The good news is that Pope Francis is good and kind and decent and humble and every other virtue you can list. The bad news is that, in 2015, we are still living in an age of superstition and magical thinking. As an atheist it amazes me to hear anyone, much less the President, talk about god-given rights or anything god-given. Naturally I am appalled by Kim Davis and her rigid belief that by denying marriage licenses to gays, she is doing god's work. And what does she base it on? The parts of the bible that she can interpret to her liking while ignoring those passages that suggest she should be stoned. But all religious people are doing what Kim does in one way or another, convinced that there is omniscient being somewhere out there who keeps track of every moment of their lives along with the zillions of moments of everybody's lives and plans some day to round everyone up who ever lived and sort them out for eternal bliss or eternal damnation. This is a popular belief in 2015, based on a much-edited and revised book written thousands of years ago by mostly unknown authors who weren't even aware of the science of their times and the vastness of the Earth despite being on speaking terms with the Creator himself. So, yes, I'm glad to see this far more open-minded Pope come to America and promote world peace and greater generosity to those who are poor and oppressed. But, no, I am not impressed with the array of sanctimonious and far too-often fat cardinals and priests. And I am saddened to see many thousands of worshippers desperate for a blessing that will likely make no difference in their lives.
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