The Catholic Reformation

Looking back on the label-tags on this blog site, I'm surprised to see that 'religion' is one of the most used.  I didn't recall writing much about the topic, I suppose because it's been a few years since I've made more than a passing reference to it, and frankly, I haven't been a big fan of religion for a while.

That streak gets broken today, in order to write about the sexual abuse scandals that are (still) engulfing the Catholic Church.  We've known for many years now that some of the clergy have used their positions to abuse children.  It's widespread enough that I had to reflect on whether I, a product of Catholic schooling and a former mass server, may have been abused.  (I decided No.)

We've known for a lesser time, however, that despite promises to the contrary, the church has done virtually nothing to stop the perpetrators, nor to keep it from happening further.  And now we're finding out that nuns have also been part of the abused, and part of the abusers.

Of course, this is outrageous.  As I write this, the church hierarchy is meeting in Rome at the pope's request, trying to figure out how to stop the cover-ups, and somehow move forward.  No one knows what's going to happen, if anything, but it seems one thing that must happen isn't even on the table -- publicly identifying and prosecuting those known to have committed abuse in the past.

Of course, this is even MORE outrageous.  The old men who collectively run the Catholic Church, including the pope, continue to close ranks to protect their own.  They somehow seem to think this is a winning strategy, as they have for the past decade or two.  They continue to fiddle while Rome burns, semi-literally.

This inaction is immoral at the least, and criminal at the most.  Speaking for myself (but probably parroting others), Catholics aren't going to come back to the church unless the abusers and their protectors are arrested, placed in handcuffs, prosecuted, and jailed if proven guilty.

In the meantime, since the church is a benevolent (or maybe malevolent?) dictatorship and the leaders can't be voted out, I believe there's only one thing true Catholics can do to effect change:  Reduce or cut off the money supply.  In other words, limit alms giving to non-monetary or specified local needs.

The fact is, in today's modernized world, institutions fail without funding. Therefore, to remain viable, such institutions are motivated to reform.

Make no mistake, stopping the flow of money to dioceses and the Vatican will reform them, and fast.

Unfortunately for the needy, doing this will create collateral damage, no doubt.  But at this point, does anyone what to argue it's better to serve a vulnerable population with unchecked, potential pedophiles than it is to simply reduce services?

Desperate times call for desperate measures.  The Catholic Church needs swift and permanent reform, and it's going to take more prosecution and/or less money for it to happen.

Small Pets And Large People

I'm not a frequent flyer, but over the past few years I've flown enough on passenger jets that I feel qualified to complain.  Not about the airlines, but on other airline passengers.

There are two main, aggravating issues:

Why are small, non-service animals allowed on planes?  When did this even become a thing?  It's crazy that pets should occupy any space on a commercial airliner, even inside a carry-on case. Non-service pets shouldn't be allowed in the airport, much less on an actual plane with other passengers.

If you have a pet, and have to travel, then do what responsible pet owners do -- kennel it or leave it at home with someone else to watch it.  If animals could talk, they'd agree with me and say they don't want fly anyway.

But even worse than pets are.....how should I say this.....obese people.  There are few things worse on a plane than sitting next to someone so fat their body encroaches on your own seating area.  You pay for your own space, but end up only getting part of it, while the weight-challenged person gets their own space plus some of yours.

Apparently, airlines do have obesity policies wherein large passengers are supposed to buy tickets for two seats.  This is a rarely enforced subjective rule, however, because I've never been on a plane when this happened, yet there's never been a plane I've been on that didn't have obese passengers.

Sorry, pets.  Sorry, obese people.  Commercial jets aren't for you, without restrictions.