Benedict XVI

I seem to remember some 26 years ago when John Paul II was chosen. The confusion over the color of the smoke; is it white, is it black, no, wait, it's gray; what does that mean? Even then, I think Dan Rather was confused.

Listening to the media now, however, I think they still just don't get it. It's almost as if they actually think the election of the Pope is a political office, and that, "boy, if he's a little more moderate, or maybe 'progressive', why, then things could really be different for the 21rst century church...."

First of all, I am not Catholic. I am Christian, and with that I will say that I know enough about my own religion to know this: God doesn't change. Perhaps the way we view Him does; perhaps the way we deal with Him does; perhaps the way we worship Him does. But He doesn't. Logically, then, why would anyone think that if the leader of the Catholic church, the man that represents a facet of the Christian religion, which I know also believes these and many other tenets of the Christian religion, would ever consider changing the religion to please the wishes of the people? I'm no student of "religion" per se, but I think that's one of the original heresies, if I am not mistaken.

Unfortunately, in America, we are seeing just that. The tenets of Christianity, the tenets of right and wrong as put forth in Biblical teaching, are being eroded, compromised, "updated to reflect the changing times and progressive society," and even in some cases, put forth as political incorrectness and thought crime. One such example is this: If I were to walk on Millikin University's campus right now as a student with a T-shirt that said, "Gay Pride" I would get no second looks and no one would even think about saying anything to me. However, if I were to walk on MU's campus with a T-shirt that quoted Romans 1:26,27 (especially in a modern translation) I would be drummed off campus and be potentially expelled for being guilty of a hate crime. Political correctness in this case outweighs free speech and freedom of religion.

It's no wonder then, that the American media treats the election of a Roman Catholic Pope as a political event instead; they see it through their filter, rather than just what it is, a group of conservative Catholic Christians praying together and asking God to help them choose their new leader.

Ratings and liberal mumbo jumbo BS means more to them than just reporting the facts of the situation. (So what else is new?)

Until next time...