Towards Closure: possible reactions from the Catholic Left on the death of Usama Bin Laden

The über-Left likes President Obama, and so there is silence about Libya. But they don’t like covert military actions.

They are on the horns of a dilemma!

What are the symmetries between what is done to the USA and then what the USA does to others?

Even as most of the country and much of the world feel some closure today, staffers in offices of the NCFishwrap and their writers are may be duly annoyed that the USA didn’t pull a Jimmy Carter this time too.

Here is what they could be saying at Fishwrap today:

Jamie Manson: “Now we have to see action against other terrorist organizations such as the Mossad and the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.”

Sr. Joan Chittister: “The Government has money to spend for covert actions against old men but they are trying to restrict the rights of public service employees in Wisconsin.”

Fr. Richard McBrien: “The pursuit and now killing of Osama have been allowed to distract us from the violence committed year in and year out by the anti-abortion movement.”

Mary Ann McGivern: “The Navy Seals killed a defenseless woman in their obsession to kill Osama. Some heroism!”

John L. Allen, Jr.: “Under the cover of the assassination of UBL, the Vatican sacked an Australian bishop, much to the delight, I’m sure, of those Taliban Catholics.”

Tom C. Fox: “Tom Gumbleton and I are outraged that the Seals didn’t read Usama Bin Laden his Miranda Rights and give him the opportunity through due process of law to prove his innocence.  Guilty before proven guilty.”

Michael Sean Winters: “On hearing the news today, my eyes filled with tears.  I realized that the 10th anniversary of 9/11 will be the occasion of a new Ground-Zero. A new translation is being imposed by Rome.”

Eugene Kennedy: “I was struck by the language used to describe the attack on Osama.  The parallels between the images of the CIA and Seals as a dark, twisted priestly culture are ….”

Barbara Blaine: “All priests are child molesters.”

Sr. Elizabeth Johnson: “The Bishops banned my book.”

Roy Bourgeois: “And we’re still not ordaining women.”

Meanwhile, Fr. Z reportedly wrote: “This story – thank goodness – was able to bump reruns of the royal wedding off the air.”

About Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Fr. Z is the guy who runs this blog. o{]:¬)
This entry was posted in Lighter fare and tagged . Bookmark the permalink.

26 Comments

  1. jarhead462 says:

    LOL! It is so believeable, I almost went to their website!

    Semper Fi!

  2. Tony Layne says:

    But Father! But Father! Isn’t John Allen your friend? Actually, he’s been embarrassed for some time that “Taliban Catholic” got hijacked by the hard left. But I’m with you — I’ve been sick of the “royal wedding” coverage for at least two weeks.

  3. Tony Layne: Actually, “Taliban Catholic” was coined many years ago by the editor of The Wanderer, Al Matt.

  4. cblanch says:

    LOL. Thanks for making me laugh so hard…I needed it today!

  5. Andy Milam says:

    ROFLMAO….seriously….

    I think think that we should really check the headlines as they emerge and see how much of a biretta tip Fr. Z will actually get….

    This is prophetic.

  6. Chrysologus says:

    John Allen is hardly an überliberal! You can’t compare him to the other writers at NCR. [I am amply on record concerning my opinion about my friend Mr. Allen, whom I virtually always refer to as “fair-minded”.]

    Moreover, Mary Ann McGivern has made an actual post, and it’s nothing like what you imagine. This list of “quotations” is just silly snark.

  7. Dan O says:

    Fr. Z says, “Even as most of the country and much of the world feel some closure today, staffers in offices of the NCFishwrap and their writers are may be duly annoyed that the USA didn’t pull a Jimmy Carter this time too.”

    Sorry Father, this is over the line. You may have legitimate arguments with NCR and with liberals, but I think to assume that they are not as happy about the death of bin Laden as you are is just wrong. You may think you conservatives have the franchise on patriotism, but you are wrong. [Use this as an opportunity to learn something about how the Left tries to create “symmetry” between events which usually have little to do with each other. Furthermore, I am not sure thoughtful Catholics are “happy” about the death of a man who was, more than likely, in a perilous state of soul.]

  8. Martial Artist says:

    While I didn’t feel happy about his death, I did feel a sense of appreciation that justice has now been served. I write that in the sense of paraphrasing an (unofficial) USMC T-shirt slogan: “It’s God’s job to judge. It’s our job to arrange the meeting.” UBL will now go, as Father Z. stated, to his eternal reward. I won’t presume to know what that will be, but I will freely admit that I did say a prayer for him and that doing so was an act of obedience to the Lord, not an automatic response. So I must presume that doing so was at least as much for the sake of my soul as it was for Usama’s.

    Pax et bonum,
    Keith Töpfer

  9. Scott W. says:

    Funny. Now do Anne Rice.

