Seth Warren

I do not like Bishop David Zubik. He comes off as a very arrogant man, one who is secure in the knowledge of his righteousness and who has no qualms when comes to bringing down damnation upon those who would disagree with him. To wit: Zubik pretty much embodies everything I despise about that wretched organisation known as the Catholic Church.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, apparently hurting for column inches with which to troll readers since Rick Santorum isn’t spewing ink at the moment, published an editorial by Zubik in today’s edition: "An oversupply of 'nones': Americans who lack religious affiliation require outreach from the church." What follows, after a stale attempt at humour involving homonyms, is a patronising piece which doesn't create any new arguments for joining the Catholic Church aside from the same tired, centuries old threat they've always trotted out regarding damnation upon one's immortal soul.

Bishop David Zubik made his last editorial splash in stating that the Affordable Care Act's requirement that those employed by Catholic institutions had the right to be provided access to contraceptives was akin to Obama telling the church to go to Hell. In reality, Obama did not go far enough towards ensuring the rights of non-believers or those of differing denominations did not suffer to dogma of their employer. And the compromises which were made after Zubik's little hissy fit only reinforced my belief that organised religion - and the Catholic Church in particular - hold way too much sway in the United States. First Amendment? What First Amendment?

In reading Zubik's latest screed, I draw a few conclusions: this is a man fairly high up in an influential organisation who is frightened. It is no secret that the Catholic Church is facing some challenges and has been for the past several decades. The sexual abuse scandal within the priesthood and the attempt to cover it up linger forefront in my mind. Then there are the accusations of corruption within the Vatican, mostly involving money laundering. It is laughable that Zubik closes his editorial by imploring people to attend Confession, when it is obvious that it is the church leaders who need to be confessing their crimes.

But yes, Zubik is a frightened man. He knows that people are increasingly rejecting organised religion, particularly the rigid and dogmatic sort espoused by the Catholic Church. More and more people realise that a so-called "loving God" would not make homosexuals and condemn them to Hell. More and more people realise that any obscure Bible passage condemning contraception have no place in modern society. And, most importantly, people see the obvious truth that, if there is a god, no withered elderly white man could possibly speak for such an entity in any capacity.

It all comes down to power - and Zubik sees a church with the potential for losing it. When the United States Constitution was drafted, it was a radical thing to include separation of church and state right at the top of the document. The founders, having see what politics and religion entangled had wrought in not only England, but most of Europe, decided to keep the two separate. Unfortunately, various religious organisations - the Catholic Church in particular - have worked to circumvent and downright undermine the separation of church and state (for example: one can thank the Catholic Church for the words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance).

An organised religion is actually much like a god...or even a political party. They live and die by their followers. When there is no one left who believes, no one left to preach to, then the organisation ceases to exist. I see this as a good thing. Much like the Republican Party, the Catholic Church has been taken over by it's most radical members. There is no room for compromise, and the flock is forced to conform. Zubik is part of the problem, not the solution: he wants to bring people into the church and control them, maintain the status quo. However, his conservative view finds no place in a rapidly evolving world because the "nones" are actually interested in being moral people rather than merely obedient.