I think that Michael Voris makes some excellent points in this hard hitting video.
Longtime readers of CMR know that I have no problem taking off the gloves from time to time. Voris is exactly right that some leaders within the Church, even if not in direct cahoots with their heretical friends, aid and abet in the false effort to be nicey nice.
I have written on the need for abrasive attention getting tactics from time to time. Here at CMR, the gloves frequently come off. But then again, CMR is not a big Catholic Media establishment (Yet).
But both Matthew and I are fortunate to write for Big Catholic Media (National Catholic Register) and occasionally I have taken the gloves off there too. Now while they do have certain reasonable editorial policies that we must adhere to, they have never once pulled a post of mine or even had me include serious edits. The only thing I have had to from time to time shut the combox down when people get a little crazy.
And of course the parent company of the Register is EWTN whose founder famously said “I am so tired of you, liberal church in America … I resent your pushing your anti-Catholic, ungodly ways upon the masses in this country” and got into quite the tussle with some left coast Cardinal. Not very nicey nice.
However, all that said, I think Voris is right that more consistent criticism must be leveled at each of the falsehoods that he correctly identifies and those who aid in its dissemination called out by everyone in the Church.
I think the gloves should come off more often, but we should probably leave the tin foil at home. For now.
June 1, 2011 at 3:36 am
I am glad to see you agree with his words. I know that it isn't always easy to hear words like "sellout" and Voris isn't always well "received" by BIG CATHOLIC MEDIA, or even "MEDIUM" ones.
I felt like he had a pretty specific target, and I think he does the right thing by saying everything but the name.
June 1, 2011 at 3:59 am
Wow. Big news.
CNS sucks up and never criticizes a bishop.
EWTN pretends everything is okay except for Obama and Cardinal Mahony.
National Catholic Register pretends that Maciel never existed.
Like no one knows this?
And as for the "big names" – who? Scott Hahn? Mark Shea? Fr. Barron?
Scott Hahn should be addressing the stupidity of the USCCB & Climate Change? Really? And if he doesn't – he's a money-grubbing patsy for the bishops?
All I have to say is:
BECOME A PREMIUM SUBSCRIBER TO REALCATHOLIC TV!
TODAY!
Some accomodate institutions others accommodate the disgruntled and position themselves as Bad Boys.
All to make a livin'.
Whatever.
June 1, 2011 at 4:23 am
Yup. Michael Voris has it right again. What is hard is recognizing all of those we like, and want to believe, who clearly have it wrong.
I receive his emails every day. I don't always listen, because I can not always engage in battle. But that is what he is all about.
And he is right!!!
June 1, 2011 at 4:24 am
I'm a little less on board with Mr. Voris on this one. Need the Catholic media criticize the bishops in public for dissing incandescent lights? Wouldn't it be more charitable to approach them in private first and give them a chance to amend their ways before making it a public issue?
June 1, 2011 at 4:26 am
Voris might make a valid point from time to time, but I can never get past his "Bill O'Reilly"-esque shtick. I think the truth gets lost in the tin foil and attitude sometimes as well. I mean, light bulbs? That's the example he wants to use?
June 1, 2011 at 6:43 am
I for one applaud Mr. Voris in his endeavors and I am glad there is somebody like him out there telling it like it is.
June 1, 2011 at 7:15 am
I generally support Mr. Voris' forthright approach.
It is perhaps important to keep in mind a simple principle that might guide the debate. I.e., it is the role of the (Catholic) media to report the news, not create (invent, de-emphasize, selectively investigate, etc.) the news.
As far as I'm concerned, I don't want editorializing. I want unfiltered primary sources without slick editorial bias. Commentary and opinion (… even informed opinion) is not news.
For too long reporters and editors have set themselves up as the educators of the masses, largely basing that assumption on the idea that people are too stupid to weight the facts for themselves.
Furthermore, relativism has so infected our culture that the understanding that there is no such thing as the truth permeates public discourse, and we view the once noble profession of journalism with as much distrust as we view politicians. In effect, reporters are baby kissing liars who tell us what we want to hear.
