EricInMiami: April 2009

Any priest in the Catholic Church must either be a self-hating homosexual or someone with some serious issues with their sexuality. Why else would any healthy, straight and invariably horny man give up a life of sexual pleasure with loved ones to lock himself up with other men wearing robes that look a lot like dresses? There is no exact figure of the number of gay clergy but estimates vary anywhere from 25 percent to 50 percent, according to a review by the Rev. Donald Cozzens, author of "The Changing Face of the Priesthood.". I theorize that it is very close to 100% but how many priests and clergy are willing to admit it? Abstinence in theory is one of the most miserably failed tenets the church has ever created. The hundreds of lawsuits and payoffs by the church to victims of sexual abuse are proof that you cannot stop human desire and when you repress it, it rears it's ugly head in any way it can. The belief is that abstaining from sex makes you more spiritual has no basis in fact. There is no research to support this tenet. If you look at some of the world's earliest religions that predate the church, abstinence as a concept never existed. American Indian Shaman had same-sex "berdaches" that would attend to the Teepee and the sexual needs of the shaman. They were the shamans same-sex husbands and they were oftentimes initiates and above all they were revered by their tribe. Buddhist high priest are not forbidden from enjoying sexual relations. I have had momentous, spiritual experiences in my life and they had nothing to do with whether I got laid the night before. It boils down to one simple fact; human beings need love to survive. Just like Tom Hanks in Survivor who fell in love with a soccer ball named "Wilson". Inevitably our human form takes over whatever spiritual intention was set in motion and we crack. We need physical touch and love, being in love with the almighty or whomever\whatever doesn't remove us from our bodies permanently. Hasidic Jewish communities have high rates of STD's among ultra religious marriages because the husbands go out and hire prostitutes on the "Down Low". Sex, however dirty your religion may perceive it, is as necessary for our survival as that apple a day. Scientific studies have even shown that the more times per week a study subject had sex, the longer their lives were.

So it is a surprise to hear that there is rampant sex in Catholic seminaries where priests are trained to be priests? (see article link below) The church's rush to stop gap the ever increasing priest shortage has forced them to ordain these priests quicker than ever and lower their standards. These young men who will be the world's spiritual leaders are just as horny as any other young buck out there, if not more because these bucks know from here on out, it's curtains down there, at least in theory.

In early native America hundreds of years ago homosexuals, transgendered, etc. were all bundled together under revered terms of berdache or shaman. Their function was of a different path than warrior or wife or hunter. They were the revered spiritual leaders and healers for each tribe. They were the connection to the spiritual world and other dimensions and they were GAY.

Fast forward to 2009, these cross-dressing "tribal doctors" are still around today. in fact the Vatican is full of them. One visit to a Barcelona cathedral museum smacked me in the face with that reality. Walking through the ever-so-boring museum and entered into the room where all the religious robes (costumes) were kept. There were red silk conical bishop hats with gold threading, orange long robes with embroidered arm panels that dragged elegantly to the floor, purple scarves with gaudy gold thread decoration. I said to myself, "A drag queen would have a field day in this room". How did a humble Jesus dressed in rags, teaching tolerance and universal love to all men get turned into a bunch of closeted gay men in ridiculously superfluous and luxurious drag costumes to spread his teachings to the Catholic world? If you really want to teach his lessons you would emulate him and his message in every way and wear the rags of a poor man certainly not the pomp and pompousness of the drag queens running rampant in the Vatican. Buddhist priests are prime examples of a spiritual leader properly following the teachings of their prophet.

This George-Bush-of-a-pope dressed up as a spiritual leader has done nothing to progress the spiritual enlightenment or awakening of his followers. He first attacked muslims, then atheists, then made more hateful than normal statements reinstating that homosexuality will cause the destruction of the modern world. He then put the cherry on the bullcrappy sundae and pissed off a world full of Jewish people by re-hiring a bishop that denied Jews died by gassing in the holocaust giving a crazy figure of 200-300,000 of the total killed in the holocaust versus the 6 million that were actually killed. A bishop that shortly after apologized for hurting people with his comments but never retracted them. Pope Rat-zinger demanded he apologize weeks later after the world was in an uproar over the news but the bishop never did retract and the Pope did nothing to discipline his returning prodigal son.

