Mini rant for the day: Before you read further, remember the name of this blog: NOT SUGAR COATED. If you are easily offended, STOP READING NOW. Be warned.
I'm noticing that lots of people are making that red 'equal' sign their profile picture... in favor of equal rights for ... whoever. Blah blah blahhhhhhhh. Here's how I feel.
If you are gay... fine. I really don't care. If you are straight, I really don't care.
If you want to marry... fine. I really don't care. If you don't, I still don't care.
If you want to marry your pet goat... fine. I really don't care. If you don't, I really don't care.
If you want to be happy with whoever... fine. I really don't care. If you want to be miserable, I don't care.
If you like broccoli... fine, eat it till you drop. I really don't care. If you don't... I don't care.
If you think marriage should be between a MAN and a WOMAN, fine. I really don't care. If you think otherwise, that's your right, too. And I will not judge you, it's not my job.
If you think I'm going to change my profile picture to an equal sign, I'm not, and that doesn't necessarily mean I agree or disagree with what it stands for. It's because I think it's not an attractive picture. You have a right to your equal sign and I have a right to a picture of my brothers and myself.
If you want to interpret the Bible and say gays are going to hell, you're perfectly free to do that, but YOU aren't the ultimate Judge. That's not our job. It's not our job to say ANYONE goes to hell, including Hitler. Who are YOU to say where he is???
If I used birth control and you think I'm going to hell, well, you don't know me, and still don't have the right to judge me any more than I have a right to judge you.
I don't believe that politicians should be involved if you want to marry your girlfriend, boyfriend, or your pet goat. They should have a whole lot of more important shit to worry about.
If you are kissing in public and are straight... I don't want to see it. YUCK.
If you are kissing in public and you're gay.....I don't want to see it. YUCK.
If you treat me badly and you're straight, I will not respect you. If you treat me badly and you're gay, I will not respect you.
If you mistreat or hurt someone I love and you're straight, you might as well be dead. If you mistreat or hurt someone I love and you're gay, you might as well be dead.
Noticing a trend here? You're already all equal in my book.
If you love this blog... fine. I really don't care. If you hate it, I still don't care. Find a cereal box or something.
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
"Habemus Papam!" (We have a Pope!)
This conclave was far shorter than I would have expected... I would have said definitely by the end of this week we would have a Pope. But at the fifth or sixth vote? Wow.
The newly elected Pope Francis seems to be a peaceful, humble man. (Most Jesuits I know are neither!) I admire his choice of name, and totally loved his asking for a moment of silence in prayer for him. And you could hear a pin drop in St. Peter's Square. I would have given ANYTHING to be there. It would have been a million times better than being in Times Square on New Years Eve.
It is said that he was close in running when Pope Emeritus Benedict was elected, and that he, in second place, pleaded with his brother cardinals to NOT elect him. Now knowing that, I'm sure that had something to do with the speed of his selection. I hope God blesses him, and inspires him to be the right mix of traditionalist AND reformer. God knows we need some help in moving the Roman Church forward and shaking it free of the chains of scandal which bind it. It is said that St. Francis himself ventured to Rome and told the then-Pope that this church needed reformation. Hopefully, his taking the name Francis will kind of point toward that end.
I loved his speaking Italian so beautifully, albeit with a slight Spanish accent. And I understood every word he said, and wished that the woman translating for Fox News would just shut up, because I didn't need her interpretation and 'umms' and 'ahhhs'. Geez, some people get PAID for speaking, you'd think they'd find someone who didn't stammer every other word. But I digress!
Anyway, I guess the point of this little 'rant' is that maybe now the never ending media coverage will END, and that the haters will leave my Church alone. Haters can't bash Catholics any better, and maybe they're having fun because they can't have this kind of published hate toward Muslims or other groups. Maybe they can now go back to worrying about reality shows and how many times the KarTrashians marry and reproduce. Let this seemingly humble man take the reins and guide the Church onto a better path, and Fox can go back to worrying about the Obam-ination and his bands of merry thieves.
May God bless Pope Francis, and may the Holy Spirit guide him!
