This is getting creepy ...
B16 has jumped on the baby bandwagon again, this time blaming Canada's low birthrate on--you guessed it--godlessness. Heathens!Papa Ratzi has been using his soapbox of late to lament secular Europe's unwillingness to procreate. I hate to say it, but I have to wonder if what he's really worried about is the predominantly Muslim and far more prolific immigrants of Europe eventually outnumbering the "real" Europeans.
Interesting that a pope who wants big families evidently has only one brother, also a (childless) priest, refuses to allow priests to marry and have children, and continues to forbid in vitro fertilization. And then there's the obvious fact that, with children in the industrial world surviving, there's no need to keep having more children once you've got a couple. Then, of course, there is the reality that the planet is starting to show signs of strain from the 6 billion of us tramping around on it all the time.
So get that twinkle out of your eye, Joseph!
posted by CtotheL @ 12:49 PM
6 comments
6 Comments:
The Pope of course had a sister as well who so have said was a person with a mental disability.
There is no contradiction between holding firm to the Church's teaching on in vitro fertilization and lauding the gift of children. In fact, the former flows from the latter. The gift of marriage and family complements the gift of celibacy. Priests are fathers of course -- and each Catholic man is called to some kind of fatherhood whether it be immediate or mediated through a family.
The subtle Nazi reference is also classy.
And of course as faithful Catholics we believe in the great good of children, the beauty of large families (though the Church certainly DOES NOT set up the large family as the ideal), and the great gift children are to the world. Europe of course does need more children. Many if not all of its countries have a negative birthrate -- that is they aren't reaching the replacement level of 2.1 percent.
Now of course Catholic couples are to take into account the needs of children born and unborn when they exercise their responsible parenthood. Among their considerations should be the population strains of their local community, I think. But the callousness of your post is quite striking especially coming from a Catholic blogger. I am glad my in-laws didn't take your attitude about not needing to "keep having more children once you've got a couple." My wife was first but then we wouldn't have the irreplacable siblings after number two or three who make up the seven wonderful children in that family.
Why are celibate priests so obsessed with issues of procreating?
The issue of overpopulation is a real one, a social justice issue that the church should be addressing. That seems to be a bigger issue than low birthrates, if you look at the entire world, which of course, we all should be.
I guess I would challenge your premise. I don't think "celibate priests" are "so obsessed with issues of procreating." In my 28 years as a Catholic, I believe I have heard a priest mention any part of the Church's sexual teaching from the pulpit no more than 3 times.
The Church is constantly addressing the issue of overpopulation and poverty. I am not sure that the former is a real problem. But is there any organization on the face of the earth that does more to stand with the poor and disenfranchised? If so, I'd like to know about it. Think of the Church in Africa, Asia, Latin America.
What was the reference to Nazi?
I am afraid I missed that.
I appreciate your intellect, wit and sarcasm as well as a well needed perspective on so much of what is sick and irrelevant in the Church of Rome. I only rival you in the sarcasm department and even I gasped at the Hitler analagy. One need not be a Nazi to be concerned about the rise of Islam in Europe. Sarcasm aside, are there any Muslim majority countries that embrace tolerance or diversity?
Keep blogging!
I've deleted the oblique reference that seems to have disturbed so many. Mea culpa!
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