An Open Letter to Pope Francis:
Pope Francis,
Thank you for speaking out about many issues related to justice, especially the vast divide between the rich and poor and the pillage by those rich of the natural resources of this earth causing the disastrous consequences of climate change, pollution, etc. Hopefully your words will be an inspiration to bring about positive change.
You speak about the causes of these problems, not content to just focus on the evidence of the problem itself and suggest that to remedy these problems the cause must be addressed.
However, when it comes to all matters related to sex, you focus in your church teaching, just on women and their responsibilties as you see it, especially forbidding contraception and abortion. Last time I looked conception required the participation of men. No virgin births.
Do you not see that when you speak about protecting life from cradle to grave and do not mention the responsibilities and role that men have, you are distorting the truth of what really goes on?
Next time you speak about the culture of life and protection of life from cradle to grave, in order to present the truth about the sources for a lot of these problems, you need to mention that men and boys need to be responsible for their actions.
Because the truth of the matter is that in many, many cases MEN ARE THE ONES WHO CARRY THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY for the conception of a child. I repeat, bear the SOLE RESPONSIBILITY. A woman is eternally vulnerable to all forms of rape during the whole of her fertile life: incest, date rape, marital rape. If she suffers rape, then the victim is blamed when she tries to protect herself from the consequences of the violence perpetrated against her.
In addition to the violence and terror that she suffers from rape, a woman then, if she carries a pregnancy to term, must bear the huge financial burdens of caring for a child forced on her and/or making the wrenching decision to give up the child. Even in consensual sex, many men just walk away from their responsibilities if a woman gets pregnant.
In addition, no woman goes through a pregnancy without the possiblity of death... why is it the health of a woman comes secondary to some rationalistic 'natural law' which was conceived in the minds of medieval men, which says that her life must be forfeit for the possiblity of the life of the child she is carrying? This principle was made up by men who were far removed from the reality of life.
Why are the responsiblities of Men not forefront in this conversation? Where is the mention that men need to take responsiblity for their procreative power, not only for bringing new life into this world but for providing for it economically and emotionally?
In church teaching MEN ARE GIVEN A PASS ON MORAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR CONCEPTION AND CARE OF CHILDREN.
Why do you not address men and boys and teach them that:
1. Rape in all its forms is violent, wrong and immoral: date rape, marital rape, rape. Rape is a crime. A man is solely responsible for any new life created here. Why is the prime responsibility of the man not spoken about? Do you know the serious problem that rape and sexual assault and abuse is on college campus' today? Why is this not a mortal sin? Why are men not excommunciated because of this? Where is the moral teaching about this aimed at MEN?
2. Incest is a hideous betrayal of a girl and scars her for life. Incest is a crime. A man is solely responsible for any new life created here. Why is the prime responsibility of a man not spoken about? Why are women made to carry the responsibility? Why is this not a mortal sin? Why are men not excommunciated because of this? Where is the moral teaching about this aimed at MEN?
3. In order to care for a child, there must be enough financial support for the life of the child for all its needs including child care if the mother has to work. This is a MORAL ISSUE. Why are there not pastoral statements about the responsibility of men to financially provide for the results of their sexual activities? Why no pastoral statements about dead beat dads not paying child support. Why no pastoral statements about men having consensual sex, running out on a woman if she conceives? Where is the justice here? Why do women have to bear the burden alone?
WHY ARE MEN NOT MADE MORALLY ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR SEXUAL CRIMES AND ACTIVITIES IN CHURCH TEACHINGS?
Can you not see how distorting of reality that this silence in church teachings about the responsibility of men is? This is what is described as part of the patriarchal oppression of the church on women.
If you truly believe in truth and justice, then the RESPONSIBILITY OF MEN FOR CONCEPTION AND CARING OF A CHILD must be spoken about. And their sins against women and life must be taught to men and boys. Justice must be brought to bear on this issue.
SILENCE ABOUT THIS IS A LIE. SILENCE ABOUT THIS IS A DISTORTION OF REALITY.
This is an example of the extreme prejudice towards women of the church.
SET AN EXAMPLE BY CORRECTING THIS INJUSTICE TOWARDS WOMEN.
Thank you for listening.
Sea Turtle
UPDATE:
If you agree with this dairy and think it would be a good thing to get it into circulation, please pass it on via usual places: FB, Twitter, etc. This huge inconsistency needs to be exposed and brought to the attention of Pope Francis, et al. But most of all, WE need to see exactly how unjust this is.
As I said in a comment below:
when I woke up this morning, for some reason, this thought came to me.... and I thought, dayum, why had I not seen it before?
And then realized that it is because the church has institutionalized sexism/patriarchy so thoroughly that we don't even think about a different way to look at things. Sort of like institutionalize racism, where we just don't see what the oppression of this white culture is doing to our brothers and sisters of color.
We need to break through this deep, deep denial. But first we have to see it clearly. Please help by passing this on.
Tx.