Is the Vatican playing a sick joke on humanity in testing us how much hate it can spew out before somebody just goes AWOL and goes 9-11 on them? Maybe it's a taunt so they can justify a new holy war like Bush did? Is it all a na-na-nanny-boo-boo by Pope Benedict? Is this behavior of someone that is supposed to lead the civilized world towards spiritual growth? At least John Paul tried played nice and tried to bring the world together, teaching forgiveness. This one only seems to be capable of medieval hate mongering.

Like the Shaman of yore, Homosexuals are a people connected and in tuned to our spirit because we are on a separate journey, with it's unique lessons. Childbirth and rearing are not necessarily where we find our teachings in this life. We are a gay tribe with our leaders conveniently eliminated by AIDS. It is time that our spiritual leaders come out from the shadows (closet) and depose the false prophets that hide behind the many colored robes of the Catholic Church. We can add to the diaspora of belief in this world, giving it one more intense color.

Great Britian's Tony Blair is recently quoted as calling for a revolution in thinking in the Church and has criticized this pope for being out of touch with his congregation worldwide. Blair says, "There are many good and great things the Catholic Church does, and there are many fantastic things this Pope stands for, but I think what is interesting is that if you went into any Catholic Church, particularly a well attended one, on any Sunday here and did a poll of the congregation, you’d be surprised at how liberal-minded people were." A generational shift has occurred, a cycle is ending worldwide. The next generation coming is tired and uninterested in the old, failed battles of previous ones. They are hungry for spiritual knowledge and if the church doesn't serve it to them, they will seek it elsewhere. When I was growing up in Miami in the 80's, you would be hard pressed to find one center that had Yoga classes. Today, there are centers even in the most suburban of areas. Not to say that Yoga is a replacement for religion but it is a beginning point and for many is their preferred "church". Newsweek's April 13, 2009 issue runs a cover image of a cross outlined by the words, "The Decline and Fall of Christian America". Obama's win over the faith-aligned Republicans sealed the fate of the extremists in the country that many doubt will ever be able to regained. The church is finally becoming separated from the state as our country's founders intended. "The percentage of self-identified Christians has fallen 10 points in the past two decades." (John Meacham, Newsweek) The decline of the church is a fact not theory. Question is how long can the church afford to ignore it? Do they impeach this curmudgeon before he brings about it's downfall like George W. Bush almost was?

Fast forward 20 years to 2029, we may see a day where the Vatican is no more. We may live to see a day where the Vatican leaders choose to dismantle it's own headquaters to prove to the world it is shedding it's old self and moving towards a newfound mission and vision. It could sell it's melted down gold to aid 3rd world countries and plant a huge forest in the middle of Rome, replacing the gargantuan statues that have so little to do with Jesus Christ's humble message. This new found forest would be a new spiritual United Nations location for all of the religious tribes of the world could come together to trance-dance away any differences in the warmth of a fire, bathed in the moonlight of a blue moon. A new unified and fully inclusive tradition would replace the crusty, old and irrelevant church of today. I don't doubt that Muslims, Jews, Sufis, Hindus, buddhists, Atheists and yes, us Gays would come to dance at that global party!

There is some hope for its survival. There are signs of factions of moderates within these conservative religions working against the tide of extremism and conservatism to modernize the message of the church to a more inclusive one. Facebook has several religious groups that have popped up supporting gay rights. (see link below) The group is such an idiosyncracy that Facebook'ers sympathetic to the gay rights movement have left negative comments not realizing that the group is Pro-marriage equality and not the common trend among Catholics to be against it. The group is called Christians For Gay Equality (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=33840595913&ref=ts) and it is ray of light and hope that yes, the church can reform itself from the inside. It seems that the only way will be not by the elitist stronghold of holy, self- hating, closeted homosexuals running the Vatican but by the members of the Catholic Church that no longer want to be told what is right and wrong. The faithful that finally will take a stand to see God for themselves, without the help of a priest. Republicans are starting to realize their moral holy war must be given up and are now trying to redefine themselves as a party before facing complete extinction. Even the Rush Limbaugh dinosaur cannot roar loudly enough to save that party. One pioneering reformist is ironically the daughter of John McCain; the poster boy of when you go too far to show people how Catholic you are, no longer works for you in this country. Meghan McCain is leading a new movement from within the ranks of the staunch, unbending and never yielding Republican mentality to a more moderate party where acceptance of gay marriage is not a problem, among other things. She wants to go further than just making the party sound inclusive. This thoroughly modern McCain wants her party to actually change and be inclusive, not just talk the talk. Wouldn't she be a wonderful replacement to the wicked witch of the east; Ann Coulter's rhetoric.

