Contrary to common newspaper usage, I am not the Catholic candidate for president. I am the Democratic Party’s candidate for president, who happens also to be a Catholic. I do not speak for my church on public matters, and the church does not speak for me.

~John F. Kennedy/September 12, 1960

Question #1 du jour:  Have you ever wondered why American voters in 1960 were so concerned about a Catholic becoming president?

On Friday, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops voted (168-55) to clarify whether the church should prohibit politicians who support abortion rights from participating in the holy sacrament of communion.  Although not mentioned by name, the vote was seen as directed at President Biden who, throughout his career, has had to reconcile personal views with political stances on issues which pit him against Catholic doctrine.  You could not follow this story without coming upon a variation of the following response to the bishops’ action.  “The church has no right to deny Biden communion until it denies communion to pedophile priests.”  True, but not the core issue.

During the 2012 vice-presidential debate, Biden explained his position as follows.

I accept my church’s position on abortion as what we call de fide doctrine. Life begins at conception. That’s the church’s judgment. I accept it in my personal life. But I refuse to impose it on equally devout Christians and Muslims and Jews. I just refuse to impose that on others.”

The American bishops, in their communique, are saying just the opposite.  Perhaps they overslept and missed the seminary class on the synoptic gospels.  You know, the one where Jesus says, “Render under Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s.” (Matthew 22.21)  Ironically, a majority of Catholics agree with Jesus.  According to a 2020 survey by Pew Research, 56 percent of declared Catholics said abortion should be legal in all or most cases.  Instead of punishing those who share this opinion, the bishops should honor Biden’s example of making personal choices consistent with Catholic doctrine regardless of national policy.

Equally ironic, many protestants, especially white evangelicals, who feared papal influence over American politics seem to turn the other cheek when it comes to their own denominations.  Consider the most recent example.  On the same day the bishops raised the communion question, former vice-president Mike Pence was called a traitor and heckled during a speech at the Faith & Freedom Coalition Conference in Orlando.  In response, Pence declared, “I’m a Christian, a conservative and a Republican in that order.”  For someone who wants to be the next president, you would think “being an American” should appear somewhere on that list.  Imagine the outcry if JFK had opened his 1960 campaign speech before the Greater Houston Ministerial Association, “I am a Catholic, a liberal and a Democrat in that order.”

Question #2 du jour:  Why are “former Catholics” the fastest growing religious denomination in the United States?

One day earlier, the U.S. Supreme Court demonstrated how a unanimous decision in one’s favor can actually be a major loss for the same party.  The plaintiff in the case was a Philadelphia-based Roman Catholic adoption agency with which the city refused to contract because Catholic Social Services (CSS) refused to work with same-sex foster parents.  The opinion, written by Chief Justice John Roberts, focused on the establishment clause in the First Amendment to the Constitution, pointing out the local government’s actions violated CSS’ free exercise of religion.  The Court does not rule 9-0 unless the constitutional principle on which the case is decided is on solid ground.

How could this then be viewed as a loss for the Church?  Because it again exposed what may be the single most significant fallacy in the Catholic modus operandi, the dogma of papal infallibility.   I do not mean to offend Catholics, but consider the following description of papal infallibility in the Encyclopedia Britannica.

Papal infallibility, in Roman Catholic theology, the doctrine that the pope, acting as supreme teacher and under certain conditions, cannot err when he teaches in matters of faith or morals.

Sorry, but the term “supreme teacher” conjures comparisons with autocrats like Kim Jung-Un.  Or reminds me that our own country was governed for four years by someone who claimed he never made a mistake.

The recent Court decision is just the latest example of the conflict between allegiance to an individual and the teachings which are the core tenets of Catholicism.  On one hand, the Church preaches that the gospel is the divine word of God delivered to the people by his only son Jesus Christ.  Yet, nowhere do the gospels refer to discrimination against same sex couples.  In fact, one could argue it says just the opposite.  “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:26/King James Bible)

So where did this ban against same-sex foster parents originate?  Catholic attitudes toward homosexuality are contained in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.  A tome with such a formal title must date back many centuries if not millennia.  Hardly.  It was commissioned by John Paul II in 1986, drafted by 12 bishops and cardinals and personally approved by the Pope on June 25, 1992.  I hate to keep making analogies, but how is this different from the Florida Board of Education proposing a Catechism of American History in response to the 1619 Project which will eventually be blessed by Pope DeSantis?

What does this have to do with an 18 percent decline in Catholic affiliation over the past two decades?  Rather than looking to the Church for moral guidance, more and more Americans are relying on their daily experience.  And attitudes toward the LGBT+ community is the clearest example.  The Church’s attitude toward homosexuality is contained in the 1992 Catechism.

Although the particular inclination of the homosexual person is not a sin, it is a more or less strong tendency ordered toward an intrinsic moral evil; and thus the inclination itself must be seen as an objective disorder.

