This makes me so angry I can't even comment extensively on it:
Catholic Church Equates Sex Abuse With Female Ordination @ U.S. News & World Report
Vatican Says Ordination of Women a "Grave Crime" @ Feministing
Vatican: Ordination Of Women A "Grave Crime" @ Huffington Post
And, today, the Vatican backpedal: Women priests and sex abuse not equal crimes: Vatican
Showing posts with label Catholic Church. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Catholic Church. Show all posts
Friday, July 16, 2010
Friday, March 27, 2009
Friday, March 20, 2009
The Pope, Argh: Mixed Messages Is My Specialty
Pope Benedict XVI was in Africa this week, thrilling some people by his very presence and infuriating others with a constant litany of theological convictions that seemed to not make much sense when taken as a whole.
First, he said:
"[AIDS] is a tragedy that cannot be overcome by money alone, and that cannot be overcome through the distribution of condoms, which even aggravates the problems."
Wtf does that even mean? This baffling statement now must be debunked by groups/activists worldwide, including the United Nation AIDS Agency, all of whom want to strangle someone.
But we're not done. Next comes:
"Particularly disturbing is the crushing yoke of discrimination that women and girls so often endure, not to mention the unspeakable practice of sexual violence and exploitation which causes such humiliation and trauma."
Okay, so that part was pretty good. But then he follows it up by taking issue with the "irony of those who promote abortion as a form of 'maternal' health care."
And... he loses me again. First of all, it's so great when male leaders (or journalists) put words like women's health care in scare quotes. And second, he's referring to a specific agreement signed by 45 countries in the African Union to allow abortion in cases of rape, incest... and to save the mother's life. Yeah, it's so "ironic" to want to save "women's lives" and call it "health care." What were all these women thinking, that their lives might actually be worth something. Thanks for the lesson in the patriarchy, Benedict, as if it's even possible I could have forgotten.
First, he said:
"[AIDS] is a tragedy that cannot be overcome by money alone, and that cannot be overcome through the distribution of condoms, which even aggravates the problems."
Wtf does that even mean? This baffling statement now must be debunked by groups/activists worldwide, including the United Nation AIDS Agency, all of whom want to strangle someone.
But we're not done. Next comes:
"Particularly disturbing is the crushing yoke of discrimination that women and girls so often endure, not to mention the unspeakable practice of sexual violence and exploitation which causes such humiliation and trauma."
Okay, so that part was pretty good. But then he follows it up by taking issue with the "irony of those who promote abortion as a form of 'maternal' health care."
And... he loses me again. First of all, it's so great when male leaders (or journalists) put words like women's health care in scare quotes. And second, he's referring to a specific agreement signed by 45 countries in the African Union to allow abortion in cases of rape, incest... and to save the mother's life. Yeah, it's so "ironic" to want to save "women's lives" and call it "health care." What were all these women thinking, that their lives might actually be worth something. Thanks for the lesson in the patriarchy, Benedict, as if it's even possible I could have forgotten.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Feminist Lovefest
Showing some love for my fellow feminists, here are a few links to posts I find especially relevant/interesting/insightful:
Courtney E. Martin's "Why Love Is Our Most Powerful, Lasting Form of Activism" via AlterNet.
Cara's thoughts on gender roles in the context of the Vatican's new report that claims men and women sin differently. Via Feministe.
SarahMC's take on a cartoon that explores the use of the word "rape" as a verb when discussing non-rape situations. Via The Pursuit of Harpyness.
Melissa McEwan's philosophy of feminist teaspoons via Shakesville.
Courtney E. Martin's "Why Love Is Our Most Powerful, Lasting Form of Activism" via AlterNet.
Cara's thoughts on gender roles in the context of the Vatican's new report that claims men and women sin differently. Via Feministe.
SarahMC's take on a cartoon that explores the use of the word "rape" as a verb when discussing non-rape situations. Via The Pursuit of Harpyness.
Melissa McEwan's philosophy of feminist teaspoons via Shakesville.
Pelosi and the Pope meet... there's no picture, but it happened!
Nancy Pelosi met with the Pope on Wednesday and, out of line with usual papal procedure, no picture or video was released by the Vatican. Because pro-choice women leaders are oh, so scary. Back in 1985, Geraldine Ferraro was treated similarly. But since Pelosi is #3 within the U.S. government, something feels off (and predictable) about this particular snub.
Of course, Benedict unloaded his usual "dignity of human life" spheel, though there were no reports that Pelosi was there to talk about abortion at all.
Anyone who's pro-choice has a no-brainer reaction to the "human dignity" argument, as do I, and as I would guess Pelosi does as well: that is, what could be more dignified than having control over your own body and being granted respect for the decisions you make about that body? But that is not the kind of human dignity the rigid belief system of the Catholic Church hierarchy officially endorses.
Coincidentally, this visit happened on the same day a fetal personhood bill passed the House of Representatives in North Dakota. Bills such as these not only threaten abortion rights but contraceptive rights as well. Which is damn scary.
Probably what's most irksome about Pelosi in the Vatican's eyes though, as well as in the minds of many U.S. bishops, is that she reportedly believes her pro-choice stance does not conflict with her Catholic faith on a theological level. *gasp* Her church even allows her to continue to receive communion. *double gasp*
I think it's pretty bad-ass of Pelosi to say these things out loud, especially in terms of her particular parish being okay with her. She's not buying into the argument that religion and liberal politics can't mix, and apparently others in her circle don't either. But to some, this idea is unthinkable (& radical). You mean not all Catholics believe all the same things, exactly as the Vatican tells them to? Are you saying that Catholics might actually think for themselves?
As someone who grew up Catholic around a lot of people who did think for themselves, the answer is, hell yes.
Of course, Benedict unloaded his usual "dignity of human life" spheel, though there were no reports that Pelosi was there to talk about abortion at all.
Anyone who's pro-choice has a no-brainer reaction to the "human dignity" argument, as do I, and as I would guess Pelosi does as well: that is, what could be more dignified than having control over your own body and being granted respect for the decisions you make about that body? But that is not the kind of human dignity the rigid belief system of the Catholic Church hierarchy officially endorses.
Coincidentally, this visit happened on the same day a fetal personhood bill passed the House of Representatives in North Dakota. Bills such as these not only threaten abortion rights but contraceptive rights as well. Which is damn scary.
Probably what's most irksome about Pelosi in the Vatican's eyes though, as well as in the minds of many U.S. bishops, is that she reportedly believes her pro-choice stance does not conflict with her Catholic faith on a theological level. *gasp* Her church even allows her to continue to receive communion. *double gasp*
I think it's pretty bad-ass of Pelosi to say these things out loud, especially in terms of her particular parish being okay with her. She's not buying into the argument that religion and liberal politics can't mix, and apparently others in her circle don't either. But to some, this idea is unthinkable (& radical). You mean not all Catholics believe all the same things, exactly as the Vatican tells them to? Are you saying that Catholics might actually think for themselves?
As someone who grew up Catholic around a lot of people who did think for themselves, the answer is, hell yes.
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