Why would anyone think the bishops’ religious-freedom campaign could serve partisan ends?
April 24, 2012, 2:16 pm
Posted by Grant Gallicho
My favorite thing about the group’s website is that the “other teachings” link, which is buried way down in the lower right-hand corner of the site, goes to a blank page.
Holy moly! Is this one of those multi-user, realtime, internet video games? “Majestic” enough, I suppose. Problem is, who really believes the mindset of those folks who treasure video games, near the point of addiction, have convincingly predictable mindsets? Not to mention the effort required to leave their xbox. Are local, state and federal elections being done online this year?
You’re trying to tell us this isn’t a spoof?
My vote is going to be recorded in eternity???????? I can’t even trust that they’ll get it right in these new fangled machines! Wow! I know I’ll have decisions to answer for, but I didn’t expect a grilling on that!!! How did I vote in 1972 on that “water” something project?
What ar we to make of this campaign and the “forge” and the “blacksmith” who reminds me much more of a scene from an auto da fe….
interstging how “jobs” has become a moral issue? I wonder what that meand? the candidate that produces the most jobs? And marraige? nogt even on the ballot, but, well, you get the message… for one kind, against others.
I hope this will get a good play — on “Comedy Central.”
And of course they show a WOMAN voter!! Tee hee…
And the bishops really DO know a lot about freedom, don’t they.
Insanity :)
Check out the website of “Catholics Called to Witness”. I doubt that the bishops had anything to do with the video.
A trio of friendly-looking parishioner types in Florida apparently have started a website and funded a YouTube commercial. Good on ‘em, I say. Go, laity!
Oops! Forgot to mention that snazzy logo: crown of thorns surrounding 3 stars (assuming those to represent marriage, life and…what was the other one?)
Lots of bucks spent on this one.
Wow, this is going to backfire so badly! I can’t wait to see Colbert and Saturday Night Live!
Of course it is not likely tlheynhad anything directly to do with it. But their names are plastered all over it and I can’t imagine they are not pleased…
Makes absolutely no difference to me. I am voting for Adolf Stalin (or is it Joseph Hitler? I always get them mixed up…)
Just called Bishop Jenky: he said it is Barack Obama. Phew…don’t want to make a mistake at the polls.
Bp Tyson and Bp Coyne like it.
http://yakimadiocese.org/209-test-of-fire-election-2012
http://thoughtsofacatholicbishop.blogspot.com/2012/04/test-of-fire-election-2012.html
On a serious note: I was talking about this issue to one of my brothers, owner of a small business who left the Church decades ago because he was scandalized by the wealth of the institution. He feels that the bishops are actually on the right side of this issue, but feels at the same time that they are hurting the cause because of their total lack of credibility.
If the makers of that video really want so badly to parody Wagner, they might at least have the decency to use his music. As for the guy with the sledgehammer — who is it? Alberich? Mime the smith?
At least the message is clear: if you don’t vote the way I tell you, it’s Götterdämmerung all over again.
Claire:
Do you think that Rep. Paul Ryan knows that his identical twin brother separated from him at birth is now a bishop in Yakima, Washington?
Hmm: Did I miss something at the end?
“I am Cardinal Timothy Dolan and I approve this message.”
Camp begets camp. This is hilarious.
Helen: great line. Personally, I was waiting for Iron Man to emerge at the end to fight the Evildoers.
Fr. Komonchak
Perhasps the bishops had nothing to do this just as the PACS don’t produce for the campaign, but two endorsements from bishops already demonstrates something… and I don’t think it’s positive for our process or supposedly non-partisan position as a church.
At the start of that video, I thought I was watching Sauron forge the One Ring. And now at the end of it, I’m not sure I was wrong.
John P – I had the same thought! “One Ring to tax them all, one to employ them. One Ring to marry them but only girl-and-boy-em”
I don’t think the video is a good thing either. I had seen it a week or so ago when my brother sent it to me. Are there people who will be persuaded, converted, by it? Or will it appeal only to the already converted? Will more people be turned off by it than be turned on?
I didn’t know about any endorsements from bishops, but, let’s see, what percentage of the US hierarchy is two bishops?
“Will more people be turned off by it than be turned on?”
There’s a lock for every key, and somewhere out there, there’s someone who gets really hot and bothered at the sight of a crucifix juxtaposed against the Stars and Stripes.
Fair enough response, Father K. Perhaps the others will ignore it… or maybe it’ll spawn a cottage industry of such videos in different dioceses– that seems more likely and somewhere they’ll be a contest or a festival and, and… it gets too exciting to think about … what will they name the award? The Bennys????
On a more serious nnote (!), one person not mentioned in any of these discussions is the Apostolic Delegate… how does he weigh in with anything in either of these spheres these days???
Just to follow up on Joseph Komonchak’s comment (4/24, 4:13 pm), as enjoyable as some of the comments on this thread have been, and even allowing for the fact that this video has “gone viral” (over 300,000 hits on YouTube), I think it’s helpful to keep this in perspective.
