BarrieBergman

Nun Sense

Finally the Catholic Church has figured out the cause of all of its problems.  For those of you who missed the recent coverage, the answer was obvious all along.  The problems with pervert priests and cover-ups by the administrators, who run the church, were right under our noses.

It was the Nuns.  They’re to blame for all of the church’s problems.  Like 50,000 battered women, the Nuns just wouldn’t listen.  The church had to pay $144 million in claims last year, which would never have happened, if the women in the habits would have just shut up.

The Holy See says these women have been spending too much time on “issues of social injustice” when “they should be speaking out against contraception and homosexuality.”  They should also stop talking about “radical feminist themes.”

It’s hard to imagine that an institution, that has brought so much pain and suffering to mankind, should blame these devoted people.  It’s impossible for me to stomach.

I was recently in South America where the church’s influence has brought poverty and ignorance by encouraging the proliferation of population.  Our world is running out of resources, and if we want our planet to be habitable for our grandchildren, we have got to limit population growth.

The Catholic Church’s position on contraception is so wrong headed as to be laughable.  At least the Nuns aren’t allowed to have children, although the next thing you know they’ll be texting the Pope for permission.

~
Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo
Come on out and spread the news
-Rick Derringer

I Was Born a Poor Black Child

I was raised in a very traditional American family.  My parents, both first generation Americans, were similar to Ozzie and Harriet.  All of their parents emigrated from Russia in the early 1900’s to get away from the Pogroms (the Tsar’s army killing Jews).

In a way I’m here because of a search for religious freedom and because of a search for separation of Church and State.  My parents believed in keeping a very low profile politically in their community, because of their family background and being Jews in the South.  They were lifelong Democrats, but they never let anybody know it.  No matter how hard I’ve tried to rebel in my life, this apple has never fallen very far from my parents’ tree.  My politics are similar to my folks, and I’m not very outspoken publicly.

All these reasons come together in my fear and loathing for what is going on in the Republican primaries for President.  The devolving race to see who can be the most conservative among Mitt and the three dwarves is mired in social issues that were settled fifty to one hundred fifty years ago.  To talk about rescinding women’s rights or calling people who went to college “snobs and elitists,” makes me check the window for the guys on horseback coming to drag us away for our beliefs.

I know this crap is all posturing and positioning, but as our economy improves and we extricate ourselves from wars that we should never have started, the Republicans are running out of issues.  How about a campaign to help Angelina Jolie adopt more children or to find Katy Perry a new man?  Whaddya think, Newt?

Godspell

I have always been offended by Tim Tebow.  He is the quarterback for the Denver Broncos and former Heisman Trophy winner at Florida, who makes a big show of his faith.  He kneels and prays on the sideline and continually points at the sky.

Tebow seems like a nice young man, and maybe I’m offended because I’m Jewish and not a member of the club.  But I’ve had trouble with the concept that God cares who wins a football game.  It seems to me that our deity (I sure hope he exists) is busy with other more weighty matters than the winner of a game.

However, in the last several weeks, Tebow has engineered some of the damnedest comebacks I’ve ever seen in sports.  For three quarters he is terrible, and in the fourth quarter it’s as though he has been touched by the hand of God.  Last week only the incredible stupidity of the Chicago Bears plus Tebow could cause the Denver win.

What is going on here?  Why is this happening?  I think it’s faith.  Tebow and his teammates think it’s God, but I think it’s spirituality or for short – spirit.  They believe Moses or Tim can lead them to the Promised Land, and son-of-a-gun, if it doesn’t happen.

No matter what is going on, true faith is a wonderful tool.  If the quest is true, it couldn’t hurt and usually helps.  Don’t laugh if you see me on the tennis court, kneeling before my matches.  Couldn’t hurt.