I am not religious. But if I were a regular church goer, I'd either attend services at an Episcopalian or Lutheran church. The Roman church has a bug up its collective ass about the LGBT community and treats us as sinners for recognizing who we are. When I read the part of the Bible they use to say that Homosexuality is a sin, I find that it actually means two things: Soldiers shouldn't be hiding as civilians, and (more importantly) that only male bisexuality is forbidden.
Why is this important?
What went on in Rome in the first 2 weeks of May took the Orange Snowflake off the front page of the news. He became a mere afterthought when the election of a new pope took place. This is a good thing. But what about the pope? Right now (as I write this) the media is basking in the afterglow of this man's election to the papal throne. To me, this doesn't mean much, as the Roman church is incapable of systemic change due to its stability through the ages. Even if everyone knows some part of dogma is wrong, they are unable to de-emphasize it simply because things get written in stone.
Two millennia ago, Middle Eastern society was run by men. Women were little more than baby machines to be fucked at the pleasure of males. Today's Roman church may talk a great deal about liberation of the poor, but they do little to empower women while many other Christian denominations have included women in the power structures of their denominations.
From what has been reported so far, this pope is not as concerned about the welfare of the LGBT community as the former pope was. Only time will tell if this stays true. Right now, people know very little about this pope in America, save that he was born in America and lived in Chicago at one time. Americans mistakenly think that he will have a loyalty to the United States, when his loyalty will be to the world at large.
Until we know more and see more from the new pope, I won't have much to say about him. He could evolve to be a friend, or be one of our worst enemies. Only time will tell.
