It'd Be Funny, If Only it Weren't So Sad

Oh, how I love thee, CWNews.com, let me count the ways....

It's the greatest nut factory around -- the stories are as slanted as the new breed of roller-coasters -- but the best is the response of the people. It's actually the worst, and nothing beats it as a demoralizer for the future of the church. Somebody told me last week that I might want to consider that "these people have been wounded by the church." Well, it's further proof of the immortal adage given me by a priest, that "hurting people hurt people."

Look, sex-abuse victims have been hurt by the church -- often in several ways, often damaging them irreparably. Priests are hurt by the church they've given their lives to everyday because of the crimes of the few and the lack of responsibility on the part of many bishops. The church does hurt people, but just because the church doesn't fit one's personal preferences every time, all the time doesn't give one the right to call him/herself a victim.

That's not victimhood, but petulance. It's not faith, but dissent.

Imagine this scenario: a brawl breaks out and some guy gets kicked and punched down to the floor by the big boys. There are a couple scrawny, scared kids on the periphery and they just watch it unfold. The damage is done and the perps walk off, and then the kids go to the wounded, look down, sneer and say a condescending, "Yeah!" as if they did it.

Those kids who have no right to be cocky but still are comprise, in a nutshell, the CWNews forum -- home of the "yes gloating" memo.

Here's a sample from a story today about an Austrian bishop's resignation. The conspin had it a given that Maximilian Aichern was axed over liturgical abuses, but in reality, he asked to be released early to return to his Benedictine roots. Made no difference to the zealots, though:

"[Arinze] is a no nonsense leader of Our Lords Church. Watch for him to be the next leader of the Congregation for the Doctine of the Faith after Archbishop Levada's background is exposed and he CHOOSES to retire."

Levada's background? Oh, that's right, his background is just that someone doesn't agree with him nor, by extension, the pope who chose him. Hmmm.... Arinze is not the brightest bulb in the bunch, you know. I guess that explains the admiration, and intimidation.

It keeps rolling:

"The worst cases all seem to be getting the message.....with the exception of Cardinal Hollywood [Mahony] - I think it will take a direct takedown to get him to realize that his day is done."

"Well, well. What goes around comes around. Passengers should fasten seat belts -- we may be in for some turbulence. Stewardesses (oops -- flight attendants) will pass out air-sickness bags to passengers needing them. Please enjoy your flight -- I know that I will."

To be fair, in the midst of the sophomorics, a voice of reason did arise:

"With all due respect to those who comment, and I mean that sincerely, wouldn't our comments and criticisms be taken more seriously if we left out the sarcasm, the name calling and the rush to judgements? ... we come across, at least to me, as pretty sour individuals. And there she goes, name calling! I agree with many of the thoughts, I am distressed by the tone."

Of course, he was shouted down.

At this rate, I am waiting for these people to get all military-ed out, like Jeff Gannon, land on an aircraft carrier and strut down the runway. It's that bad.

And they dare call me a scandal. Well, I have facts, and not even all the screaming in the world can morph lies and bias into the truth.

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