Homosexuals are a tribe that no longer finds the path of least resistance the wisest one. We are ready to push beyond our reservations in the big cities (LA, NY, MIA, SAN FRAN) and lay claim to our role in global politics. It's time we come out of our safe bubbles, grab our equality in this civilization and maybe lead again as spiritual leaders replacing the outdated, restrictive and divisive religions of this world with one world spirituality. It is happening already - the number of Americans who don't identify with any religion has risen to 15% from 8% in 1990.

I come from a family where my grandmother who was fiercely Catholic had a sister that became a nun after witnessing a vision of the Virgin Mary in her small town in Cuba. I was raised in a Catholic household, went to a Catholic all boys high school was confirmed and even did the Jesus life and death tour in Israel. So I can say with absolute certainty that I have found more spiritual enlightenment under the moonlight than under any church dome.

The awakening will continue, the churches will continue to empty and be less relevant. When you find yourselves looking for some elightenment, look to the Native American Shaman, Buddhism, Kundalini, Kabbalah, Yoga, wherever. The most important thing is that you look for the truth yourself because this leader isn't helping.

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Gay sex in Catholic seminaries decreased but still ongoing:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28677174/

Shortage of Priests in Seminaries:
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bal-op.rodricks22oct22,0,6398710.कालम

Newsweek's story on the decline of Christian America:

http://www.newsweek.com/id/192583

Meghan McCain's shining new path for her beleaguered party:

http://news.aol.com/political-machine/2009/04/13/meghan-mccain-we-need-more-gay-republicans/

Pope reinstates member of extreme traditionalist sect (St. Pius X) previously excommunicated by Pope John Paul:http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/25/world/europe/25pope.html?hp

Pope's feeble attempt to curb worldwide furor over the Bishop's stance:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/religion/4514628/Pope-demands-Holocaust-denier-retract-his-views.html

Beautiful speech by oscar winner for MILK movie denouncing church stance against gays:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfPXcCroPJc

Pope inciting more hatred and violence against homosexuals:http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/dec/28/papal-denunciation/

More americans claim they have no religion now at 15% increase from 8% in 1990: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29585222/?GT1=43001

Anthropological historical facts regarding roles of gay American Indians as Spiritual leaders of tribes: http://www.ac.wwu.edu/~culture/medicine.htm

More on shamanism: http://books.google.com/books?id=Z_ThIx97yw8C&pg=PA74&lpg=PA74&dq=gay+american+indian+shaman&source=web&ots=PxMSHrMrv2&sig=QhaMICnafYitiOmRXm6L9bPlgOw&hl=en&ei=rh2fSf2sEMH7tgf_6oyfDQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=10&ct=result#PPA80,M1

The honorable role of Shaman in native america:

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.diamondlady.net/starmaiden_globe.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.diamondlady.net/shamanism.html&usg=__90CitMu_TFMfLwL_y_N3k3LmHws=&h=332&w=339&sz=65&hl=en&start=22&um=1&tbnid=F2iSZSYuCnmoWM:&tbnh=117&tbnw=119&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dshaman%2Bnative%2Bamerican%26start%3D21%26ndsp%3D21%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN

Pope's divisive speech:

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.independent.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00106/pg-06-Pope-AFP-Gett_106606t.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/meditation-on-gender-lands-pope-in-hot-water-1210064.html&usg=__D5JeaqVkuqXpQBnUQbjlrBzRO7M=&h=424&w=300&sz=23&hl=en&start=89&tbnid=-t-dqTzeKxFxuM:&tbnh=126&tbnw=89&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcardinals%2Bvatican%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp%3D21%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26start%3D84

Homosexuality and Buddhism:http://www.religioustolerance.org/hom_budd.htm

EricInMiami

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