That Marco Rubio sure is kind

The latest from Republican goon, Marco Rubio:

Sen. Marco Rubio said Saturday that he doesn’t believe a pregnant woman infected with the Zika virus should have the right to an abortion — even if she had reason to believe the child would be born with severe microcephaly.

“I understand a lot of people disagree with my view – but I believe that all human life is worthy of protection of our laws -- and therefore I pledge that I, and my fellow Republican nitwits, will take in all the unwanted Zika babies and care for them in perpetuity."

Watta guy! At least we won't have to worry about the poor, microcephalic children. And if you think about it, it's a win-win for them. The GOP could raise them up to become the next group of super-Republicans. After all, they have to find a new pool of voters somewhere. It's either this or the snowflake babies. Because people who are fully conscious will never vote for them again.

They sure have a keen moral sense, these Republicans. I mean, you never see them falter when faced with a tough choice. I guess their gods tell them which choice is the correct one. Let's hear if for their gods: (Insert rude noise).

Pope to hold Jubilee Forgiveness Sale. Hurry, hurry!

Did you know that the Roman Catholic church sometimes has special forgiveness sales celebrations? It's true, they really do this. Pope Francis wrote a letter about an upcoming "Year of Jubilee, a celebration of forgiveness based on a biblical ritual of debt forgiveness." Now, isn't that sweet? At all other times, you go straight to hell -- but the Jubilee Year is coming and it offers hope, even to fornicating Jezebels!

It seems it's easier to be forgiven during this spiritually special year. Essentially, Jubilee Years are the equivalent of a church sale on forgiveness. But what about that letter the pope wrote? 

[H]idden within today’s letter — which offers various particulars for the coming celebration — is a discussion of abortion, something Francis describes as a “tragedy” but which he insists can be forgiven. Francis then declares a new church policy: During the jubilee year, women who have abortions will be able to receive forgiveness from a priest, an action that has historically required a bishop.

Now, isn't that marvelous? So, for a short time only, women who did what they thought was best for themselves and their families -- by having an abortion after careful thought and consideration -- can be forgiven for their giant, unspeakable sin. 

Jon O’Brien, president of Catholics for Choice, told ThinkProgress that he found the pope’s words “refreshing,” but still flawed for many Catholics.

“The letter really tells us about the approach Francis is taking generally to his papacy, being more pastoral and less political than his predecessors,” he said. “However, Francis gets it wrong, because Catholics who have abortions at the same rate as other women have stopped looking for forgiveness a long time ago. They recognize the reality of their lives is one they can embrace, and they recognize as good Catholics they can make decision about contraception and abortion in good conscience. They don’t need to be forgiven or look [for] forgiveness.”

You tell 'em, Jon. They can stick their forgiveness where the sun don't shine.

(You can probably see how the gay issue will go down the very same road. Francis is changing nothing. He's just holding sales and saying meaningless things. Thanks, Frankie!)

Next day pope news

Today many headlines say something like, "Pope Rages Against Abortion". Funny. I'd phrase it this way: "Pope tosses peanut to traditionalists". He didn't "rage" at all. He just suggested that Catholic doctors not perform abortions. Ou est la rage?

Here's a clip from a story that appeared today (it's linked above):

In his comments, Francis denounced today's "throw-away culture" that justifies disposing of lives, and said doctors in particular had been forced into situations where they are called to "not respect life." 

When he said this, the pope was speaking to a group of Catholic gynecologists. Of course he was going to say something like that. It's not like the church tossed its objections to abortion. It's the church; it can't do that. So I don't find this revealing at all.

Remember, just yesterday he cautioned Catholics not to "obsess" about this stuff. That's what's called a caveat in informed circles. I can live with the pope's peanut-toss.

But seriously, what must be going through the tortured heads of blowhard wingnuts like Bill Donohue of the infamous Catholic League? I see a stroke in his near future. Fun!

Catholic bishops try to kill women

DUBLIN — Ireland's Catholic bishops have urged lawmakers to block a government bill that would permit exceptional abortions to protect the lives of women. 

The bishops "argue that the bill is not necessary to protect women". Indeed. And what will protect them? The bishops? Hardly. There is no other course of action. The choice is stark: terminate the pregnancy, or die.

The bishops choose "die". Every day, in every way, the Catholic church shows its hatred for women.

So what's Timmy been up to?

Cardinal Timothy Dolan is like shingles -- painful and popping up all the time. If he's not attacking gays, he's attacking nuns. And when he gets bored of the latter, he attacks politicians. Which brings us to the subject of this post.

NY's Governor Cuomo plans to enshrine (no pun intended) federal abortion rights within New York law. This way if Republican nuts manage to overturn Roe v. Wade, abortion will still remain safe and legal in NY. As a result, Cuomo has awakened the sleeping Timmy monster.

