New and improved sins! Now with lemony-fresh scent! An open letter to the pope..

Reverend Smacknuggets,

He is not really "inventing" new sins. Just clarifying for clergy hearing confessions.And for those who are making confessions- they may not recognize the gravity of the sins. The times have changed drastically- drug traffiking, abortion, abuse, etc...have taken on a whole new meaning. The worst thing my peers ever did in high school was get drunk and
smoke pot. NOW, they are having "pharm parties", shooting up fentanyl/oxycodone and having sex like rabbits. So, yes, I agree that sin can be redefined and updated to reflect the times we are living in.
AND YES, we all know that Catholic Priests have been abusive to boys. We acknowledge, and are saddened by that fact. We ask for God's Mercy on those men, as for every sinner. We also need to pray for the victims. The Vatican handled it poorly. Everyone knows that- but now is the time the Church is trying to heal. I hope and pray that it does.
The world is such a different place, he was simply listing things that were not problems in earlier days, to express that they are indeed sinful.
This article, and the Pope's intent was to educate clergy and the faithful that the modern evils do in fact constitute sin. He's not making up new sins, Pup, he's just giving modern day examples. The principles are in fact, the same as always.
I personally don't see anything wrong with it.
And I *DO* disagree with the Pope on some things, so it's not a blind faith. Cheers.

Ugh. thanks a lot. I am guilty of texting and driving. Thanks for adding 10 more minutes to my confession, you dufus!

What a great post Road Puppy. I agree. It's good to hear the truth for a change.

Yeah, OK VP. I was just using this as an example of the hypocrisy I keep ranting about.
The whole "You can make it mean anything you want it to" idea. How the ones who claim to be the authorities on the subject just keep winging it and making it up as they go along.
All the while raking it in and rejoicing in not so much "The Lord", but the profits.

Do you have any idea the sheer AMOUNT of precious metals and the like that the Vatican is just freakin' encrusted with?

Then here's this turkey sitting in the middle of it behind bulletproof acrylic telling me I should be PIOUS!? (Money is evil-Let us cure you.) That I should give these crooks a percentage of MY income? That I should follow rules that THEY don't even follow?

Pfft! *I* can't even seem to keep a percentage of my income.

The kid-diddling pedo-priests just seriously need a single metal-jacketed round to the head.
Wanna see the light, short-eyes? Lemme let a little in there for ya. *POP*


All the ranting aside-my point is, how can I be expected to believe in something when the people who are the supposed authorities of it show a very obvious and blatant disregard for it on an increasingly regular basis?

Yeah, I would like to believe that there could be the possibility of something after this life. I don't particularly want to leave this place I'm in. I'm still having a lot of fun being here in this world. It's sure been a long, strange trip so far... It'd be kinda sad in a way if this was all there was.
But oh well. I hear tell nobody gets out of this world alive. I'v accepted it, but I still keep looking around corners in case I missed something somewhere along the line.

It's just a hop in the grapes to have to keep shoveling against the relentless tide of 'chanters-and-poofers' to do it

Sorry 'bout that last one, VP. Me being of the motorpsychotic persuasion-I just couldn't help throwing that one in there.

Not a big fan of the pope but all I see is a bunch of bad words and caps.

[QUOTE] [/QUOTE "All the ranting aside-my point is, how can I be expected to believe in something when the people who are the supposed authorities of it show a very obvious and blatant disregard for it on an increasingly regular basis?"


WOW Pup, strong language. I must say, however, I agree with you. I have seen many "christian" do-gooders stand in authority and preach what THEY interpret as biblical, when THEY continue to live the life that THEY preach against. WHATS UP WITH THAT? Many churches I've been to seem to be more of a social club than anything else. But don't be discouraged my friend. Keep looking for the life after. Have a good heart, treat others as you want to be treated and "pay it forward". Think of it this way, if you live by the golden rule and die, and there is no after life, you havent lost anything. But if you die and find your heavenly reward,it was worth it all.

Hey! I censored it! The automatic Mrs. Grundy didn't have a problem with it. I'm trying to keep in tune with the Terms-of-Use without losing the 'flavor' of what I mean to say.

I'm from the NYC area. A lot of us from there talk like that to each other on a regular basis nd we don't think anything of it.. We don't tippytoe around. (Ya ever play "The Dozens?" Then ya get the idea ) Yeah, OK so I'm about as subtle as a load of bricks through a skylight, but hey... Wouldya even give it a second look if I typed all proper and politically correct? Would it have the impact it apparently does if it was all watered down and sanitized? If I was speaking it in a roomful of people, would you be able to hear it above everybosy else, then? I think not. Besides, I'm a fairly passionate individual. I have strong opinions and beliefs. I learned most all of them the hard way and I think what I'm trying to understand here is fairly important, at least for my own satisfaction.

