E.J. Dionne, Catholics and Contraception. Wherein Echidne Loses Her Cool.

E.J. Dionne:

Those of us who are liberal Catholics have remained in the church for reasons beyond tribal loyalties or a desire to honor the traditions of our parents and grandparents. At the heart of the love many of us have for the church — despite our frustrations over its abysmal handling of the pedophilia scandal and its reluctance to grant women the rights they are due — is a profound respect for the fact on so many questions that count, Catholicism walks its talk and harnesses its faith to the good works the Gospel demands.
When it comes to lifting up the poor, healing the sick, assisting immigrants and refugees, educating the young (especially in inner cities), comforting orphaned and abandoned children, and organizing the needy to act in their own interest, the church has been there with resources and an astoundingly committed band of sisters, priests, brothers and lay people. Organizations such as Catholic Charities, the Catholic Health Association, the Catholic Campaign for Human Development and Catholic Relief Services make the words of Jesus come alive every day.

His post has "culture wars" in the title, grrr.

But I really got stuck in that one sentence: "At the heart of the love many of us have for the church — despite our frustrations over its abysmal handling of the pedophilia scandal and its reluctance to grant women the rights they are due — is a profound respect for the fact on so many questions that count, Catholicism walks its talk and harnesses its faith to the good works the Gospel demands."

Do a gender reversal on that. I know it's hard to even imagine something like any major guy religion run by women (in charge, that is) but do try. Would we ever find it perfectly acceptable that such imaginary Mother/Daughter/Holyspirit church refused to let men be priests and insisted that the priestesses and the Popess decide on those men's fertility?

And sure, religions do much good. But are we supposed to close our eyes to the evil they do? Or somehow treat the good they do as a justification for going along with the evil? Why can't they stop the evil and continue with the good? And why can't I have a freedom from other people's religious beliefs?

As an aside, the argument that the contraception debacle is all about the poor Catholic bishops being discriminated against makes me check the color of the sky, to see if I'm still in the same old reality. The one in which religions are the most powerful force in keeping women downtrodden on this earth.