I don't disdain the history of the Church.
External trappings have nothing to do with the essence of Christ's message. The accretions of royalty, IMO, have no place in a Church which follows a God-Man whose only head covering in His Life was a crown of thorns.
You don't accept the idea that we are members of a Servant Church, not a Church that seeks to lord it over those who are not clerics.
This is the sort of "logic" that infuriates me. The Papal tiara is no disgrace, some of the holiest men to ever walk the earth have worn such a crown, men who were a hell of a lot more humble than you seem to be. The pomp is meant to be *impressive*, to impress upon both the pontiff and those witnessing certain ideals, such as the awesome responsibility that is being accepted and the supreme obedience owed to the one being crowned.
I could easily turn your own argument against you. Can you honestly say you own nothing that is not essential? Why do you, if you are such a good Christian why not sell all you have and give it to the poor as Jesus commanded? You obviously have a computer and internet service, think how many poor people the money from that would help. Jesus never had such things. He slept on the ground, why don't you sell your bed and do the same? Why not be a servant instead of lording it over all those who don't have all the luxuries you enjoy?
Here I think we have hit on your real grudge. But it is no problem. If you think the clerics are lording it over others, why not became a cleric yourself, they certainly need the manpower.
Long Live the Pope!
Oh, please. When have you ever said anything favorable about the post-Constantine, pre-Vatican II Church?
I suppose you would have preferred that Chartres and St. Peter's had never been built. Why don't you join one of those Calvinist Reformed churches where the buildings are as plain as possible so that there are no "distractions"; you'd fit right in.
The papal tiara and the other royal trappings of the papacy are needed more than ever these days in order to remind the faithful that the Church is not a democracy.
Objecting to the things you object to is Protestant, and that's the nicest word for it.