What's up with that? They CAN. That's why they do. They're no different from you or me but they've got a whole gang of people by the noses, and like I've said before, as long as ya got 'em by the noses-ya might's well reach into their wallets while ya got 'em there. Nothing wrong with socializing with like-minded individuals. At least in my opinion. I mean, I thought the Catholics had the monopoly on "serious business" in church, but some of these Fundies? Wow. No music, No singing, no wearing of anything colorful, no sports, no celebrations, and I guess just no anything but preaching and trembling or whatever.

I always thought church was supposed to make ya feel good about what you were doing. Y'know? You were s'posed to feel better for having done it. A positive experience that you'd wanna come back to for more of.

Not the Fundies. I read the little blurbs in the local free newspaper I get where I live written (albeit poorly) by self-proclaimed preachers and it just amazes me! Talk about taking a two-century step back!


And yes, I DO agree with your philosophy on living good/right. I try to do it every day whether there's a scorekeeper at the end or not. I keep my own score and that's good enough for me.

I am however just a man and as such, I DO surely enjoy a good peeing contest once inna while

quote:

Originally posted by Road Puppy:
I'm from the NYC area. A lot of us from there talk like that to each other on a regular basis nd we don't think anything of it.. We don't tippytoe around.

This explains so much to me! Now I understand your rudeness. Thanks for clearing that one up for me. =)

quote:

Originally posted by IamShouting!:

quote:

Originally posted by Road Puppy:
I'm from the NYC area. A lot of us from there talk like that to each other on a regular basis nd we don't think anything of it.. We don't tippytoe around.

This explains so much to me! Now I understand your rudeness. Thanks for clearing that one up for me. =)

Anytime, Wally. 'Sides...You drew first blood. NEXT!

quote:

Originally posted by Ronnie P.:
Not a big fan of the pope but all I see is a bunch of bad words and caps.

Ronnie....?.....Pardon me...but..LOL....What're you, like, seven?
If you saw "bad words" in there, then my friend-You need to switch meds cause the ones yer currently on work way too good . Those symbols in the middle of those sentences REPRESENT cuss words. They're NOT actually cuss words. They're more like....placeholders for cuss words and you are free to assume whatever you want about their meaning, but I did not actually WRITE THE CUSS WORDS.

If you had actually read the post and the others like it I have put up on this forum, you would've seen the part about where I explain that I've censored the language to comply with the language filters. That's what the symbols are for. (God! I actually hafta explain this!?)

The CAPS mean I'm YELLING. You know, "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!) Like that. (Feels good! Ya oughtta try it sometime. )
I do that on some words or syllables to indicate that the volume and possibly pitch of my voice is RISING because I'm speaking passionately about those cap'd things., just as I would If I was actually talking to you with my voice. I thought EVERYBODY knew that?!

quote:

Originally posted by Road Puppy:


The CAPS mean I'm YELLING. You know, "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!) Like that. (Feels good! Ya oughtta try it sometime.

I do that sometimes when I'm alone...it's good at relieving stress.

wow. so now Yankees are added to the HItlist?
I've lived all over, and the truth is,
Yankees can be rude but they dont sugar coat it. Personally, I prefer that blunt honesty to someone saying "bless your heart" and then talking smack about you behind your back....

Yankees rock. Phillies don't.
There are rude ppl all over- north, south, east, west...
**DISCLAIMER I'm not saying all southerners are backstabbers...lol....but definetly don't share the blunt honesty of N'Easters.

Any man who has to drop the f bomb that much isn't worth listing to. It's not rudeness it's a uncultured persons attempt at expression.

quote:

Sez vplee123:
wow. so now Yankees are added to the HItlist?
I've lived all over, and the truth is,
Yankees can be rude but they dont sugar coat it. Personally, I prefer that blunt honesty to someone saying "bless your heart" and then talking smack about you behind your back....

Yankees rock. Phillies don't.
There are rude ppl all over- north, south, east, west...
**DISCLAIMER I'm not saying all southerners are backstabbers...lol....but definetly don't share the blunt honesty of N'Easters.

Aren't you lips beginning to chap by now?
I'm sure Pups butt is...

You had me at "Dear The Pope"... LMAO!

quote:

Aren't you lips beginning to chap by now?
I'm sure Pups butt is...

say what?

ROFL..
/Cheers! Puppy..
this was almost as good as the other one.

i have no problem with catholics.. most of the ones i've met were very nice people.

i DO have serious issues the the mother church, tho. in that article you linked, the bit where the guy tells us that the choir boy boinkers were really just a trick of the mass media to make the church look bad makes me want to go find a priest and smack him, just for the principle of the thing.

catholosism would be a pretty good church if they could get rid of the people running it.

