As all our regular readers know, I am a huge fan of Pope Benedict the XVI. The Pope has shown his brilliance and orthodoxy more times than we can count. His thoughts on liturgy, the Eucharist, love, and charity are justifiably lauded.
I must, however, admit that I have harbored some doubts about the Pope’s judgment in certain substantial matters. I have noticed this repeated lapse in judgment exercised by the Pope in his personal life but have said nothing due to my abundant respect for the man and the office he holds. But a news story I read today no longer allows me to hold my tongue.
How can a man, so brilliant and discerning in so many ways, be a cat lover?
[Inquirer.net]SYDNEY—Cat-loving Pope Benedict XVI has been given a kitten to keep him company while he relaxes and plays the piano ahead of World Youth Day in Australia, Church insiders told Agence France Presse on Monday.
The Pontiff, an avid feline fan whose home in Germany is filled with the animals and is guarded by a cat statue, has been given an 11-month-old tabby named Bella by his followers.
Everybody with half a brain knows that cats are evil. They are lazy, self centered, and devious. I have a theory that cats are the only creatures not directly created by God. I suspect, but cannot yet prove, that cats entered into this realm through some inter-dimensional Nazi experiment that went awry opening a portal to hell. I have also heard that the furry lil’ demons can steal your breath. Look it up! It’s on the interweb thingy!
How can the pontiff not see they evil right in front of him? I think that what is wrong with cats can be summed up well in the classic joke:
How Dogs and Cats view their masters
A dog says, ‘You pet me, you feed me, you shelter me, you love me, you must be God.’
A cat says, ‘You pet me, you feed me, you shelter me, you love me, I must be God.’
But this is no laughing matter. The Bible tells us the actions of the Antichrist.
“He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.” – 2 Thessalonians 2:4
It is very clear that if cats are not the actual Antichrist, they are clearly in league with him. I, for one, am very thankful for the limits of Papal infallibility.
July 16, 2008 at 7:54 pm
Actually, in the Byzantine tradition, cats are the only animals allowed in monasteries, precisely for preventing rodent problems. They are even allowed in the churches themselves for this reason. Dogs in this tradition are regarded as impure creatures, and they get a bad wrap in the Bible. (Dogs lapping up your blood and whatnot.) Cats also don’t make as much noise as dogs, so that is why, at least in the East, they are regarded as the perfect monastic animal.
July 16, 2008 at 8:02 pm
My husband cringes at the thought, but we might have to get a cat just to deal with the garden vermin (also known in these parts as ground squirrels). Even the Blessed Virgin isn’t keeping them away from the lilies!
However, this does not mean that hubby thinks cats are less evil. Just that he is willing to use their evil ways to get at the rodents in our neck of the woods.
July 16, 2008 at 10:48 pm
Arturo – I COMPLETELY forgot about that! Very true! I remember one VERY scandalous Byzantine “monastery” which has since jumped ship and moved to the Orthodox side. One priest there I used to know got a dog. This was highly irregular, and at times embarassing, since even in its neutered state was highly “randy”. I guess this was a sad harkener of things to come for that particular monastery.
Christine – Maybe one reason we don’t like cats is that they epitomise our own animal instinct: they crave affection only when it suits them, they toy with then kill lesser animals for their own amusement, they are lazy and will never do any actual “work” and seem at best to tolerate others of their own kind, but would just as soon have twice the resources (food, attention, space) given the opportunity.
July 19, 2008 at 6:57 am
Miau
July 19, 2008 at 8:08 am
i was similarly disappointed to learn that Pat Buchanan is a cat guy