I try to keep my religious views in check as much as possible...okay, no I really don't. So today I took a moment to glance at the newspaper and was reminded of my irritation regarding Todd Jones who has decided that people care enough about or don't care enough about or should care more about the wonderfully boring steps it takes to become a Catholic priest. So much so that a full series of articles should be written and published. As an aside I have a secret hope that Mr Jones is related to the priest at hand because otherwise that man needs to get out more often. Surprisingly enough, this did not make my previous post list of things I do not give a shit about. This one I actually do care about. Or more accurately I am concerned about.

I am concerned that this series continues to grace (good pun, huh?) the front page of the paper though thankfully it has moved to the bottom of the page. To further irritate me a story regarding organized religion that may actually have some positive social value -- Lutheran and Protestant churches accepting gays -- has only made the Metro section. Funny I think. How much more inane would the Catholic story appear when stuck right next to an article addressing other denominations facing more "progressive" and pressing social issues? Like the joke that it is I suppose.

Now I'm not saying I think the religion itself is a joke (not out loud, not here anyway) but what I'm saying is I think it's missed the boat by about 100 years. I admittedly could not get through today's story but I did read the first one that took up way too much ink and space. The gist of it is there is a shortage of Catholic priests. And in the entire thing one, maybe two short paragraphs addressed that "little problem" the church has or had or ignored over the years. WE paid out the billions, right? So now it should go away. To downplay a central issue which should be enough to at least cause some sort of introspection of the some of the central tenets of the organization is just plain denied and/or hidden. Still.

Though I will give that the crimes of pedophiles and/or sexual predators as priests may not necessarily add to the lack of people signing up per se I do think both problems stem in some way from the priestly requirements. In the story it states the church is growing in members (surprising to me) but the priests are declining in numbers. Will the church consider letting the clergy marry? Nope. What about women? Oh GOD NO. And how would they stack up against their Metro Section rivals regarding issues of gays and lesbians? NO, never, not here.

Tonight I say a prayer...please god or universe or aliens or any higher power out there... please don't be as stupid and narrow minded as these people make you out to be.