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Once there was a heavyweight championship fight between George Foreman (of grill fame) and Muhammad Ali (nee Cassius Marcellus Clay). Both won Olympic Gold a decade or so apart. Ali defeated the stronger Foreman through a strategy of leaning back against the ropes and protecting himself while he let Foreman punch himself out until Georgie-boy became arm-weary. I remember the fight. It looked as phony as rasslin’. Ali named the strategy ROPE-A-DOPE. It appears that so-called Christians (protestant and Roman Catholic), feminists, gays / lesbians, and agnostic media talking-heads attempt to do the same thing every time a new pontiff is named. That’s right! It’s time for that exciting new game show, ROPE-A-POPE, brought to you by Nabisco the first name in communion wafers. Remember, they’re always crunchy and never stick to the roof of your mouth. Nabisco, makers of the Host with the most! This effete mob of shrill, insolent snobs is hopeful they’ll succeed this time. The Roman Catholic Church will become more progressive (they think) because the new Pope is from South America, and a Jesuit to boot! An aside: I’ve been reading about social unrest in mid-to-late nineteenth century Europe where it was fashionable to blame all problems on Jews, Freemasons, and Jesuits. There were even a number of Jesuits within the Masonic Order. One writer referred to them as Masons that dressed like women. So now there will (undoubtedly) be a full-court-press, already started in the pontiff’s home country of Argentina, to demand the RCC sanction same sex marriage, artificial insemination, women priests, and birth control, among other demands. For sure the United States liberal bellyachers will jump on board. As a country we always think what-we-want should sway global opinion, but dig this: the US represents only a measly six percent of worldwide Catholicism. I suppose I should explain I am not Roman Catholic, and as a believer I am rather feckless. That is, I hope the dogma is true, but I waver in faith probably because I know enough about science to be dangerous. (Even so, scientists claim before the big bang the only element in the universe was hydrogen. I can’t help but wonder where hydrogen came from. Did it create itself?) Anyway isn’t that all religion is: a faith statement? If so, what’s wrong with that? Does having unshakable faith hurt anybody? I have friends, believers and non-believers, who will not give the other side the courtesy of respecting their belief system. Each thinks the other is stupid and flawed. When people act like that, I think both are bigots and idiots. That brings me back to Pope Francis, named for St. Francis of Assisi not Francis Xavier who founded the Jesuit Order. Here’s what people do not understand. He like his predecessors is CERTAIN of his faith, and that bugs modern people. We like things in shades of gray so they can be debated in a court of law, where there exists no “absolutes”. We consider people who are “sure” as dangerous fanatics. We demand so-called progressive thought and action, which means conformity to whatever is fashionable in liberal pop culture of-the-moment. You can readily see the wisdom of PC-conforming by the lead stories in the print and electronic media featuring Honey Boo-Boo, Miley Cyrus, Lindsey Lohan, the Kar-trash-ians, Justin Bieber, and other mental giants. (Dipping, oozing sarcasm intended.) What the agenda-toting Philistines need to understand is there is DISCIPLINE and there is DOCTRINE. Priestly celibacy is a DISCIPLINE; whereas birth control, male clergy, marriage defined as between man and woman, etc. are DOCTRINE. I have news for you people: doctrine is not going to change—nor should it! That’s holy ground for the RCC. If you don’t like the doctrine, go somewhere else and leave them alone. Simple enough? I don’t see the same politically correct “reformers” out there trying to change Islam. See I surmise they consider Christianity as inherently evil and Islam as peaceful and misunderstood. Just for PC crowd’s benefit, and as one who lived among Moslems and studied their faith, here’s the deal; the following are not allowed and violation results in harsh penalties up to and including death: 1) homosexuality, 2) tattoos and piercing, 3) women clergy, 4) women in the work place (except teaching and medicine), 5) talking to a female not of one’s family—that’s adultery sports fans, 6) alcohol, 7) narcotics, 8) eating pork, and 9) having dogs just to name a few restrictions. I leave you with this thought. The RCC has had recent trouble with child molestation, and worse, ignored the problem; and shame on them. Hopefully they are on top of the predicament now. In Islam child molestation is punishable by death, and not after an expensive trial and years in prison. The perpetrator is lonesome for his head the following Friday. But again, that is their DOCTRINE. Allah hu akbar. Gene Myers
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Foreman, Ali, Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis, Jesuit, Masons, discipline, doctrine,
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