I can also imagine a less-martial way of expressing the concept, just as you have.

Clearly. But, hey -- was that quote originally in English?

Anyway, I'm just saying -- he really has enough clear-cut things that he says that I think are horrible that I can focus on those.

OH! Semi-relatedly: Apparently someone jumped in front of a train on the track opposite the train I was on yesterday morning. Some dotty old lady IMMEDIATELY started talking about how God can't forgive suicide. Dude. So not the point right this minute.

Do you think he's creating an "other" to hate, or that he's preaching the doctrine he believes is true.

There are plenty of ways to promote Catholicism without denigrating other religions. And based on what I've heard here, I'd say he's certainly denigrated Buddhism and Hinduism, at least once.

In 1986 Ratzinger issued a letter to the Catholic Bishops in which he wrote that homosexuality was a tendency towards an intrinsic moral evil. A few years later, in 1992, he rejected the notion of human rights for gays, stressing that their civil liberties could be "legitimately limited."

I'd also call this creating an "other" to downtread.

Georgetown Hospital is skilled at finding various ways to explain away BC pills as medically necessary so they can satisfy the requirements of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops

Thanks, Maria, though I'm still not sure I understand. Is it just sort of handwaved away? As far as I can remember, my doctor didn't try to get me to say I had irregular periods, or anything else that would make them serve a purpose beyond contraception. I would think that lying about why the pill is being prescribed would be worse than just prescribing it, but I suspect I'm missing something.

Not being used for contraceptive purposes, is that okay

I think in practice, this is what happens. But doctrinally it's not. JPII said that there should be no sex besides the sex meant to procreate (even in marriage) so if you're infertile, fuggeddaboudit!

You know what I am realizing from all this Pope hooha? I know a lot more ex-Catholics than I do active ones. Or anyway, everybody I've run into who has anything to say about this choice of Pope has said something negative, followed in 80% of cases with "well, but I'm not Catholic, so it's not my problem" or "well, I'm not Catholic any more so it's not my problem."

Which, you know, I live in a state with a 50% Catholic population, if you believe the self-report statistics. Where are they all hiding??

Clearly. But, hey -- was that quote originally in English?

I had that thought too, Jesse. The word "autoerotic," in particular, I wonder about as a possible clumsy translation.

Not that bad translation saves the guy, though.

Which, you know, I live in a state with a 50% Catholic population, if you believe the self-report statistics. Where are they all hiding??

All the ones I'm related to live in Western Masschusetts, if that helps.

Is it just sort of handwaved away? My doctor didn't try to get me to say I had irregular periods, or anything else that would make them serve a purpose beyond contraception. I would think that lying about why the pill is being prrescribed would be worse than just prescribing it, but I suspect I'm missing something.

I don't want to bring up personal stuff, so I'm going to be rather annoying and speak cryptically. Yesterday's livejournal post and the reason for the visit? All the justification they need. Your doc doesn't need to tell you explicitly that s/he's prescribing BC pills for medical reasons and not contraception.

JPII said that there should be no sex besides the sex meant to procreate (even in marriage) so if you're infertile, fuggeddaboudit!

I'm going to split a few hairs here; forgive me, Sue. JPII said there should be no sex, except for sex in marriage, but it does not have to be for the express purpose of procreation. The couple only has to be OPEN to the fact that they may have created a tickybox, even if they were just getting their rocks off.

The prohibition against artificial means of fertilization comes from the notion that God has a plan for everyone, which may include not having children. Procreation should only come about from the expression of love a couple shares. Trying to circumvent God's will with IVF or artificial insemenation is a no-no.

Benedict in my mind will always refer to Dirk Benedict. Face Man. Not the pope.

papabile

Leaving aside all the politics, I adore this word. Every time I see it, I think "lunchables! only, it's popeables!"