Today In The USA

The Oklahoman in a report titled, “Controversial crucifix creates rift at Warr Acres church” points out a problem for the Catholic church as it confronts a sexual scandal of Biblical proportions.

The report also reveals the furor within an Oklahoma congregation as it confronts what some are calling “Jesus porn”.

The Rev. Philip Seeton of St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in Warr Acres, Oklahoma defends the crucifix, which is about 10 feet tall and hangs above the main altar. The good reverend says that the area of the crucifix in question is meant to depict Jesus’ abdomen “showing distension” and not a penis.

Yeah, Reverend, sure it is…

For comparison purposes, here is a picture of the original San Damiano cross, a common Catholic icon that originated in Italy in the 12th century.

And here is a full-sized picture of the “Okie version“.

By the way, the original is 22 inches x 16 inches while the “Okie version” is reportedly about ten feet tall, no mention of of width which is probably around six feet.

So what does the Monsignor Edward Weisenburger of the Oklahoma City Archdiocese think of the crucifix? Apparently he sees no problem with it and that means it will take someone higher in the pecking order of the Catholic church to “know it when you see it”.

Meantime, one of the comments to The Oklahoma report pretty much sums it up best, “He is risen…indeed.”

The Rev. James Scahill of St. Michael’s Church in East Longmeadow, Massachusetts has done something that few in the the Catholic church have had the balls to do, namely calling for the pope to resign over the church’s sexual abuse scandal.

As the scandal enveloping Pope Benedict XVI and his “accommodations” for a priest accused of child sex abuse thirty years ago refuses to die down, one might expect that more than one priest might be speaking out and calling the Pope on his “accommodations” for accused child-molesting priests.

Don’t hold your breath…

And don’t expect Reverend Scahill’s sermon on Divine Mercy Sunday to escape the notice of the folks in Rome.

Especially when Scahill said things such as, “If he can’t take the consequences of being truthful on this matter, his integrity should lead him, for the good of the church, to step down and to have the conclave of cardinals elect a pope with the understanding that the elected pope would be willing to take on this issue, not just in promise.”

Wonder if Pope Benedict XVI will be as “accommodating” of one ballsy priest with a knack for stating the obvious as he was for an accused child molester?

Don’t count on it…

Read it at Priest calls for pope’s resignation and watch for changes at St. Michael’s Church.

Does it seem to you that church sex scandals are losing the intensity they once generated?

As one who remembers the infamous church sex scandals of the 1980’s it seems that today’s versions just don’t compare. Or maybe we have just become hardened to horny preachers getting some “strange”.

The church sex scandal in the news currently is that involving the Paulk family and their megachurch, the Chapel Hill Harvester Church outside Atlanta.

Times have been “hard” for the Paulk family of recent, as various family members have been accused in various sex scandals and even one or two family members have admitted to, well, to getting some strange.

Now it turns out that the current head pastor of the church, D.E. Paulk, will probably need to stop calling Earl Paulk “Uncle Earl” and start calling him “Daddy”. This after court ordered DNA testing revealed that Earl Paulk, rather than his brother Don Paulk, is “Daddy” to 34-year-old D.E. Paulk.

Whoopsy.

Anyhow, you can read it at Sex Scandal Rocks Atlanta-Area Megachurch and wonder about your own Uncle Earl who always seemed to have a special interest in how you were doing…