Holy god, holy mighty, holy immortal, have mercy

[theatokos]

This article on the Vatican, excommunication and 9 yr old pregnant girls is devastating. Were I not fighting dizzy to function at work today I would write something articulate and scathing.

Pope Ratzinger/Benedict is a horrible man for sticking by policy. Black and white rules do not help those in grey situations.

I would rant but really I want to weep for the child. Not the children terminated, they never knew what hit them, and it's doubtful at four months that they even had consciousness. I mourn for the girl, who lives in a world where for choosing her own health, mental and physical, she is excommunicated from her faith community, where her rapist is still allowed to be a communing member of her faith community, where those in power think her life and body are merely vessels and contain no worth in and of itself, where rape at all exists.

This world is fucked up beyond measure. The Vatican is morally corrupt.

It is heartbreaking. I'm too tired to rail today, so instead I mourn.

Comments

[chiv.livejournal.com]

Depending on the new report, the girl herself wasn't excommunicated but that's really completely irrelevant. I wonder who in their right mind would want to remain in a faith group that is so fucked up.

[ewigweibliche.livejournal.com]

Well, no religious group or people group at all is immune from problems. Or patriarchy, I fear.

[bravenewcentury.livejournal.com]

Oh good God. There are no words.

[ewigweibliche.livejournal.com]

I'm certain that the after life is going to be a big shock for most of us - most of all for those who deem themselves worthy to be the ones dispensing the keys into the "Kingdom."

[honeyrider.livejournal.com]

the levels of fucked up -- the rape, the girl's age, the church's reaction -- are too much.

"the twins were two innocent persons who had the right to live", but you know, the 9 year old, she neither has the right not to give birth to these twins who were conceived through a horrible violent act, nor does she have a right to terminate a pregnancy that might take her own life. her only right is to carry to term the "innocent persons" inside her. it makes me fucking sick to my stomach.

[ewigweibliche.livejournal.com]

The 9 year old's life was never taken into consideration. The Vatican's policy on women is abysmal.

[amyura.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Had I not already left the church I would have done so over this. I cried a little when I read that story yesterday. Also, I believe that HER DOCTORS (you know, the ones with medical degrees, unlike the bishops) had determined that she would likely have died had she been forced to carry the pregnancy to term.

[ewigweibliche.livejournal.com]

Yeah, and they were excommunicated too. It's just too horrible.

[said-by-me.livejournal.com]

I just... Wow. I am speechless. Other than to be grateful (again) that I am not Catholic.

[ewigweibliche.livejournal.com]

It's so sad. It makes me want even more to raise a son who is part of the solution, not the problem.

[sapphire-kittum.livejournal.com]

Ok, let me get this straight. This poor 9 year old girl was raped, found out she was pregnant, had to go through with an abortion to save her life.... and she is punished by being excommunicated? WTF?! That is truly fucked up.

[ewigweibliche.livejournal.com]

My niece is 9. I weep forever if this happened to her. Thankfully it sounds like maybe her mother and the doctors around her have her best interests in mind. I'm sure hoping so.

[ladyartemisa.livejournal.com]

i dont know how anyone with a heart can be catholic after this.

[ewigweibliche.livejournal.com]

My only hope for those who do remain Catholic is that they're fighting the good fight from inside. If it's even possible to do. I say it's not, especially under the current pope.

[kimsansf.livejournal.com]

ug it makes me sick... and im so glad the church is getting so much heat for this. :( that poor little girl...

[keypike.livejournal.com]

I read about this yesterday, and it made me want to vomit.

It's so very, very sad on many levels. I have no religion in my life (although i'm not an atheist), but I can see the huge benefits of a community of faith. Unfortunately, 'faith' has been corrupted by 'the church'. It's disturbing that the 'righteous' don't seem to have the ability to see beyond doctrine to do what is right.

[ewigweibliche.livejournal.com]

It's such a difficult thing: faith and community. I think the two go best hand in hand, but humans are deeply flawed and there is no group of us free from some sort of bullshit. But I find the Vatican worst than most. The patriarchy and politics seemingly inherent in organized religion have kept me from joining, even though I'd really like to.