Pope Francis is trying to turn the ship around

[thir]

Pope Francis's stunning blow to conservatives

Not since Khruschev denounced Stalin at the 20th Communist party conference has there been a reforming speech like this.

None of this would work if it were only imposed from above. But what he has done here is to make it impossible for reactionary bishops to demand that their priests clamp down on sexual sin among the congregation. The official teaching on sexuality is so wildly out of kilter with what most faithful Catholics believe and do, and so much felt to be contrary to what their consciences tell them, that he is pushing at an open door here. The parish priests are now freed to act as their consciences tell them.


The defeat of the church's conservatives is utterly comprehensive in this interview. All of their favourite causes are taken up and rejected – "It is not necessary to talk about … abortion, gay marriage and [contraception] all the time" says the pope.

Then he wants a greater role for bishops in church governance, overturning 50 years of attempted centralisation.


http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/andrewbrown/2013/sep/20/pope-francis-stunning-blow-conservatives

This article is about how pope Francis tries to make his church of hate into a church of love. I hope this means that many very pressured groups will get a breather! But I fear it will be many years before the effect will make itself felt fully, if lives that long.

I think he was chosen because they realized that the popes of hate threatened to topple the whole Catholic church.

Great initiative, but I miss one important thing is this love fest: to make contraception acceptable.

[Thorne]

[I][B]to make contraception acceptable.
Not likely, as that would at least imply that women have the right to choose for themselves whether or not they want to have children. At best, I think, you might see a grudging, silent acceptance of contraception, without all the bluster and hand waving that seems to permeate most religions nowadays. But most religious organizations are facing declining memberships, and aging memberships, and the only real way they have to counter that is to keep their female members "barefoot and pregnant". They all know that the best way to make new drones for the church is to get them while they're young and their minds still malleable. If the kids are steeped in their religion at an early age it's harder for them to break away.

[jinx]

I've never been, and can't ever see myself being, a religious person, I'll just say that up front. That said though, I admit I've been deeply impressed by this new pope. He actually sounds like someone who believes in the spirit of his faith, rather than the dogma of it's structure. Putting forth the idea that maybe you shouldn't use your religion to pass judgement on others, and condemn them for being different from yourself? Yes! These are good freaking ideas! If he can take a little of the wind out of the sales of those who use their god's name to justify their own bigotries and hate; he's got my support!

Now, of course, the question is: How many months before some zealot assassinates him? If he makes it to next year, I'll be deeply impressed.

[thir]

Now, of course, the question is: How many months before some zealot assassinates him? If he makes it to next year, I'll be deeply impressed.

My thought, but maybe not. Maybe they can see he is trying to save the church -