As the world welcomes a new pope, some interesting discussions are taking place. According to a March 14 article on American Thinker.com, there are some very disappointed Catholics because Pope Francis I is not the "new direction" that they anticipated. From the time that Pope Benedict announced his abdication, the progressive voices from within and without have spoken longingly of a new pope who would bring the antiquated Catholic Church into the 21st century.
Whatever change the modernists expected, it appeared that they thought it was coming to fruition Wednesday when a soft-spoken and humble Jesuit from Latin America came out on the verandah. Pope Francis addressed the jubilant multitudes quite differently than his predecessors, actually requesting his subjects to offer prayer on his behalf!
The news pundits discovered that he lived modestly in Argentina, living in a simple apartment and riding the bus, eschewing his palace and chauffeur-driven car in deference to the poor. They were ecstatic that things were finally changing, or so it seemed.
The media engaged in enthusiastic discussion about the future of the Catholic Church, talking about the "inclusion" of all groups of society, which sounded perfectly aligned with the Christian concept of loving your fellow man. However, "inclusion" was a progressive code word for "acceptance," and acceptance meant acceptance of any lifestyle, behavior, or moral principles or the lack thereof.
Only a day or so later, the media, the public, and the Catholics around the world realize that Pope Francis is, of course, Catholic! He is going to uphold the basic moral tenets of the Catholic Church that have been in place for around two thousand years such as: sanctity of life and sanctity of marriage.
Many who were watching with anticipation for the ancient walls to crumble suddenly found themselves very disenchanted.
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