And I’m sorry, being Catholic myself, I can tell you that not all Catholics want abstinence-only education in our public schools. If you’ve got polling to suggest otherwise, let’s see it.

Either way, it’s no excuse for dumping millions of dollars into a program that hurts our kids.

Roman Catholics in particular, as opposed to “reformed” Xtians, those who followed Luther’s reformation, are frequently taught that there is some unbroken line of popes from Peter to Benny and the jets. That’s a historical crock on many levels.

Peter wasn’t the “pope.” James the Just, Jesus’ brother (and not one of the original 12) kicked his ass out of Jerusalem, which was the center of the “Nazarene” movement. James the Just didn’t think much of “you are Peter and upon this rock I build my Church.” That whole line was never uttered by Jesus. He died a good and pious Jew, never intended to start a new religion, but he did have new and different interpretations of the Jewish law.

Peter followed Paul to Rome, which was no-where in terms of influence on primitive Xtianity. The only reason Paul became so important was that Rome wiped out Jerusalem and Israel in 70 and 125 ce. It was only the Hellenized versions of early Xtianity, written in Greek, that survived (until Dead Sea Scroll discoveries in 20th century). All the great counsels, Chalcedon and Nicea for example were held in the East. The Eastern Patriarchs dwarfed the bishop of Rome in influence until much later in the Church’s history.

Apologies for the OT to the many, many FDL’ers who are committed agnostics and atheists. I intend no disrespect to you by expounding on these historical issues. Just trying to give “recovering” Roman Catholics a little ammunition, if they want or need it.

Peterr ist ein Berliner