Crisis in Christendom: Vicars of the Christ through the years
Pope is the spiritual leader of 1.3 billion Catholics who form a major part of 2.2 billion Christians. The pontiff symbolizes the rule of God himself over hearts and minds of the faithful. Their words weigh in the halls of power, and in the bedrooms of the followers. The papacy is the oldest as well as the most influential of all human institutions. They determined the fate of yet to be discovered world between colonial powers in the name of peace, and they plunged nations and continents into war. Historical studies of the Vatican through the years have reflected on greed, sex, wealth, power, and world domination. Papal history though the past 1900 years illuminate on the corrupt election process in the Vatican. Politics, cronyism, favoritism and influence of money thrust one improbable candidate after another into the position of the ecclesiastical jurisdiction as the Holy See and the successor of Apostle St. Peter.
In Chapter Three, entitled “Set above Nations” the author discusses attempts by some leaders to reform the church but the popes themselves were deeply embroiled in the internecine dynastic warfare of the Roman nobility. The election to the chair of Apostle Peter was frequently a commodity for sale or barter. New bishops were required to pay large sums of money to the ruler who had nominated them. At the opening of the eleventh century the papacy was a contradictory mixture of exalted theory and squalid reality. In theory the bishops of Rome were lords of the world, exercising a unique spiritual supremacy symbolized by their exclusive right to anoint the western or 'Holy Roman' Emperor. In practice, the popes were subordinated to the power of the local Roman aristocracy or to the German ruling house. This struggle progressively helped the Holy Father to gain upper hand in European politics. The Roman Catholic Church encouraged catholicization of the new colonies often using brute force. Native Americans and other populations across the globe were subjected to pressure and heavy-handedness to abandon their own culture, beliefs and practices. In this regard, the British, Spanish and Portuguese invaders promoted Christianism in Africa, Asia and the Americas. The resistance to Biblical influence from smaller sects within Europe was met with brutal wars and tragic ends to their leaders and followers. The church orchestrated genocide of Cathars, an ascetic sect of France who believed that God and the Devil shared the world. But in the year 1231 C.E many were subjected to horrific tortures and burned on the stake including thousands of supposed witches, wizards, and sorcerers. The Knights Templar had a distinguished record of service to Christendom but fell under suspicion of the church and many leaders were burnt alive.
After massacring the entire population in the Italian town of Palestrina, Pope Boniface VIII (1294-1303) indulged in ménages with a married woman and her daughter and became renowned through Rome as a shameless pedophile. He famously declared that having sex with young boys was no more a sin than rubbing one hand against the other. Pope Innocent VIII (1484-92) is remembered as the Golden Age of Bastards: He acknowledged eight illegitimate sons and was known to have many more. On his death bed, he ordered a comely wet nurse to supply him with milk fresh from her breast. The romantic Pope Julius III (1550-55) fell in love with a handsome young man and appointed this illiterate 17-year-old kid as a cardinal, inspiring an epic poem, “In Praise of Sodomy.” When Pope Sixtus III (432-40) went on trial for seducing a nun. He was acquitted after quoting from Christ in his defense: “Let you who are without sin cast the first stone.” Pope Sergius III (904-11) auctioned off top Vatican jobs like baubles and gewgaw. The 16-year-old Pope John XII (955-64) had incestual relationship with his two sisters was killed at the age of 27 by a jealous husband when the Pope was found in bed with his wife. Pope John X had no principles in his diplomatic, political or private conduct. He spurned his mistress Theodora who helped him to the pontification and enticed the charming young daughter of Hugh of Provence into his papal bedroom. Spurned, Theodora then married Guido, Marquis of Tuscany, and together they carried out a coup d'état against Pope John X. Soon after this Theodora died suddenly by suspected poisoning. Pope John X entered into a bitter quarrel with Theodora’s daughter Marozia, Marozia led a group of nobles and drove Pope John X and his troops out of the city. The next bishop of Rome was Pope John XI, the son of Marozia, was also a true debauchee and incestuous Satanist who liked to dance with scantily clad women who looked similar to his mother Marozia. The two voluptuous Imperial women, Theodora and her daughter Marozia, "ruled the papacy of the tenth century" as the renowned Vatican historian Cardinal Caesar Baronius (1538—1607) called it the "Rule of the Whores"
Sunday, February 26, 2017
Saturday, February 25, 2017
Book Reviewed: A Dark History: the Popes: Vice, Murder, and Corruption in the Vatican by Brenda Ralph Lewis
Scandals in the history of Roman Catholic Church
In this book, the author reviews the Roman Catholic Church history in light of the Papal roll, and re-create the political, social and economic history at different reigns. This brings different pontiffs to life, and identifies the lowest form of life in some leaders who needed more “saving from Christ” than the mainstream followers of the church. This is a comprehensive overview of the 1700 year history of the papacy with selected examples as how they ran the hierarchy. It turns out that many Holy Fathers served their own interests with total disregard for the welfare of the Catholic Church. God was too far removed from bureaucratic and political machinery of the Roman enclave. There is a long list in the Vatican Hall of Shame!