New York’s Timothy Cardinal Dolan warned Gov. Cuomo to be ready for a holy battle if he tries to strengthen state abortion-rights laws.

Always with the false religion, that Timmy. But wait, it gets better.

When asked how Cuomo could still consider himself a Catholic in good standing while also promoting abortion legislation, Dolan responded: “That’s something that I talk turkey with him about.”

Always with the threats, that Timmy. But wait, didn't that remark sound a bit too strong? Maybe he needs to have his emissaries pull it back in the media. After all, was he really going to threaten Cuomo with excommunication? That is the thrust of his remarks; this can't be denied. Or can it?

Dolan spokesman Joseph Zwilling later said the cardinal did not mean to suggest that Cuomo would not be a Catholic in good standing if he went forward with the bill.

Of course not! Heaven forfend. Dear, sweet Timmy would never say anything vicious like that. Perhaps he "misspoke".

“The subject he talks turkey about was abortion,” Zwilling said.

Uh, no. It wasn't. The question he was asked concerned Cuomo's status as a "Catholic in good standing". He was threatening Cuomo's soul.

Now, there's no such thing as a soul, of course. So these remarks were as meaningless as everything else that Timmy says. But he definitely was threatening Cuomo's soul. 

Dolan is a beastly creature. He shows this every time he opens his mouth. It's too bad he wasn't elected pope. He would have tanked the church in 20 years, tops.

The insanity of Roman Catholic bishops

Ireland's Roman Catholic bishops say the public should lobby lawmakers to reject a bill that would allow abortions to save the life of the mother. 

The bishops in a statement Friday say the bill represents "a dramatic and morally unacceptable change to Irish law." 

Raping children is fine but saving the life of a woman is "morally unacceptable". That's Roman Catholicism for you. The priests speak of morality all the time but have no understanding of what the word means.

Catholic hospitals fail German public

Der Spiegel minces no words when addressing the failures of Roman Catholic health facilities in Germany.

Wanting nothing to do with a possible early termination of a pregnancy, doctors working for the Cellitines turned away a woman who was seeking help shortly before Christmas, despite the strong suspicion that she had been raped.

Last week, the order publicly downplayed the case when it made national news, calling it "very regrettable" and "a misunderstanding."

Turning away rape victims can hardly be called a misunderstanding.

This failure to meet the needs of female patients outrages Germans, and rightly so. How can this church, of all churches, pretend that it is ethical?

Catholic facilities are increasingly sealing themselves off, often behaving as if they were part of a state within a state; a cosmos subject to its own rules, which are monitored by the pope and his bishops; and a world in which federal, state and local governments have little say.

Every year, Catholic dioceses receive billions in funds from obligatory taxes paid by church members. But when it comes to scandals, such as when sexual abuse is systematically covered up and remains uninvestigated for years, citizens have little influence and are left to experience how the church energetically defends its special rights.

The internet is shining a light on the church's evil doings. I don't see how Catholicism can survive the current, heightened level of scrutiny. It's a church without ethics, without morals. This doesn't escape people's notice.

Roman Catholic church murders woman

An Irish woman is no longer alive, thanks to the Roman Catholic church. Because god is good. No, wait, I forgot: god isn't just good, he's all-good. I guess that's why the church murdered this woman. Now that I know the reason, I'm no longer confused. Move along, nothing to see here.

Cosmos in synch with GOP

As if to highlight the latest ugly turn by the GOP, there will be a giant coat hanger in the sky this week.

Some evening this week, if you turn your binoculars east-southeast and look  midway up from the horizon to the region of the sky roughly halfway between the bright stars Vega and Altair you will discover Brocchi's Cluster in the rather dim and nondescript constellation of Vulpecula, the Little Fox. (Snip.) Those who have seen it have described it as a rather curious grouping of about a dozen tiny stars looking very much like an inverted coat hanger.

Hallelujah! The end of abortion is nigh! The sky (which is controlled by Jeebus) tells us so. Or is this a sign from some other god, telling us that we must keep abortion on the books lest women resort to hangers to end their pregnancies?

Signs are notoriously difficult to interpret. Hopefully, Pat Robertson or Bill Donohue will step in to tell us what this means. Or perhaps dog will visit me and give me a hint. I'll get back to you immediately if he does.

Sickening arrogance

Reading the news, it horrifies me to see so many states trying to outlaw gay marriage. I mean, here is a group of elected lawmakers with virtually no gay members -- and they get to decide how my life should proceed and what rights I'm entitled to?

I mean, imagine if male congress-critters were trying to tell women whether or not they could have an abortion.

Oh, wait!