050681/pope-francis-think-2013/).
ReplyDeleteThese stands are going to have practical applications when dealing with some of my relatives.
Anon,
ReplyDeleteYes, in the past I've written about the pope's more progressive mindset. And good for him.
But until the church abandons its misogynistic, and homophobic stance, and does some serious housekeeping vis-a-vis pedophilia in their ranks, he's delivered zip.