An embarassingly stupid column about the new pope

[ichy]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opini...c8be2e-76c6-11e2-95e4-6148e45d7adb_story.html

It's very rare that I find myself on the same side as conservative Catholics but this column but E.J. Dionne made me cringe. One of the few iron clad requirements for someone to be elected to the papacy is being a man. I think that's silly but I also don't pretend to be Catholic. The all-male priesthood is one of the cornerstones of Catholicism. If you disagree with that then it is absurd to call yourself Catholic. It is not and has never claimed to be a democratic religion that changes with the times.

People who think there should be female priests should just man up and admit that they aren't really Catholic at all. If you want a religion with all of the pomp and ceremony but none of the rules then join the Episcopal Church.

 

[alzan]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opini...c8be2e-76c6-11e2-95e4-6148e45d7adb_story.html

It's very rare that I find myself on the same side as conservative Catholics but this column but E.J. Dionne made me cringe. One of the few iron clad requirements for someone to be elected to the papacy is being a man. I think that's silly but I also don't pretend to be Catholic. The all-male priesthood is one of the cornerstones of Catholicism. If you disagree with that then it is absurd to call yourself Catholic. It is not and has never claimed to be a democratic religion that changes with the times.

People who think there should be female priests should just man up and admit that they aren't really Catholic at all. If you want a religion with all of the pomp and ceremony but none of the rules then join the Episcopal Church.

1) It's an opinion column.

2) Many 'in the pew' Catholics disagree with various stances of the papacy.

3) It sometimes takes decades or centuries but history shows the RCC has 'changed with the times'. And perhaps they'd find themselves not losing so many members and indeed gaining more in certain regions if they did become more democratic.

4) It really isn't up to you or I to decide how Catholic someone is; nor is your opinion on 'manliness' the be all/end all definition.

5) The Episcopal Church has 'high" (Catholic-like) churches and 'low' (Protestant-like) churches and members. There are some low/high churches that have female priests (anecdotal but there are five 'high' Episcopal churches within the relatively small metropolitan are that I call home.) and have had them for years. No lightning bolts from either the sky or from St. Peters Basilica have struck.

 

[Farang]

I couldn't get past the headline. Wow.

Where was it I just heard someone rant on the stupidity of the U.S. media in covering the papal election as they would cover American politics. How right they were

edit: I shouldn't say that I don't believe a woman capable of leading the Catholic church. But the traditions of the Church and where it stands today, there is no way this is happening and it's idiotic to even talk about. It'll happen about 500 years after women become priests

 

[bononos]

I couldn't get past the headline. Wow.

Where was it I just heard someone rant on the stupidity of the U.S. media in covering the papal election as they would cover American politics. How right they were

edit: I shouldn't say that I don't believe a woman capable of leading the Catholic church. But the traditions of the Church and where it stands today, there is no way this is happening and it's idiotic to even talk about. It'll happen about 500 years after women become priests

The church would sooner allow married men to become priests and wearing the red hats before women. Don't know if EJ D is a catholic because he doesn't seem to know what few nuns there are left are very conservative.

 

[88keys]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opini...c8be2e-76c6-11e2-95e4-6148e45d7adb_story.html

It's very rare that I find myself on the same side as conservative Catholics but this column but E.J. Dionne made me cringe. One of the few iron clad requirements for someone to be elected to the papacy is being a man. I think that's silly but I also don't pretend to be Catholic. The all-male priesthood is one of the cornerstones of Catholicism. If you disagree with that then it is absurd to call yourself Catholic. It is not and has never claimed to be a democratic religion that changes with the times.

People who think there should be female priests should just man up and admit that they aren't really Catholic at all. If you want a religion with all of the pomp and ceremony but none of the rules then join the Episcopal Church.

I have to agree. How people choose to practice their religion is entirely up to them providing they commit no harm to others. That being said if women don't like being discriminated against in the Catholic Church, then don't be a Catholic. Nobody is forcing anybody to be a Catholic. As for Islam, that's a different story.

 

[HomerJS]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opini...c8be2e-76c6-11e2-95e4-6148e45d7adb_story.html

It's very rare that I find myself on the same side as conservative Catholics but this column but E.J. Dionne made me cringe. One of the few iron clad requirements for someone to be elected to the papacy is being a man. I think that's silly but I also don't pretend to be Catholic. The all-male priesthood is one of the cornerstones of Catholicism. If you disagree with that then it is absurd to call yourself Catholic. It is not and has never claimed to be a democratic religion that changes with the times.

People who think there should be female priests should just man up and admit that they aren't really Catholic at all. If you want a religion with all of the pomp and ceremony but none of the rules then join the Episcopal Church.

Maybe a better iron-clad rule would be not to tolerate child abusers in your midst.

Wanna take bets in the new pope none of that will change.

 

[cubby1223]

The article is meh at best. I doubt anyone left the church because the Pope has always been a man, and I doubt even more so that people would return to the church if a woman were made Pope.

 

[JEDIYoda]

Maybe a better iron-clad rule would be not to tolerate child abusers in your midst.

Wanna take bets in the new pope none of that will change.
*

that has nothing to so with what the OP is talking about..start your own thread...just because the thread has the word catholic in it and is about priests does not mean its fair game for you to try to hijack the thread..

 

[OverVolt]

I don't know why liberals are wearing on me so much lately.

Its from the WP I could barely read it. I'm sure something about how a 2000 year old institution is doing it wrong and then paragraphs of emotional drivel as to why, cause he is an expert at running 2000 year old institutions.