The newly elected Pope Francis seems to be a peaceful, humble man. (Most Jesuits I know are neither!) I admire his choice of name, and totally loved his asking for a moment of silence in prayer for him. And you could hear a pin drop in St. Peter's Square. I would have given ANYTHING to be there. It would have been a million times better than being in Times Square on New Years Eve.
It is said that he was close in running when Pope Emeritus Benedict was elected, and that he, in second place, pleaded with his brother cardinals to NOT elect him. Now knowing that, I'm sure that had something to do with the speed of his selection. I hope God blesses him, and inspires him to be the right mix of traditionalist AND reformer. God knows we need some help in moving the Roman Church forward and shaking it free of the chains of scandal which bind it. It is said that St. Francis himself ventured to Rome and told the then-Pope that this church needed reformation. Hopefully, his taking the name Francis will kind of point toward that end.
I loved his speaking Italian so beautifully, albeit with a slight Spanish accent. And I understood every word he said, and wished that the woman translating for Fox News would just shut up, because I didn't need her interpretation and 'umms' and 'ahhhs'. Geez, some people get PAID for speaking, you'd think they'd find someone who didn't stammer every other word. But I digress!
Anyway, I guess the point of this little 'rant' is that maybe now the never ending media coverage will END, and that the haters will leave my Church alone. Haters can't bash Catholics any better, and maybe they're having fun because they can't have this kind of published hate toward Muslims or other groups. Maybe they can now go back to worrying about reality shows and how many times the KarTrashians marry and reproduce. Let this seemingly humble man take the reins and guide the Church onto a better path, and Fox can go back to worrying about the Obam-ination and his bands of merry thieves.
May God bless Pope Francis, and may the Holy Spirit guide him!
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
The "Conclave' and my personal Catholicism...
Here goes the latest rant.
As we speak, the Conclave in Rome is taking place, with a hundred something Cardinals taking two votes a day in the process of selecting a new Pope as leader of the Catholic Church, and as Vicar of Christ on Earth.
I was inspired to write this by a young friend who also has a blog and has expressed her feelings quite well about the bashing of the Church which is taking place in the mainstream media. I have had enough of this. If someone in the mainstream media dared to bash Muslims, there would be an outcry like none other. While I know there are good and bad people in all religions, I am particularly tired of hearing all the 'pedophile' and 'child abuser' jokes and tasteless excuses for 'humor' especially on facebook.
I have stopped watching TV about it, and cannot bear to read comments or editorials about the Church, or the Conclave. I'm tired of hearing people preach about 'oh they should let priests marry' or 'oh they should have women priests' or 'they should loosen their restrictions on whatever'. Get over it, people, it's NOT happening. The priests will not marry (and I don't want any arguments about it), and there will be no women priests, not now, not ever. I am tending to take the media's criticisms very personally. Here's my opinion like it or not.
The vast MINORITY of priests and clergy have ever done anything unethical or unlawful to any child or adult. And I don't believe all the accusers are being truthful. That doesn't mean for a second that I condone bad behavior by any priest. But like all walks of life, a few bad apples make the bad name for the majority. I'm just sick to death of this though. I've had it.
My Catholic faith was instilled in me first by my parents and grandparents, and then by the good sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and further by the seven different orders of religious who taught me at West Catholic. My faith is rooted in my heart and soul, and is very dear and VERY important to me. It is not dictated by the actions of any human. It has gotten me through some stressful and sad times in my life. It continues to sustain me to this day. I believe that prayer is important, whether it be the formal prayers taught to me in my childhood, or plain language prayer, which takes awhile to master. I believe in the power of prayer, and have seen that power in action.
Please don't get the idea that I'm a 'fanatic'. I refuse to sit in judgment of anyone, and believe firmly that God is the Ultimate Judge of what a person does or does not do here in this short life. And please don't get the idea I've always been so religious. (I do prefer the word 'spiritual' vs. 'religious'.) Though I was raised in Catholicism, I drifted away in my early working life, and didn't venture back until the early 1990s. I was away from the Church for more than 25 years when I was inspired to return. I thank my neighbor, Anita, and the Pastor Emeritus of my parish, the late Fr. Joseph Dougherty, for the initial 'kick' back into my Church.
