Punditry

A reader wrote me about a strange omission in the bestselling nonfiction new & future releases list on Amazon.com. Some of the items in the top of the list include:

God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything
by Christopher Hitchens

Buddha: A Story of Enlightenment
by Deepak Chopra

Letter to a Christian Nation
by Sam Harris

The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom (A Toltec Wisdom Book)
by Don Miguel Ruiz

I Am a Strange Loop
by Douglas Hofstadter

God: The Failed Hypothesis. How Science Shows That God Does Not Exist
by Victor J Stenger

The End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason
by Sam Harris

Out of their list of 100 books Pope Benedict’s Jesus of Nazareth is nowhere listed. Though if you go to their bestsellers list it is currently at #17.

Seeing Al Gore’s The Assault on Reason at #1 really makes me laugh though. When I had first saw this title I was sure he had written an autobiography.

A reader sent me a link to a Maggie Gallagher article.

…This week, for example, according to news accounts, 18 Catholic House Democrats, including Reps. Rosa DeLauro (Conn.), Patrick J. Kennedy (R.I.) and Carolyn McCarthy (N.Y.) publicly rebuked Pope Benedict XVI for reaffirming during a recent Mexico City trip that legislators who vote to permit the killing of the unborn have excommunicated themselves and may be refused communion during Mass.

…Back in D.C., the gang of 18 went apoplectic. Catholic popes, bishops or clergy who withhold communion to politicians, they said, are engaging in essentially un-American activities: "Religious sanction in the political arena directly conflicts with our fundamental beliefs about the role of democratic representatives in a pluralistic America — it clashes with freedoms guaranteed in our Constitution. Such notions offend the very nature of the American experiment and do a great disservice to the centuries of good work the church has done."

Par for the course for Catholic Democrats in the House. First reacting to initial news reports that had been somewhat clarified latter is the typical level of fact checking you would expect. But there statement is silly on so many levels it is hard to know where to dig in.

One question I have is that in Canon law there is no dispute that those who procure and abortion or are formally involved in carrying it out do incur an automatic excommunication. Have you ever heard a Catholic Democrat complain about this? But if the same Canon is said to apply to them then there indignation explodes. This bit of all-about-me-ism is not exactly surprising in a politician though.

Often we will also get an appeal to conscience, but somehow if a bishop or someone else acts on their conscience and conflicts with theirs then that is somehow wrong. It is also funny to invoke a pluralistic society and then to condemn someone’s comments. Pluralism is much narrower than I supposed. Plus wouldn’t these religious freedoms they mention also apply to religious leaders themselves. Again their conception is distinctly one sided. Their wall of separation between church and state seems to be permeable on their side but inviolable on the other.

This is of course what Mark Shea calls Catholic tribalism in that many like these politicians seem to like to belong to the Catholic Church, but deeply disagree with what she teaches. Tribalism is the most charitable way to explain this. They would belong to no organizations or clubs that lobbied against what they vote for, but somehow they don’t think membership in the Church is not hypocritical or problematic and then they get all huffy when a bishop or the Pope speak out about this schism between her teaching and their actions.

Nobody would see a problem with members of the ACLU getting the can because they joined the KKK, but if the Church speaks out about an even worse crime such as the murder of innocents that is beyond the pale. Any organization where its members are doing something contrary to its mission has duty to speak out, unless it is the Catholic Church I guess.

These Culture of Death politicians do not automatically receiving the ecclesiastical penalty of excommunication, but they also are not in communion with the Church and should admit it by not receiving Communion. If their conscience is so at odds with the Church exactly why do they want to belong to it? Politicians have often revoked their membership with some such organization or club for much lighter disputes, yet continuing membership in the Catholic Church does not invoke the same reaction. Though in tribal Catholicism it of course follows that what they believe the Church to be in the first place is greatly flawed. Bad ecclesiology necessarily follows. Then again though if the Church is just a human institution then it is just on par with other organizations and clubs that they would not be involved in. So this is just a intellectual case of having it both way; the Church is more than just a human institution, but that fact doesn’t matter when it comes to vote. I am not in favor of them leaving the Church, but that they learn what she is in the first place.

Update: One commenter makes a good point:

What is really funny, these Democrats are complaining that the ROMAN Pontiff addressing BRAZILIANS about MEXICAN POLITICIANS is un-American and not Constitutional…

Gerald as he photographs churches throughout Europe has shown some incongruous articles in otherwise quite beautiful churches. Today though a cross in a church in Vienna really takes the cake.

A Lego block cross complete with lego toy truck at the intersection is something else indeed. I think this is one instance when I am really glad they had a cross instead of a crucifix. Now I know Jesus is the Logos, but certainly not the Legos. Maybe they borrowed it from the Lego church.

