Go Read Slacktivist

The blogger Slacktivist is, aside from a pithy name, an excellent writer about religious issues. Questions he has raised in the past:

-Homophobic Christians usually root said homophobia in a reading of the book of Leviticus. Leviticus also contains the Kosher laws on food, which Christians largely ignore. Why do certain Christians hate gays while eating at Red Lobster?

-Certain pseudo-Christian authors (shills) say that Jesus is the answer to the ills of modern living. Does this mean that, if modern living were illness-free, we wouldn't need Jesus? Is this really a Christian way of thinking?

-Most recently, if priests are not allowed to marry, why did St. Peter, "The Rock" and first Pope keep a wife?

Inquiring minds want to know. But I find, the answers to all these questions become clear(er) when we look at Churches less as religious centres and more as we would look at national governments. This most recently departed Pope can, I think, be most easily evaluated if we strip away the religious frills and compare him to similar political actions in the past. I can think of at least two acts of this pope which can be fairly compared to temporal leaders.

-He refused to endorse ameliorative actions to prevent the spread of HIV (by opposing the use of condoms.) Ronald Reagan similarly refused to use the voice of the White House to talk about the health crisis that developed under his watch.

-John Paul II rescued the American Cardinal Law by giving him a position in Vatican City shortly before Law could be served with an indictment of criminal conspiracy for protecting pedophiles within the church. Think Ford's pardon of Nixon.

There is much, much more. However, it's been a long day and I'm going to bed. Besides, I'm not a theologian, so writing more would not only be redundant, it would likely be wrong. G'night.