Shocker--new pope is a gay-hating asshole of biblical proportions!

[RVN VET]

60. Not all Catholics are homophobes and not all Catholics accept child rapists

as holy men. But the Catholic Church, as an organization, is and probably always will be homophobic. And the Catholic Church has always -- always -- dealt with child rape by blaming the victims and threatening them with hell. Not all Catholic priests are child rapists, but wouldn't it be interesting to know how small a percentage of Catholic priests were actually surprised by revelations that many their brother priests have raped and continue to rape children? Wouldn't it be even more interesting to know how many of the non-raping priests were so outraged by the crimes against children and subsequent series of shameful cover-ups that they chose to speak out in righteous anger, condemning both rapist and those in authority (are you listening former-Pope Benedict?) who covered up the crimes and looked the other way when children's souls were being destroyed?

I'm just pointing out that if you can speak out against a crime, against bigotry, and you do not, you are either in agreement with it or accepting of it.

Pope Frankie, at least, comes to the throne without leaving any doubts in anyone's mind about his homophobic bigotry. I wonder whether he has at least spoken out vociferously against the rape of children by his brother priests? Maybe he'll begin issuing bulls (!!) condemning child rape and ferreting out the scumbags in the church who've been guilty of it. What are the chances of that happening?

(Sorry for the rant. After more than 20 years of education at Catholic institutions of learning -- from grammar school through Master Degree -- I'm all "catholicked out". I cannot forgive an institution that condones -- even preaches -- hatred against gays. And I remain completely astonished and thoroughly revolted by it's efforts to hide the sin of child rape committed again and again by its priests. Want more? I remain shocked and thoroughly dismayed by JPII's dismantling of liberation theology and silencing of liberation theology practitioners, and think him a despicable oaf for practically ignoring the murder of Cardinal Romero, a friend of the poor and a true liberation-theology practitioner, at the hands of Right Wing Salvadoran thugs.)