Milan – Milan’s leading obstetric hospital was replacing its crucifixes with images of the Virgin Mary to avoid offending a growing number of Muslim patients, reports said Wednesday. "Our wards have become multiethnic. We want to respect all religions and avoid any form of discrimination. That is why we have decided to replace the crucifix with the image of the Madonna, which is also appreciated by Muslim women," daily La Repubblica quoted Mangiagalli’s medical director, Basilio Tiso, as saying Wednesday.

Some 7,000 women give birth at the Mangiagalli each year. Of these, about 30 per cent are foreign immigrants, many of whom are not Catholic.

The head of Milan’s Viale Jenner Islamic centre, Abdelhamid Shaari, welcomed the move, saying Mary was a figure that was also revered by Muslims.

"This is certainly a sign of respect for our religion that we greatly appreciate. But a white wall would have been even better. Italy is a secular state and children are angels in any religion," Shaari told La Repubblica.

The representation of the cross on which Jesus died has become the subject of a heated debate in Italy in recent years as Muslim groups and non-Christians seek its removal from the walls of public buildings.

Although church and state are officially separated in Italy, a 1923 regulation issued during Benito Mussolini’s Fascist rule and never repealed states that a symbol of the crucifix should hang in every classroom and courtroom in the country.

Officials at the Mangiagalli hospital plan to replace all crucifixes within the next few months. However, patients will still be able to have a crucifix hanging in their room if they ask for one.

What about Protestants who are uncomfortable with statues of Mary or about atheists who dislike any religious symbolism. Just part of a growing trend to cater specifically to Muslims. From foot washing stations in airports the trend is to worry only about Muslim sensibilities. You know how sensitive Muslims are to things like alcohol and blind guide dogs in Taxi cabs and now Crucifixes. Funny though those same sensitivities don’t apply to suicide bombings and beheadings.

Though this is also part of a trend of people being offended. Survival of the sensitive is the new Darwinism I guess. For example people saying they will never go to Starbucks again because of an coffee cup with a quote by some atheist. I have never been into a Starbucks in my life, but this seems to me to be an over reaction. Do people really think they can live their lives without encountering contrary opinions and beliefs? There is a difference between mocking others beliefs and simply encountering them.

With the Pope’s impending trip to Brazil the media is trying to frame the trip with the usual hooks. Either it is framed around the loss of Catholics in Brazil (even though the trend has stabilized) or it is all about liberation theology. Larry Rohter of New York Times News Service decided that liberation theology was his hook in as story titled Benedict to confront liberation theology. First off the idea that Pope Benedict is using this Apostolic visitation to confront liberation theology is rather silly in the first place. Liberation theology is a dying movement, not a growing theological fire needing specific confrontation by the Pope during his visit.

Now Cardinal Ratzinger is Pope Benedict XVI, and when he arrives here on Wednesday for his first pastoral visit to Latin America he may be surprised at what he finds. Liberation theology, which he once called "a fundamental threat to the faith of the church," persists as an active, even defiant force in Latin America, home to nearly half the world’s 1 billion Roman Catholics.

The current population of Brazil is around 188,078,261 and a reported Catholic population around 139.24 million . How that becomes nearly half of the world’s over 1 billion Catholics is math hard for me to understand even as a public school graduate. Good thing the MSM has editors to prevent these problems.

In the past, adherents stood firm as death squads made scores of martyrs to the movement, ranging from Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero of El Salvador, killed in 1980 while celebrating Mass, to Dorothy Mae Stang, an American-born nun shot to death in the Brazilian Amazon in February 2005. Compared to that, the pressures of the Vatican are nothing to fear, they maintain.

Okay the population error was no big deal, but Archbishop Romero as a Liberation Theology adherent? His appointment as Archbishop was not exactly met with joy by Liberation Theologians and other radical priests. I have never heard that he was a direct advocate of Liberation Theology and surely if he had been the investigation for his canonization would have stalled if he was. I am not exactly sure what murdered nun Dorothy Mae Stang connection was to Liberation Theology was either. She was a rain forest activist and someone who helped the poor. Maybe in the case of the Archbishop and this nun if you help the poor in South America then you are automatically involved in Liberation Theology. I guess it was a miracle that Blessed Mother Teresa and the myriads before her were able to help the poor without Liberation Theology.

" Despite everything, we continue to endure in a kind of subterranean way," said Luiz Antonio Rodrigues dos Santos, a 55-year-old teacher active in the movement for nearly 30 years. "Let Rome and the critics say what they want; we simply persevere in our work with the poor and the oppressed."

Funny I thought love of neighbor was taught long before the Marxist influence Liberation Theology ever came about. Helping the poor and the oppressed doesn’t require one to buy flaky theology to do so.

With four priests present, readings from the Bible alternated with more worldly concerns: criticisms of government proposals to reduce pensions and workers’ rights under the Brazilian labor code. The service ended with the Lord’s Prayer and then a hymn.

