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Presidential infallibility?

Leftoid progressives can be unintentionally funny on occasion and this is one of those occasions.

Newsweek guest columnist Kathleen Kennedy Townsend asks the question "Is Obama more Catholic than the Pope?" and concludes "Without a Doubt".

And how does the good Kathleen Kennedy Townsend arrive at this astonishing conclusion I hear you ask?

Easy
In truth, though, Obama's pragmatic approach to divisive policy (his notion that we should acknowledge the good faith underlying opposing viewpoints) and his social-justice agenda reflect the views of American Catholic laity much more closely than those vocal bishops and pro-life activists. When Obama meets the pope tomorrow, they'll politely disagree about reproductive freedoms and homosexuality, but Catholics back home won't care, because they know Obama's on their side. In fact, Obama's agenda is closer to their views than even the pope's.


Got that?

If you are puzzled by this reasoning let me explain - because Obama's thinking is in line with the belief structure of Liberal post modern thinking guest columnists he is far more in tune with Catholic thinking than a cradle Catholic who has risen to the position of Pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church.

There is a great deal more to the Christian Faith and Roman Catholicism than "reproductive freedoms and homosexuality" my friends as I am sure most of you are fully aware. Nor do I an Orthodox Christian think the Pope is wrong in the positions he takes on these matters.

The liberal warblers may not like the what the Pope says about these things - not like it at all in fact but that does not in any way make the Pope wrong.

Au contraire if the Pope were to bend to the winds of liberal populism rather than remaining true to the Faith which sustains us I for one would rapidly lose my respect for him. And I have the utmost respect for him, indeed I do.

If it comes down to it when choosing who's words have the greater validity on any controversial topic its no contest-no contest at all.

Comments

  1. The Liberal left win arguments by redefining what they are arguing about. If they can declare that Catholicism is something else, then when the Pope doesn't fit in the picture, no problem.

    The title of her article may not of been her idea, but it's fairly stupid, although it does indicate the low standard her article ultimately fails to reach.

    I'm sure she thinks Obama is only moments away from being crowned Pope, anyway. Although that might be a demotion from "messiah", so maybe I'm being a little far fetched.

    They might politely disagree about "reproductive freedom" - the first disagreement is the language that hides the fact that freedom *after pregnancy* entails ending a life.

    Abortion is a more accurate term. Reproductive Freedom is where you choose to abstain from sex to avoid the stain on your soul for killing your unborn child.

    It could encompass a lively debate about contraception even - but I suspect Townsend includes the right to terminate a fetus in that nice little phrase.

    Indeed, her characterisation of the issues of contraception in Catholic Theology are typical conspiracy theory, because like too many American Catholics, she has not bothered to consider the theology behind the encyclical letter - Humanae Vitae of Pope Paul VI.

    Consider also this discussion on contraception was only ever in the context of a married couple. Not what the liberal world wants to hear anyway.

    It's not that Obama is "more Catholic than the Pope", it's that a large segment of American Catholics are barely Catholic themselves.

    Given the changes America was going through in the 1960's, it is not surprising the Pope's encyclical caused as much controversy as it did.

    Here's a more sober explanation of why American Catholics are hoping Obama gets them off the hook: No Room for Contraception

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  2. Ummm, hate to quibble, but:

    ...his [Obama] social-justice agenda reflect the views of American Catholic laity much more closely than those vocal bishops and pro-life activists. [Emphasis added]

    While I agree Obama is no more Catholic than Ian Paisley, Kennedy-Townsend's assertion may well be true! Many (possibly a majority) of US Catholic's disregard the official church stance on such pivotal issues of homosexuality, contraception & abortion, as evidenced in the latest US elections.

    So, the question is not whether Obama represents US Catholics better than the Pope, but why? Why are so many of the US church laity so far out of touch with the church's position on such topical issues? Doesn't say much about the church's education efforts... and what is the Pope doing to reconcile these differences? (dare I say splits in the US church?)

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  3. Squaredrive: it is precisely BECAUSE of the Church's education efforts that many lay Catholic's think the way they do.

    The liberal cleric and lay response to Humanae vitae was a sentinel mark of dissent; many lay Catholics were led astray by mischievous clerics who led them to believe you could tell the Magisterium to get stuffed, yet still be a Catholic.

    That flawed, but fatal, mindset has occupied the last 40 years of seminary, diocesan and even curial thinking and staff appointments.
    JPII and now Benedict XVI are righting the ship but of course there is resistance.

    So you are probably right, Kennedy-Townsend's right that most American Catholics think like Obama; but Andrei makes the point very well. They are wrong, Benedict is right.

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  4. Squaredrive, as I said in my comment, I suspect the editor may have chosen the title of the article, but I doubt there was much disagreement from Townsend.

    As you say, Obama's stance on a couple of issues (out of many) might better reflect the views of the American Catholic laity. That does not make Obama more Catholic than the Pope, as it certainly doesn't mean you simply redefine Catholicism to be "whatever the uneducated and non-practicing Catholics decide it might be."

    The Catholic Church doesn't so much set the doctrine, as safeguard and champion it. As others lose their way, it becomes the steadfast rock on which the lighthouse stands and brings us back home.

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  5. doesn't mean you simply redefine Catholicism to be "whatever the uneducated and non-practicing Catholics decide it might be."

    But it does mean people that say things about Obama's "Catholic Problem" and think no one can ignore the "Catholic Vote" and win the white house etc etc when, in fact, USian catholics rate stem cells and gay marriage at the very bottom of their priorities.

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  6. Hmm, trying to parse my post above and no amount of re-reading makes it work.

    What I meant was that controversies like Notre Dame and the power of the Catholic Vote also need to be seen in the light of what most catholics in the US actually care about (and how that's frequently very removed from what the Church makes the most noise about).

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  7. That may be so, TA. That really is a side issue though in this post where Andrei notes the outright mis-characterisation of the Obama, Catholic Church and the Pope.

    Obama is not more Catholic than the Pope, and repeating it in various ways doesn't make it so. Especially as that repetition is designed to downplay Obama's actions.

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  8. TheAtavism,

    what you said both times made perfect sense. As a Catholic, I would be worried if my religion were man-made and not supported by God.

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