The author discusses in some detail as how the church orchestrated the virtual genocide of Cathars, an ascetic sect centered on the Southwest of France who believed that God and the Devil shared the world. In the year 1231 C.E the first inquisition was held and many were subjected to horrific tortures and burned on the stake including thousands of supposed witches, wizards, and sorcerers. Any dissent from the beliefs of the church was met with papal wrath. Catholic Church committed most heinous crimes in the name of the religion. Tolerance was a dirty word in medieval Europe and Christian belief in particular. Pope Gregory IX appointed Dominican friars as the chief investigators of heresy and non-Christian beliefs in Europe and they took full advantage of the vast powers from the church. Nobles, commoners, priests and everyone who fell under suspicion were persecuted. The Knights Templar had a distinguished record of service to Christendom but fell under suspicion of the church and many leaders were burnt alive.
Pope Alexander VI formerly known as Rodrigo Borgia ascended to power by violence, murder, bribery and ruthlessness comparable only to the organized crime families centuries later. Pope Calixtus III who was elected in 1455 excelled at nepotism. He packed the Vatican bureaucracy with relatives in lucrative posts. To him papacy was a business to be milked and exploited for gain. He also approved Spain and Portugal to engage in the salve trade. Repression and brutality was approved by the Vatican to impose Catholicism on Native Americans.
The book also discusses the handling of Galileo’s case. The church which increasingly feared that the emerging field of astronomy and physics was going to explain the physical reality without the direct involvement of God. Astronomers were entertaining the idea that heavens were cosmic structures like earth and they circle the Sun, and Earth is not the center of the universe. This was devastating to the fundamental Christian beliefs. Galileo was put under house arrest. Under threat of torture, imprisonment and even burning at the stake, he was forced, on his knees, to "abjure, curse and detest" a lifetime of brilliant scientific work. Pope Urban VIII was brutal in persecuting a great astrophysicist, and Catholic Church was relentless on other would-be scientists embracing Galileo’s science.
Pedophilia and sodomy was widely practiced by numerous popes. Pope Benedict IX, (1032-48), Pope Boniface VIII (1294-1303), and Pope Julius III (1550-55) were some of the biggest pedophiles preying upon young men in the Vatican. Pope Bon vivant Clement VI (1342-52) had numerous mistresses and suffered from gonorrhea. Pope Sixtus IV (1471-84), who founded the Sistine Chapel, had six illegitimate sons and charged priests for keeping mistresses. Pope Alexander VI (1492-1503) presided over more sex-orgies than Sunday Masses, wrote author Edward Gibbon. After his death — quite possibly poisoned by his pathological son, this pope’s body was expelled from the basilica of Saint Peter as too evil to be buried in sacred soil. Pope Julius II (1503-13) is remembered for commissioning Michelangelo to paint the Sistine Chapel’s ceiling also suffered from syphilis. On Good Friday of 1508, he was unable to allow his feet to be kissed by the faithful as it was completely covered with syphilitic sores. Innocenzo Ciocchi del Monte (c. 1532–1577) was a notorious Cardinal whose sodomy relationship with Pope Julius III caused grave scandal in the early 16th century.
The book is easy to read with plenty of colored paintings of the past popes and historical structures. The reader can relate well with the history. The historical narratives support the existence of sodomy and pedophilia in the church. It is apparent that such sex abuse claims within the church is not recent. This hideous practice is a formidable challenge since pedophilia is not reported in developing countries for the fear of retaliation and recrimination.