VPLEE for Pope, 2012 - lets get a little common sense back in the vatican.

Also.. you were smart to be careful... Mrs. Grundy is everywhere...

quote:

Originally posted by Ronnie P.:
Any man who has to drop the f bomb that much isn't worth listing to. It's not rudeness it's a uncultured persons attempt at expression.

I guess it depends on where you're from and the company you keep, Ronnie.

The people I hung out with are more inclined to think that any man who DIDN'T drop the (LOL-"f-bomb) once inna while was a lil' "light-in-the-loafers."

By the way, Do you know how many New Yorkers it takes to change a light bulb?

I'am a Yankee too and darn proud of it! I agree there are rude ppl scattered about. I would rather someone speak their mind, get their point across and be blunt if necessary than to drip saccharin all over me.

quote:

Originally posted by pragmatic1:
I'am a Yankee too and darn proud of it! I agree there are rude ppl scattered about. I would rather someone speak their mind, get their point across and be blunt if necessary than to drip saccharin all over me.

Word!

*/me has this mental image of Ronnie running down the street in the Bronx with his fingers in his ears screaming "lalalalalalalaI'mnotlisteninnnnnnnngggggglalalalalala!!!!!!!!!*

Sorry Ronnie. No malice intended. Could somebody please pass me the turpentine? I gotta take my brain out fr a minute and scrub that image outta there.

quote:

VPLEE for Pope, 2012

Thanks so much for the nomination, Nagel. I'm so touched. Sadly, I meet none of the criteria. I don't even look good in white.

Ronnie, you have a problem with the "f" word, and think people who say it are not worth listening to, yet, on another thread, you write
"Indians are buying up gas stations and hotels and running them into the ground".

Hmm. And you are someone REALLY worth listening to, right??

quote:

Originally posted by vplee123:

quote:

VPLEE for Pope, 2012

Thanks so much for the nomination, Nagel. I'm so touched. Sadly, I meet none of the criteria. I don't even look good in white.

i think if youre the pope... (would it be Popette? Popess? Popeina?) then you'd be able to where what ever color robes you bloody well want to.

you could get a pet cow and name it Oom, and ride it instead of the popemobile.

when people saw you on the street they could say " Giddy-UP, Oom Popa Moomoo"

wow. what a long way to go for a lame oak ridge boys referance.

lol. yeah, but well worth it.

Personally, I'd like a barbie-style camper. one with a hottub on the back deck. and lots of bling.

quote:

Originally posted by vplee123:
lol. yeah, but well worth it.

Personally, I'd like a barbie-style camper. one with a hottub on the back deck. and lots of bling.

it's the vatican. i'm pretty sure we can find bling
we can probably even find enough to supply the southern version...

Blang.

Hey VP.. while we are here, i thought i'd go ahead and bring this up.

i've said before i have no problem with catholics, even tho my ex wife is one.
but that i had a problem with the ' mother church'

and, since i like you, and since i am less than sober, i thought it worth of some clarification.

you've said ' we all know' and so on about the pedo-priests, so obviously you don't take the standard party line on that issue. that's good.

here's my problem.. i don't expect you to try and defend the church or even try to explain it, i just want to explain myself, k?

It Seems to me, it would engender a lot of positave feedback for the catholic church, world wide, if the pope.. or heck, ANY of the pointy hat brigade would come out and say ,

" we understand your feelings. but what you have to understand is that these people are not priests who are pedophiles, they are pedophiles who were pretending to be priests to give them access to children. in the past it was covered up, in hopes that it would just go away, but that's the wrong path to take. instead, we've compiled a list, and sent it to every major law enforcement agency we cna think of, complete with all of our notes, photographs, etc, so that local law enforcement may apprehend these men who defile both the catholic church and, more importantly, your children. we wash our hands of them, and may God have mercy upon them, if He decides that it is right."

i have two children. and to be frankly honest, while i respect and like a lot of the tenents of the catholic faith, i haven't even taken them to a midnight mass because i thought "yeah.. but what if"...

it really comes down to the fact that i don't wish to spend any time in prison. because if something were done to my children, i'd send the person responsible straight to hell with a first class 9mm punched ticket and wouldn't bat an eye at doing it, whether he wore that collar or not. i'd cap him in the middle of sunday mass in full vestments holding the Eucharist. while i am perfectly willing to do something like that, i love my wife and would rather not spend the rest of my life seeing her for 30 minutes on every alternate thursday, ya know?
so, i guess, because of the catholic church, i've avoided the catholic church.

