I thought hell would freeze over before I agreed with the pope. But in a world riven by cruelty, that day has finally come | Rebecca Shaw

It’s a relief to see the pontiff decrying brutality, because it seems most current world leaders lack the necessary spine I have never been a religious or spiritual person, even though I grew up in a religious area and had friends (and strangers) throughout school and university trying to lure me into whatever prayer disguised as organised fun they were up to. I did try it out shortly for a desperate period when I was young, attempting to pray to a God I didn’t really believe in to make me not gay, but blessedly he never answered. Despite my resistance to organised religion, I have always had a soft spot for nuns and their counterparts. The girlies. Sign up for a weekly email featuring our best reads Continue reading...

Rebecca Shaw · Thu, Apr 16, 2026, 8:00 AM
US news | The Guardian

I thought hell would freeze over before I agreed with the pope. But in a world riven by cruelty, that day has finally come | Rebecca Shaw

It’s a relief to see the pontiff decrying brutality, because it seems most current world leaders lack the necessary spine

I have never been a religious or spiritual person, even though I grew up in a religious area and had friends (and strangers) throughout school and university trying to lure me into whatever prayer disguised as organised fun they were up to. I did try it out shortly for a desperate period when I was young, attempting to pray to a God I didn’t really believe in to make me not gay, but blessedly he never answered.

Despite my resistance to organised religion, I have always had a soft spot for nuns and their counterparts. The girlies.

Sign up for a weekly email featuring our best reads

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