In this book, the author reviews the Roman Catholic Church history in light of the Papal roll, and re-create the political, social and economic history at different reigns. This brings different pontiffs to life, and identifies the lowest form of life in some leaders who needed more “saving from Christ” than the mainstream followers of the church. This is a comprehensive overview of the 1700 year history of the papacy with selected examples as how they ran the hierarchy. It turns out that many Holy Fathers served their own interests with total disregard for the welfare of the Catholic Church. God was too far removed from bureaucratic and political machinery of the Roman enclave. There is a long list in the Vatican Hall of Shame!
The author discusses in some detail as how the church orchestrated the virtual genocide of Cathars, an ascetic sect centered on the Southwest of France who believed that God and the Devil shared the world. In the year 1231 C.E the first inquisition was held and many were subjected to horrific tortures and burned on the stake including thousands of supposed witches, wizards, and sorcerers. Any dissent from the beliefs of the church was met with papal wrath. Catholic Church committed most heinous crimes in the name of the religion. Tolerance was a dirty word in medieval Europe and Christian belief in particular. Pope Gregory IX appointed Dominican friars as the chief investigators of heresy and non-Christian beliefs in Europe and they took full advantage of the vast powers from the church. Nobles, commoners, priests and everyone who fell under suspicion were persecuted. The Knights Templar had a distinguished record of service to Christendom but fell under suspicion of the church and many leaders were burnt alive.
Pope Alexander VI formerly known as Rodrigo Borgia ascended to power by violence, murder, bribery and ruthlessness comparable only to the organized crime families centuries later. Pope Calixtus III who was elected in 1455 excelled at nepotism. He packed the Vatican bureaucracy with relatives in lucrative posts. To him papacy was a business to be milked and exploited for gain. He also approved Spain and Portugal to engage in the salve trade. Repression and brutality was approved by the Vatican to impose Catholicism on Native Americans.
The book also discusses the handling of Galileo’s case. The church which increasingly feared that the emerging field of astronomy and physics was going to explain the physical reality without the direct involvement of God. Astronomers were entertaining the idea that heavens were cosmic structures like earth and they circle the Sun, and Earth is not the center of the universe. This was devastating to the fundamental Christian beliefs. Galileo was put under house arrest. Under threat of torture, imprisonment and even burning at the stake, he was forced, on his knees, to "abjure, curse and detest" a lifetime of brilliant scientific work. Pope Urban VIII was brutal in persecuting a great astrophysicist, and Catholic Church was relentless on other would-be scientists embracing Galileo’s science.
Pedophilia and sodomy was widely practiced by numerous popes. Pope Benedict IX, (1032-48), Pope Boniface VIII (1294-1303), and Pope Julius III (1550-55) were some of the biggest pedophiles preying upon young men in the Vatican. Pope Bon vivant Clement VI (1342-52) had numerous mistresses and suffered from gonorrhea. Pope Sixtus IV (1471-84), who founded the Sistine Chapel, had six illegitimate sons and charged priests for keeping mistresses. Pope Alexander VI (1492-1503) presided over more sex-orgies than Sunday Masses, wrote author Edward Gibbon. After his death — quite possibly poisoned by his pathological son, this pope’s body was expelled from the basilica of Saint Peter as too evil to be buried in sacred soil. Pope Julius II (1503-13) is remembered for commissioning Michelangelo to paint the Sistine Chapel’s ceiling also suffered from syphilis. On Good Friday of 1508, he was unable to allow his feet to be kissed by the faithful as it was completely covered with syphilitic sores. Innocenzo Ciocchi del Monte (c. 1532–1577) was a notorious Cardinal whose sodomy relationship with Pope Julius III caused grave scandal in the early 16th century.
The book is easy to read with plenty of colored paintings of the past popes and historical structures. The reader can relate well with the history. The historical narratives support the existence of sodomy and pedophilia in the church. It is apparent that such sex abuse claims within the church is not recent. This hideous practice is a formidable challenge since pedophilia is not reported in developing countries for the fear of retaliation and recrimination.
