Readers may note that the preponderance of items posted here in recent days are decidedly non-Canadian in content.
This is due in no small part to the fact that the number one story in Canadian politics at the moment is a controversy involving the Prime Minister and a cracker.
I mention this, not to invite further debate, but to offer that if you are a Canadian news journalist or pundit who has not yet been launched from a bridge railing in celebration of your complete and utter uselessness, there may still be time.
(Update)
The Liberals, MSM, normally don’t give religion the time of day. As a matter of fact they hold Christianity in complete contempt, unless a political tempest in a teapot and manufactured opportunity comes along. This is all so silly.
This just goes to show how desperate the MSM is to smear our PM – an insignificant incident blown way out of proportion and replayed endlessly. Anything to put Stephen Harper in a bad light.
And, oh yes, he wasn’t strictly on time for the photo op – because we all know the only reason world leaders atten the G8 conference is to get their picture taken.
These are the types of stories we get when there is a shortage of crop circles.
Posted by: Soccermom at July 10, 2009 12:08 PM
Since Harper the Fraud has presided over the largest single expansion of government in the history of this nation, it continues to amaze me how partisans focus on the socialist down south, rather than critically assess our own governance.
The larger issue is exactly why the media focuses on emotive stories: they get read and get readers. Especially religion and sex.
Rather than be pissed at the media, one should likely look in the mirror – because people are the ones looking at the stories, and talking about it on blogs.
If no one looked, the stories would not be there.
On the left/right spectrum, I’m a mild libertarian who believes in small government and a fiscal conservative. Something that Harper the Fraud doesn’t, and has proven through action.
Partisanship is for fools.
Free your mind, think for yourself.
The people in here who seem to be getting upset by Kate’s use of ‘cracker’ (gasp!) are missing the ENTIRE point of the post, which is simply that the Canadian MSM are majority retarded.
Maybe the “journalist’s” horoscopes told them they would get rich if they hung around funerals.
Andycanuck wrote,
“It’s not the R.C. Church doing this, Stephen, it’s the MSM.”
So the disciplining of Monsignor Hennebey starts when???? And all of the RC’s on this board accepting it as fact. Give me a break. The camera goes off the guy as it does the women two down from him, and she didnt eat it cracker, host, bread whatever on camera either. The CHUCRCH is not officially behind this but an official of the church is. He is acting on partisan motivation, as are the media. Who I agree, most of which wouldnt know what most of the books, numbers or furniture inside a church was for.
“So because you’re pissed at the people trying to make this a major issue, most of whom (especially in the MSM) aren’t only not R.C. but are atheists, that makes it okay to insult R.C. beliefs?”
Once again, why should there be any more reverence paid to this on a site that regularly mocks, and solicits content from those who mock the more sincerely held but more obscure beliefs of other religons.
If our host (goodness some have called HER a cracker….shock….) has at least one redeeming quality it is consistency, there is more than one admirable quality btw.
This is a manufactured story regardless of content, treating anything about it seriously only plays to the hands of those who have created it. Once again, a normal response in the conservative blogosphere would have been to check out the background of that particular monsignor, I am sure he has expressed views on other topics and people.
I would think one would be more offended that one’s religon is being used for partisn purposes.
It is not a cracker but the Body of Christ (or Host or Eucharist). As a non-Catholic, Harper should not have received it. As Catholics not in good standing, Trudeau, Chretien and Martin should not have received it (at least Mulroney had enough grace to duck out). The priests and the bishops should NEVER have offered it.
This isn’t a minor issue, albeit a theological one, nor are all religions the same. If the CBC (which gets things wrong as a matter of course) wishes to charge Harper with sacrilege (not that they have the authority to do that), then, too, level the same charges for the previous prime ministers and other politicians who call themselves Catholic.
