Department Of Check The Definition Before You Use The Word
progressive
adjective
pro·gres·sive \ prə-ˈgre-siv \
1 a : of, relating to, or characterized by progress
b : making use of or interested in new ideas, findings, or opportunities
c : of, relating to, or constituting an educational theory marked by emphasis on the individual child, informality of classroom procedure, and encouragement of self-expression
2 : of, relating to, or characterized by progression
3 : moving forward or onward : advancing….
Y’all get the idea.
Unless you’re referring to that pesky red rash on your patootie, something that is progressive is generally…well, what would Jesus Martha say?
Of course, the idea of progress and improvement and using education and reason to move forward has long proved threatening to many religious leaders.
“Reason is a whore, the greatest enemy that faith has….”
(16th century Protestant reformation leader Martin Luther )
And now we have mean-spirited Christian nationalist Billy Boy’s son Franklin Graham flogging a 21st century version of religion’s fear of progress.
“Progressive? That’s just another word for godless.“
(Franklin Graham, from “The Evangelical Fight to Win Back California.”
New York Times, 5-27-18 )
Hell yeah.
Frankie G., please know that you are welcome to take your traveling circus tent show and leave California – and please skip Oregon while you’re out west – and all states exhibiting progressive values – and go back to the safety of the Iron Age mythology/superstition rock you have crawled out from under.
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Department Of While We’re On The Subject Of Leaving The Dark Ages
Ireland Votes to End Abortion Ban, in Rebuke to Catholic Conservatism
Not long after seeing this welcome and long-overdue headline, [1] I saw another headline, about how the pope was “setting his sights lower” – as in, concentrating missionary efforts in the countries of South American and Africa – now that Ireland seems to be going the way of other European countries (read: throwing off centuries of Roman Catholic oppression and influence).
Many people are “crediting” the late [2] Dr. Savita Halappanavar‘s (and her grieving husband’s) pitiless and primitive treatment (read: lack of it) at an Irish (read: Catholic) hospital in 2012 as yet another prime motivator in the fight to overturn Ireland’s abortion restrictions. You may remember (or have tried to forget) reading about Dr. Halappanavar’s horrific death – which was commented upon by moiself, here,
Halappanavar, a 31-year-old, 17-weeks pregnant dentist, presented with severe back pain at Galway University Hospital in late October. After doctors confirmed she was miscarrying, Ms. Halappanavar asked for a medical termination. Savita’s husband, Praveen Halappanavar, an engineer at Boston Scientific in Galway, says his wife asked several times over a three-day period that the pregnancy be terminated, but her request was refused because the fetal heartbeat was still detected (“This is a Catholic country,” Savita and Praveen were told). Savita spent a further three days “in agony” until the fetal heartbeat stopped, after which the doctors removed the dead fetus and took Savita to the intensive care unit, where she died of septicemia.
Heart-wrenching, scandalous, deplorable, merciless, primitive, callous – of the many dreadful descriptions that can be applied to this travesty of medical “care,” surprising isn’t one of them. This is what happens, outrageously but totally predictably, when governments allow interpretations of Iron Age mythologies to influence and even dictate 21st century medical decisions.
As Irish Parliament member Clare Daly pointed out, “An unviable fetus…was given priority over a woman’s life.”
So, yeah.
As to the pope “setting his sights lower” re the RC church concentrating its missionary efforts on South America & Africa, in the wake of Ireland’s vote signaling the waning of influence of RCs in Europe…Hey, you – dude in the pointy hat –
You talkin’ to me?
…don’t’ let the shamrock hit you in the ass on your way out the door. And be sure to take your snake charming charlatan saints with you.
Aye, the RC missionaries, as per their own PR, drove out the old evil pagan ways of Ireland…and brought with them…oh yes, what is it they forget to mention? Maybe it’s how they subsequently brought in their new evil ways, including Catholicism’s “empire of misogyny,” enslavement of “fallen women,” [3] restriction of medical care, religious and educational discrimination, child and adult sexual abuse by priests …. [4]
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May you understand the implications of progression;
May you be a part of any movement that causes a pope to set his sights lower;
May you continue to be patient with this blog, even when it strays too far into current events/politics and thus fails to deliver even one rousing fart joke;
…and may the hijinks ensue.
Thanks for stopping by. Au Vendredi!
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[1] for Freethinkers and anyone who cherishes religious, political and scientific freedom.
[2] “late’ as in, dead due to religiously mandated, medieval medical care restrictions.
[3] E.g. the Magdalene Laundries.
[4] There could be a bajillion other footnotes even more depressing.
