A loyal reader sent me this quote yesterday:

"If Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore were a self-styled artist who soaked his Ten Commandments monument in urine, he might have been allowed to keep it on display in the courthouse and gotten an NEA grant to boot."

--W. James Antle III

Well, I am no spring chicken at 39, but certainly more theologically orthodox than my Catholic school teachers--who I hasten to add, were genuinely well meaning and competent, even brilliant, just, in retrospect, wrong about hippie-fying the liturgy, etc.

Sometimes I think I am some very bad comic book parody: by day, a terrible sinner, indistinguishable from any other urban chick, but by night she turns into Orthodoxy Broad: defending the Church, the saints and the Real Presence whenever they are doubted or mocked!! She wants to visit Lourdes AND Graceland!

I wonder how many other not-that-old Catholics find themselves straddling both worlds in this way.

Man, I need another coffee.
Kathy Shaidle | Homepage | 08.29.03 - 8:53 am | #

Well, I think the way Chief Justice Moore did this could be better likened to old-fashioned political pandering to be re-elected. It amazes me that Christians would applaud the exploitation of the Decalogue in this manner.

Now, am I to assume that these same Christians would similarly applaud the installation of new monuments containing passages on moral law from the Koran, the Advesta, the Veda, and, occult texts, for that matter? (Ditto state-organized or student-lead prayer in public schools.)

Because the problem will be that, once you let one in, you let them all in: the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment will prevent you from discriminating against some in favor of others.

So, again, the moral of the story is: be careful what you pray for, because you may regret it.
Liam | 08.29.03 - 9:06 am | #

Sometimes I think I am some very bad comic book parody: by day, a terrible sinner, indistinguishable from any other urban chick, but by night she turns into Orthodoxy Broad: defending the Church, the saints and the Real Presence whenever they are doubted or mocked!! She wants to visit Lourdes AND Graceland!

I wonder how many other not-that-old Catholics find themselves straddling both worlds in this way.

At least two...

As far as the "resistance" is concerned, however, this is the wrong battle for the wrong reasons. And it's All About Moore.
Christopher Rake | Homepage | 08.29.03 - 9:35 am | #

It's an Elevenologue: look at a pic of the monument--there's 11 commandments.

Kathy, what you describe is a superhero. You are Clark Kent. Meek cubicle jockey by day, defender of the world at night. You need a spandex, padded outfit (to make you look superbuff) with a big S on it, for Supercatholic, and a cape of course.

Just kidding! But I totally understand the dynamic you describe.
Elizabeth | 08.29.03 - 9:55 am | #

A diocesan director of evangelization told me this story last week:

At a recent national meeting on evangelization, the 20 something delegates wanted Adoration. The Vatican II generation were horrified. A big row ensued in which the Young Turks tried to explain that Adoration meant something quite different for them than their scandalized elders assumed. It wasn't a political statement but a hunger for mystery and worship.
Nurah | 08.29.03 - 11:16 am | #

Kathy -- There are a lot of us multiple personality whacked out older Xers out there. Sometimes it's a little lonely, but sometimes it's really fun. As in, the confused looks I get from my "progressive" and "affirming" sisters and mom and ex-priest ("the Eucharist is what you believe it is") when their Pope-worshipping ultraconservative sis/daughter gives them Flogging Molly CDs for Christmas. I'll think about you at the Sex Pistols concert this weekend.
Kath | 08.29.03 - 11:21 am | #

Oops -- "ex-priest stepdad" is what I meant to say. Somehow forgot the stepdad word. Mom's not an ex-priest, although she is an ex-pastoral associate and don't EVEN get me going about the communion services the past-asses conduct at my hometown parish (due to the priest shortage that I think the local bishop is secretly thrilled with). Thank God I live a thousand miles away and have a a Sex Pistols concert to go to this weekend.
Kath | 08.29.03 - 11:27 am | #

In answer to Liam,

There should be no reason to display the Koran, the Advesta, the Veda, or occult texts in a justice building since western civilization was not founded on them. Our constitution was a product of Judeo-Christian-English-Roman-Greek laws and tradtions. Probably a few I left out too. It is not that hard to understand. This is not about religion, it is about law and unalianable rights we are granted by God, not man. By the way, I understand it is displayed in the US Supreme Court. Has anyone else heard this?
Tim | 08.29.03 - 11:47 am | #

Tim

The US Supreme Court has the Decalogue along with laws from other cultures and times. Also, their installation back in the 1930s was not done in any way like the secretive pandering Moore has done (US Supreme Court justices are appointed, not elected); the historical/political context is very important, too.

Today, for example, unlike the 1930s, western civilization covers a lot more ground -- as it always has over time (that's one of its distinctive features, its avid sponging off other cultures) and I expect will continue to do. Also, our population is, in religious terms, far more disparate than it was 70 years ago.

I have nothing especially against the Decalogue and similar legal or moral/legal texts being displayed in public buildings. But there are matters of context to consider, important ones.

However, what Moore in fact did here was quite offensive to me as a Christian -- he exploited a sacred text for political gain. I hope the jerk is thrown out of office. But I won't be the least bit surprised if he isn't, and if many Christians fail to see how theyv'e been pandered to.
Liam | 08.29.03 - 12:33 pm | #

One glass of lemonade for us Catholics from this brouhaha:

When was the last time you ever saw fundamentalist Protestants this eagerly defending a graven image????

I have to admit I didn't think of this, it was thought up by the good people on the Metanoia listserv, who are Orthodox converts and inquirers and get just as much flak about images as we Catholics do.

karen marie
karen marie knapp | Homepage | 08.29.03 - 1:21 pm | #