Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Not a Happy Catholic

There are very few things in life that annoy me the way that hypocrisy does. Seriously - how many sides to your mouth do you have?

Today my problem is with our church. We are Catholic. Now we don't agree with everything the church throws down to us, but it is what it is and we try to be good members of our parrish. To be honest? I haven't met anyone of any religion who agrees with or follows every tenent of their faith - we aren't perfect, but we try.

Here is the backstory to my slow burn with the Pope, the Archdiocese of DC and just the hypocrites in general:

Today DC is allowing same sex marriage. Yes, I realize many of the tadpoles disagree with this and I respect that. Let's just agree to disagree and stay friends, 'kay? 'Kay. But [and it is a biggie] DC passed this law and therefore the couples who are married are now entitled to the same benefits as heterosexual couples who have always been allowed to legally married. These benefits include health insurance, life insurance, the rights to be with your ill loved one while they are in the hospital. Fair, right? Everyone should be able to pick who they want to be there and make those decisions and if you are in a long term relationship why shouldn't you be able to offer benefits from work for them?

Here is the Catholic Church's take on the whole thing: Starting today the Archdiocese of DC [boo!] has decided that NO ONE in their employ is able to add a spouse to their work sponsored Health and Life Insurance plan. This is an obvious move to keep the same sexers from getting what they should be entitled to under the new law.

I am really angry - to be this punitive because of a belief that isn't even IN the Bible? Everyone is punished because the Cardinal of DC has his vestements in a knot? This is ridiculous and wrong.

Sorry - as I said - many of you won't agree with this and I usually don't post about religion or politics but this just really heats me up. It isn't fair. To anyone. And it is especially hard as this is the Lenten season. I have to say I am not feeling very pious right now and I certainly am not in a Mass going mood.

Thanks for letting me vent - and THANK YOU for all the lovely comments on Wallene's hair - she is just tickled that y'all like it and everyone at school love it too.

8 comments:

Jeannie said...

Honestly, I think it's time they removed "sex" from the whole equation. What difference does it make whether or with who you are rubbing genitals with? I think you should be able to designate anyone you are abiding with as family - even if they are family. For instance, you might be sharing a home with a sibling or aging parent or best friend - why shouldn't they be allowed to share in the benefits you work for when you are in a committed relationship? You could sign some document outlining that commitment but sex should not even have to be part of it. Just the fact that you share a home and intend to stay together for an extended period of time.

Rudee said...

What? There are no gay men in the Catholic church. I thought we dispelled that myth decades ago.

Martha said...

Good post--I say that I'm a low-calorie Catholic, and this is one of those areas where I'm very, very low-cal. I feel like there are way worse things going on behind closed doors than same-sex couples. And the Church, God knows, should be the last one to throw stones.

Anonymous said...

I've romanticized Catholicism over the years since my time growing up in Catholic schools, but then I hear about things like this and it breaks that reverie.

That story makes me sad.

OmaLindasOldeBaggsandStuftShirts said...

I cannot say that this happening at this juncture in the ever decaying spiral of our American lifestyle, albeit the Catholic church or so many other venues, is a surprise. But I will say it is always heartbreaking when something this disgusting happens. I am going to sound like an old fart here, but then again that's what I am. I never in my wildest nightmares thought I would be aghast at what happens daily to our society. I am not usually a vocal spokesperson for any political party or ideology but come on...........doesn't decency hold any allure for anyone. Can't we band together and say enough is enough. People deserve to be treated with respect, dignity and a dab of decency. Not neglected, denied and destroyed. It makes me physically ill that we.....the vast majority of American citizens have given the power of our lives and the lives of our children and grandchildren to what......? When did we lose our voice, our choice, our own destiny. I realize I grew up in the 60's and idealism on the other side of what my parents thought, felt and believed but I honestly thought my life and the lives of others would be better. I look around and see injustices like this and just feel sick.

~*~Esmerelda~*~ said...

A freaking men. This kind of stuff is why a am now a practicing heratic, :o)

ellen abbott said...

Just one of the many reasons I don't do religion.

Anonymous said...

Hello Skippy. Thought I'd mosey over here and thank you for a comment you passed on Diane's Just Humor Me blog - thank you. Though I had a Catholic upbringing, me and God gave up on each other a long time ago. I don't bother him, and he doesn't bother me. That way I get to spend the rest of my life without carrying a guilt complex. And if the middle men fix it so that I go hell for my sins well, nobody's going to complain when I smoke.

PS - I was glad I wasn't drinking when I read Jeannie's post. Still smiling at that.