June 27, 2025
As a youngster growing up in the midwest I learned that finishing a discussion (or debate) with the question: Is the Pope Polish? meant that one of the parties had concluded the argument with a definitive finality. It was also an ethnic diss against Polish people —suggesting that because of their shortcomings they could never produce a Pope. (How many Polacks does it take to change a light bulb?)
Polish jokes abounded in the mid-West and elsewhere. I know that I pissed off my Polish girlfriend when I repeated Polish jokes around her. Ever hear of Hamtramck? Often called Little Warsaw?? A joke about that town got me the cold shoulder for a week.
And then Poland produced a Pope: Pope John Paul II. Go figure.
Now US can question (with a flourish): Is the Pope American?
Elsewhere I have written that the late, Pope Francis, might have been selected because of his Argentinian roots – a selection designed to secure many new Catholic converts of Latino descent — as other Catholic denominations around the globe shrink.
I also used to think that Pope Benedict probably stepped down prematurely because he couldn’t deal with Vatican politics. I have only recently learned that he was most likely a Nazi, or at least a Nazi sympathizer. This was somewhat of a political motivation I should think.
So now we have arrived at a bizarre nexus: where US has a godless King — largely informed by Evangelicals (what they believe in besides the almighty dollar is anyone’s guess); 6 Catholics sit on the Supreme Court; and, the leader of the Catholic Church is an American!
Will our new American pope (with help from the Supreme Court) be able to reclaim the soul of the godless king from the religious right? That’s why an American was elected as pope, right? Right??
My first hope would be for Pope Leo XIV to take on these Evangelicals and their Project 2025 (who and what pretty much govern Washington these days – to wit – The Ten Commandments tripe being posted in the nation’s classrooms).
Do contemporary youth really want to know about coveting their neighbor’s wife or their cattle? Well they won’t — because this 10th commandment has been severely edited for modern consumption.
When will the Evangelicals realize that this Old Testament shit was an ancient Jewish concern? Besides, Hollywood would lose a major content source if neighbors weren’t able to covet each other (from the unedited 10th commandment).
But Hey! The Oklahoma and Tennessee kidz will be prepped and ready to identify infidelity after gazing at The Ten Commandments daily for 18 years.
Can’t wait to see the Lesson Plans dealing with that #10Commandment. Will teachers get in trouble for teaching the unfiltered versions of the Commandments? And will Christians be getting 2 Holy Days: the Sabbath AND Sundays?
So I want to know if the Catholics are ready to take on the Evangelicals? I hope they are – because the Catholic Church has a long history of ass-kicking (there’s a pun in there) and waging war. I don’t think the Evangelicals stand a chance. Catholics are warriors who have seen popes murdered, acceptance of pedophiles in their ranks, and performed alotta burnings at the stake!
Evangelicals have been spoiled with their private jets, their once-a-week mega church sermons and political skulduggery that doesn’t hold a candle to a good Catholic conclave.
Here’s betting that the American pope gives the Evangelicals a good ass-kicking via the Supreme Court.
Does a bear shit in the woods?