The Associated Press has an article about the 31 new cardinals appointed by Pope John Paul II. In the headline and opening sentence, they used two of the four words they, and every other secular media outlet, must mention in an article about the Pope. The words are:
1. Frail
2. Ailing
3. Conservative (never "orthodox")
4. Abortion (the only issue they think they understand because of the extensive political ramifications)
"The College of Cardinals is already mainly made up of like-minded conservatives," Nicole Winfield writes. The implication being that the Holy Father needs to start appointing liberals who will argue with him.
Still, there was one ray of light. She says later in the article, "One of the 31 on the list was unidentified, perhaps because he works in a country where the church is oppressed." No mocking quotation marks around "oppressed" -- she recognizes that in certain parts of the Earth, the Church is indeed oppressed.
The thing that usually gets my goat is the fact that they imply the Holy Father is somehow failing mentally, even though we've seen no evidence of that. As if Parkinson's effects the brain... Sheesh!
...err, well, as a neuroscience B.S. let me restate.. Sure Parkinson's effects the brain, but not mental clarity... Sorry about that stupidity ;)
Eric - I totally agree here. It's amazing the "conservative" label gets pasted on to any priest/bishop/pope who thinks abortion is evil
You wrote that some parts of the world the church is oppressed. Do you know where the church is most greatly oppressed? In places, especially right here in North America, where church officials abuse their authority and do harm to the Body of Christ. THAT is church oppression. Church politics, pedophilia, violations of chastity/obedience/poverty vows, ambition and lust for power in priests, bishops, and cardinals . . . these oppress the church and challenge people's faith. These acts are prevalent throughout our church hierarchy, and they are turning people away from the eastern and western churches everyday.