Got nothing to say but it’s okay.
This piece on the Catholic Church in London Review of Books is great.
by DougJ| 43 Comments
This post is in: Open Threads
Got nothing to say but it’s okay.
This piece on the Catholic Church in London Review of Books is great.
Comments are closed.
Linda Featheringill
From photo of Beck’s rally on the Mall [wapo]:
In Beck We Trust.
I suggest that we all sing along, to the tune of Oh Tannenbaum,
“Idolatry, Idolatry, how close we cling to Thee.”
freelancer
You’re not glued to the screen watching this?
smiley
If ya’ll haven’t see it, this is good. BTW, there doesn’t seem to be much media coverage of the Beck ego fest so far.
suzanne
I have spent the morning fervently hoping that someone laced Glenn Beck’s morning Jamba Juice with laxatives.
Half the population is below average. I would do well to remember that.
asdf
I listened to Beck’s speech. He seemed to lack a thesis.
I wondered why he kept harping on “unity” when he’s made a career of divisiveness. He never seemed to be willing to join the majority and unite with us, so either he’s asking the radical right to unite with itself or he’s seeking (and this is always so with the radical, religious right) the conversion of the progressive majority to his way of thinking.
Or who the hell knows? Where did our honor go, Glenn? Why does it need to be restored? You’d think those innocent little questions might have been addressed. But he really didn’t seem to have a central point.
Davis X. Machina
@asdf: Does a box of Refrigerator Poetry Magnets™ have ‘a point?’
Origuy
“I have a dream.” — Martin Luther King, Jr.
“I have a scam.” — Glenn Beck
Gina
@asdf:
I think it’s something about some books he’s selling. And that teevee show…
licensed to kill time
@asdf:
I guess that divine inspiration he was expecting failed to materialize.
Curses! God failed him again. Where are the miracles?
BethanyAnne
I just saw “Inglorious Basterds”. Enjoyed it thoroughly, now I’m going for a massage. Yay Saturdays! and double yay for an income again :)
smiley
@asdf: @Gina:
I’d add that those people don’t need a point, and that’s the point. All that they need is the belief that they are “taking back” the country (that they never lost).
GregB
I’m tired of these America haters who think our country has no honor!
Omnes Omnibus
When I have nothing to say, my lips are sealed.
Say something once, why say it again?
aimai
Doug,
Great essay on the Catholic Church. A little wandering for my taste, but very rich and full of insights and stories. Plus, wonderful language. The Pope “wears red shoes that could put your eye out.” Things like that. The essay,for those who aren’t clicking on the link, is written by a Catholic who considered (though I don’t think he did go through with it) becoming a priest in the 70’s when he first became anxious about being gay. He does a very good job of talking about the hidden history of gayness in the church.
But I don’t think he does a good job of talking about the hidden history of *authoritarianism* and *abuse of minors* in the church. That is, he doesn’t bother talking about the ways in which the church itself has always turned a blind eye towards abuse of women and children by priests because the status of priest, and the status of nominal celibacy, was more important than authentic and loving sexual relations with such lesser beings. Essentially, sexual relations with women and children and (to a certain extent) younger men were treated as natural or inevitable almost lower level sins compared to sins against property, or against the hierarchy (such as ordaining women or agitating for poverty). The author touches on this slightly when talking about the church’s recent decision to lump “new” rules against abusing children in with stricter rules against ordaining women.
Still, a great essay.
aimai
PurpleGirl
I had to meet my typing client this morning so I wasn’t home to try and not watch the Beckathon. I gave her a handful of replacement pages and she gave me two new projects. I bought a British crochet magazine. (We met at a Barnes & Nobles which has a cafe.) It was quite a good morning.
DarcyPennell
Nothing has changed, it’s still the same, good morning, good morning, good morning!
Elie
I dunno.
Couple of months ago, many were carping for Obama to “do something” about the BP Gulf Oil spill…that it was going to be Obama’s Katrina — his failure to govern.
It is the end of August. Quietly, the BP disaster — the flowing spigot of oil that was to be his stigmata of failure, has been plugged. Period. No drama Obama.
Are there still problems, oil to clean up, damage to fix — yes, of course. But the gusher is plugged. Is he crowing, pointing to himself, making a big damned deal to everyone? Well, no. He hasn’t said anything much on the record. Business as usual.
