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Post by hibernicus on Apr 18, 2023 21:20:23 GMT
In a recent column Fintan O'Toole declared proudly that Joe Biden's recent visit to Knock was intended to score points for Uncle Joe by displaying to those rubes in the US backwoods who may still believe in God, and to US Catholic bishops who hold the "extreme" position that Catholic politicians who support and facilitate killing babies should be excommunicated, that President Biden is a man of faith who by supporting baby-killing can separate faith from theology. So Fintan, having spent so many years in denouncing hypocrisy - sometimes quite accurately, lest we forget - now proclaims himself fine with hypocrisy in the service of baby-killing when it's necessary to fool the rednecks. Someone told me once that there is an episode of BLACKADDER in which a rotten borough election in the eighteenth century features the equivalent of the Monster Raving Looney Party being asked whether he will lose support by advocating such an "extreme" policy as the abolition of the slave trade, and replies that it was a practical joke never intended to be taken seriously. Think of Fintan as the interviewer, and certain politicians - here and elsewhere - who proclaimed themselves pro-life until they thought they could gain votes and position by switching... Let us also note that demonic apparitions have frequently appeared at Marian shrines to spread confusion and disbelief: ecclesandbosco.blogspot.com/2023/04/new-apparition-sighted-at-knock-shrine.htmlI'd add something on Saint Hunter the Acolyte, so much in evidence during the visit, except that I'm worried what an internet search about him would turn up....
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Post by Askel McThurkill on Apr 27, 2023 11:41:55 GMT
In a recent column Fintan O'Toole declared proudly that Joe Biden's recent visit to Knock was intended to score points for Uncle Joe by displaying to those rubes in the US backwoods who may still believe in God, and to US Catholic bishops who hold the "extreme" position that Catholic politicians who support and facilitate killing babies should be excommunicated, that President Biden is a man of faith who by supporting baby-killing can separate faith from theology. So Fintan, having spent so many years in denouncing hypocrisy - sometimes quite accurately, lest we forget - now proclaims himself fine with hypocrisy in the service of baby-killing when it's necessary to fool the rednecks. Someone told me once that there is an episode of BLACKADDER in which a rotten borough election in the eighteenth century features the equivalent of the Monster Raving Looney Party being asked whether he will lose support by advocating such an "extreme" policy as the abolition of the slave trade, and replies that it was a practical joke never intended to be taken seriously. Think of Fintan as the interviewer, and certain politicians - here and elsewhere - who proclaimed themselves pro-life until they thought they could gain votes and position by switching... Let us also note that demonic apparitions have frequently appeared at Marian shrines to spread confusion and disbelief: ecclesandbosco.blogspot.com/2023/04/new-apparition-sighted-at-knock-shrine.htmlI'd add something on Saint Hunter the Acolyte, so much in evidence during the visit, except that I'm worried what an internet search about him would turn up.... Reminds me of what Truman said about Samoza. Sure, Biden's a hypocrite, but he's OUR hypocrite
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Post by hibernicus on May 6, 2023 21:59:08 GMT
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Post by Beinidict Ó Niaidh on May 10, 2023 19:59:19 GMT
Not a defender of Joe Biden, but he could be playing a game with the kids to invite them to answer.
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Post by hibernicus on Mar 15, 2024 1:00:24 GMT
Fintan O'Toole's column on the results of the Care and Family referenda in the IRISH TIMES last Tuesday was a classic example of his use of rhetorical bravado as a substitute for reasoned argument. He seems to assume, without ever saying so explicitly, that everyone who voted NO did so from reactionary nostalgia, ignoring the concrete arguments put forward. Having lambasted the self-image of Dev-era Ireland as "a holy house" he argues that the relevant articles express a coherent vision of women's role which also found expression in the marriage bar and the ban on contraception etc, and that the articles have no meaning apart from such a vision. By this "logic" there can be nothing positive in the Constitution and we should get rid of the lot. He winds up by blaming the defeat on the government for putting forward only a pallid managerialism instead of a powerful alternate vision based on our republican values which he lists in general terms without acknowledging that the issue is how said values are implemented in practice. - Let me explain further. Fintan's argument boils down to saying that the proposals were rejected because they weren't radical enough. Let us suppose, hypothetically, that it had been proposed to abolish the institution of marriage and any legal distinction between man and woman, and make us all wear unisex Mao suits. It would be possible to present these as implementing the republican values advanced by Fintan, but I suspect most people who subscribe to those values would disagree - even Fintan.
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Post by Beinidict Ó Niaidh on Mar 15, 2024 19:24:40 GMT
Fintan O'Toole's column on the results of the Care and Family referenda in the IRISH TIMES last Tuesday was a classic example of his use of rhetorical bravado as a substitute for reasoned argument. He seems to assume, without ever saying so explicitly, that everyone who voted NO did so from reactionary nostalgia, ignoring the concrete arguments put forward. Having lambasted the self-image of Dev-era Ireland as "a holy house" he argues that the relevant articles express a coherent vision of women's role which also found expression in the marriage bar and the ban on contraception etc, and that the articles have no meaning apart from such a vision. By this "logic" there can be nothing positive in the Constitution and we should get rid of the lot. He winds up by blaming the defeat on the government for putting forward only a pallid managerialism instead of a powerful alternate vision based on our republican values which he lists in general terms without acknowledging that the issue is how said values are implemented in practice. - Let me explain further. Fintan's argument boils down to saying that the proposals were rejected because they weren't radical enough. Let us suppose, hypothetically, that it had been proposed to abolish the institution of marriage and any legal distinction between man and woman, and make us all wear unisex Mao suits. It would be possible to present these as implementing the republican values advanced by Fintan, but I suspect most people who subscribe to those values would disagree - even Fintan. Well, you can't call people like Michael McDowell, Tom Clonnan, Catherine Connolly or Alan Shatter nostalgic reactionaries. Indeed, Catherine Connolly's speeches in the Dáil on each amendment should have indicated that there was principled opposition to the amendments from a quarter that the government hadn't anticipated. She wanted to support the constitutional changes but found the proposals lacking. On the other hand, the guillotines and waiver on pre-legislative scrutiny shows the whole process was rushed. This suggests arrogance on the part of the government.
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