  10. mndad says:

    Fr. Z a german word comes to mind
    ‘Selbstbeweihraeucherung”
    Otherwise you seem in the business of creating your own reality these days –
    not a good path to be on.

  11. David Collins says:

    Always the posts on this weblog are from good to excellent; but not this one.

    So Osama Bin Laden, mass murderer, is dead. Fine. What about the mass murderers who have sat in the Oval Office and lied us into wars?

    Oh well, we will never see perfect justice in this life.

  12. Gregory DiPippo says:

    Ann Rice is easy. “Another follower of a religion that doesn’t allow homosexual acts or ordain women is dead.”

  13. rakesvines says:

    I have a German word too about these Liberals, “Fubar”. That aside, how do we really know that OBL is sleeping with the fishes? He could have had a sex change and is sipping lattes with the Liberals as we speak?

  14. Random Walk says:

    @rakesvines… I was thinking more along the lines of “Wahnsinn” ;)

  15. Glen M says:

    I’ll admit it…Father, you had me until the Allen ‘quote’. I’m not sure if that says more about me or the Fishwrap.

  16. JKnott says:

    LOL Excellent Father!! Perfect spoof on the reality of the left.
    David Collins? “Mass murderers in the White House”? Well true, right now we have an administration and czars controlling the White House that support mass murderuing of the unborn both in the USA and everywhere else. Is that what you mean? Patriotic?

  17. catholicuspater says:

    Bad strawman, Father. You don’t have to be Catholic Left to be concerned about our ten-year occupation of Afghanistan, our eight-year occupation of Iraq, and our new adventure in Libya.

    Being a well-read priest, I’m sure you’re familiar with the “Neo-Conned” books, put out by very serious and erudite Catholics who love the very same things you love.

    You don’t have to be Catholic Left to agree with the Holy See that these Middle Eastern wars we’re involved in are in violation of Catholic just war doctrine.

    You don’t have to be Catholic Left to agree with the thoughtful supporters of Cong. Ron Paul that we shouldn’t have been meddling in the Middle East before 9/11 and we shouldn’t be going all around the world assasinating our “enemies” in other sovereign countries.

    You don’t have to be Catholic Left to know that the neocon Bush/Cheney doctrine of preventive war is totally contrary to our Catholic just war tradition.

    Finally, you don’t have to be Catholic Left to be concerned that since we’re $15 trillion in debt and spending $5 billion more/day than we take in for these foreign crusades, maybe it’s time we bring the troops home before the economy collapses and the Communist Chinese call in our debt.

    Seriously, Father, if you happen to be a traditional paleo-con somewhere along the lines of Pat Buchanan and the late Joe Sobran, you would know darn well that to paint those who oppose our military foreign adventures as “far left” without making any distinctions, is quite disturbing. [Whatever.]

  18. RichardT says:

    Fr Z said “This story – thank goodness – was able to bump reruns of the royal wedding off the air.”

    Not fair! You Yanks should have invited Prince William to fly the Seals’ helicopter. That would have been the perfect media event. [LOL! I’ll give you that. Might’ve been a different sort of honeymoon trip.]

  19. mndad says:

    Father I find it rather fitting that after a tinny [sic] bit of push back against your latest oh so funny attempt to insult fellow catholics a teenagers “Whatever” is that the best you can do? [It was about what it merited.]
    Would it break your heart to at least acknowledge that catolicuspater has a point? [No.]

    And rakesvines the ‘german’ word you came up reflects rather nicely on your mindset – thank you very much- I am not impressed – you offer snark and the usual silly stereotypes. [I can live with that.]
    So low and not even funny . [Okay.]
    Wahnsinn on the other hand … not bad [So is Unsinn.]

  20. rakesvines says:

    @mndad: I wasn’t making fun of you but of the Liberals who can’t see beyond their rose colored Socialist lenses. I hope I did not offend you with my lowbrow comments. But I gots to be me. And those were directed towards those pinko, commie mugs at Fishwrap who distort the Gospel into Marx. That where sleeping with the fishes,… never mind. [If you want a nice mug (used equivocally now) try a WDTPRS mug and fill it with Mystic Monk Coffee.]

    @Fr. Z: Thanks for your hospitality. Not everyone can go to the Gregorianum, but you take their comments anyway. That is why I heart this page. [I didn’t go to the Gregorianum either.]

  21. irishgirl says:

    The ‘reactions’ of the lefties are too funny, Father Z!
    ‘It’s God’s job to judge. It’s our job to arrange the meeting’-OORAH! Love it! Leave it to the USMC to make that up!
    I for one am glad that bin Laden is dead. Imagine how it would have been if he was caught alive-the ACLU would have had a field day whining and complaining about giving him his Miranda rights.
    Bravo to the Navy SEALs for dispatching him!