Osumashi:
Just out of curiousity, how was Trudeau not in good standing with the Catholic Church? I don’t even know if he attended or ever went to confession, and no doubt the RC Church didn’t like him decriminalizing homosexuality or somewhat loosening divorce laws, but those have not usually been the kinds of thing even the RC Church has held up communion on.
Kate.
As the “journalists” are hurled from the bridge?
One could hand them a cracker for during their short flight down.
Hell isn’t that much farther. One cracker per should suffice.
ceremonial duties of a prime minister are (a no doubt mundane) part of the job; don’t pat the queen on the bum; don’t joke around at a soldier’s funeral; don’t serve the pulled-pork sandwich to the rabbi; these are bare minimum duties that citizens can expect of its leader who, at times, must stand and represent the country as a whole; if a politician must offend a group, why not make it over a policy issue?
Kathy said:
“Catholics believe that the communion Host is the actual Body of Christ”
Serious Q: If the above is true, then how can Catholics claim the right to decide who eats the host? It seems to me that once the cracker becomes the host any thoughts of ownership or the right to distribute shouldn’t be there. Would someone care to clarify for me?
“Btw, Kate, I too am offended by your incorrect use of the word “Cracker”. Jesus was, in fact, a Jew.” lol
Hardboiled said:
“On the left/right spectrum, I’m a mild libertarian who believes in small government and a fiscal conservative. Something that Harper the Fraud doesn’t, and has proven through action.”
See soccermom, he’s says he’s not a lefty. I’d like to take him at his word, but if he’s not voting Conservative then he’s voting Liberal or Dipper which isn’t very conservative; or, he’s not voting at all which definitely isn’t conservative. His whole pretense is a paradox.
“His whole pretense is a paradox.”
Indiana,
He/she/it worships at the alter of the “perpetually pissed off”. The goalposts will move no matter who is leading the country.
Hey hardboiled: I’m not above criticizing Harper for his mistakes, and yes he has made quite a few.
But to me and most of us here, he’s the best of a bad lot.
Who are you planning on voting for? socialist Harper, socialist Iffy or uber socialist Layton? Socialist Iffy still screams for more stimulus while complaining about the size of said stimulus, remember.
You going on any prog or liblogs criticizing them?
Ted, are you joking?
It goes without saying that the CBC is a collection of idiots looking for any way to sink Harper and that this kind of story brings out anti-Catholicism in all its ugliness. There is rationality in this debate, just not from anti-Catholics.
hardboiled – you don’t think for yourself. You long ago stopped that, because you got trapped in a rut of hating Harper. You’ve become a robot, your posts are all the same: Hate Harper.
bryanr – thanks for the news on Harper, which, since it is favourable, our MSM won’t make public.
Remind me not to tell you folks about my short and undistinguished career as an altar boy. Drinking the wine and playing poker with the host? No, not moi…
ET you must be ref to the Poll numbers i talked about a few hrs ago. Not the report on the press aid.
becuse ctv is doing a number on the PM over the press aids screw up and is again spreading like a wildfire, they (ctv) now has a quick vid on the pm making a apology to Ignatieff followed up by Brison saying that Stephen Harper has made Canada the Laughing stock of the G8. Brison is deeply concerned like all good little liberals are for Canada.
To paraphrase an infmous quote, “Let’s fight the real enemy.”
Posted by: andycanuck at July 10, 2009 9:04 AM
Exactly. I bet you 10 million quatloons Harper was more scared of droping the host than politics, being a Christian himself. I might add most none Catholics go to communion with repentance. The real ones that is. The Churchinaity types with therere “Hollywwod Jesus”.
Don’t much believe in anything.
The press being excited about this. Is like prostitutes objecting to sex laws.
I think I will let God decide who is a Christian & who isn’t, since I don’t see into peoples souls.Nor have a right to judge a persons stand with HIM. Thats His job .
JMO
Osumashi:
You lost me.
You said Trudeau was not a Catholic in good standing, and asked you why you thought that was so.
What does that have to do with the CBC?