In contrast, a June 8, 2021 Gallup report documents an increase in support for same-sex marriage from 27 percent in 1997 to 70 percent today.  Support among young adults, age 18-34, is 84 percent.  To paraphrase FDR, “The only thing you have to fear is what the Church teaches you to fear.”  Instead of familiarity breeding contempt, in this case, it promotes acceptance.

A CAVEAT

The Catholic Church is not unlike many corporations who believe their own propaganda and are mired in old ways of doing business.  In response, you often hear a CEO suggesting  “it is time we return to our entrepreneurial roots.”  Academic management research suggests changing the culture of a large organization takes years if not decades.  This is one area where the Church, because of papal infallibility, may have an advantage.  In the right hands, absolute authority could accelerate change.

Despite pushback from conservative bishops and cardinals, Pope Francis has challenged some traditional teachings from the past.  For example, he acknowledged even atheists can go to heaven (that’s a relief).  He has promoted economic justice and challenged corporate greed and trickle down economics.  And just this weekend, he cautioned the American conference of bishops about their rush to judgment on who is worthy of communion.

During a strategic planning exercise during my time at the Ewing Kauffman Foundation, I asked to see the file of Mr. K’s handwritten notes on which he based the charity’s endowment.  It gave me an entirely new perspective about his intent and how I should approach my own work.  I imagine the Catholic Church might have the same epiphany if it went back to their founding entrepreneurs’ original notes.

For what it’s worth.
Dr. ESP

Chadwick Boseman, ‘Black Panther’ star, has died

(CNN) —Actor Chadwick Boseman, who brought the movie “Black Panther” to life with his charismatic intensity and regal performance, has died.

Boseman has battled colon cancer since 2016 and died at home with his family and wife by his side, according to a statement posted on his Twitter account. He was 43.

Folks, this is going to be short and bitter sweet.  I may say things which some will find highly offensive.  And, as always, I do not expect anyone to take my view as gospel.  My purpose is only to share a raw and honest emotion in a difficult time.

In several recent posts, I have joked about current events that made we wish I believed in a divine presence.  For example, one can hope that Jerry Falwell, Jr.’s fall from grace was a sign from God.  I hoped He was telling us, “Being a hypocritical conman in my holy name will only be tolerated for so long.”  Maybe karma really is a bitch.

But when I woke up this morning to the above item at the top of my Google News feed, I realized these brief moments of appreciation for the possibility of a sacred father, even in the name of irony or humor, only last so long.  While others turn to their faith to get them through the hard times, my lack of reliance on religion is what keeps me sane.

If I believed in a divine spirit, this morning I would asking him, “WTF?”  It is hard enough to imagine a compassionate God who watches from the sidelines as men of ill-will take down African American advocates of racial equality and social justice.  I will never understand how James Earl Ray and Byron de la Beckwith fit into some grand spiritual design.  By eschewing belief in God, I have the freedom to accept there are more earthly forces that generate such hate.  Forces, as a less than divine being, I can push back against.

Which brings me back to Chadwick Boseman.  If this were part of a divine plan, it was executed with a maximum of cruelty.  Consider the timing of Boseman’s death.  On August 28:

• Emmett Till is murdered in Mississippi (1955)
• Martin Luther King, Jr. delivers his “I Have a Dream” speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial (1963)
• Thousands gather at that same spot to remember King and black victims of police brutality (2020)
• The NBA refuses to conduct business as usual in support of the Black Lives Matter movement (2020)
• Major League Baseball celebrates Jackie Robinson Day (2020)

Add to that list the anniversary of the death of an actor who introduced generations of young black men and women to James Brown, Thurgood Marshall and Jackie Robinson.  And helped spread the spirit of “Wakanda Forever” to a global audience.

Rest in peace Chadwick.  I do not understand why you were taken at such a young age.  And while I hope some day there is a cure for the disease which randomly attacked you, this morning, I am comforted in my belief there is no supreme being who thought depriving the world of your talent, at a time when it was needed more than ever, was a good idea.

For what it’s worth.
Dr. ESP

Truth in Advertising ALERT:  As long time readers know, I remain a devout agnostic.  The following is therefore offered as satire, not a representation of my personal beliefs.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

~Jeremiah 29:11

From the beginnings of biblical history to modern day, religious leaders of all faiths have used the words in Jeremiah 29:11 to push back against those who dare question why a just and compassionate God would create a world in which there is so much death and destruction from war, disease and hate.  We are told to look at the big picture.  Or without knowing pain, how can we fully appreciate the blessings that same God lays before us everyday.

