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22 April 2008
If Elsevier online wants to offer serious journalism, this is not it
Elsevier journalist Gerry van der List obviously sees himself as some sort spokesmen for the liberal mind in Holland, some grand PC mufti who will explain the dogma to the great unwashed. But dogma is too big a word for what I see issuing from a pen that is more hasty than reflective.
I have already made comment on Van der List's absurd "recht op gove taal" (the right to abuse, roughly translated) as an example of someone driven more by self-absorbed political prejudice than by a desire to seek a coherent set of arguments to justify his position. But if there was faulty argument in the right to abuse piece there was at least some argument. There is none in today's offering. The heading gives a pointer to what will follow, alerting readers of the same mentality.
Pope's confession nice, but not enough
Of course, it's not enough. Nothing will appease virulent anti-Catholic bigots. They would not be happy if the Catholic Church were crushed beneath the boot heel of Dutch liberalism, and all vestige of its repugnant teaching wiped from Dutch consciousness. They would still want to settle with the gods why it existed in the first place. Is this too harsh in Van der List's case, a self-accusing exaggeration? Let's have a look.
The first paragraph represents a stock PC-class ad hominem argument to discredit the enemy. If clumsy Dutch politicians want to learn how to be effective, he says, they should consult the Pope's advisers. Why?
Because Benedict XVI was able this last week to win the hearts of Americans through a surprisingly effective charm offensive.
The theme is developed in the next paragraph. It's clear what is meant; there is hardly a subtext here. It is not what the Pope says, how he explains the mission of the Church. It's not the open unambiguous apology. It's not the thousands of faithful flocking to greet him because of his fearless defence of the faith and traditional morality. No, the Pope's words are not genuine, are not sincere, and the people who admire and support him are stupid to fall for it. The Pope with "his appearance of sincerity" is on a deceptive PR mission to cover up the shocking "large scale sexual abuse committed by American priests." The Pope and his men are cunning in the extreme. Oh, how often does the PC-class use the argument from exceptional cunning! Why damn with faint praise when it can be thunderous?
So far we have a fallacious argument and mere assertion from Van der List. No attempt to provide argument and evidence. As a shibboleth, "large scale sexual abuse" flows unhindered. Why shouldn't it? Van der List has the fantasies of the liberal media throughout the world as his ready reference. But what are the facts? One important fact is that sexual abuse among Catholic clergy is no higher than in comparable organizations and institutions. If Catholic priest sexual abuse is large scale, than "large scale" can be applied to the point of being meaningless. But the truth is not what is at issue here. Van der List goes on to shamelessly parade his crude anti-Catholic bigotry.
A cynic could say: typically Catholic, confess sins and then relieved go on your way [committing the same sins].
Amazing, isn't it? As I continually say when commenting on the Dutch media, I am staggered by the openness of the prejudice. So here's the bottom line: we Catholics are just a bunch of lying sanctimonious hypocrites, and the Pope is at the pinnacle of that mountain of hypocrisy. There is nothing the Church, especially the Pope, could say that is worthy of being believed.
Maintaining the consistency in making assertions without argument and evidence, Van der List goes on to talk about the "cover-up of love" that is keeping justice from being applied to the "guilty priests" and recommends with urgency "a vigorous dealing with [them] and measures to prevent repetition [of abuse]." At this stage he is lost in his fantasies. How does he think the staggering unheard of compensation of $2 billion came about? And how many of the priests are in jail or expelled from Church or under other forms of discipline?
Van der List could not be bothered to check the facts. What he and his fellow bigots want is a kangaroo court where any priest accused by whomever is summarily found guilty and condemned to a punishment where too harsh is not harsh enough. No due process, no proportionate justice. In an astounding finish to his comment van der List confirms what I say.
The offering of excuses has done the image of the Catholic Church a lot of good. But in competition with Islam they seem to be on the losing side. The number of Muslims in the world is since last year higher than the number of Catholics.
The appeal for peace between nations, which the visibly moved Pope made at Ground Zero in New York, speaks alas less to the imagination than the warlike language of the Ayatollahs.
I must admit that I had to read these two paragraphs several times to make sure I was not mistaken about their meaning. There is no disconnect between the language and action of the Ayatollahs. Van der List can't be serious. He had been too long is in the media bar - perhaps sharing a convivial drink with Ashin Ellian - working over his prejudice before he staggered back to his desk.
Does Elsevier really want journalism of this standard?
SOME PERTINENT INFORMATION ABOUT CLERICAL SEXUAL ABUSE
GOODBYE, GOOD MEN: How Liberals Brought Corruption into the Catholic Church, Michael S Rose, Regnery Publishing Inc, Washington, 2002
AMCHURCH COMES OUT: The US Bishops, Pedophile Scandals and the Homosexual Agenda, Paul Likoudis, Roman Catholic Faithful Inc, Petersburg, 2002
Sexual abuse allegations, real and
unreal
A
sobering analysis
Clerical sexual abuse in Catholic
Church the lowest
Prelate at last speaks out about the media's bias in reporting sexual abuse
cases
Report: Pedophilia
more common among 'gays'
Research
purports to reveal 'dark side' of homosexual culture
Pedophilia and homosexuality
comment:
gerard@gerardcharleswilson.com
The facts about sexual abuse among Catholic clergy