[Alex Murphy]

Pope Joan is a medieval tale about the alleged first (and only) female Pope who rose to the top of the Vatican styling herself as ‘John’- she is devout, brave and willing to risk anything to be close to God. Prior to the start of the action, Joan has revealed her true identity to a Cardinal in the Vatican who she has slept with and is now carrying his child, obviously problematic in her desire to maintain her male disguise. Joan’s problems, therefore, are tenfold. She is not blameless in the child’s conception and does not wish to keep it, as her cover will be blown. However, by aborting the child she feels as if she would be angering God because this would be a disavowal of God’s gift to females: the ability to procreate...Crawford makes it clear that is her body that is her betrayer, and that she is torn in a fundamental dichotomy between her faith and her biology. Although her faith is stronger than any mans, her body renders this faith heretical.

Note that she didn't mind "angering God" by sleeping with the cardinal. There isn't a "fundamental dichotomy between her faith and her biology", there's one between her faith and her actions!

[Gamecock]

Pope Joan is probably my favorite Pope.

That being said I’ll wait for the movie.

[Kenny Bunk]

Many is the Pope, Cardinal, Bishop, Monsignor, Prior, Abbot, and humble parish priest who had numerous offspring throughout the history of the Western Church.

The Lady Pope ... who the Vatican insists never existed ... but since then always makes sure the Pope Guy is really a guy by a very touchy-feely exam and by riding the Pope guy around on a sedan chair which has a hole cut in the bottom for re-assuring visual checks.

There is also a street in Rome uipon which no Pope will ever set foot. Legend has it this the very street where Pope Joan went into labor while in a Holy Procession and her deception was discovered!

The Romans were not pleased, to say the very least.

[JimRed]

Note that she didn't mind "angering God" by sleeping with the cardinal.

Nor by the lies of pretending to be male and assuming a false name.

[John O]

Pope Joan is an aptly timed show, performed just as the bill to allow women bishops in Wales was passed, proof that the Church is finally accepting that the strength of your faith is irrelevant to your gender.

Your faith may be irrelevant to your sex but your role in the church certainly isn't. The bible is pretty clear that only men can be pastors and bishops.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Nice that the Canadian National Youth Theatre, subsidized by Canadian taxpayers, is sponsoring this nice bit of anti-Catholic propaganda.

Same Canadan gov. which forbids Catholic hospitals to offer ANY gynecology or obstetric services, because they won't do sterilizations or abortions, or offer artificial insemination to lesbians (or anyone else.)

Same Canadian gov. which brought human rights charges against pastors who preach against homosexuality, or write a letter to the editor opposing gay marriage.

Constantly using the power of the State to influence the culture, entertaiment, and art industries to attack Christianity --- analogous to what happens in the U.S., for instance when the Museum of Modern Art (NY-tax-subsidized) hosted "P*SS CHRIST".

With additional publicity given free by anti-Christians everywhere.

But we're not supposed to take offense.

[JoeFromSidney]

When I was teaching the introductory course in Management at U. Dayton, one class session was devoted to managing your own career. If you don't manage it, someone else will, and you may not like it. Anyway, the advice I gave to the female students was, "Be like Margaret Thatcher and Indira Gandhi: have your family first, then become Prime Minister." I don't know how many took it, though.

[GeronL]

Lying and having a kid out of wedlock makes you closer to God?

and does anyone really think all this is even possible?

[Slyfox]

True story:

Two young priests were caught in England when it was against the law for there to be priests in England. They were on trial. The Anglican bishop conducting the trial began to regale the young priests about the supposed female pope that the Catholic Church had. He felt as though he had scored huge points when he asked the pair what they had to say about "Pope Joan."

One of the young priests as he sat in his chair said, "This female pope you speak of, even if it were true, which it is not - why should it bother you when you have, in reality, a female heading your church."

To which the entire jury bust out laughing. No one would vote to find the two priests guilty, so they were carted off to London where a conviction would be assured.

[terycarl]

oh brother.....pathetic

[verga]

How often does this have to be debunked before you stop beating this dead horse?