Sunday, July 20, 2008

Who Are These Men That Speak For God? Do They Like Cats?

In a Protestant church in Massachusetts, in a ceremony not sponsored by the Roman Catholic Church, women were consecrated as priests. The Catholic hierarchy felt threatened enough by this, to issue an edict that these women are not priests and by this action excommunicate themselves from the church. What's going on? Why would they make a statement like this? It seems self evident that this is true.

The Catholic Church does not allow women priests. This ceremony did not take place in a Catholic Church, nor was it sanctioned by it. These are simply people expressing their own religious beliefs, other than and separate from the Catholic Church. While these people may see themselves as reformers, it is doubtful they see themselves as reformers of the church. More likely, they see themselves as societal reformers and founders of a new and better church, part of a protestant movement that has been going on in Western society for hundreds of years.

It is also true, that during this protestant period, the Catholic Church has undergone its own drastic changes, often in response to the changes wrought by various protestant groups and changes in society, as it becomes more amenable to the increasing autonomy demanded by the masses. So many changes in the Roman Catholic Church have been made, that the question can be asked, is the Roman Catholic Church really itself anymore? Many traditionalists in the church ask just that question and in response, have started their own churches, that they feel better exemplify the real institution of the church. Would we call these people protestants or something else?

Mankind's quest for understanding of spirituality is ongoing. The more that some religious groups try to say that they possess the only truth, the more dissidents arise to question and contradict those supposed truths. Who is to say they are wrong? Men who say they speak for God are rising all the time. People have a lot of choices as to what exactly God wants us to do. Now, apparently some within the World's community of women believe that they also have the right to speak for God. Who is to say they are wrong? Some old Bavarian poofter who travels about in red patent leather slippers and heavily brocaded satin mumus? It's a tough question and not one I have the answer to. People recognize the truth of God because it resonates with something inside them, not because of who says it. Different truths resonate with different people. Can there even be universal truths?

The Pope likes cats. Jesus certainly liked cats. Rome is full of cats. I bet the women who were consecrated as priests in Massachusetts like cats. I like cats. I don't trust people that don't like cats. Does this mean God wants us to like cats? I don't know. From everything I've heard, Satan is also real fond of cats. So where do cat haters go when they die? Where do cats go when they die? Do cats speak for God? If so, can they be priests? Man, religion is a hard thing.

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