"In the land of mankind, conceived of as a pyramid, there are few at the top, and many at the bottom," the congregation sang. "In the land of mankind, those at the top crush those at the bottom. Oh, people of the poor, people subjected to domination, what are you doing just standing there? The world of mankind has to be changed, so arise people, don’t stand still."

Wow what an uplifting hymn. Yes if only Marxist concepts were followed an we gave power to the government to help the poor. Just ignore history and practice then we can have an inverted pyramid. Funny thing about inverted pyramids is that in reality they always fall over when you place them top down.

At the behest of conservatives, the Vatican has imposed sanctions on the liberation theologians Gustavo Gutierrez of Peru, Leonardo Boff of Brazil and, most recently, Jon Sobrino of El Salvador, a Jesuit born in Spain. But when the Vatican admonished Sobrino in March, Pedro Casaldaliga of Brazil, one of the bishops most committed to liberation theology, wrote an open letter calling on the church to reaffirm its "real commitment to the service of God’s poor" and "the link between faith and politics."

It is not surprise that Jon Sobrino Christology which is quite deficient was condemned, though they never mention that it was specifically his Christology that was condemned not Liberation Theology specifically. Though they are connected. Often Liberation Theologians have created an earthly Gospel and evil is confined to bad social, political, or economic structures. The picture of Jesus becomes less the Son of God who died for our sins but instead a radical revolutionary who came to give us new social structures to help the poor.

That is exactly the dumbest part of the media when they address Liberation Theology is that they always relate it as the Vatican cracking down on theologians helping the poor. Not the fact that the critique of it is not its desired end, but the bad theology used to support an Marxist solution to this end. How many of these journalist ever read the document by Cardinal Ratzinger for the CDF Instruction on Certain Aspects of "Theology of Liberation"? Few if any judging by the news stories.

Now what I am favor of is Libation Theology. Something along the line of Theology on Tap or just reading or speaking on theology along with a good beer. I think Libation Theology could become quite a popular movement and of course we could quote Benjamin Franklin "Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." Of course scripturally we would have a solid basic for Libation theology all through the Old Testament and of course Jesus’ first miracle would be a good example or St. Paul’s advice for Timothy stomach ailment.

Updated: un-Muted Mumblings has found the preferred cereal of Liberation Theologians.

An Israeli university has announced the discovery of the grave and tomb of Herod the Great, the Roman empire’s “king of the Jews”, in ancient Judea.

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem said in a brief statement the discovery was made at Herodium, where Herod’s hilltop fortress palace once stood, some 12 kilometres from the holy city where he had rebuilt and expanded the Jewish Temple.

The university said it would give further details at a news conference later today.

The Gospel of Matthew says Herod ordered the ‘Massacre of the Innocents’, the killing of all young male children in Jesus’s birthplace of Bethlehem, out of fear he would lose his throne to a new “king of the Jews”, whose birth had been related to him by the Magi.

According to Matthew, Joseph and Mary fled with baby Jesus to Egypt to escape the slaughter.

The Roman Senate appointed Herod “king of the Jews” in approximately 40 BC.

According to the ancient Jewish historian Falavius Josephus, Herod died in 4 BC.

Israel’s Haaretz newspaper says on its website that Herod’s tomb was discovered by Hebrew University professor Ehud Netzer, who has conducted archaeological digs at Herodium since 1972.

Mike Aqualina posts on the story in part:

It will be interesting to see if, in a few years, Herod’s decorations can make the grand tour, as did those of Caiphas and Pilate last year. I wonder if he ever dreamed he could spend 2011 in Cleveland.

I think Herod’s the Great bones would be sort of an anti-relic. Though if they do go on tour here in the States I guess these would be relics appropriate for Rudy Giulianii, Nancy Pelosi, John Kerry and the rest of the Culture of Death Catholics. Though in comparison to them Herod was quite an amateur with his slaughter of the innocents. Considering the number of innocents killed in abortion clinics each day COD enables makes Herod efforts miniscule.

First there was the Nighline debate which featured atheists one one side and included Kirk Cameron on the other.

Now Christopher Hitchens debates Rev. Al Sharpton.

Now if Hitchens and Sharpton were debating which is the greatest jerk it would be one thing, but these debate slates are not exactly the cream of the crop of apologetics.

Governor McGreevy announces he is now an "Episcopalian American", though some consider it redundant from his announcement two years ago that ‘I am a gay American.‘

So good luck to him as he enters an Episcopalian seminary. He really will really stick out there, you know being a Governor.

Carl Olson opines:

As strange as it might sound, I’m thankful that McGreevey is being honest enough about what he believes and how he wants to live to recognize that he could no longer be Catholic. Obviously, it would be far better if he were to reconcile with the Church. But, since that apparently isn’t going to happen anytime soon, it’s best that he not pretend to be a devout, obedient Catholic while holding views that clearly contradict Church teaching. Now, if only some other politicians would be equally honest and consistent..

