Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Catholics in the "real world": stupid quote o' the week goes to Forbes!

Today's Boston Globe included in its "VoxOp" (a feature that gives us snippets from blogs and web sites on various issues) the following quote from one Jon O'Brien from Forbes.com:

"Clearly, the great majority of US Catholics are thinking, believing, and acting in a different way than the hierarchy. That does not make us bad Catholics, we do take our faith seriously, but we also live in the real world."

Huh?

Could somebody send a memo to Mr. O'Brien explaining the not-too-subtle fact that, if one is a Catholic, then the "real world" is the one promised to us by Jesus Christ, founder of said Church, which, not incidentally, is an apostolic Church, which means that the hierarchy consists of successors to the Apostles whom, by the way, were hand picked by none other than Jesus Christ?

What, exactly, does Mr. O'Brien believe is the "real world?" And how the bleep does he (and his compatriots, noting that he uses the plural pronoun) figure that by "thinking, believing, and acting" in opposition (never mind "differently" — that's a soft word for "in opposition") to the hierarchy makes him and them "serious" Catholics?

They can't be serious!

Incidentally, the Globe, uh, forgot to credit pundit O'Brien with his, uh, full credentials, which Forbes.com thoughtfully provides:

Jon O'Brien is "President of Catholics for Choice."