I’m honestly asking a question of the media today. Ready? What the heck do you mean when you describe someone as being a “Devout Catholic?”
UsWeekly has a news story on porn star Jenna Jameson, according to Monsters and Critics. Here’s the paragraph that kind of jumped out at me.
Even with the baby news, there are no signs of wedding bells in the near future for the couple. “I think I’m gonna stay unmarried and just go for the babies! I’m following in Angelina’s footsteps!”
Jameson discovered she was two months pregnant in November 2004 after being diagnosed with malignant melanoma. A day later, she miscarried due to the stress of cancer. But, being a devout Catholic, who has tried in vitro, she told press, “It was all in God’s plan.”
I mean, how many things can you find wrong with those two paragraphs?
The press often reports people as “devout.” I just wonder what yardstick they’re using to report it as it’s not in a quote from someone.
Pro-Choice politician Jack Reed was just described as a “devout” Catholic in news reports. Governor Tim Kaine and Senator Joe Biden were both recently described in news reports as “devout” Catholics as well.
Nicole Kidman has been labeled a “devout” Catholic by MSNBC. Christina Aguilera, as well.
And hey, who knows, right? Maybe these people are lighting candles all the time when cameras aren’t snapping. But I just wonder if the press could come up with some sort of definition of the term so we, the readers, have some clue what they’re referring to when they say someone is devout.
Look, when you can describe Mother Teresa and Jenna Jameson with the same word, there might just be a problem of clarification.
August 26, 2008 at 6:51 am
It’s liek this: we live in a sensate culture. It’s all about feelings. Thus, “devout” gets defined interms of intensity of feeling, not commitment to any rules or practices or even beliefs.
August 26, 2008 at 10:27 am
I think the whole use of “devout Catholic” is a way for people to justify anti-Catholic behavior.
It’s odd, don’t you think, that when the press is talking about a particular Catholic who is truly devout, they don’t use the word devout. Rather, they use labels like conservative or traditional. But, the more blatantly anti-Catholic a person is, the more the press tries to justify their Catholicism with the “devout” label.
August 26, 2008 at 12:57 pm
The mainstream media obviously isn’t friendly to the Church. Just another way they try to smear the Holy Mother Church.
August 26, 2008 at 1:53 pm
Good post.
Mark Shea’s blog had a few bon mots about this a while back.
As it do happens, Pewsitter caught the following article that Nancy Peliso claims to be a devout catholic who is rabidly pro-choice, and rabidly pro contraception: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/aug/08082502.html
August 26, 2008 at 5:44 pm
Anyone who describes himself as “devout” is almost certainly not.
August 26, 2008 at 6:01 pm
It’s simple actually. A devout Catholic is a Catholic the media likes.
August 26, 2008 at 7:59 pm
Well, they DEViate from Catholic teaching and they’re OUTside the Catholic Church. How’s that?
August 27, 2008 at 12:19 am
I have to second Jeff’s comment. I just came from FoxNews after reading a story on ANTI-ABORTION, Republican congressman Thad McCotter blasting Pelosi for her Meet the Press interview. Thad McCotter was described simply as a catholic. I guess he didn’t meet FoxNews’ definition of devout.