Trudeau may have done a lot of things politically that were stupid and damaging, but I’ve never heard anyone claim, including anyone from the RC Church, that he was a bad Catholic and could not receive communion. Can you please clarify your comment?
bryanr- I don’t watch CTV or CBC or any Canadian news. So, I’ve no idea what the MafiaMob of unprofessionals on those stations are saying.
You know, Harper can be on FOX, can be on CNN, both of whom praise him for his intelligence, his handling of the economy etc – and our MafiaMobs never report it. Not a word.
They have one agenda. One. To Get Rid Of Harper. That’s all they care about. Why? Because they are all Liberals – and they want Power.
They aren’t interested in Canada. They don’t care whether the people voted for Harper or not. No; they are only interested in power for their political party. Not because that party deserves to govern; heck no. Just because, to them, it has an essential, natural ‘right’ to govern. Only the Liberal party, according to the MafiaMob, should Rule Canada.
As you say, ‘Brison is ‘deeply concerned’ about Canada. Sure…heh. No Liberal cares about anything other than Their Essential Right to Power.
L’etat, c’est moi’; that’s the slogan of the Liberal Party.
“The people in here who seem to be getting upset by Kate’s use of ‘cracker’ (gasp!) are missing the ENTIRE point of the post, which is simply that the Canadian MSM are majority retarded.”
Posted by: Mark Peters at July 10, 2009 1:23 PM
Exactly, Mark!
The chains rattled are the “incidental” result of a Kate zinger/rub.
Ho Hum.
To paraphrase that old feller Freud (rather roughly) sometimes a cracker is just a cracker. That is OK because cracker can be bartered, managed, dispensed, locked up at night, patented, manufactured and so on. The “non-cracker Jesus” is a little more difficult to nail down. And of course, if you own the cracker you own the person. No soup for you!
zero. worthless as a story. zero.
Trudeau was hardly a Catholic. What Catholic in good standing would permit abortion, homosexuality, or even elevate himself above others? He could have uttered whatever he wanted about how “religious” he was, he was an unrepentant sinner in the eyes of the Church.
Please see here: http://catholicseries.com/trudeau.html
Which is worst: Crackerquiddick or WK DeadCatGate. Guess getting that cat into his pocket was out of the question so he ate it.
Why would any one who is not a Catholic take part in one of their services or mass’. Would he take part in a ROP beheading? Or even kneel towards Mecca?
“You’ve become a robot, your posts are all the same: Hate Harper.”
You nailed it ET. Even if Hardboiled changed or had multiple screen names we’d all know it’s Hardboiled because as you’ve pointed out Hardboiled is a one trick pony.
Hardboiled is dead to me; from now on I will refer to him as OneTrickPony.
I suggest others do the same:)
My, what you have wrought Kate! Please see Jerome’s translation into the Latin of the Vulgate. “Hoc est enim Corpus meum” Now by anyone’s translation “Corpus” means Body, as in “For this is my Body”. Of course there may be those who are smarter than the writers of the Word of God, such as the Evanelists and the Apostolic Fathers, but I doubt you’ll find them on SMD. I get an especial joy when hearing from the “lapsed” Catholics. Those, that is who have lost their faith or just are unable to “be” Catholic; i.e. failures. As for those who feel the Church of Rome is made up of unsophisticated losers, a short list of Protestants and atheists who have changed their minds. Let’s see now: John Henry Newman, Aubrey Beardsly, Ronald Knox, Alfred
Noyes,Evelyn Waugh, Gerard Manley Hopkins, G.K. Chesterton, Claire Booth Luce, Malcolm Muggeridge, Oscar Wilde, Paul Claudel, Edith Stein, Jacques Levy, Albert Camus, Robert Lowell,
Marshall McLuhan, Paul Verlaine, Blck Elk, Wallace Stevens, Mortimer Adler, Siegried Sassoon,
D.B. Wyndham, Maurice Baring, o why not ..John Wayne, Buffalo Bill cody and Oh a thousand more.
