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Bill Donohue Considered
by Joe Feuerherd on Oct. 21, 2009
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Printer-friendly versionSend to friendPDF versionJohn Gehring of Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good offers this take on the ever-provocative Bill Donohue.
Let's cut to the chase: "We
Let's cut to the chase:
"We live in an age where the shrillest voices often drown out sober debate and thoughtful insights. Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh watch their ratings soar with every outrageous remark. Bill Donohue gets invited on TV because he bellows and bloviates with the best of them. While some enjoy the antics, most of us are tired of the noise machine. Faith and reason are not enemies, but together can help illuminate our path through the dark forests of fear, ignorance and injustice. Sometimes we just need to turn down the volume and tune out the shouters to find our way."
John Gehring gave Bill Donohue much more courtesy,time and Washington Post ink than he actually deserves. I much prefer the treatment Mr. D received in the Da Vinci Code spoof on South Park:
Rabbit Stew
Season 11
Fantastic Easter Special
The Head of the Catholic League orders Jesus to be killed after Jesus confirms St. Peter was a rabbit.
for years I have not heard
for years I have not heard much of US anglo broadcasting, or anything else, and thank you for this depiction. It sounds like our torturing those children in Guantanamo like Mohammed Jawad by blasting Nine Inch Nails recordings at them continuously at ear splitting volume. US anglo broadcasting as become torture, and yet people watch, because it is on, trained from the crib.
Turn it off.
Hear the silence.
Listen.
Read the Rule for Monks.
and listen.
in absolute silence
our most precious commodity, as Love, as Peace, as equal justice
frère charles du désert OSB OBLAT (Congrégation de Subiaco)
Does Wild Bill yell like
Does Wild Bill yell like Jesus?
Bill Donohue is a joke except he can scare members of the hierarchy and the faithful into doing what he says. He is so negative; why is it easier to listen to someone who yells rather than to people who actually know what they are talking about - for example, educators, or Catholic professionals? Why do his moral panics ... influence people?
Do you know how much he makes as president of the organization he founded? I heard it's well into six figures.
So much for his diatribe on the impact of secularism on faith in America. Doesn't he get it that there is a direct link between capitalism (inflated, unnecessary salaries) and secularism (consumerism)? See, when the Gospel touches one's bank account you blame someone or something else. Classic misdirection.
He and his ilk are the problem with faith in America because I think their own faith is in crisis. People who have faith... trust.
I might, just might, listen to him if he cuts his pay by 50%, gives to the poor, and lives like mainstream America. Or maybe an even bigger price cut and live by the Gospel dictates of enoughness - which is directly linked to humility.
Oh, but Joan Chittister, OSB, wrote about this (even though Jesus said it first) so he will probably dismiss this, too. Humility is not good television.
When Donohue starts sounding like Jesus, or at least yelling like Jesus, I might listen. It would be nice if he would walk Jesus' talk, or just be quiet.
I don't like to be sarcastic but Wild Bill brings out the worst in me. Shudder.
But even Jesus loved the pharisees.
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