Roman Catholic priest Ed Panlilio, wearing a bullet proof vest, gestures beside his campaign poster in the outskirts of Pampanga province, north of Manila May 1, 2007.

First off shouldn’t he be wearing a bullet proof vestment?

The priest – Father Ed Panlilio – said that he will temporarily leave the priesthood but he will remain a man of God.

Panlilio said he already filed a leave of absence before a local archbishop and he is waiting for a reply.

Panlilio has been part of the clergy for 26 years and headed the Pampanga Social Action Center for the past 20 years.

He was also the founder of a non-government organization and became part of the rescue operations during the eruption of Mt Pinatubo in June 1991.

The priest will be facing Incumbent Governor Mark Lapid and Board Member Lilia Pineda, both of whom have announced their respective plans to run for governor.

The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines did not express immediately opposition to the possibility of Panlilio becoming a politician.

"Yung kanyang pagkapari will remain. Kaya lang yung kanyang function as a priest ang (mawawala)," Bishop Pedro Quitorio, CBCP spokesman said.

Something is pretty odd here since normally you can expect the Philippines Bishop’s conference not to ignore Canon law in a situation like this. You are a priest forever, unless you take a temporary leave of absence to run for governor.

It certainly does seem that his own bishop is supporting him in his run.

“I don’t have any doubt about his fidelity to his vocation,” the 70-year-old bishop told the Inquirer.

And then there was this scary sentence in an opinion piece in the Manila Times.

You know very well our image of priestly heroes. They are imposing, they are larger than life, they are Che Guevaras in flowing robes.

Not exactly a sentence I would ever construct. Though I doubt very much that Fr. Panlilio fulfills this image. A Che Guevaras in flowing robes would just have more places to hide machine guns.

The BBC is broadcasting a so called "gay mass" from (what a surprise) San Francisco’s Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church.

However, Father Donal Godfrey, the U.S. Jesuit priest celebrating the Mass, said he was delighted the BBC was "exploring how gay people fit into the perspective of the Christian narrative".

"Being gay is not special," he said. "It’s simply another gift from God who created us as rainbow people."

Adultery isn’t bad it is just another gift for the rainbow people. Rainbow people sounds like a really bad PBS cartoon from the seventies, something that Marlo Thomas would have narrated.

Fr. Meriwether the pastor of the Church was previously put on leave after many complaints to the Archdiocese for this parish allowing the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence holding bingo games with sex toy prizes in the parish hall. When the hub bub quitted down he returned and of course it is now business as usual.

Please pray for Archbishop George Niederauer that he will put a stop to this scandal there permanently and not just when there is public attention.

Please also send charitable emails to Archbishop George Niederauer protesting this travesty.

One positive thing about the article is that they actualy got something right about Chruch teaching.

The Roman Catholic Church holds that sex belongs in the context of heterosexual marriage and that gay sex is "objectively disordered".

However, it also teaches that homosexual orientation is not in itself sinful and that gays and lesbians must be treated with respect and be free from unjust discrimination.

Update: From LifeSite

SAN FRANCISCO, April 27, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The Archdiocese of San Francisco is refuting the Evening Standard’s claim that a service to be broadcast worldwide this Sunday by the BBC from a San Francisco parish is a "gay Mass".

With the headline, "BBC to broadcast gay mass from San Francisco" the Evening Standard reported today that the event, recorded last October 22, was presided over by Jesuit Fr. Donal Godfrey with preaching from one of Britain’s leading homosexual theologians, James Allison. The Standard reported that the "Mass" will feature prayers and readings tailored for the gay community.

Maurice Healy, Communications Director for the Archdiocese, however, was adamant that what will be broadcast is neither a Mass nor endorsed by the Archdiocese. Healy told LifeSiteNews.com, "The event was not, repeat not a ‘gay mass’ it was a prayer service organized by Jesuit father Donal Godfrey."

Healy said, "I’m told that he organized it. It was not an archdiocesan function and the archdiocese was not aware of the BBC broadcast."

So will the event be stopped and prevented from being televised? No answer there.

When asked about the participation of the parish in the Gay Pride parade, Healy responded, "Their participation could be seen as a way of outreaching. They don’t have the archdiocese’ approval but Catholics are independent minded people."

When asked directly if Holy Redeemer is the gay parish in San Francisco, Healy said, "These are complex issues." He continued, "We don’t make differentiations between gay parishes and other parishes. We don’t take a census about ethnicity, or homosexual orientation."

The Diocesan Bishop has specific authority in regulating televised Masses and I would certainly guess the same would be true for televised prayer services. It should be pretty easy for a Bishop to figure out that any prayer service the BBC is willing to televise is certainly one that shouldn’t be televised or probably held in the first place.