Pagans and the Pope

Still amazed by the number of Pagans fascinated with this Pope and the things he says and/or does. I've been told a number of times that it gives Pagans hope to hear the words of Pope Francis and his positions in reforming the Catholic church. Why? Hope for what? What is it that you are looking for....absolution? 

He has given soundbites and photo ops...small words and small gestures. He might well be a good man but he has a larger agenda that only includes YOU if you convert to Catholicism and/or become one of the faithful members of his large flock . Did you all suddenly forget WHERE he works and what he took an oath to uphold? How can you separate the man from the position he holds?

The Roman Catholic church has a long history on issues that some really seem to 'want' to forget. However, I cannot forget:

-Sexual Abuse-They continue to tolerate priests who are sexual abusers in the church. They move offending priests around to hide them from whatever legal charges they should face. Pope Francis praises bishops for showing 'courage' in dealing with the crisis and encourages them to help victims 'heal'. But priests known to be long-standing abusers (really?) will not be turned over to Civil authorities, but isolated to lives of prayer....WTF... Sexual abuse is only discussed in terms of 'children', but the church conveniently covers up any discussion of sexual abuse of adults by priests who use their positions of authority to act out inappropriate sexual acts to their advantage...

-The Role of Women..... While the Pope 'calls for' equal pay and higher wages (um, let me remind you, readers, that he is a spiritual leader and has NO actual authority to create or enforce such a possible law or policy) women continue to be held down and are not permitted equal roles within the church as clergy. Pope Francis can smile and speak sweetly to women, but he cannot change church doctrine. The one way the Catholic church emphasizes and empowers women is in their true role in life: to become 'mothers' and to raise little, obedient Catholics.....

-Contraception is wrong...because nothing matters more than create another Catholic life. Whether it was forced upon you or you choose not to have children...to prevent becoming pregnant is a sin. Birth control pills, injections, IUD's, condoms, etc....all are bad. Doesn't matter if the population growth is out-of-control and you have limited resources. Even the church's teaching on abstinence takes a back seat to having babies for the sake of the Church...

-Euthanasia/Abortion- Forbidding contraception then continues with their stance on euthanasia. It is PRESERVATION of life -vs- QUALITY of life... Never mind the suffering of people in pain...for, according to the Catholic Advocate, "The growing acceptance of euthanasia and assisted suicide rests on the misguided assumption that pain detracts from the value of life." Pain and suffering is their forte....so preventing the agony of a terminally ill man/woman is not merciful or compassionate, it is forbidden. 

For the Catholic Church, which Pope Francis is the head of, abortion is the worst kind of murder. Always has been, always will be...and it will remain unchanged. Except during this Jubilee year(for which anyone who asks forgiveness for having an abortion can receive a sacrament of reconciliation), an abortion means excommunication.

-Homosexuality and marriage- Homosexuals are called to live a life of 'chastity'....they are only accepted by the church if they do not actively LIVE as homosexuals, just identify as one and you're okay....sort of.... The position of gay marriage in the Catholic church? What do you not understand about the difference between 'legal' for govt and 'accepted' in the church? According to the Catholic church, marriage is for making babies and since two men or two women together cannot create life, you can't be married in the eyes of the church. Period.

Despite elements of Pope Francis that people like, he will never be a Pagan nor fully embrace Paganism....because he is the LEADER of THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH!!!! I don't believe in nor accept Jesus Christ as my savior. Therefore, the Pope and I are not part of the same club....and we both know it. He may be an environmentalist (sort of) but there is a larger context that Pagans seems to be ignoring, perhaps intentionally... Did you ever consider that 'common ground' they speak of is more like their path to bring Pagans back to the church?

Where does this wishful thinking come from? Are some Pagans really looking for 'peace on earth' or simply an opening to run back to the place they had been rejected from? Doesn't that make us much different than them, who want their 'prodigal' sons/daughters to give up this heretical lifestyle, repent and get back in the pews every Sunday? Isn't this infatuation with the Pope Francis, while conveniently forgetting the dogma he upholds, an awful lot like the behavior of prison groupies? (it was the drugs! He didn't mean to kill all those people! He's a good man!) Or like being fans of Michael Jackson? (Love his music....but we still think he was a pedophile, right?) 

We KNOW exactly what the Catholic church stands for because they have TOLD us for centuries!! In all those years....what has really changed? Pope Francis is who he is and in the spotlight because he is the leader of the institution that has killed, ostracized and vilified Pagans almost as long as it has been in existence. What are Pagans looking for? If we are walking the path that makes us happy, why are we still waiting for the Catholic church to come around to our way of thinking? Why do Pagans still worship the Pope? Are they really just hoping for us all to come together in harmony, or are they just 'hedging their bets'?

What do you really believe?