Caption Contest

If looks could convert

As the Holy Father moved his hand back his ring "accidentally scratched" Pelosi's face.

Knowing Pelosi's stance on killing babies, the Holy Father fakes a smile and quickly goes to wash his hands.

I nearly screamed at the TV when I saw this but I had a 2 year old and a 4 year old in the room, so I had to behave. I so wish that Papa B16 had smacked her with his ring. I don't know if it's the angle of the picture or something else, but he looks quite unhappy with Pelosi, I know if I were him I certainly would be.

Too bad that he didn't offer to set up a confessional for the politicians......

Look at Bush's face--that's disgust.

Condi looks like she's laughing at the sheer irony of it all. This is just rich...she'll kiss his ring, but she won't listen to a darned word he says! That's wonderfully bald-faced hypocrisy.

She bites! She bites!!!

The Kiss of (the culture of) Death

A good way to avoid looking him straight into the eyes.

Ya, know, God was watching that.

I think I'll keep a closer eye on Mz Pelosi in the future and just to see how she's getting along.

Unfortunately, the Holy Father didn't have time for a full exorcism on Nancy Pelosi. But that didn't stop him from trying.

That kiss takes real gall. Imagine the mental gymnastics it takes for a politician who defiantly holds to more than one pro-death position but also claims to be a faithful Catholic. The cognitive dissonance created by holding to opposed realities must be difficult to resolve. There is only one way to avoid seeing the inherent contradiction, and that is to lie to oneself. And, such a dangerous and pervasive lie it is. Soul killing.

The winning caption should be Jeff's no:2

"The ring thing is a good idea. Jesus was kissed on his cheek by Judas."

But maybe we should do it like so:

Pelosi: I don't wanna hang myself and get my intestine splattered. So I'll just kiss the ring instead. Maybe that won't happen.

Benedict XVI: But something worst will.

i don't actually have a quotation, but for what it's worth B16 is probably being 'cool about it' in the moment even if he isn't really 'cool about it' theologically. I imagine Popes have to do that a lot, which means it's probably a good thing they're generally very holy man.

And the look on His Holiness' face speaks volumes. I'm glad I'm not on the 'receiving' end of that look.

Mmmmmm....he tastes like mercy....and wrath!

Warren, I don't think she suffers all that much cognitive dissonance. I think folks like her are rather good at rationalizing, compartmentalizing. She probably considers herself a committed Catholic and the pope worthy of honor (leaving aside for the moment any political calculations she may have made regarding such a gesture), and as far as homosexuality and human life issues go, she's probably been able to think of these in terms of "separation of church and state" or has been able to deny the magisterium has ultimate authority in these matters, thanks to a generation of weak-kneed bishops and "progressive" theologians. She came of age in a time before many of us young orthodox pups, when liberalism really did rule the day.

She's in good company with her hypocrisy - divorced and remarried Rudy Guiliani received Holy Communion at St. Patrick's today. I thought I was seeing things until it made the press: http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSN1934271420080419

I know we are not to judge, but as a public figure, they are to be examples. Sad. I pray for their complete conversion.

http://www.clmagazine.org/backissues/2008marchapril_44-45nowisthetime.pdf

Looks like she has a pretty tight hold of B16's hand. Guess she had to make sure she got the photo op without him yanking his hand away in disgust; however, I doubt he knew who it was until after the fact.

She should have abstained from any contact to prove she's just as big of a twit as B. Boxer.

-Mr. C

I think it would be better if you captioned what the President was thinking! ;)

What the president was thinking?

"Well, Speaker Nancy, I wonder how that ring kiss is going to play in Marin County?"

I am astounded that the second most powerful elected official in the United States, third in line to the presidency, Catholic or not, would make such emphatic, public, display of subordination to a foreign leader. JFK knew well the fallout that would entail if he had done more than shake hands with the Pope.

Caption:

Pope: I wonder if my shots cover this.

Bush: She looks like she's trying to appraise the ring for capital gains taxes.

Pelosi: Now as long as I don't look into his eyes, I won't be turned to stone. That's right, isn't it? I wish I paid more attention during catechism class.

I think Ireneaus's comments above are probably spot on.

We have to remember a basic moral fact: no one intends to do evil. Every evil act is based on the lie that it is in fact good. I have no trouble believing that Pelosi thinks herself a good (progressive) Catholic and is sincere in showing the Pope honor. As much as I cannot stand her, Pelosi is more a sign of the failure of our Church's leadership in America than the laity's faithfulness.

"Your Kung-fu has improved, Pelosi! You blocked my punch to the face by catching the ring in your teeth!"

Irenaeus, I agree. She has likely compartmentalized various subjects in order to avoid confronting the inherent contradiction of saying or even believing in her own mind that she is a faithful Catholic while holding to culture-of-death ideology. Such compartmentalizing creates its own form of cognitive dissonance, since actions remain in tension with beliefs. That she cannot (or wills not or has rationalized away the ability to) see the contradictions is further confirmation of a cognitive dissonance (willful ignorance?) so fully entrenched through rationalization that such an illusion will only be undone at death. In the mean, let us pray the she/we may be open to God's grace so she/we can convert more deeply each day to the Truth in Christ.

Only moments later, Condoleeza Rice was forced to perform the Heimlich maneuver on Nancy Pelosi as she seemed to have gotten a gemstone stuck in her throat.

"I have no idea at all how it got there!" she exclaimed as the Pontiff plucked it out the lawn where it had landed and put it back on his ring.

Offer it up, your Holiness.

"I think it would be better if you captioned what the President was thinking! ;)"

"I gotta get me a ring so she can do that to me!"

No, Nancy, it's not your Precious!

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