Spoiler alert: This post is a rant...

...about the Catholic Church. (Surprised?) If you don't want to read it, scroll down to the next one.

In today's Times, Charles Blow writes about "Americans' evolving views of homosexuality." He cites some recent findings from Gallup which reveal, among other things, that:

For the first time, the percentage of Americans who perceive “gay and lesbian relations” as morally acceptable has crossed the 50 percent mark.

Now if you're under the age of, say, 90, have at least some college in your background, and live within a hundred miles or so of a (northern) city, you may be surprised that that number is so low. (Even my dear sister -- who admitted to me recently that although she didn't want to see Sarah Palin get the GOP nomination in 2012, would vote for her anyway because she "always votes Republican" -- has made comments that displayed a tolerance and compassion for gays and lesbians. Believe me, this is news.)

Makes me wonder, though, who the heck is in that other 50 percent?

Well, for starters, the hierarchy of the Catholic Church. (Again, surprised?) From another article last week in the Times:

The church views gay sex as a sin and homosexual tendencies as a psychological disorder.

Now here comes the ranting part. In the last census, over 50 million Americans (almost 25% of the population) identified themselves as Catholics. Do they all agree with the above statement? (Not if my sister doesn't.) So why do they continue to be members of such a reactionary denomination? And it's not just homosexuality; there are countless cases. It took centuries, for example, for the church to condemn slavery. Same with allowing interest to be charged on loans. And the church still doesn't approve of birth control, even when practiced by married couples. (Don't even get me started on whether or not the earth revolves around the sun.)

So my question is, why do Catholics put up with a church that nearly always trails public opinion?

When do you suppose the church will finally get around to tolerating gays and lesbians? Ten years from now? Fifty? Ever? Why does it always have to be on the wrong side of history? Like the Republican Party, the Catholic Church never seems to get out in front on an issue and lead. Why is that? Is it because such a large part of the appeal of Catholicism is that it clings to tradition?

Why does it always have to be so, well, reactionary?