The New Clergy

                The times, they are a changin’, as they say. Organized religion used to be about morality, such as time-honored good-vs.-evil stuff from the Bible. It was constancy, and a specific guide to repentance, hope and redemption. It was an accessible guide of how-to living and dying. Immutable. It was God’s word, and yes, some found it restraining.

                Now it’s about making sure that everyone feels good about themselves and their actions, whatever they may be. It’s all inclusive. Have you boinked a horse in the public square on Sunday afternoon? Who are we to judge?!

               It used to be, in the time of America’s founders, that it was the height of immorality to covet what your neighbor had. Now, the only true immorality is to be rich.

                Priests and pastors typically could not be female in days past. Now there are many females in the calling. They couldn’t be married in days of yore, either. Now they can be. Gays weren’t allowed to preach until recently.  They do so now. Some of them are now touting and supporting gay marriage. Gay, married clergy members will soon be commonplace.

                Transgender and gender “re-assigned” people are the newest politically-correct, protected members of society, even though they number a fraction of one percent of the population. This is obviously the next frontier for the clergy, as well. 

                It will get really confusing when a trans-gender, non-binary, questioning priest takes confession. “Bless me father, for I have sinned!” the young confessor might say.

                “You bet your cute little ass you have," may be the reply. "You assumed my gender identity was as a male, and a patriarchal one at that, bitch! That is, like, so totally judgmental! I’m afraid you’re going to burn in Hell!”

                Tolerance. Pass it on.