RED SHOES AND OZ

Well, it was the weekend of the red shoes. On Saturday night at the opening of the hit musical Wicked there was much ado about Dorothy’s red shoes in the Wizard of Oz. And then yesterday afternoon Pope Benedict showed that not only the devil wears Prada when he sashayed down the steps of his Alitalia plane showing off his gleaming patent leather red pumps.

It was the start of week of adulation, ring-kissing, forelock-tugging, and more than a dollop of hypocrisy for World Youth Day.

And I expect believers to take these comments of this cynic and atheist with more than a dash of Communion wine.

For starters, I do believe this is a sacred and holy moment for Catholics. Their God’s representative on earth is paying his first visit to Australia. He should be treated with respect but not treated as infallible.

His church, seemingly shackled by dogma, has much to answer for. Especially the decades of self-preservation, and self-protection, when large numbers of its clergy have been found guilty of the abominable, repugnant, unchristian, crimes of paedophilia.

And there will be a harsh reminder of the church’s failure on that issue every day this week with the Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal George Pell, at the Pontiff’s side.

The Sydney Morning Herald  says ‘ When the crowds have gone the church will continue to be just as inflexible on issues such as contraception, abortion, divorce and the celibacy of priests…’

I have a lot of other questions about this visit. And the way our politicians have grovelled and thrown open the taxpayers’ wallets.  No State Government, in a secular society, should spend $90 million on a religious leader’s visit.

The Catholic Church is one of the wealthiest, tax exempt, institutions in the world.  New South Wales Premier Iemma –and the Federal Police – should pay for protection of the Pope. Should surround him with security. His predecessor survived at assassination attempt in St. Peter’s Square. His safety in Australia must be paramount.

But I am intrigued why a church leader is treated as a powerful head of state – which of course technically he is at The Vatican. Why should Australia have an ambassador to the Vatican? Quaintly named the Ambassador to the Holy See.

Why should new, undemocratic and oppressive laws be implemented in Sydney to stifle dissent?  The law, rushed through Parliament, includes a fine of $5000 for causing annoyance. How subjective is that?  Something that offends me you might find funny.

People are selling t-shirts in Sydney that say ‘This is an Annoying t-shirt.’ A lesbian in Surry Hills was spotted with a t-shirt that said ‘The Pope touched me – Down Under’.

World Youth Day is being projected as a sort of religious Woodstock. Entertainers include Guy Sebastian,Vanessa Amorosi, Tap Dogs, Diesel and Damien Leith.

I wonder if they, and those kids dancing on the TV news, know the Pope hates rock music. He calls it ‘a vehicle of anti-religion’ and ‘the expression of elemental passions’.

Obviously many of the so-called young pilgrims are members of the social networking MySpace website but I guess they didn’t fill in last week’s religious survey.

It showed that 77%  felt the Catholic Church was ‘out of touch with youth’ and 61%  chose  contraception over abstinence. Of those surveyed 89% believed in sex before marriage. I suspect even some of the  worshippers in Sydney this week would agree.

Monday, July 14, 2008

© Copyright Derryn Hinch 2008