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Reflections Upon the Death of Mine Enemy
Apr. 3rd, 2005 05:28 amWho could be happy about the death of any but the vilest of human beings? And John Paul II was not that. But he was no friend of anyone like me and so I do not share in the grief they have for this charismatic but inflexible man.
Still, he was very important and it is impossible to be unaffected by one who I'd be fair to describe as an enemy of those like me. There was no personal malice in his actions towards people like me and as such I have none towards him. His sins were those of not seeing, of reducing people who disagree with him to being nonentities, rather than the active sins of hate.
Some may disagree and say he was not hostile towards homosexuals or those that would be in terms of Roman Catholic morality as liberal. Though he acted to silence any with different views. Though he acted to change the rules of papal election so that there would be no chance that those who disagreed with him could even influence the choice of a successor who would not be so unbending as he. Though official Catholic policy says that those with "homosexual tendencies" should not be discriminated against for that, except if they act upon those "tendencies" and in thus official Catholic dogma says that homosexual acts should be illegal and all like me should be jailed for it.
As such I could not mourn the passing of this man, but he wasn't all bad he was just no better than his times. Catholic priests are men who choose to leave the world behind in the 20s or 30s and as such they are insulated from the real world. I can also see the John Paul II as positive for some people, finally trying to end centuries of unofficial but de facto anti-Semitism among other things and also aiding to an unknown extent in bringing down communism.
In my assessment there is very little chance of change for good or ill. The next pope will probably not act as strongly for the good of people nor moderate any of the hard lines John Paul II drew in the sands. Except for a new name I suspect the next five to fifteen years will be much like the last three when the pope was sick and mostly the curia ruled.
Still, he was very important and it is impossible to be unaffected by one who I'd be fair to describe as an enemy of those like me. There was no personal malice in his actions towards people like me and as such I have none towards him. His sins were those of not seeing, of reducing people who disagree with him to being nonentities, rather than the active sins of hate.
Some may disagree and say he was not hostile towards homosexuals or those that would be in terms of Roman Catholic morality as liberal. Though he acted to silence any with different views. Though he acted to change the rules of papal election so that there would be no chance that those who disagreed with him could even influence the choice of a successor who would not be so unbending as he. Though official Catholic policy says that those with "homosexual tendencies" should not be discriminated against for that, except if they act upon those "tendencies" and in thus official Catholic dogma says that homosexual acts should be illegal and all like me should be jailed for it.
As such I could not mourn the passing of this man, but he wasn't all bad he was just no better than his times. Catholic priests are men who choose to leave the world behind in the 20s or 30s and as such they are insulated from the real world. I can also see the John Paul II as positive for some people, finally trying to end centuries of unofficial but de facto anti-Semitism among other things and also aiding to an unknown extent in bringing down communism.
In my assessment there is very little chance of change for good or ill. The next pope will probably not act as strongly for the good of people nor moderate any of the hard lines John Paul II drew in the sands. Except for a new name I suspect the next five to fifteen years will be much like the last three when the pope was sick and mostly the curia ruled.