As best I can tell after a quick 15 minutes or so of searching online, this video was produced by a new nonprofit (not even 501c3 certified yet) run by a married couple and a friend of theirs from a neighboring parish in Broward County.
Apparently, this video is the only “resource” they’ve produced so far. The “Get Involved” page of their website is “coming soon”. Their “Events” page lists a prayer breakfast and a presentation about their organization—both in May, both in South Florida. The entire content of the website doesn’t amount to more than a few pages—shorter than a typical college term paper I would estimate.
I’m not criticizing the leaders of CC2W. I’m just pointing out that, based on available information, there’s not much there there. Perhaps some day there will be. Perhaps even as soon as the next few weeks. But again, based on available information, it’s not worth overreacting to. (YMMV.)
Did anyone notice the video links that popped-up after the Catholic “Test of Fire” trailer? President Obama’s birth certificate NOT AUTHENTIC? John Wayne and Dean Martin on VALUES? Really???
Who paid for this swill? And with what unaccountable and unattributable money?
This is yet another example of why Catholics must wrest control of the church’s finances and properties from the exclusive and unlimited hands of the hierarchs.
If Dolan and his “brother” hierarchs keep up this partisan politics, eventually some politicians are going to take their tax exempt status away.
LET THE PEOPLE DECIDE!
Luke, the information was truly helpful for me. Not to overestimate is important. Thank you. For me my only excuse is the pleasure of being silly in good company. Much like the good luck of growing up with parents who allowed near full range of conversation. The experience included the occassional reminder of being called back should one push the edges of stupid too passionately.
BTW, based on my understanding of more than a few remarks here I would suggest should some of you become pooped with this Catholic thing, I have heard the writers for SNL regularly interview. Believe more than a few of you could make the cut. Well, it would pay the bills while you were making your way back.
Looks like a blacksmith making weapons for the forces of another Inquisition.
Are Dean Martin values “negotiable principles”?
On a serious note, will the site still exist in 2013?
Ok, I’ve had enough– for my sake, last post on this.
I’m not as sanguine about what this all means as the bishops like Jenky and those endorsing this ad are getting ready for that step over “Endorsement Edge” and then the cries of relgious freedom will be even more crazy… and I sure hope there are not worse ramifications as I think most are still heating up their rhetoric.
And we still await Philadelphia and Kansas City….
When I was at Maryknoll just post assassinations, I remember well those sisters in daily liturgies — they and so many others — real people, real witness. Can’t bother with the craziness of this corporate hierarchy…
This is a great example of the radically DECENTRALIZED Catholic Church. I highly doubt this group sought permission from any diocese, nor was any required. Probably just their own funds too; maybe with a few friends contributing as well. Amazing!
David Pasinski:”On a more serious nnote (!), one person not mentioned in any of these discussions is the Apostolic Delegate… how does he weigh in with anything in either of these spheres these days???”
My guess is that he’ll support the US bishops, at least publicly, even though the Vatican has been out of sync with the rightwing bishops at the fore in this before (e.g., when the Vatican praised Obama’s speech at Notre Dame).
This whole affair is pretty foreign to Europeans, including Catholics, who consider the US health care system senseless at best. Still, the Pope has to be seen supporting bishops who seem to be supporting the teaching against contraception, although I’m sure many would prefer they not make such a big deal about “religious liberty.” On the other hand, asserting the rights of the Church above anything and anybody seems always an acceptable stand.
A vote against Obama is a vote for the Catholic bishops.
But a vote for Obama is a vote against the Catholic bishops.
I’m going to vote against the Catholic bishops and for Obama.
Thomas, are you going to vote for Obama because you support Obama, and in spite of the fact, which you regret, that it means voting against the bishops? Or are you going to reluctantly vote for Obama, even though you don’t care for him, but because it means voting against the bishops?
Claire: most of us who are voting for President Obama are doing so because we support what he has been attempting to do in spite of good Catholic Republican opposition. Voting against bishops is not an issue. If they want to wear the self-placed crown of Sanctimonious Righteousness, then they had better expect to be carrying the cross of public opprobrium.
I thought Stalin-Hitler was the Demo candidate? You guys are confusing me again!
Claire: I was planning to vote for Obama before the Catholic bishops ever launched this campaign about freedom of religion. I’m against the Republicans.
It’s like a commercial for the US Bishops’ voting recommendations if directed by the love child of Peter Jackson and David Cronenberg, with the soundtrack from National Treasure ;) God help us all.
PS – I’ll be voting for Obama again. If only the bishops *would* run so I could vite against them.
Ha! It was better than I expected. I thought they were forging instruments of torture for a new Inquistion! I expected a slasher film with liberal nuns rather than teenage girls the victims! maybe Saw 7: the Crcuble.
Jimmy Mac- just saw (so to speak) you beat me to the same point.
I am happy to report that neither my parish nor my diocese are linking to that video.
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