Rolling Back The Red Carpet Treatment

(cross-posted at God's For Suckers)

I say it's high time we shredded the obligatory red carpet we roll out for the religious in this country.

For instance, if the Vatican wants to shield some pedophiliac priest from the laws of the land said priest has violated, they shouldn't get a free pass, let alone get promoted.

We see these memes perpetrated on many levels, from the running gags about apologizing to nuns and priests (for swearing or discussing 'inappropriate' topics in their presence), to the reverence for these mooks in films, TV shows, and books. Our songs, literature, even our money bear some sort of nod to the 'on high'.

Bad news:

This is America. Land of the free, home of the brave, and if I might be so bold, irreverence is king here.

Entitled to believe you may be (it is a constitutional right, after all), but by no stretch is any religious person exempt from criticism, large or small. Nor am I required to respect a religious opinion simply just because.

So, religious folks, consider yourself on notice. Your red carpet's been shredded, all free passes have been revoked, no more special privileges, it's a level playing field now.

Which makes the fall from the elevated pedestal all the more painful on impact.

Bring a first-aid kit, 'cause it's gonna hurt. 

The hollow echoes of some dim, distant pagan mythology are not the words of wisdom most deem them to be: they are, at best, a peek into the past of how we were, but not who, what or how we are today.

It is high time these anachronisms were laid to rest, on a shelf in a museum, or buried in some metaphorical graveyard with the other absurd oddities that litter our illustrious history.

I'd be more than happy to administer the last rites, in a manner of speaking....