I don't know this forum thing very well.. i understand there IS a way to send private messages, but i dunno how lol
so this was really for you personally, Vplee.. Bill might reply, and we know what his word is worth, and others on the non-believer side might as well, and that's all good. i feel a kinship with some of them as well. they don't believe, but at least they THINK. in a world of Bill Greys, finding people that think, regardless of their belief, makes me happy. Road Puppy has that one dead to rights. there are too many Sheeple in this world.

i don't mean to offend you... i just wanted to point out, while i'm heavily intoxicated why i had a problem with your chosen church.
there's a whole lot of other crap other people might bring up, but 90% of it was hundreds of years ago. the kiddie boinking priests are NOW, and i can't understand why the hierachy of the catholic church pretend it isn't happening or that it's ok. it's so simple - those men aren't "men of God" they are sick sick people who are using the church as a path to their desires. it's why you find so many in positions like that. priests.. teachers.. councilors. they are not people who become kiddiediddlers, they are kiddiediddlers who have found a niche to hide in, and the vatican is helping them hide there instead of denoucning them.

the part that scares me the most is that this pope was one of the key people involved in covereing it all up while he was still a bishop.

i liked John Paul II. i credit him, regan and margarat thacher and charlie wilson with the downfall of the USSR and the berlin wall andthe end of the cold war. they are the reason a large part of the US and Russia aren't going in the dark and why my kids don't have 5 arms and 2 heads each.

this pope was a poor poor choice. i hope that the cathoic church can redeem itself with the next one.

that's why i nominated you you're smart, sassy and you don't tolerate BS just to keep the peace.

anyway. take me apart now as you like.. i took my shots, only fair that you take yours

Wouldnt even dream to take you apart. I wholeheartedly agree with everything that you said. We (my family) desparately hoped that the Vatican would tackle this head on, now exposed, and say exactly that- "We are accountable!".
But, unfortunately, the Vatican has become much like politics these days, and we know how much accountability is there!!
We struggled for a long time with the Catholic CHurch as an institution. In fact, I will be perfectly honest and say I have not given a penny to the Catholic Church since this scandal was revealed. We direct our "tithe" elsewhere- The WOrld Food Program, Doctors without Borders, etc.
However, recognizing the flailings of the institution, we still believe in the doctrines, the Holy Mass, and all that the church entails.
I also loved JP2. I mean *LOVED*. I truly believe he changed the world. He was a quiet, humble and honorable man. A strong leader, and everybody's BFF.
A lot of people jumped ship after the scandal. My husband wanted to. But we believe so firmly in all that the Church stands for, that we, like many, have chosen to ride it out. With the exception of not paying a penny to the Church until such time as the Vatican clears up its sh$*#$.
As for Benedict, I would daresay his papacy was based on his very hardcore doctrine. I think the Church knew they needed someone who would not waiver, and hold steadfast the teachings of the church during this rocky time. Having said that, he lacks the charisma of JP2, and has the personality of a brick. BUT, he may be a strong leader for his clergy. I really don't know.
My children are altar servers. Their contact with the Priests is quite limited- it's not like the days of old when kids were alone with priests: it just doesnt happen anymore-at least around here.
And I trust our local Catholic Priests implicitly- all 3 of them, are completely and unequivocably trustworthy. So that has helped me stick with our church.
I appreciate your honesty, nagel, and I agree. They are SICK SICK SICK people that did this. But I do not believe sexual deviants are called to the priesthood. And I don't believe all homosexuals are deviants, for what its worth.
And the coverup makes my heart ache. But I do think that this is the human tendency- Knee jerk reaction- do whatever you can to make the problem "go away". I wish they had tackled it head on. *sigh*.
Have a great hangover today!

quote:

In fact, I will be perfectly honest and say I have not given a penny to the Catholic Church since this scandal was revealed. We direct our "tithe" elsewhere- The WOrld Food Program, Doctors without Borders, etc.

Veep, you are a keeper. Good job. The Docs without Borders is a truly awesome organization and my wife and I have chosen them as our official tithement - except when the Red Cross demands attention.

Thanks, SK. Docs without Borders truly goes to the worst areas imaginable. They did so much in Darfur when nobody helped....
Not many are really aware of how much they do- they don't really waste money on publications, etc. it all goes directly to those in need.
Hmmm...I suddenly feel like buying the world a coke.

Geneva/New York, June 14, 2010 – People living in the Sahelian belt of Chad are facing one of the worst nutrition crises in recent years. The international medical humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is calling for a faster and larger deployment of humanitarian assistance to meet the needs of the most vulnerable populations, particularly children under the age of five.
For anyone interested in learning more, visit

doctorswithoutborders.org

I hope I don't get booted for posting, but had 3 private messages asking what it was, so felt it was ok to share... veep