CRACKER, sometimes called “white Cracker” or “red neck” we doan need no steenkin’ Crackers, 500 stories ? whew! talk about obsessing about nothing, maybe these “journalists” and I use the term loosely, could perhaps get a life and start covering “real” news stories? but then Forrest Gump did get it right when he said “stupid is as stupid does” A great Canadians funeral and these bozos can only focus on this, sad really, a lack of respect for sure.
And furthermore; hocus pocus is generally believed to have been Church of England ridicule of the Holy Sacrament. All part of the Black Legend, you know, like the Spanish Inquisition was the worst thing to hit Europe. In fact probably little more than 1,000
people were put to death by Torquemada (who was, by the way, a Jew who converted to the Santa Fe) Old Henry the VIII hung more Catholics and their monks during the Pilgrimage of Grace when Catholic counties of the north refused to swear the oath. Estimates range as high as 8,000 if I recall.
Well put!
Edward Teach at July 10, 2009 1:01 AM
I might be described as a “God hating secular humanist”, but that would be wrong. Also, as an atheist, I don’t give a tinker’s whether he ate or pocketed the wafer.
I am aware of the import ogf this issue for a minority of folk; but those blabbering about it do not even know what it’m all really about. Gotcha Jopurnalism.
Larry Bennett at July 10, 2009 7:56 PM
Tread not where you know not!
Cue Monty Python – It’s just a wafer, sir! lol
RW @ 9:36. Tread softly, because you tread on my dreams!
I went up to the local convenience store and spied the Wednesday copy of the National Post. I saw a large picture of Prime Minister Harper turning away from the camera. I rightfully thought that an implication was to be made of the pocketing of the wafer. I did not purchase that copy.
I did get todays copy (Friday) and noted a battery of readers objections to the National Post. This included a cartoon about the Prime Minister and the wafer (it was said) on Thursday. I am beginning to wonder about the Post. Maybe me, but seems to drift into a “Star” like mode, now and again.
I have said before that the Prime Minister has to talk softly and carry a big stick. Bloomin’ vultures out there.
I’m confused about the comments, here and elsewhere, suggesting that PMSH shouldn’t have taken communion at all. The ROMAN Catholic church isn’t the only sect of the Holy Catholic Church. I’m pretty sure that PMSH is a baptised and confirmed member of a Protestant sect, and as such is familiar with/understands/appreciates communion in his own individual way.
Forget transubstantiation, translation of nomenclature, and mechanics. The communion ritual in its various forms is a personal event for the individual. The idea that Roman Catholics have some kind of ownership of the communion ritual is ignorant and insulting to a lot of Christians.
If Kate wants demean the Eucharist by calling it a cracker, that’s her problem. (that, btw is the most common use of that terminology…to demean the belief of the Host as the Body an Blood – so Kathy Shaidle’s point was valid.)
BTW refence to the ‘publish cartoons or not’ are misplaced. If someone is being offensive, another can be offended. Both are free expression. I didn’t hear KS advocate the shutting down or fining of anyone because of an offense. Free speechers don’t limit their own speech to meet the bounds of PC…right? They make their own decisions on whether to be offensive/offended or not. (and I’m sure Kate expects to be called on it….in life or possibly in death)
This whole ‘scandal’ however, is a total fabrication by the lame Cdn media. (Another good point by KS). Harper did the best,according to his instruction. Any embarassment is due to the Archbishop, who failed to give the customary instruction given when there is a large group of non-Catholics at a Catholic Mass. Don’t receive if you’re not Catholic. He didn’t give it, even though he must have realized that that would result in some receiving who shouldn’t. He obviously didn’t care. His fault.
Leblanc’s own family had an appropriate response to the ‘scandal’. Good for them.
(There also shouldn’t have been any eulogies, but then QUE/Cda isn’t known for liturgical unity…)