Oh, poor God. The things that are being perpetrated in that name.
Jesus is not having such a hot time either these days.
Now we hear that in the name of Religious Freedom, Mr. Trump wants to allow people to discriminate against women, gay people and people of color. We've already been told that Muslims and Mexicans are on the list too. No matter that a lot of families are going to be split up, and that there are refugees who need homes.
We are told that it's conservative Catholics and Evangelicals who are driving this Christo-fascist agenda.
Christofascist? That's a thing? I was raised conservative Catholic, and then I left it behind because it ultimately didn't make sense to me. I didn't like being told I would always be a second class citizen in my own church. What did make sense? Care for the poor. Compassion toward others. I had no beef with that stuff. Christ loved us all, it said in the New Testament. He loved women, the poor, gay people, outcasts. Come on in, he said. We are all children of god.
Now, allow me to point out that that is not what is going on here. Getting rid of environmental protections so that the energy companies can keep poisoning the earth? Pretending that global warming doesn't exist? Both the New Testament Christ and the Old Testament God told us repeatedly that we have been appointed stewards of the earth. How about all that overt discrimination? Didn't Christ tell us all to love thy neighbor? And slamming the door on refugees: What about the whole good Samaritan thing?
And by the way, Christ also said getting rich people into heaven will be as difficult as getting a camel through the eye of a needle. So I don't know that we're doing these billionaires any favors, making them richer and richer yet, while we starve the poor, who have been given to us through Christ's care.
When I try to ask about these things to people who are still entangled in the Catholic church they get all quiet and embarrassed. Or confused! Seriously I just want to understand what the thinking is. No one has an answer. What sometimes comes back to me is some version of: Catholics follow rules. You Theresa would never understand this, because you were never very good at following rules. But that is what we do.
And the only rule they seem to care about is No Abortions. No matter that God never said no abortions; no matter that Christ never said it either.
No matter that of course anyone can believe "no abortions", and teach it, without insisting that it be the law of the land.
No matter that the questionable morality of No Abortion Ever has put men in charge of our country who seem bent on destroying everything we as Americans hold precious. They seem bent on destroying everything Christ held precious as well.
Yes we live in a time when language is bashed and battered, when down is up. But when morality itself is this confounded, it is time to preach.
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February 8, 2017
Addendum. The Pope spoke today in Rome, referencing Mr. Trump (source ABC News):
Pope Francis has repeated his appeal for people to build bridges of understanding instead of walls in his first, albeit indirect, comments since the Trump administration tried to impose a travel ban on people from seven mostly Muslim countries.
Francis made the comments during his weekly Wednesday catechism lesson, dedicated to the general Christian precepts of hope and forgiveness in forging peace.
He said: "In the social and civil context as well, I appeal not to create walls but to build bridges. To not respond to evil with evil. To defeat evil with good, the offense with forgiveness. A Christian would never say 'you will pay for that.' Never. That is not a Christian gesture. An offense you overcome with forgiveness. To live in peace with everyone."