  22. mndad says:

    Thanks for your comment rakesvines – I actually did sense that you did point this towards the NCR. I happen to think that the least a good catholic can do is not slander fellow catholics –
    I find it rather silly the way you use words like pinky, commies etc. – you obviously have no idea what real pinkos and commies are about.
    Funny that you mention it
    “Not everyone can go to the Gregorianum, but you take their comments anyway. ”
    As you perhaps know Küng studied theology and philosophy at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome – as did our Pope.
    That is real live on earth since the beginning of times – people of fine character and intellect disagree. Half the people in this country likely vote different than you – they are likely just very nice people. I happen to think that Fathers “Fishwrap’ meme does not lead to anything good.
    It corrupts otherwise fine people to utter unusual rude and unkind sentiments – if in doubt shouldn’t we rather err on the kind side?
    So what if large percentage – myself included very much thinks that female ordination should be considered for our church – and other ‘terrible’ things – I am convinced the creator of the universe will look very mildly upon us for minor disagreements like that.

  23. BLB Oregon says:

    Mndad, I have to come down with you when it comes to erring towards kindness, but love, while always kind and never rude, also “does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth”. The Creator of the Universe does care whether we seek the whole truth over the dictates of the particular little bite we happen to have taken from the Fruit of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

    When “people of fine intellect” disagree, that does not imply that they are both right. Being “nice” doesn’t make a person’s vote morally correct, and “very much thinking” that an issue should be considered does not mean it should. It matters very very much whether or not what you are very much thinking with all devotion and kindness is true or false. Or do you think that when the Lord said, “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea”, he was being overly harsh and unkind?

    Stephen Colbert was quoted this way on bin Laden’s death, and I can’t quarrel with the thought:
    “Wow. I am just so happy. And I hope, I hope, I am never again this happy over someone’s death. And I know if I saw myself in a mirror, I would be appalled by the look on my face. [Looks into mirror.] Nope. I like this. That’s a good look. I want to stay this way forever.”

    Osama bin Laden was filled with hatred towards innocent people, and worked to see as many killed as he could. You have to hope that there is mercy for every soul, for the Lord thirsts for all, but preventing that man from killing again was a virtuous act, and worth the trouble it took, for he was a model who held himself up so as to warp as many minds as possible into the vicious mold of his own. He would not be taken prisoner, and sought to avert it by using a non-combatant as a human shield (although one whom reason and the law would probably judge complicit in keeping him from justice, where he could continue to bankroll and foment hatred and murder with impunity).

    This was the end that justice and protection of the vulnerable demanded. If killing him was not a soldier’s legitimate work, then John the Baptist, asked by the soldiers what they were to do, could only have answered: Leave the military.

    That is not what he said (see Luke 3:14), and he was talking to soldiers under the command of Imperial Rome, a regime which killed tens of thousands of her enemies by crucifixion. Think about that.

  24. rakesvines says:

    @mndad: I appreciate your civility.

    re: “you obviously have no idea what real pinkos and commies are about.” Actually, I do. I studied Marxism and was involved in the apostolate when some priests were embracing Liberation theology – reading the newspaper read instead of the Gospel because those were the “signs of the times” and actually taking up arms – like the Judges in the Old Testament. The Liberals are not there – yet. But it is a slippery slope.

    re: “people of fine character and intellect disagree” Some disagreements are valid as in the case of open theological issues; other disagreements if honest can be addressed in a prudent manner that does not scandalize. So, if Liberals truly want to know the truth, they wouldn’t publish their controversial positions with the intent of gathering popular support. They would consider the pastoral impact of their dissent and care on whether it helps the faithful along their spiritual journey or takes them off course.

    re: “shouldn’t we rather err on the kind side?” Fr. is being kind to the victims of the errors or worse obfuscations and lies that come from wittingly or unwittngly purveyours of falsehood. When truth is at stake, there is no room for confusion. I think Fr. Z is kind to correct them in a humorous way. The damage that these Liberals cause are immense. I remember a former professor in Catholic U. who taught that self-abuse is not sinful. Fathom how much darkness and enslavement seeped into the souls of his audience, who happened to be teachers of the faith. So, compound the damage exponentially as these ideas poison the spiritual lives of the faithful when these priests start giving spiritual direction along those lines.

    re: “and other ‘terrible’ things ” I think this site is balanced in appraising the gravity of the offense. The semantics and style do not exaggerate the seriousness of the misdeed but lays them out as is – imho.

    re: “minor disagreements ” He who is not faithful in minor things, cannot be faithful with the big stuff.

Comments are closed.