Memories of the 1977 launch of Star Wars Episode IV – A New Hope. Except this time it was a new pope elected on 5/8/25. A new savior for the 1.4 billion Catholics in the world. Someone who will guide the church into the future and save it from tyranny.
Yes for some, the election of a new pope has profound impact on their lives. The pope is their spiritual guidance in life. For some it was so deeply moving it brought them to tears. I’m not sure why. It was an election, that’s right an election, it’s a popularity contest. For others it means nothing, for some, like me I hope it helps the 1.4 billion and others who may listen find a balance in their lives between the guiding principles of humanity, and the guiding principles of governance. With a younger pope I hope he finds the strength to push the Catholic churches beliefs more in line with reality (Same sex marriage, a priest being able to marry, women being able to serve in church, etc…).
What is funny to me, is that the Catholic church & its leadership (The Pope, Cardinals, Bishops, etc.) aren’t the ones who try to push the churches beliefs onto others. They don’t push their beliefs from a political standpoint. No, they don’t. What they do is try to guide the 1.4 billion followers in their beliefs as a way of life. As a guide for how they should live. I don’t ever recall the Catholic church making a statement lamenting that the country or world should follow their rules, live this way, live that way. No, they have advised but never demanded. Their instructions were always that their followers should live within those guiding principles to the best of their ability. Look at the following numbers.
14.3 million Palestinians in the world
15.2 million Jews in the world
300 million Greek Orthodox in the world
535 million Buddhists in the world
1.4 billion Catholics in the world
1.9 billion Muslims in the world
Etc., etc., etc., etc………….
You see what I am getting at. There are a lot of different religions in the world. Only those countries that govern by religion are the ones we as Americans always talk about. It is the fanatical side of a religion that pushes its beliefs onto others. And in the case of Catholics, it’s the churches parishioners pushing their beliefs on others, trying to shove their beliefs down everyone’s throat through governance. It isn’t the church leadership. All this time, we have been concerned with Islamic fundamentalist, Muslims and other religious groups and how they govern their countries. And right here in our own backyard we have Christian Fundamentalist. All the while we are sliding down the same slippery slope as those we criticize.
FUNDAMENTALIST – A person who believes in the strict, literal interpretation of scripture in a religion.
Funny how you never hear those in the Jewish, Muslim, or Buddhist religion trying to force anyone to live by their rules. They practice their religion, they keep their faith, and honor others’ rights.
I was born & raised in the Catholic religion. I went to private Catholic schools up through high school. Drexel University even had a small Catholic contingency & chapel. I consider myself a Chirstian. Christian in the sense of how I treat and respect others, how I believe in equity & equality. I am more spiritual now than before. I still ask God (my God and my spirits) for guidance and support. I believe things happen for a reason, and what you put out into the universe, does come back to you.
I hope the 1.4 billion Catholics in the world, can listen to their pope for guidance. Listen to their pope about life, love, equity & equality. I hope they can understand that there are millions of others in this country & billions of others in this world with different beliefs. If we live by the same basic core beliefs (rules of law & not religion), we can be one fucking happy group of people.
Always stay HUMBLE and KIND!