And the carpers from left wing and right, well, they have gone on to other topics to bash him with — social security most recently… Mosque at ground zero the fave for the right (and some of the left too, apparently).
Just sayin… no one seemed to notice…
jeffreyw
Went across the road to the neighbor’s yard sale. They are the ones that are trying to sell out and take up RVing full time. They’ve been no trouble as neighbors, but Mrs J sez they are trying to place their two adult dogs. Both are about 8 years old. Also the have a kitty they don’t want to take with. I took the camera to try to get pics of the dogs but failed to get good ones, they seem very shy. The black and white dog seems afraid of the camera. Mrs J got a pic of the kitty.
Sly
@asdf:
I watched a few minutes. Vague generalities and feel-good demagogy wrapped up in the trappings of religious uniformity. Sort of like a Rick Warren sermon, without as much charisma and a slightly weaker grasp on reality. The only real proposal he had was a call for conservative churches to openly endorse political candidates (the “Black Robed Regiment” part), which would contribute nothing to society other than give the IRS some more work.
The Rude Pundit had it pegged.
Linda Featheringill
Beck:
The phrase “Restore America” sounds reactionary but so far I haven’t discerned any really reactionary proposal coming from Beck.
Of course, since I’m one of the people who have trouble figuring out what his point it, he may not be speaking in standard English. He might be putting forth a complete agenda to folks who understand him.
I still think Beck reminds me of Elmer Gantry.
[I may be showing my age there.]
Corner Stone
@Elie:
Not sure what your point is? Obama should have said that after 100 days and 5M gallons spilled, and with BP lying to everyone along the way and the CG assisting them in that, he should have started chest thumping?
To be clear, the cause of the incident has nothing to do with Obama. But it’s hardly something to be bringing up, for any reason.
So it’s pretty clear the best course is to say as little as possible.
asdf
“I still think Beck reminds me of Elmer Gantry.”
I meant to compliment whoever had made that fine observation but I couldn’t remember who it was. Linda Featheringill, that’s a winner.
Cat Lady
It’s clear from the linked story that Catholic churches should not be allowed within 4 blocks of any middle school. If by the Church’s own admission homosexuality is a proximate cause of pedophilia, and anecdotally the priesthood is 90+% homosexual, shouldn’t there be
flash mobs of hatescreaming concerned parents stationed at every rectory? I wish someone would secretly add minarets to the roofs. Oh well, a girl can dream.Linda Featheringill
From wapo comments on size of Beck’s rally.
“I’m guessing most of the crowd for Beck’s rally will be big.
20 to 50+ pounds overweight, estimated…
Posted by: cambridge02140 | August 28, 2010 12:27 PM”
[tee, hee]
Mark S.
That’s a real noodle scratcher.
I also love people like Maureen Dowd’s brother (as well as my parents) who think gay priests just sprung up in the 60’s.
Gina
I’m not so sure about the Elmer Gantry/Glenn Beck thing. Preacher Harry Powell is what came to mind instead.
On another note, can you just hear the wailing and gnashing of teeth coming from Bill O’Reilly’s quarters these days? He keeps getting out-attention-whored by Beck and Palin every which way.
Linda Featheringill
@asdf:
Thank you.
blackwaterdog
@Elie:
Yep. And this is how it’s going to always be. I actually saw some complaints today about him “wasting” his weekly address on small details like bringing 90,000 soldiers home from Iraq. Like this wasn’t his biggest campaign promise. Yea, such a waste.
And when Dems lose their pants in November, they will all blame Obama.
Ouish
I’ve always wondered whether he’s saying it’s okay that he’s got nothing to say, or that the only thing he’s got to say is “It’s okay.” Or is he just pleased to be saying two things at once?
Corner Stone
@blackwaterdog: What are you talking about?
ETA – there seems to be a real disconnect between what Elie says and what your post says.
Your “this” addition doesn’t seem to have anything to do with what Elie posted.
