Lockdown Update Day 218

[elisi]

I am too angry about the news tonight, so instead I will share some good things:

Vox: Everywhere basic income has been tried, in one map
Which countries have experimented with basic income — and what were the results?

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BREAKING: Pope Francis endorses same-sex civil unions for the first time as pope while being interviewed for the feature-length documentary “Francesco.” “Homosexual people have the right to be in a family. They are children of God,” Francis said. https://t.co/09ita0KtSI

— The Associated Press (@AP) October 21, 2020

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And I'm not crying, you're crying. (Context: the boy lost his dad in the Parkland shooting.)

I'm one of those who frets that the election will be much closer than the polls indicate. That in a world where non-voters are never targeted by Dems, huge turnout could contain multitudes. So I'm dropping some old footage of Joe Biden here: pic.twitter.com/74UROClgbh

— Arun Chaudhary (@ArunChaud) October 21, 2020

Comments

[lirazel]

It's wild to me that Pope Francis can move towards affirmation of queer people (which of course is a good thing), but it's still out of bounds to suggest that women can become priests.

[jerusha]

I am just so hoping that we elect someone (lots of someones) with actual empathy...

[lynnenne]

Wow, I’d never seen that footage of Biden before. Really touching.

[elisi]

Bear in mind the rules have been in place for 2 millennia... Change takes time.

[elisi]

So much. I'm cheering you on very loudly from across the ocean.

[elisi]

I well up every time.

[lirazel]

Oh, of course. I was more reflecting on how different the Catholic attitude is to the evangelical protestant one. Most of the protestant groups in the US that I know of are closer to embracing women as leaders (or already have) than to embracing queer people on their own terms. I've always assumed the trajectory was equality for women --> full affirmation of queer people.

[elisi]

Ahhh. Yes, very different viewpoints.

And I remember reading about same sex couples getting blessings in the church in the middle ages (can't remember where, but I ought to look it up), so there is even precedent.

However none of it changes the basic teaching on marriage, so it's more a case of expanding other areas, if that makes sense.

[lirazel]

Yeah, and it's all so tangled up together. Gender is even more fraught in Christianity than it is in most traditions and gender is fraught for everyone.

[elisi]

Uh-huh. Thousands of years' worth of baggage, and it might take that long to untangle. :(

[sea_thoughts]

The Pope endorsing same-sex unions is great!

[geekslave.livejournal.com]

That last tweet...someone's cutting onions right under my nose. 😭

Stacey

[gillo]

We can't be doing with undeserving poor children getting to eat food now, can we? There's an obesity problem, so starving will do 'em good.

Yes, incandescent with fury here too. But the Pope did a good thing.

[kikimay]

Pope Francis is an exceptional man. Of course one can disagree with his positions or not believe in religion and so on, but I think he's trying his best to reform the Roman Church and make it more open to people and that's good. Also he seems funny, with I personally like. And, since in my country the Church has an enormous power, his words are important even for non-christians.

[kazzy-cee.livejournal.com]

Wishing you the birthday you would want for today and a year ahead that's even better than that!

Happy birthday!

[classics-lover.livejournal.com]

My family are Very Catholic and of all the Popes in my lifetime Pope Francis is the one I've liked the best. However, he does have a tendency to put his foot in his mouth just as much as he is supportive about queer people but this is SO HUGE.

Also, I was talking to my mum about one of my bosses and his husband and she was asking what the right term was, was one of them a wife, and it was so homophobic but in an I know I'm ignorant and I want to do better kind of way. Aw, she must have heard about this ♥

[elisi]

2020 did something GOOD!?!

[elisi]

Same here. I have watched it about 10 times now, and I well up every time.

[elisi]

Yes, incandescent with fury here too.
Always reminds me of this:


But the Pope did a good thing.
Good news in 2020 is strange, I'm not sure how to feel.

[elisi]

*nods* He seems like someone who cares about people rather than rules. And I really hope this will help change hearts & minds of those who would otherwise not be open to these ideas.

[elisi]

Thank youuuuu! ♥

(I say, days late. But I saw your comment on the day.)

[elisi]

My family are Very Catholic and of all the Popes in my lifetime Pope Francis is the one I've liked the best. However, he does have a tendency to put his foot in his mouth just as much as he is supportive about queer people but this is SO HUGE.
Catholic born & bred here too (although Scandinavian, so not embedded in the culture in the same way), but yeah, huge. Really hope this makes a difference to those who would generally side with the homophobes.

Also, I was talking to my mum about one of my bosses and his husband and she was asking what the right term was, was one of them a wife, and it was so homophobic but in an I know I'm ignorant and I want to do better kind of way. Aw, she must have heard about this ♥
Wanting to learn is such a good thing! (And as a mother of rainbow children, this was personally very reaffirming.)

[classics-lover.livejournal.com]

When I visited the Vatican with my uncle (a priest - CAtholicism is inescapable in my family LOL XD) I was able to get a tour of the Archives and oh, my days it was amazing. Benedict did an amazing restoration on it before abdicating. Same day Pope Francis had a public audience with some victims of clerical child abuse from Argentina, and said some wonderful things. (I mean the next day he also said some victim blamey things, but two steps forward one step back is still one step forward).

[elisi]

When I visited the Vatican with my uncle
Lucky you! Sounds amazing.

Re. Catholic families, then my father is a deacon, and my husband was a chorister at Westminster Cathedral when he was young (and has sung in the Vatican), so I too am immersed... :)

Same day Pope Francis had a public audience with some victims of clerical child abuse from Argentina, and said some wonderful things. (I mean the next day he also said some victim blamey things, but two steps forward one step back is still one step forward).
Love how you put that.

[classics-lover.livejournal.com]

I ran out of energy but it really really was!

I art history nerded out. I'll see if I can find the pic of me in the Library.

THanks :)

[elisi]

I art history nerded out. I'll see if I can find the pic of me in the Library.
Oooh. I'd love to see that. <3 <3 <3