It was hard to find the logic in the paper. Taking out the liberal filler it boils down to:

Rather, the church impresses even its critics, and inspires its most loyal and most dissident members, because so many in its ranks walk the talk of the Gospel. Hundreds of thousands of nuns, priests, brothers and laypeople devote their lives to the poor, the marginalized, refugees, the disabled and the homeless, simply because Christ instructed them — us — to do so.

More than any other group in the church, the sisters have been at the heart of its work on behalf of compassion and justice.

There are certainly bishops and cardinals who have done this sort of godly work and many more who have supported it. But those who have devoted their lives to climbing the church’s career ladder tend not to be like that nun in the jeep in Swaziland. What a message the cardinals would send about the church’s priorities if they made such a woman pope.

Throughout history, it’s not uncommon for women to be brought in to put right what men have put wrong. A female pope would automatically be distanced from this past and could have a degree of credibility that a male member of the hierarchy simply could not.

 

[WhipperSnapper]

As an atheist and opponent of Catholicism and other forms of destructive religious mysticism that either threatens my life or seeks to tell me what to do in the bedroom...

...I hope that the Catholic Church loudly and proudly advocates its real values and principles.

Believe in legal abortion? Get out of the Church! You're not a real Catholic?

Believe in birth control? You're not a real Catholic! Beat it!

Believe that homosexuality might be OK? Get out!

Whatever the Church does to demonstrate that Catholicism is a barbaric, primitive mystic religion for Stone Age peoples is fine with me.

 

[WhipperSnapper]

Nobody is forcing anybody to be a Catholic. As for Islam, that's a different story.

That is not true. A great many Catholics want to force American women to live like Catholics by banning/restricting abortion and birth control. They also oppose gay marriage, essentially forcing their religion on gays.

 

[DrPizza]

That article is to legitimate news editorials as this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzNhaLUT520&t=1m0s is to solid news reporting.

Both should elicit the same response: uncontrolled giggling.

 

[ichy]

The church would sooner allow married men to become priests and wearing the red hats before women.

According to the church's rules it is theoretically possible for married men to become priests. As a general rule of thumb it's not allowed however that's a matter of church discipline, not dogma. Allowing married priests is something a pope could do as an administrative decision. Female priests would require a huge change in Catholic theology.

 

[werepossum]

Hasn't there supposedly already been a female pope?

 

[Ktulu]

Hasn't there supposedly already been a female pope?

No, the story is pure myth.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Joan

 

[werepossum]

No, the store is pure myth.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Joan

Ah, historical revisionist history.

Or should that be Pope Urban Legend?

 

[Mursilis]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opini...c8be2e-76c6-11e2-95e4-6148e45d7adb_story.html

It's very rare that I find myself on the same side as conservative Catholics but this column but E.J. Dionne made me cringe.

Most of his writing is eye-rolling silliness. This won't be the last time.

 

[nehalem256]

That is not true. A great many Catholics want to force American women to live like Catholics by banning/restricting abortion and birth control.

There is no serious attempt to ban birth control in the United States

They also oppose gay marriage, essentially forcing their religion on gays.

Actually I thought they were forcing gays to live like the Japanese.

 

[ichy]

There is no serious attempt to ban birth control in the United States

The Catholic church would love to ban birth control if they could, but they can't even get 99% of their own membership to follow that rule.

 

[zsdersw]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opini...c8be2e-76c6-11e2-95e4-6148e45d7adb_story.html

It's very rare that I find myself on the same side as conservative Catholics but this column but E.J. Dionne made me cringe. One of the few iron clad requirements for someone to be elected to the papacy is being a man. I think that's silly but I also don't pretend to be Catholic. The all-male priesthood is one of the cornerstones of Catholicism. If you disagree with that then it is absurd to call yourself Catholic. It is not and has never claimed to be a democratic religion that changes with the times.

People who think there should be female priests should just man up and admit that they aren't really Catholic at all. If you want a religion with all of the pomp and ceremony but none of the rules then join the Episcopal Church.

I agree... let the Catholic church go down in flames as they are, don't try to prop them up by changing with the times.

 

[FerrelGeek]

Wonder if we'll ever see an article demanding female Imams...

 

[Theb]

There probably will be a female pope. It probably won't be in my lifetime. I could see that bothering somebody if there was just the one denomination, but as it stands if you believe something (or nothing in particular) there's a church out there for you. And even in the unlikely event you can't find a church that's right for you Christianity is open source, find the closest one and fork development.

I think any dramatic change-ups would probably hurt the catholic church right now more than help it, but it is time to start thinking about a Vatican 3.

 

[zsdersw]

Whatever brings about the death of the Catholic church the soonest, that's what I support.

 

[peonyu]

Wonder if we'll ever see an article demanding female Imams...

Of course not, that would be racist. Dont even mention how gays are to be stoned to death in Islam either, thats A'ok for them to be that way.

 

[zinfamous]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opini...c8be2e-76c6-11e2-95e4-6148e45d7adb_story.html

It's very rare that I find myself on the same side as conservative Catholics but this column but E.J. Dionne made me cringe. One of the few iron clad requirements for someone to be elected to the papacy is being a man. I think that's silly but I also don't pretend to be Catholic. The all-male priesthood is one of the cornerstones of Catholicism. If you disagree with that then it is absurd to call yourself Catholic. It is not and has never claimed to be a democratic religion that changes with the times.

People who think there should be female priests should just man up and admit that they aren't really Catholic at all. If you want a religion with all of the pomp and ceremony but none of the rules then join the Episcopal Church.

There has possibly been a she-pope in the past. Look up "Pope Joan."

Her gender was discovered when the newly-elected pope unexpectedly gave birth.