Thursday, February 23, 2017
Book Reviewed: The Face of Water: A Translator on Beauty and Meaning in the Bible, by Sarah Ruden
Bible: The translation and reinterpretation of selected passages
Author Sarah Ruden takes a fresher look at the translation of selected texts from the ancient Hebrew version of Old and New Testaments. The commonly used Bible is the King James Version (KJV) that is largely focused on religious and theological meaning rather than the cultural and historical significance of the texts. In the last fifty years, Biblical scholars have challenged the idea that New Testament is a sacred scripture. John Dominic Crossan, Robert Funk, James R. Butts, Barnes Tatum and Elaine Pagels have used historical and cultural methods to interpret Jesus’ parables and apostolic writings. This group created “Jesus Seminar” to discuss the Gospels, Epistles, and Parables of Jesus to understand the real Jesus However the church had the drive to find “God” in these writings, hence many translators and commentators “overlook” smaller details that may have given a different meaning to the texts of the “sacred scripture.”
Christianism arose when a small group of Jews became convinced that their leader, a poor and relatively uneducated man from the tiny town of Nazareth (a back-water of the Galilee), whom the Romans tortured to death as a troublemaker had risen from death. He is known to have paid with his own life for the sins of others. How can another man pay for our sins? Is that logical or rational? But for more than two billion people this is a divine truth; we have to accept Jesus as a savoir so that all our sins are forgiven. Then we are reborn and will find ever lasting peace in heaven (John 3:16.)
The first Bible translated by Jerome into the Latin version (Vulgate) occurred almost 500 years after the crucifixion of Jesus. Martin Luther’s Bible in German was published in the early sixteenth century. William Tyndale lost his life popularizing the sacred scriptures as the Word of God and everyone has the right to read it. This was a revolutionary thought for those days but the publication of the King James Version of Bible in 1611 challenged the monopoly of Roman Catholic Church on the interpretation of the Holy Scriptures.
One interesting conclusion reached by the author is with regards to Paul and his epistles. The first four Pauline epistles in conjunction with the four canonical gospels forms a major work in the teachings of Jesus, but she boldly suggests that Paul did not write about willingness to “give up my body to be burned” (1 Corinthians 13:3.) It is really give up my body so that I can boast about it. But that is not what came out of the pulpit, observes Sarah Ruden. Paul is discussed in greater detail in her previous book, “Paul among the People: The Apostle Reinterpreted and Reimagined in His Own Time.”
Some of the passages translated in this book includes; Paul on circumcision (Galatians 5:1-12); Ten Commandments (Deuteronomy 5:6-21 and Leviticus 19:18); fragile joys of life (Ecclesiastes 9:7-11); Ezekiel’s Dry Bones (Ezekiel 37:1-14 and Genesis 1:1-15); the story of David and Bathsheba (2 Samuel II 12:7); The beatitudes of (Mathew 5:3-12); Genesis 1:1-5; and Mathew 6: 9-13 (The Lord’s Prayer).
There is a chapter on the re-interpretation of the Parables of Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), which concludes that you must know who your friends are. Paul on the love of God through Jesus (Roman 8:31-39) and Revelation’s Martyr’s in Paradise (Revelation 7:9-17) are few interesting translations and interpretations I have read in this book. Proverbs 27:19 says, “As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects man,” which may have played a role in the mind of the author for the title of this book.
Author Sarah Ruden takes a fresher look at the translation of selected texts from the ancient Hebrew version of Old and New Testaments. The commonly used Bible is the King James Version (KJV) that is largely focused on religious and theological meaning rather than the cultural and historical significance of the texts. In the last fifty years, Biblical scholars have challenged the idea that New Testament is a sacred scripture. John Dominic Crossan, Robert Funk, James R. Butts, Barnes Tatum and Elaine Pagels have used historical and cultural methods to interpret Jesus’ parables and apostolic writings. This group created “Jesus Seminar” to discuss the Gospels, Epistles, and Parables of Jesus to understand the real Jesus However the church had the drive to find “God” in these writings, hence many translators and commentators “overlook” smaller details that may have given a different meaning to the texts of the “sacred scripture.”
