What's Latin for "wank"?
I guess you could say that this is from the Jesus fandom. One of the two recent pieces of news out of the Vatican that pissed off most of the planet was that individual priests will be free to celebrate the Tridentine Mass whenever they damn well please. The Tridentine Mass is the Latin service used worldwide by all Catholics from the 16th century until about 1970. The structure of the service itself is different, not just what language it's celebrated in.

(Full disclosure: Yes, I am one of those whackjobs who attends this kind of Mass.)

Well, this has caused such global waves of wank in the press and on the Internets that the entire planet is red and sore by now. I have many examples, but my favorite so far has got to be this innocent-looking article from Indianapolis. All would have been well...if this paper didn't have forums attached to every article.

"A dead language for a dead god. How appropriate," one commenter said oh-so-cleverly. And...they're off! Catholics aren't Christians! Protestants don't understand history! Anyone who believes in God is a fucking moron! Pedophile priests! FLYING SPAGHETTI MONSTER!!!!11

I'd pick out highlights, but really...there's too much here.

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	verthandi 2007-07-19 12:43 am UTC (link)
	It didn't even occur to me that this could cause wank. I sort of knew that the Vatican was housed in an ivory tower, but really! What's next, hair shirts and self-flagellation? (Reply to this)(Thread)

	sorchar 2007-07-19 12:44 am UTC (link)
	I think it's because to a lot of folks, it's a symptom of Benedict's overall anti-progressiveness. That's the impression I got, anyway. Also because the old Mass had some bits that were anti-Semitic, which I believe have been removed but don't quote me on that. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	snarkivist 2007-07-19 12:50 am UTC (link)
	One bit, that's only part of the Good Friday service. The wording became a little more polite in 1962, and the 1962 missal is what's used now. The controversial part, a prayer for the conversion of the Jews (and pagans, and heretics, and atheists...) is actually still part of the service, but softened somewhat. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	rosehiptea 2007-07-19 10:32 am UTC (link)
	I'm supposed to be surprised Catholics pray for Jews to be converted? is tempted to look up the wording (Reply to this)(Parent)

rosehiptea
2007-07-19 10:44 am UTC (link)

*comes back having checked wikipedia* Wow, there's been a lot of talk about this that I've somehow been out of the loop about.

I have to say I don't really agree with the ADL on this one. Even the old wording just strikes me as... I don't know, religion being religion.

Not that anyone wanted my Thoughts On Yaoi.

*points and laughs* There are some weird comments in there, and I didn't even get to the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

(Reply to this)(Parent)

	verthandi 2007-07-19 12:52 am UTC (link)
	Call me naïve, but I don't remember anything anti-Semitic. I never really paid attention much when I was Catholic, so my family could have been practicing Mel Gibson's special brand of Catholicism for all I cared. ~~Heh. I'm trying not to sound like a bitter ex-Catholic, so this is about the tenth draft of this post.~~ (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	snarkivist 2007-07-19 01:06 am UTC (link)
	It's part of the Good Friday service, which most people don't even go to. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	rachelmap 2007-07-19 02:41 am UTC (link)
	That's the part I was expecting the wank to be about. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	snarkivist 2007-07-19 03:30 am UTC (link)
	There aren't any Jews in Indiana, silly. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	blackjackrocket 2007-07-19 05:56 am UTC (link)
	That yearly Spaghetti Supper that half of South Bend went to was in a warehouse, not a synagogue! (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	snarkivist 2007-07-19 06:04 am UTC (link)
	Mmmm, spaghetti. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	soupspooks 2007-07-19 04:06 am UTC (link)
	Hey! Leave my tower out of this! taps for health (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	miraba 2007-07-19 11:39 am UTC (link)
	That was the exact image I had in mind. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	pastri_archy 2007-07-19 05:42 pm UTC (link)
	Heh. I'm not Catholic, but I think I live in that tower too. A Protestant cardboard white-washed one. (Reply to this)(Parent)

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