The Pope Just Handed Kim Davis A Huge Win

[bklyncowgirl]

162. Whatever...time will tell whether he's undergoing a change of heart or not.

Time will also tell whether this ancient institution can be changed even if an individual Pope wanted to change it. To his credit Francis has done a pretty good job in cleaning up the Vatican Bank. His change of tone on social issues may, as you say be meaningless or it may not.

I haven't darkened the door of a Catholic church except for weddings and funerals for many years now and have no intention to do so until I see concrete signs of change: abusers and those who covered up for them actually punished, a change in the church's position on birth control and a halt to their ceaseless political lobbying on abortion and gay marriage--lobbying which effects Catholics and non-Catholics alike.

The Catholic Church aside, Pope Francis is a man of a certain age who comes from the culture which gave us the word machismo. I'd surprised if he turned out to be a whole-hearted feminist and crusader for gay rights.

On the other hand I find the Pope Francis Truth Squad annoying and repetitive. Everyone on this board knows that the Catholic Church as an institution is deeply flawed and morally bankrupt. Everyone knows that it is homophobic, misogynist and has contributed to untold misery with its prohibition on birth control. Everyone on this board can tick off the issues on which they disagree profoundly with Pope Francis. The fact that many of us are cheering his leadership on the environment and economic issues--and that to me at least, seems to be bringing back the more liberal Catholicism of my youth does not mean that these people do not care about the rights of gay people and women. It simply means that we can walk and chew gum at the same time.