Christianism arose when a small group of Jews became convinced that their leader, a poor and relatively uneducated man from the tiny town of Nazareth (a back-water of the Galilee), whom the Romans tortured to death as a troublemaker had risen from death. He is known to have paid with his own life for the sins of others. How can another man pay for our sins? Is that logical or rational? But for more than two billion people this is a divine truth; we have to accept Jesus as a savoir so that all our sins are forgiven. Then we are reborn and will find ever lasting peace in heaven (John 3:16.)
The first Bible translated by Jerome into the Latin version (Vulgate) occurred almost 500 years after the crucifixion of Jesus. Martin Luther’s Bible in German was published in the early sixteenth century. William Tyndale lost his life popularizing the sacred scriptures as the Word of God and everyone has the right to read it. This was a revolutionary thought for those days but the publication of the King James Version of Bible in 1611 challenged the monopoly of Roman Catholic Church on the interpretation of the Holy Scriptures.
One interesting conclusion reached by the author is with regards to Paul and his epistles. The first four Pauline epistles in conjunction with the four canonical gospels forms a major work in the teachings of Jesus, but she boldly suggests that Paul did not write about willingness to “give up my body to be burned” (1 Corinthians 13:3.) It is really give up my body so that I can boast about it. But that is not what came out of the pulpit, observes Sarah Ruden. Paul is discussed in greater detail in her previous book, “Paul among the People: The Apostle Reinterpreted and Reimagined in His Own Time.”
Some of the passages translated in this book includes; Paul on circumcision (Galatians 5:1-12); Ten Commandments (Deuteronomy 5:6-21 and Leviticus 19:18); fragile joys of life (Ecclesiastes 9:7-11); Ezekiel’s Dry Bones (Ezekiel 37:1-14 and Genesis 1:1-15); the story of David and Bathsheba (2 Samuel II 12:7); The beatitudes of (Mathew 5:3-12); Genesis 1:1-5; and Mathew 6: 9-13 (The Lord’s Prayer).
There is a chapter on the re-interpretation of the Parables of Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), which concludes that you must know who your friends are. Paul on the love of God through Jesus (Roman 8:31-39) and Revelation’s Martyr’s in Paradise (Revelation 7:9-17) are few interesting translations and interpretations I have read in this book. Proverbs 27:19 says, “As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects man,” which may have played a role in the mind of the author for the title of this book.
Monday, February 13, 2017
Movie Reviewed: Bringing up a Baby (1938) starring Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn
One of the finest screwball comedy
This is arguably one of the best screwball slapstick made by Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn. This was treated as a disaster when the movie was released in 1938. Producer Howard Hawks overran the budget and RKO incurred a loss of $365,000. Already embattled by vicious attack by the movie critics and a lack of box office pull came close to hurt the career of Katherine Hepburn, which ended her RKO career, and terminated a brief tenure of Howard Hawks. It was just that this movie was ahead of its time, or the marketing of the film needed new tactics. But this movie was well received much later and regarded as one of the best comedy by both fans and film critics.
This is a story of a stuffy paleontologist who is devoted to his academic studies and he happens to meet a wealthy heiress by chance and she turns his whole life upside down. Howard Hawks’ seamless direction turned this story into a real screwball comedy. Peter Bogdanovich’s film, “What’s up Doc” is loosely based on this story. Grant and Hepburn are strongly supported by Charles Ruggles and May Robson.
This is arguably one of the best screwball slapstick made by Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn. This was treated as a disaster when the movie was released in 1938. Producer Howard Hawks overran the budget and RKO incurred a loss of $365,000. Already embattled by vicious attack by the movie critics and a lack of box office pull came close to hurt the career of Katherine Hepburn, which ended her RKO career, and terminated a brief tenure of Howard Hawks. It was just that this movie was ahead of its time, or the marketing of the film needed new tactics. But this movie was well received much later and regarded as one of the best comedy by both fans and film critics.
This is a story of a stuffy paleontologist who is devoted to his academic studies and he happens to meet a wealthy heiress by chance and she turns his whole life upside down. Howard Hawks’ seamless direction turned this story into a real screwball comedy. Peter Bogdanovich’s film, “What’s up Doc” is loosely based on this story. Grant and Hepburn are strongly supported by Charles Ruggles and May Robson.
