The German Shepherd

I don't think there could be a better short description of the new Pope, Benedict XVI. It describes his nationality, and the common religious metaphor of tending to sheep (ie. Catholics), but it also describes a vicious dog. What about Eggs Benny? Okay, maybe not.

Some Catholics, particularly liberal women, aren't so happy about Cardinal Ratzinger becoming Supreme Pontiff. They don't think there's going to be any progressive change in the church with Benny in St. Peter's chair.

I say ... so what!

Catholicism has rigid doctrines such as no pre-marital sex, no abortions, no gay marriage, no women in the clergy, etc. Pope John Paul II stuck by them and his right hand man, Cardinal Ratzinger, did too. IN fact, Ratzy was known as the "Rotweiller" when it came to this. But why shouldn't they? Who else is going to advocate these things to 1.1 billion people (if not more)?

What if no one had pre-marital sex? There would certainly be very few abortions.

"We should just forget about all those people with the crazy extreme right-wing conservative opinions."

Oh come on already. I live in Canada, I hear that typical liberal mantra on a daily, if not, hourly basis. It's tiring, and most of all it's insulting and intolerant to those who do have the belief, faith, and prinicples of Catholicism -- whether you agree or disagree with them. It's like telling an estout Muslim to start drinking beer. It doesn't wash with them, nor does gay marriage and many other "conservative" similarities.

I can even tolerate with the no women in the clergy thing. I mean, look at how some of these priests get hot and bothered with young boys. Ah, but they didn't follow the no pre-marital sex rule. In fact, priests can't get married, so they shouldn't be having sex at all. End of point.

But I think once you allow women in the clergy, which I agree with, then why can't they all get married? Speaking of marriage, with gay marriage, the Holy See's doctrine is that a gay couple is not God's will. God's will in this sense would side with nature where a man and a woman in love, created by God, is the only means by which procreation, the most wonderful of things, can occur. This is true. Once the Catholic church allows gay marriage, they can kiss the no pre-marital sex rule goodbye. A domino effect occurs. Who knows where it will lead. Polygamy? Oh, that's just around the corner folks. Will you tolerate that?

But the whole gay marriage thing was decided a long time ago when atheist and agnostic heterosexual couples got married. The church had no business here because God wasn't on the invite list.

However, like many things, the gov't should then stay completely out of the debate altogether and let individuals and individual churches to decide. But gov't likes to control marriage and what rights you can have (when you already have by just existing by the way). So why bother?

The answer is simple. Taxes. The gov't likes to control who pays taxes.

The church was one of the first institutions to implement a tithe - a 10% flat tax on everyone. Then they got you to pay so you have your deceased loved ones be moved from purgatory to heaven. Sounds like how the government says you have to pay taxes or the country will fall apart with no central control - you know, because of the separtists and child welfare.

So you're thinking, what does yippin' about the gov't have to do with the new Pope? Well, for those liberals who want the church and Pope to change relieving control over its followers should take a good hard look at their own government and demand the exact same thing - less dependence and control from the government. While I commend their efforts on one hand, they should look at the other side, otherwise their demands and beliefs are wholly (Holy?) fruitless.

However, like the government, don't expect the German Shepherd to obey you.