Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Loren Miller on January 13, 2013 at 10:44am

Sorry if I'm a wet blanket, but the Vatican isn't going to take much notice of a couple women screaming and protesting in St. Peter's Square.  If 10,000 women came and protested en masse, it might be a different matter, but in the end, I seriously doubt the RC church would change its position and for a simple reason: If they do indeed change at such a fundamental level, there will be demands on to change other things, such as women in the priesthood or approval of contraception or a meaningful reckoning on the priest child abuse scandal or too many other things to mention.

And the catholic church would cease to be the catholic church as we know it.  And those in power cannot bear the thought of that happening.  And so long as they can't, it won't.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Humble Pie on January 13, 2013 at 10:54am

No, but perhaps four can give hope to eight, and eight to twenty, and twenty to a hundred.  There are many, many Catholics who continue supporting such a terrible organization, turning their backs on the spread of AIDS due to the church's message, the discrimination against women and gays, and the subjugation of rational thought because that's just what they have always done.  If anything is going to break their routine and cause them to think things over again, four topless chicks in St. Peter's Square might do the trick.

One person standing up for good can cause a chain reaction.  You never no how many people you will influence.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Loren Miller on January 13, 2013 at 11:12am

Ultimately, HP, I don't expect the RC church to change at all.  They've never been about what the people want or what they demand.  All Vatican City cares about is what THEY want and what THEY demand.  Any meaningful change on the part of Joe the Rat or his rat pack is about as likely as the second coming.

My hope is that, as the people themselves change, they begin to see the foolishness and manipulative nature which is the church ... and abandon it.  As other people of other religions recognize the same thing about theirs, they also leave, but in addition, they stop giving deference to religion in general and organizations such as the RC church, which were once seen as bastions of good, but now revealed as overinflated boys' clubs, interested more in their own self-perpetuation than anything else.

Eventually, Vatican City will be seen more as a meddling influence than a beneficial one, and its dicta will be ignored or actively contested, not just by individuals but by governments.  Its attempts to proselytize in ignorant areas of the world will be resisted as its standing in the international community is damaged.  With much time and a bit of luck, the pope and his minions will be reduced to a bunch of furtive cultists indulging in intellectual masturbation over a belief system which no longer has either relevance or influence in a world which has outgrown it.

That's a long time from now and honestly, I don't expect to see most of this happen.  And again, I don't expect the church itself to change at all.  I expect PEOPLE to ... and as they change and the church doesn't ... well, I hope the result is something like what I've outlined here.

A guy can hope, anyway.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by michele ricketts on January 13, 2013 at 8:42pm

I agree the vatican cannot be expected tto last out the century but I think an adapted version of catholism will exist to suit the times and do just fine without a pope.As long as latin America is poor there will be Catholics.
My ex keeps going on about birth rates will plumett which means more share of resources bigger crumbs from the table etc....not so sure its that simple but for sure its not rights that erode the church as erosion of poverty and being poor

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Steph S. on January 14, 2013 at 5:57am

Yes, I would have to agree with Loren. The Catholic Church could care less about a few women protesting. They don't hold women in high regard. Women aren't allowed to teach or preach in their churches. There is no equality for women in the Catholic faith. Why don't all those women leave that faith? I just don't understand why they belong to a church who preaches that they are not equal.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Pat on January 13, 2013 at 11:39am

Honestly, I'm thoroughly underwhelmed by this. A few women flash their breasts. So what. The reaction by most - including evangelical extremists that consider the RCC as The Whore of Babylon - is going to be either one giant yawn, or, "Look at those idiot females." Don't misunderstand. I think the point they're trying to make is valid. It's how they are making it. When the messengers look like fools, the message gets lost.

They've now got their Andy Warhol 15 minutes of fame, and by the end of the week, day, or hour, will fade back into oblivion. And, the RCC will continue it's medieval promulgation of fear, ignorance, hatred, and perversion. Worse, the RCC may even get some sympathy out of this stunt. 

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Earther on January 13, 2013 at 11:49am

Who is responsible for the peoples safety around public protest?

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by michele ricketts on January 13, 2013 at 8:44pm

Could be tiger wood's ex wife ha ha

• ▶ Reply