Stephen1947
Doug – besides quoting the Beatles, you’re also semi-quoting Fellini. In 8 1/2 (one of the three greatest movies ever made) his alter-ego protagonist sings “I have nothing to say, but I want to say it anyway” fairly early in the movie. Then an obnoxious American reporter brays it to the world in the penultimate scene – a press conference. “He has nothing to say! The man has nothing to say!”
fraught
@Linda Featheringill: Elmer Gantry without the charm. A religious revival straight out of the 1920s minus the fake faith healing.
ppcli
@fraught:
Yes, or maybe better to say the cruel sociopath Elmer Gantry from the original Sinclair Lewis book rather than the more ambiguous and at times even sympathetic Elmer Gantry that Burt Lancaster created for the movie.
Elizabelle
Slightly off-topic, but religious-based story:
McClatchy profile of Obama’s director of faith outreach Joshua DuBois, a 27 year old Pentecostalist minister/Princeton grad with a Master’s in Public Policy.
Obama’s Man of Faith Has Dual Roles
http://www.thestate.com/2010/08/28/1436886/obamas-man-of-faith-has-dual-roles.html
Maybe this is White House rolling out Obama’s Christian credentials in response to the “lotso Americans think he’s a Muslim” poll?
We learn about Obama praying and interacting with the Christian faith community, from an early morning “spiritual Blackberry session” with DuBois, to group prayer sessions with other ministers and people of faith,
===================
Myself, I am praying for a country that respects the separation of church and state, which stands for religious liberty as a practice, not a cheap political slogan.
And one that gives the Tea Party Christianist Becktards a good kick in the ass this November.
How dare they drag us into a Darwinian theocracy?
Hal
So if Beck’s rally attracted tens of thousands, as the New York Times says, is that all that impressive?
Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck and the Tea Party are all supposed to be part of a massive movement. If so, I would have expected hundreds of thousands at least.
Of course, Fox News will probably run a story about how there were millions of people there, and show some old footage of a much bigger event in an attempt to convince their viewers of the people who were there.
WereBear (itouch)
@jeffreyw: What the heck is wrong with them? I thought the point of an RV is that you have a home on wheels.
I’m sure they are looking for “less trouble.” if they reach the ultimate, they’ll spend hundreds of miles on the Interstate, saying nothing to each other.
aimai
@Elizabelle:
I think this guy is a friend of my pentacostalist minister/dry cleaner. They got a private tour of the white house on the strength of the connection. I got friendly with him and his wife talking politics while dropping off dry cleaning. They are black and very conservative–I’m white and liberal. They only came around to voting for Obama after they assured themselves that he wasn’t “pro abortion”–they had voted for Bush before on the strength of that. Truly, politics and religion make for very strange bedfellows.
aimai
WereBear (itouch)
@aimai: Some people prefer very simple lives.
When all your moral, political, and spiritual decisions pivot on one priciple, all is easy. Maybe not right or workable or even consistent, it it is easy.
asiangrrlMN
@jeffreyw: I am sorry, but I just have to say that I find what your neighbors are doing repulsive. Feh.,
jetan
The essay had it’s moments and many of his observations are valid. But someone who doesn’t abide by the doctrine of transubstantiation cannot, in my opinion, claim to speak as a Roman Catholic. It is a far more core tenet of Catholicism than adhering to the practice of celibacy which, as the author correctly points out, has never been a doctrinal issue (in fact there are many married priests in the Eastern Rite churches which remain in union with Rome).
We now return you to your normally scheduled pogrom, already in progress.
Elie
@Corner Stone:
Corner —
Only you have problems understanding what I and blackwater said. It is not even worth countering your point of view. I know from where you come, babe.
Elie
@Corner Stone:
Also — it was not about what he should say or not, but my comment just asked a question to those who had criticized for precisely that — that the oil catastrophe happenned. I was noting that no one had said shit about its resolution — including you, one of the leading Obama should whinny boys.
(I will be fair and note that you never said that the actual blowing up of the rig was directly Obama’s fault, but everything else about the response, to you, was).
You are just so transparent. Have you checked your underwear lately?
teeshirt
My employer laid off one thousand people…Then dissipated not far from 100 millions dollars buying foreign firms. Then discharged employees at those businesses. The troubles in the usa have nothing to do with our president . The inconvenience is the private sector. – it’s a buyers market, they’re the buyers and they know it..Expect it to get worse …