Without a valid ethic to guide journalists and news organizations, the selling of the news and the need for profit marginalizes (corrupts, obscures, etc.) fact telling.
Michael Voris cuts through the propaganda and hype masquerading as authentic reportage.
June 1, 2011 at 11:31 am
Translation: Just give us the Church straight up on the rocks—no sugar or zest added. Don't change the recipe when It's been working for 2,000 years. All Voris is saying is that we should all fight for the soul of the Church; that we shouldn't be blind to what's happened so that we won't be impotent towards what must be done. How can we do it? Prayer…and the good news is that the gates of Hell have not and will not prevail against Her.
June 1, 2011 at 12:30 pm
Isn't it cowardly to not name the names of the people you are criticizing for being too cowardly to name names?
June 1, 2011 at 2:38 pm
The first two Falsehoods Voris correctly lists and discusses are straight from the SSPX's long and consistent tract of Church criticism.
June 1, 2011 at 3:31 pm
While Mr. Voris has several very good points, particularly with regard to the five false teachings, I believe he also fails to recognize some very important aspects of Catholic media that have a large bearing on the issue.
What he is advocating is divisive editorial commentary. This is not the purpose of most Catholic newspapers, particularly small-scale local diocesan press, whose editorial/opinion pages if they exist at all are generally small. Those papers exist to support the work of the chancery. Large independent newspapers, books, etc. have much more leeway to work counter to the establishment. It's not an act of cowardice. It's obedience to the apostles.
Voris also assumes that if it's not overtly in the paper nothing is being done. On the contrary: many issues relating to these five heresies must be dealt with personally and pastorally, not with a large-scale, in-your-face article in a diocesan newspaper. Both Voris' strategy and diocesan newspapers' strategies are legit and have a definite purpose, but one or the other cannot be the only strategy.
June 1, 2011 at 3:32 pm
Warren,
While I understand and applaud your desire to go to the primary sources, the fact of the matter is that most people just don't have the time to wade through every important speech or watch videos of every appearance in order to get the information they need.
A properly functioning fourth estate, whether Catholic or secular, provides the analysis and summary to help busy people understand what's happening. I'm not an expert on economics or foreign policy or theology for that matter.
The problem comes not from informed opinion and analysis, but biased or polemical opinion and analysis. Or worse, from dishonest opinion and analysis.
I agree that the profession has to make up ground, although if we look at the practice of journalism in the 19th century and early 20th century, or around the world today, for that matter, what we have now in the US is not half bad.
Nevertheless, the Church has provided journalists and everyone in the media with an ethic and guide to properly living out that vocation.
Ironically, you wouldn't know it from listening to Michael Voris, who seems more interested in ranting and less in informing.
June 1, 2011 at 4:34 pm
I don't think supposed Catholic leaders ought to compromise with a fiefdom when total renewal is necessary. Having risen through the ranks to broadcasted or published prominence, it doesn't seem sufficient to merely provide for the liturgical and institutional needs of those in one's immediate circle and say to heck with the rest not so fortunate.
June 2, 2011 at 4:06 am
Michael Voris is right – it's pretty obvious that the Catholic media is playing "see no evil – speek no evil."
I'm glad that there are people like him, such as The Card. Newman Society, who are calling a spade a spade.
June 2, 2011 at 12:25 pm
The dissenting Catholic media of course is much more harmful. Understandably where their views have been empowered to dominate the faithful Catholic media which has been able to weather it out and now enjoy some popularity as alternative media will be protective of what has been accomplished. The way the truth is omitted in some places, hidden or outright trampled upon, is by far a greater problem and danger, has been for a long time.
June 3, 2011 at 2:12 pm
Excellent analysis, both regarding the evils and the collaborators.
Mundabor
June 3, 2011 at 5:01 pm
His Holiness the Pope said that global warming was a real problem back in 2007; when is Michael Voris going to stop contradicting him?