Yes, I’m working. And no, I shouldn’t be blogging. But some things should be pointed out. First, go check Hoyden About Town blog for a great entry yesterday, when IWD 2009 was celebrated. The theme for this year, by the United Nations, was “2009: Women and men united to end violence against women and girls“.
Today’s essay topic is on the 2009 International Women’s Day. Compare and contrast, in under ten words, the following news items:
First – from BBC News: Vatican backs abortion row bishop
A senior Vatican cleric has defended the excommunication in Brazil of the mother and doctors of a young girl who had an abortion with their help. The nine-year-old had conceived twins after alleged abuse by her stepfather.
Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re told Italian paper La Stampa that the twins “had the right to live” and attacks on Brazil’s Catholic Church were unfair.
… Brazil only permits abortions in cases of rape or health risks to the mother. Doctors said the girl’s case met both these conditions, but the Archbishop of Olinda and Recife, Jose Cardoso Sobrinho said the law of God was above any human law.
He said the excommunication would apply to the child’s mother and the doctors, but not to the girl because of her age.
Second – from ABC Australia News: Protests Mark International Women’s Day
The Vatican took a different spin on Women’s Day, proclaiming what has liberated Western women the most is none other than the washing machine.
“The debate is still open. Some say it was the pill, others the liberalisation of abortion, or being able to work outside the home. Others go even further: the washing machine,” the official Vatican newspaper said.
Welcome to 2009. Please keep the ire down, women, whilst you write your response – we’re still deciding if you should be allowed to remain barefoot whilst all this is going on. You know, so you don’t run out of the place screaming and wielding a pitchfork…
![[Valid RSS]](http://img501.imageshack.us/img501/9879/validrsscf0.png "Validate my RSS feed")
{ 15 comments }
You almost expect the next line to be “The washing machine gives women more time to do other chores around the house – like Dusting, Cooking, Scrubbing floors and making themselves pretty for when their husbands get home at night after a long day at work.”
…and being subservient to that husband, and the community, and the church, because if your child is hurt, you really shouldn’t rock the boat. Put another load into the dryer instead.
Back to the kitchen, you!
Oh my dear PodBlack Cat, I am still surprised sometimes by these fools from the dark ages. Surprised, then angered, then reminded that it was these same hypocritical, funny-hat wearing bastards who looked the other way while their so-called teachers/leaders diddled little boys.
I do sometimes wish there were a Hell like the one in the old testament of the bible. One with fire and brimstone to put these pieces of shite into for a week or six.
Now I won’t sleep
I have no words other than, maybe, I am not surprised.
Yeah, I shouldn’t be surprised, B.
And I should really stop gnawing the edges off my copy of ‘On Luck And Chance: Need for Control as a Mediator of the Attribution of Events to Luck’ because I should be annotating it rather than responding in frustration to these articles!! :/
I dunno. The washing machine definitely freed up my husband to spend more time rubbing my feet. It has my vote.
So let me get this straight, according to the Bishop this girl is old enough to carry twins to full term, but too young to be held “accountable” for the “sin” of removing a high risk pregnancy from her undeveloped body.
Has anybody talked about ex-communicating the Stepfather?
As for my washing machine, what about the 13th Apostle – James Dyson?
I want a little gold Dyson to wear on a chain around my neck. And forget about women priests, even men use a dyson!
xx
1. old enough to carry a high risk pregnancy but too young to be ex-communicated?
2. is stepfather being ex-communicated? he isn’t on the well thought out and logical list/
3. why isn’t James Dyson being canonised? I mean even Men use a Dyson.
xx
funny how the catholic church excommunicates for abortion yet, welcomes child rapists – oh that’s right catholic clergy -nuff said.
I was libertated by an electrical appliance, but it wasn’t washing anything!
Too much blogging. Not enough cleaning my clothes. chop chop!!! (gotta keep women busy or they’ll find the machine that replaces us men)
Sometimes I wonder if the Catholic Church doesn’t keep up a veneer of the absurd for the sake of appearances. You just imagine a bunch of celibate men with nothing much else to do than laugh at how many people still take them seriously. Hmmm maybe I shouldn’t subscribe to conspiracy theories. The sad thing is they probably do take themselves seriously.
One wonders if it’s just a product of religion (or as I like to say, kooky beliefs) or if Bishop Song was right and catholic priests need to get married off and start having daughters before they realize the consequences of their own misogyny.
Correct me if I am wrong, but the logic is that aborting the twins is usurping the role of God, who would decide if the twins and/or the girl will die, right?
Given the vast numbers of unanswered prayers in the world, I think I’d rather be a sinner than take my chances that God wants me to be a martyr.
And just what is the logic of ex-communicating sinners? Aren’t they most in need of saving?
Ugh. I will NEVER understand religion. I thought I did, but I don’t.
As for the washing machine, still no words.
Heidi – are you really willing to sacrifice your sight for your freedom? Brave girl! ;P
My wife said “what’s a washing machine?”.
To be fair, Joe Anderson @ #3, to the best of my knowledge the Old Testament doesn’t mention Hell. That’s a New Testament invention. Yeah, the same New Testament that’s all about “love” and “hope”. I guess it’s true what they say: you can’t know hope until you’re introduced to despair (sorry to anyone named Hope).
Comments on this entry are closed.