OK, so here's a short update on what's going on around here.
The Pope. Cardinal Ratzinger wasn't my first choice. But I think he will be a worthy successor of John Paul II. I am glad that the conclave did not yield to the whining and pining of the progressive minority. And I do mean minority. Even in America, progressive Catholics are far from being the mainstream norm.
Personally, while I would like for priests and deacons to have more freedom to marry (and don't see Benedict XVI endorsing that), I am mostly happy with what I have seen of the new Holy Father.
I have some friends and coworkers who are quite upset with this new Pope. But they were also despondent that President Bush won a second term... and angry with the red state troglodytes that voted for him. These are folks that want women clergy, Church approved artificial contraception/abortion/cloning, easier divorce etc. And every time these things come up, I ask, "so why are your still Catholic?". Nearly every time, they answer with something like "I shouldn't have to leave the Church if I disagree. The Church needs to get into the modern age".
To me, this is massive egotism on their part. The Church is millennia old. It has over 1 billion adherents. It changes very, very slowly. And they expect this organization to change to their worldview, overnight? I am sorry, but there is a reason that Christianity has more flavors than Baskin Robbins. There are plenty of other Churches that would better suit your world view and politics than the Catholic Church.
That is not to say that there is no place for dissent in the Church. But let's be realistic. When you disagree on abortion, gay marriage, divorce, clerical marriage/gender, euthanasia etc, maybe it's time to move on. I don't agree with the Church on everything. Far from it. And when an honest opportunity to debate those differences arises, I gladly discuss my point of view with other Catholics. But do I think the Church has any obligation to change itself to suit MY conception of how it ought to be? No. If I disagreed with the Church that much, I'd leave. When I was a younger man, I did just that.
This also applies to the media pundits and the lefty blogosphere that are gnashing their teeth over "this missed opportunity" for a progressive change... Here are my questions to these folks: Are you Catholic? and, If these changes were implemented, would you either be a happy Catholic, or become a Catholic?
If the answer both of these questions is no, then I would politely suggest you mind your own business. Honestly why should we care what a non-Catholic, who has no intention of considering being one, thinks about the Church? Why do you think the Church should think your opinion has any merit? Especially when your opinions on hot button issues are polar opposite of the Church's?
Now, if you answered yes to one of these questions, I'll point you to the Unitarians, or the Episcopal churches. They'll be happy to have you. Meaning, if you are a Catholic (or looking into it, but have issues with the menu) that will only be happy with gay marriage, abortion etc, it is time for you to move on, and find a spiritual home that will let you sleep soundly. The Church will either wither or thrive without you. But life is too short to spend so much time and energy trying to make a dog into cat.
And finally, if you answered yes to both... I would counsel you to do some soul searching. If you can truly only be happy if said changes are made, then it's time to move on. See the above paragraph. Plenty of churches will take you in. Or found your own. But the Church is not a place of fads and changes for the sake of change. And I for one, in the ever changing world we live in, enjoy the fact that the Church is what it is.
Anyway, that's enough about that.
In other news, delivered to my desk today... 5 brand new Darth Taters. No, not all of them are mine. I ordered for the office.
So now, atop my cubicle, I have Yoda (and his collection of business trip shot glasses), Lord Tater and mighty Cthulhu. In the picture, however, Cthulhu isn't wearing his "Cat in the Hat". He's trying to look respectable for his new roommate.
In life: Got my grade for the final math class today. An A. Which surprised me. While the class took some effort and time (no math wiz I), I also wasn't pushing myself for extra points. A passing grade, so I would get reimbursed by the employer was my only goal. But now, I am free to finish off my 400 level courses. Most of them, I already 'do' as part of my professional life. So while I am sure I will learn something, nothing they will cover will be all that new to me. I don't say this to stroke my ego. But after 10 years as a full time IT worker, how much can I learn from a 5 week boot-camp style course? If anything, I expect to get a good idea of where I really am in some of the subjects. I am self taught, in all things computers, and have shown that I am taught quite well in some areas. But there is always that niggling doubt, wondering what I might be missing. What fundamental might I have neglected that would revolutionize my understanding or implementation of a given skill. I may learn a lot, or like a previous IT course, I may be teaching the professor a few lessons. We shall see.
The weekend: have a date with the nursing student. Oddly enough, I am attracting people in the medical field this year. Doctors, nurses, hospital admins, and students aspiring to be the above. Not sure what we are doing. If the weather behaves, we'll go catch a Trenton Thunder game. If not, dinner at Mastori's or a movie, something. We've both been too busy to obsess over details. Friday is the deadline to get our asses in gear and decide about Saturday. And Friday I may have a date with the hospital gal. Again, we shall see.
Did I mention I got a Darth Tater today?
UPDATE: Check out The Anchoress. As usual, she covers this better than I or 90% of the blogosphere could.
I don’t know what they actually expected. It has always seemed very odd to me that people would think the Catholic church will suddenly put a finger to the chin and say, “you know, we’ve been all wrong about this stuff, all this time! Abortion is okay! Jesus didn’t really mean it about divorce! That whole thing about marriage being between a man and a woman, why that was just written in by some homophobe or other!”
Update 2:
I noticed this listening to the radio last night, while walking the dogs (and smoking a nice, nice cigar): What is with the people, so far non-Catholics mostly, that are out there complaining that Benedict XVI wasn't in the Resistance, fighting the Nazis. To them, that he didn't fight against Hitler disqualifies him from any office in the Church.
News flash, moonbats: He was a child. How many pubescent resistance members were there in WW2? Or any war for that matter? When he was drafted into an AA unit, he deserted. And when the Allies showed up at his doorstep, and learned he had been in the German Army, he went to a POW camp.
Ug. I don't even want to discuss the Ass-hattery of Eric Mueller and his ilk. What great causes were they putting their lives on the line for at age 14? By their standards, only Jesus Christ himself might have a chance at qualifying as Pope. And I am sure Prof. Mueller would find a way to cast aspersions on Him, as well.
And why do moral relativists always become moral absolutists, with no room for doubt or human growth, when discussing people like the Pope? They give a pass to Castro, Robert Byrd, Ward Churchill, John Kerry, Teddy Kennedy et al, for their voluntary actions as adults, but they can't overlook the compelled actions of a bloody child?
Recent Comments