Letterman on the Pope

[Wolseley]

You are right that the Pope never said that. However, I hold Francis 100% responsible for Letterman and others leaving with that impression.

I don't. I hold the media responsible for leaving people with that impression.

Let's face it, if the Pope were to say, "I declare that marriage is open only to men marrying women, while I denounce homosexual unions, which are in no way a good thing," the media would carefully edit that to say, "I declare that marriage is open...to...homosexual unions, which are...a good thing."

I trust no media report from any source about the Church, unless it squares with the official version coming from the Holy See. News organizations spin; they slant; they have agendas.

Oh, and BTW, I can't stand either Letterman or Monty Python.

 

[TheRealPope]

The current Pope is diluting the Church's message.

I take offense to that.

It's not easy. You know? Popin' 1 billion people is stressful.

 

[Michie]

I take offense to that.

It's not easy. You know? Popin' 1 billion people is stressful.

Oh fun.

 

[Memento Mori]

lol

 

[Wolseley]

I keep putting chicken wire up underneath this darned bridge, and they still keep getting in. I wish I could figure out where they're coming from....

 

[Fantine]

I am amazed at how many non-Catholics have told me how much they admire Pope Francis and how he has given them a more favorable image of Catholicism.

 

[LoAmmi]

I am amazed at how many non-Catholics have told me how much they admire Pope Francis and how he has given them a more favorable image of Catholicism.

Please don't think I mean this in a negative way, but I think he's much better a public relations than the previous few Popes. Even if a few people take it wrong, he hasn't changed the message. He's simply putting it out there in a positive way and he isn't shy with talking to reporters in the slightest.

 

[AvilaSurfer]

I am amazed at how many non-Catholics have told me how much they admire Pope Francis and how he has given them a more favorable image of Catholicism.

Unfortunately many non-Catholics feel that way because they've read the distortions by the press.

 

[Armoured]

In the process of trying to please everyone, the current Pope is diluting the Church's message.

And people said I was crazy to say that people were going to suggest the Pope isn't a "real" Catholic.

 

[Wolseley]

Unfortunately many non-Catholics feel that way because they're read the distortions by the press.

That's exactly what I was about to say, but you beat me to it.

 

[Michie]

I am amazed at how many non-Catholics have told me how much they admire Pope Francis and how he has given them a more favorable image of Catholicism.

I think he is following JPII in that respect.

 

[Root of Jesse]

I'm not going to disagree with you but I'm withholding judgment at this point.

It is not Pope Francis's fault that people hear what they want from what he says. It's true of every public figure. Even though I don't like Obama, I know that some of what he says gets misconstrued.

What we, as people, must do, is, when someone cites a source, and it sounds odd to us, we must do the legwork. Or learn which sources we can trust, and spot check them every so often. Especially when you hear things like "The spirit of Vatican II". Or "Pope Francis said..."

 

[Michie]

It is not Pope Francis's fault that people hear what they want from what he says. It's true of every public figure. Even though I don't like Obama, I know that some of what he says gets misconstrued.

What we, as people, must do, is, when someone cites a source, and it sounds odd to us, we must do the legwork. Or learn which sources we can trust, and spot check them every so often. Especially when you hear things like "The spirit of Vatican II". Or "Pope Francis said..."

I agree. The only issue I have I guess is the silence after the press or whomever takes something the Pope says & ushers everyone into fantasy land. I don't quite understand why there is never any clarification from the Vatican for long periods when both the liberal & conservative sides go into spin control.

Just today the Vatican clarified that they were not polling Catholics about family & marriage. But the horse is already out of the barn.

 

[Wolseley]

Possibly the Holy See believes that Catholics are perceptive enough to consult the Vatican directly on these issues. I don't think they quite realize that most Americans get their information through a drip feed from the mainstream media, and if Brian Williams (Rachel Maddow, Katie Couric, et al says it must be so, then it's gospel.

 

[Michie]

Possibly the Holy See believes that Catholics are perceptive enough to consult the Vatican directly on these issues. I don't think they quite realize that most Americans get their information through a drip feed from the mainstream media, and if Brian Williams (Rachel Maddow, Katie Couric, et al says it must be so, then it's gospel.

If the Vatican is truly concerned about genuine evangelization then they better realize that a lot of Catholics are not that perceptive in the ways of the media.

 

[ebia]

If the Vatican is truly concerned about genuine evangelization then they better realize that a lot of Catholics are not that perceptive in the ways of the media.

maybe the pope realises that the Christian faith can't be communicated in media-proof soundbites.

 

[Michie]

maybe the pope realises that the Christian faith can't be communicated in media-proof soundbites.

Well we can speculate all day can't we?

Why bother at all with the media then?

Seems clarification is needed given that it always comes about after the horse is already out of the barn.

I'm thinking they are going to start being a little more prompt in the future. At least I hope so.

 

[Wolseley]

Why bother at all with the media then?

That is a brilliant and insightful question I asked myself upwards of twelve years ago, Michie.

The answer to myself: I don't. I haven't watched a network news report since the late fall of 2001.

 

[ebia]

Well we can speculate all day can't we? Why bother at all with the media then?

It's impossible not to.

Seems clarification is needed given that it always comes about after the horse is already out of the barn.

Seemingly from the Curia rather than the Pope. I'm inclined to think his holiness knows what he's doing.

 

[Michie]

That is a brilliant and insightful question I asked myself upwards of twelve years ago, Michie.

The answer to myself: I don't. I haven't watched a network news report since the late fall of 2001.

I ask myself all the time why I still bother.