I was scared to DEATH of going to Confession after that long, but Fr. Dougherty made it painless, easy, and wonderfully uplifting. He was a wonderful homilist, and a great priest. I miss him greatly. I am glad he's not around to see what's going on now, in the parish, and in the world. (Even though I'm convinced he's watching from above.)
So, anyway... I know I'm very free with my opinions, and they are usually, as the title of the blog says, Not Sugar Coated. And I realize that others are entitled to their opinions of the faith and the Catholic Church, good, bad or indifferent.
But that won't stop me from saying I despise some of those opinions, which I feel are based on the actions of a very few men. I also believe this is a bad reason (and a COP OUT) for saying you 'don't believe' in God, the Church, or Christianity in general. Grow up. There are a few bad people in all walks of life. Not all people are bad, not all priests are bad. Get over it.
In closing... may God bless the Cardinals, and may the Holy Spirit guide them!
As we speak, the Conclave in Rome is taking place, with a hundred something Cardinals taking two votes a day in the process of selecting a new Pope as leader of the Catholic Church, and as Vicar of Christ on Earth.
I was inspired to write this by a young friend who also has a blog and has expressed her feelings quite well about the bashing of the Church which is taking place in the mainstream media. I have had enough of this. If someone in the mainstream media dared to bash Muslims, there would be an outcry like none other. While I know there are good and bad people in all religions, I am particularly tired of hearing all the 'pedophile' and 'child abuser' jokes and tasteless excuses for 'humor' especially on facebook.
I have stopped watching TV about it, and cannot bear to read comments or editorials about the Church, or the Conclave. I'm tired of hearing people preach about 'oh they should let priests marry' or 'oh they should have women priests' or 'they should loosen their restrictions on whatever'. Get over it, people, it's NOT happening. The priests will not marry (and I don't want any arguments about it), and there will be no women priests, not now, not ever. I am tending to take the media's criticisms very personally. Here's my opinion like it or not.
The vast MINORITY of priests and clergy have ever done anything unethical or unlawful to any child or adult. And I don't believe all the accusers are being truthful. That doesn't mean for a second that I condone bad behavior by any priest. But like all walks of life, a few bad apples make the bad name for the majority. I'm just sick to death of this though. I've had it.
My Catholic faith was instilled in me first by my parents and grandparents, and then by the good sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and further by the seven different orders of religious who taught me at West Catholic. My faith is rooted in my heart and soul, and is very dear and VERY important to me. It is not dictated by the actions of any human. It has gotten me through some stressful and sad times in my life. It continues to sustain me to this day. I believe that prayer is important, whether it be the formal prayers taught to me in my childhood, or plain language prayer, which takes awhile to master. I believe in the power of prayer, and have seen that power in action.
Please don't get the idea that I'm a 'fanatic'. I refuse to sit in judgment of anyone, and believe firmly that God is the Ultimate Judge of what a person does or does not do here in this short life. And please don't get the idea I've always been so religious. (I do prefer the word 'spiritual' vs. 'religious'.) Though I was raised in Catholicism, I drifted away in my early working life, and didn't venture back until the early 1990s. I was away from the Church for more than 25 years when I was inspired to return. I thank my neighbor, Anita, and the Pastor Emeritus of my parish, the late Fr. Joseph Dougherty, for the initial 'kick' back into my Church.
I was scared to DEATH of going to Confession after that long, but Fr. Dougherty made it painless, easy, and wonderfully uplifting. He was a wonderful homilist, and a great priest. I miss him greatly. I am glad he's not around to see what's going on now, in the parish, and in the world. (Even though I'm convinced he's watching from above.)
So, anyway... I know I'm very free with my opinions, and they are usually, as the title of the blog says, Not Sugar Coated. And I realize that others are entitled to their opinions of the faith and the Catholic Church, good, bad or indifferent.
But that won't stop me from saying I despise some of those opinions, which I feel are based on the actions of a very few men. I also believe this is a bad reason (and a COP OUT) for saying you 'don't believe' in God, the Church, or Christianity in general. Grow up. There are a few bad people in all walks of life. Not all people are bad, not all priests are bad. Get over it.
In closing... may God bless the Cardinals, and may the Holy Spirit guide them!
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