Brand New Pope

Benedictus XVI (doesn't exactly roll off the tongue like John Paul II did) is now pope. And it looks like his election will likely lead to a even more fractious relationship between Rome and the Church in North America and Europe, and continued harm to the health crisis in Africa.

This guy is old-old school. Believes homosexuality is bad. Ditto contraception. He can probably point to the Bible, and cite passages that support these claims. The Bible though, was a book written by men. I listened to a sermon by a priest once that reminded the congregation of that fact. It's not like God reached down from the puffy white clouds with an enormous hand, a la some Terry Gilliam - Monthy Python animation, and scribbled all this stuff down.

Those views aren't going to help keep gays in the Church, it's just going to push them out, all because of who they are. Anyone see the bizarre analogy between this and the U.S. military's don't ask don't tell policy? The church is shrinking in the 'first world', so let's alienate a segment of the congregation and make it even smaller! ~ The armed forces can't recruit, so let's tell this group of people that they're not allowed to join up and die for their country in its bullshit wars!

A ban of contraception won't help much in Africa, where the church is growing like nowhere else but where millions are dying of AIDS. Shouldn't a sense of responsibility towards humanity as a whole come before any religious doctrine? If the Church hierarchy stepped back and asked itself that age-old question, "What would Jesus Do?", I'm wondering if the answer would really be to let millions in Africa die instead of supporting....condom distribution.

How far does the Church have to go before rational people of faith decide that enough is enough and look elsewhere for their spiritual needs? Unfortunately, the reign of Benedictus XVI may provide an answer to that question.