The Pope

His Holiness Francis, Bishop of Rome, addressed a Joint Meeting of the U.S. Congress and spoke for just under an hour. He touched on many topics and themes. There was much I agree with, although I can not overlook his regressive views on full marriage equality or his inability to see trans* folk as anything less than fully deserving of love and support.

One of his themes was the so-called Golden Rule. While it is not perfect (not all of us wish to be treated the same way) it is a much better approach to living in communities than the current preoccupation with personal gain at all costs. See my most recent post about personal responsibility.

Here is how he expanded on the Rule:
Let us seek for others the same which we seek for ourselves. Let us help others to grow, as we would like to be helped ourselves. In a word, if we want security, let us give security; if we want life, let us give life; if we want opportunities, let us provide opportunities. The yardstick we use for others will be the yardstick which time will use for us.”

I most certainly do not claim to always live by the rule, but am trying to.

UPDATE 09/30/2015
The Pope and the County Clerk

The term Conscientious Objector refers only to someone who is anti-draft (required military service) and offers a framework for the Objector to come up with an alternate form of service. It does not allow a pacifist to block the doors of an armory and refuse to allow the distribution of weapons to those who do serve.

Kim Davis et al are not COs but rather are practicing something closer to Civil Disobedience. As some of us are well aware, there are times and circumstances when CD is an honourable action. In this case it’s really more like a whiny brat who lost an umpire’s ruling and refuses to release the ball so others can continue to play.

Also see our follow-up post.