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
Movie Reviewed: Mr. Blandings builds his dream house
The passion of Blandings
Novelist Eric Hodgins and screen writers Norman Panama and Melvin Frank turned the American dream of home ownership into a satiric nightmare in Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House. Exasperated with cramped N.Y. apartment, Blandings buy a farmhouse in the country. They soon find out that the house is a ramshackle building, which demands to be tear down and erect a dream house. The comedy of horrors are the unending series of problems encountered in this journey. This movie reminds me of another movie entitled “George Washington Slept Here” also has s very similar theme and twists. Cary Grant and Myrna Loy offers splendid performance as caring couple making it all happen in a peaceful way.
The film was a co-production of RKO Studios and David Selznick’s Vanguard Films. The latter lent the services of Cary Grant for the movie. This was the third and last pairing of Grant and Loy. They made two other wonderful movies in The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer (1947) and Wings in the Dark (1935). The Blandings house built for the 1948 film still stands as an office for the Park on the old Fox Ranch property in Malibu Creek State Park, Malibu, California.
Novelist Eric Hodgins and screen writers Norman Panama and Melvin Frank turned the American dream of home ownership into a satiric nightmare in Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House. Exasperated with cramped N.Y. apartment, Blandings buy a farmhouse in the country. They soon find out that the house is a ramshackle building, which demands to be tear down and erect a dream house. The comedy of horrors are the unending series of problems encountered in this journey. This movie reminds me of another movie entitled “George Washington Slept Here” also has s very similar theme and twists. Cary Grant and Myrna Loy offers splendid performance as caring couple making it all happen in a peaceful way.
The film was a co-production of RKO Studios and David Selznick’s Vanguard Films. The latter lent the services of Cary Grant for the movie. This was the third and last pairing of Grant and Loy. They made two other wonderful movies in The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer (1947) and Wings in the Dark (1935). The Blandings house built for the 1948 film still stands as an office for the Park on the old Fox Ranch property in Malibu Creek State Park, Malibu, California.
Tuesday, February 7, 2017
Movie Reviewed: Let Us Be Gay, starring Norma Shearer and Marie Dressler
The Allure
Rachel Crothers 1929 stage comedy made a talkative but entertaining movie a year later in 1930. Adapted by Frances Marion, and casting Norma Shearer and Marie Dressler in the lead, this story dwells on a very controversial story during pre-code era. To save her granddaughter (Sally Eilers) from the clutches of Norma’s ex-husband (Rod La-Rocque), society matron Dressler persuade Shearer to lure back her husband again. In the meantime, Norma Shearer leads the life of a merry woman socializing with men openly and freely.
The 1929 play by Rachel Crothers starring Tallulah Bankhead which had 128 performances was widely acclaimed. And the movie critics preferred Bankhead but Norma Shearer does not disappoint her fans with great performance for her allure and beauty. This brings my memory to another MGM great classic “The Women” made in 1939 in which she plays similar role with passion, exuberance and gaiety.
All ends well when her ex-husband begs for another chance. Brilliantly directed by Robert Leonard, the title of the movie has a material connections to the modern usage. The film was shot within a month due to Norma Shearer's pregnancy. Highly recommended.
Rachel Crothers 1929 stage comedy made a talkative but entertaining movie a year later in 1930. Adapted by Frances Marion, and casting Norma Shearer and Marie Dressler in the lead, this story dwells on a very controversial story during pre-code era. To save her granddaughter (Sally Eilers) from the clutches of Norma’s ex-husband (Rod La-Rocque), society matron Dressler persuade Shearer to lure back her husband again. In the meantime, Norma Shearer leads the life of a merry woman socializing with men openly and freely.
The 1929 play by Rachel Crothers starring Tallulah Bankhead which had 128 performances was widely acclaimed. And the movie critics preferred Bankhead but Norma Shearer does not disappoint her fans with great performance for her allure and beauty. This brings my memory to another MGM great classic “The Women” made in 1939 in which she plays similar role with passion, exuberance and gaiety.
All ends well when her ex-husband begs for another chance. Brilliantly directed by Robert Leonard, the title of the movie has a material connections to the modern usage. The film was shot within a month due to Norma Shearer's pregnancy. Highly recommended.
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