Stories of moral cleansing from a great flood or plagues were understandable when civilization was more superstitious than knowledgeable.  Sadly, in some circles, not much has changed in the five or six intervening millennia. Remember the flap over Pastor Jeremiah Wright’s declaration that 9/11 was “America’s chickens coming home to roost,” a result of years of human rights violations.  Unfortunately, Pastor Wright did not have a monopoly on such rubbish.  The late Jerry Falwell claimed the 9/11 attacks were divine retribution for abortion, gay and lesbian lifestyles and organizations like the ACLU and People for the American Way which were out to destroy our nation.

As suggested above, sometimes God’s wrath comes in the form of foreign invaders.  Sometimes he simply partners with Mother Nature.  Just ask televangelists John Hagee or Pat Robertson.   During an interview with NPR’s Terry Gross, Hagee provided the following cause of Hurricane Katrina.

The newspaper carried the story in our local area that was not carried nationally that there was to be a homosexual parade there on the Monday that the Katrina came. And the promise of that parade was that it was going to reach a level of sexuality never demonstrated before in any of the other Gay Pride parades. So I believe…that the Hurricane Katrina was, in fact, the judgment of God against the city of New Orleans

Robertson attributed the devastating earthquake in Haiti to the Haitians’ “pact with the devil.”  And what was the genesis of this unholy alliance?  According to Robertson, it was their desire for independence from France.  In his words, “You know, the Haitians revolted and got themselves free. But ever since, they have been cursed by one thing after the other.”  As comedian David Steinberg once said of his own father’s revulsion when it seemed to snow every December 25th, fulfilling Christians’ longing for a cliched White Christmas, “You have to admire prejudice like that.”  [NOTE:  Steinberg was born and raised in Winnipeg, Canada which would make a late December snowstorm the rule rather than the exception.]

The one thing missing from these modern day tales of divine intervention is any recognition of God’s grace.  After the great flood, there was a promise of a new, better world symbolized by the rainbow over Mt. Ararat.  The plagues in Egypt resulted in an end to the Israelites enslavement and return to their ancestral home, “a land of milk and honey.”

Which brings me to 2020 and the failure of faux Christians to notice that we are in the midst of an obvious example of how they profess God works in mysterious ways.  And who better to tell this story than the late Flip Wilson’s alter ego  Reverend Leroy of the Church of What’s Happening Now.

Can I hear an amen?

Brothers and sisters, in the words of Brother Bob Dylan, these are hard times.  Many of you have lost friends and families to the coronavirus.  Many of you are unemployed.  And in these moments of sorry and need, you ask, “Why is God punishing me?  What did I do to deserve this?  Is this part of His divine plan?”

Brothers and Sisters, ask no more. For those who think the Lord has forsaken us, fear not.  He continues to reveal himself as he always has.  From the beginning of time, God has always given us the chance, as Brother Spike Lee said, to do the right thing.  Only when we forsake his principles and the teachings of his son Jesus Christ does he step forward.

Remember Abraham’s sacrifice of his son Isaac.  Abraham thought it was a test of loyalty.  If so, God would have let the sacrifice go forward.  Instead, it was a test of free will, that Abraham need not obey an order, even one from the Almighty himself, when it was unjust.  Only when Abraham failed that test did God appear in the form of two angels and told Abraham to back off, Jack.*  Can you give me another amen?

If Pharaoh heeded Moses’ plea to “let my people go” after any of the first nine plagues, the first born Egyptian males would not have died.  God always gives us the opportunity to do the right thing.  He intervenes when we ignore that moment in time.

So if you ask, “Reverend Leroy, when did God give us a chance to avoid the coronavirus,” you need to first understand why it was necessary?  What possible good has it accomplished?  The answer, as they say in Motown, is in the timing.

God patiently watched as Americans elected a reality show con artist president of the United States.  He did not intervene when Donald Trump openly denigrated large segments of God’s children–Latinos, Muslims and gays.  He cried but did not act when Trump ordered babies separated from their mothers and put in cages.  He waited for the cabinet to invoke the 25th amendment.  He looked on as Senate Republicans ignored all the evidence and failed to remove him from office.

Only when it appeared Americans might give Trump four more years to  further abuse his authority and power, did God decree, “Enough is enough!  I must expose this dude for who he is.”  And once again, God unleashed His wingman, the Angel of Death, not to punish the innocent, but to remind us we still have a choice.  We can be self-centered and protect our own interests or we can follow the Lord and take the weak and needy into our hearts.

Can I get an amen?  Amen.

The proof of the pudding will come in November.  Though I doubt the possibility, imagine Trump loses in a landslide on election day and the coronavirus magically disappears without a vaccine or further mediation.  Now that would be a miracle of biblical proportions that would convert the most skeptical into believers.  A story that would no doubt be chronicled in “The Gospel According to Leroy,” a chapter of The Latest Testament.

And just for the record, as Reverend Leroy would say, “The devil made me write this post.”

*I first heard this interpretation of the story of Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac from Rabbi Amy Perlin, the first female rabbi to found her own congregation.

For what it’s worth.
Dr. ESP