OK, this is likely to be a political and religiously charged rant. If that offends you, I am sorry. I know my Mom always said to never talk about religion or politics in polite conversation, but I am rarely in polite conversations when it comes to topics of political issues. The world is a crazy mess. I have said it before, we need playground rules. Maybe a few Mommies should just take over and tell these silly wimpering men to sit down, take a time out, share, be nice, be quiet and learn something about tolerance. Seriously, give the Mommies a month and the world would look very different, even if we did not agree we would not be so stupid or intolerant.

 

I will let you in on what I am talking about, though reluctantly I do not have a tremendous amount of time to blog about it to do it total justice. Last night I drove my husband's car to the pre school end of the year carnival. He is always listening to  talk radio. Actually, when I do not have the kids around, I rather enjoy it. I especially like hearing the people I disagree with politically, to hear what they are saying, call them out on what I perceive as total crap and see if I missed something. Face it, if you only listen to people who gree with you, things get boring. Course, sometimes this makes your blood boil especially when you hear, yet again, political moves by people who represent you to a degree that are bone headed stupid and downright tragically evil and you are ASSOCIATED with it at all will make you INSANE.

 

Today I am insane. A Cardinal in the Catholic church, my church, has made in my opinion a HUGE mistake of diplomacy and intolerance. Cardinal Montino has called for Catholics to stop supporting by financial donations the organization of Amnesty International. Amnesty International does not take donations from governments, including the Vatican which is considered a government, so the Cardinal is calling on his flock to stop giving individually to the organization thereby causing HUGE deficits and making much of the work they do...good, necessary, peaceful, tolerant, AID impossible. What the f#@k? Excuse me? Did I miss something? Amnesty International? The organization that helps support human rights throughout the world and has worked tirelessly with both Catholics and other religious sects world wide to help bring justice and peace to human causes and organizations? What did they do, make a music video that was unsavory? Did they call Madonna a nice name? Oh no no no, my friend....they did something UNTHINKABLE....can you imagine? They actually had the audacity to say that the rights of women were worth considering. That there were very real cases (think rape, child molestation and other such deplorable instances) in which abortions needed to be de-criminalized. They also assert that education and profilactics need to be strengthened in areas around the world to DECREASE unneccessary abortions. So, as a fellow educated, rational adults, what is the problem? Well, to put it simply...sorry to you men out there that are tolerant, rational, educated and benevolent, but the answer is that the problm here is MEN. This pompous man, as the Cardinal is a man before a religious pupet, is arguing a non-winning point. NO ONE at Amnesty International is saying, "Hey, you 14 year old idiots having sex, go ahead and know you have an out we are gonna help de-criminalize abortion so party down!" NO ONE is saying that. No one would say that.

 

Listen, people against a women's rights always seem to think we silly gals are waking up each day thinking, "Gee, I think it would be fun to make a bunch of horrible deplorable decisions and if I get hurt, or hurt someone else, no biggie I always have an out" if there indeed are people who think this way my guess is that number is VERY low. The deal is this, no one is saying lets support ABORTION what I see here is Amnesty International is saying that people in unbelievable conditions have rights. Rights I would never ever want to have to excercise, but they still have rights. If you think a child who is a victim of incest and is pregnant as a result of that situation is ready to be a parent or raise that child or that the said fetus is adoptable you are insane. INSANE. In areas of the world we dont want to talk about because it is not "politically pleasant" soldiers are taking girls from their homes, schools, stores, playgrounds, and RAPING them to make them pregnant. They are breeding away races, and then when these poor victims are pregnant they are shunned by their community. We should turn our backs on these girls/women? That is what Jesus would do? I dont think so. WWJD he might just have a "sit down" with the Cardinal to help him find a more helpful way to work this situation. It calls for diplomacy, it calls for love, it calls for education, it calls for assistance it calls for ATTENTION you do not turn your back on people who need you because they disagree with you....how do we learn from that? I say we are called to help MORE not less.

 

To read up more on this you can search the following as I prepare to be in discussions with my local Parish and Priest to see how I can reconcile in my heart these events. I just dont get it. I really dont. My husband once said if everyone who disagreed with the Catholic church left there would be no reason for it to ever grow or change. It was that statement by a confirmed athiest that made me stay in the Catholic Church and it is that statement I draw strength from ALL the time. Thank you, dear Harry. There is more to being a Catholic than what the Church says, just like there is more to being an American than what the current administration may support. Religion is Politics with better hats and one would hope better moral judgement, though that is not readily always true, such as in this case and many many others. It is sad but true. FAITH does not bend to political wills or popular rhetoric. My FAITH tells me we HELP people, we support human rights, we support and assist those who need us and while I do not know how to always answer these tough questions, intolerance is just never the correct course.

 

Here are some links: