Posted on 04/06/2005 11:41:37 AM PDT by Cableguy
In the hours and days after the Pope's death, there was some discussion in the Corner and on other blogs about CNN's coverage.
After reading Jonathan Last's comment, I went back through the transcripts and found some of the remarks that raised some eyebrows. Some of CNN's greatest hits:
From Transcript One:
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: So, this is a pope who — and we'll be talking about his legacy, his doctrine, is theology, for days to come, but no matter what people thought about it, and no matter the fact that in many parts of the world, particularly the developed world, the church, the congregation was beginning to dwindle, somehow people's personal connection and people's personal admiration for him transcended, perhaps, some of their unease with the more doctrinaire, orthodox theology that he prescribed for Catholics around the world and that many Catholics felt that they simply could not practice in today's modern world and caused many Catholics to follow their own conscience instead of his. Let's go back to Aaron for a moment, now.
From Transcript Two:
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: So he has been very much devoted, and as I say, people have grown up with him as their symbol of morality, even though many people in the Catholic church don't particularly adhere or practice his very doctrinaire, very orthodox version of Catholicism...
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Lots of those kind of stories and anecdotes and moments that people are recalling right now about personal ways in which the pope has touched them. And, you know, people knowing that there are lots of controversies in the Catholic Church.There are many reasons why many Catholics feel that they cannot strictly follow the doctrinal teachings of this particular pope and yet people, many of them, want to love their faith.
And they certainly have said to us that even though they may have disagreed with some of his more orthodox teachings, some of the more conservative teachings, some of the teachings that perhaps didn't quite fit today's church, today's faithful that he is a man nonetheless who was somebody special, somebody they admired for his courage, for his moral stature, for what he did, you know, of course, back when it even came to the collapse of communism and his central role in the collapse of communism in his native Poland.
So, people do admire him and people say that, you know, there weren't that many moral leaders and there aren't that many moral leaders in this world. And, again, you know, many people have been hurt terribly by the pedophilia scandals in the Catholic Church, by the notion that the pope will not allow the use of condoms, for instance, even to stop the spread of deadly diseases, such as AIDS, by the notion that women are disenfranchised from the highest honors of the Catholic Church being ordained.
Even then they say that nonetheless for some reason they had an affection for this man.
From Transcript Three:
AMANPOUR: Well, Anderson, one is so struck by the seeming contradictions of this pope. I was just looking at the pictures of the pope on the air, while Paula was speaking and you and John were speaking...A pope who embraced AIDS victims and who went to Africa and talked to them, and there are pictures of him being embraced by young AIDS victims, and yet who refused to sanction the use of condoms to stop the spread of AIDS.
COOPER: Yes, that is certainly true. I mean it should be said, especially on the HIV/AIDS front, this pope has come under continued criticism for refusing to permit the use of condoms, even in places where HIV is just an epidemic and a pandemic, in sub-Saharan Africa, this pope continuing to stand by the readings of the Catholic faith in which condoms are just simply not allowed as a form of contraception.There have been some Catholics who have said, some Catholic leaders who have asked that perhaps the condoms should be allowed to be used just to prevent the spread of HIV, but the Catholic Church, very standing, very fast on this subject Christiane.
AMANPOUR: Indeed and of course, he did also with that contradiction, nonetheless he would embrace the victims of AIDS. But as you say, would not sanction one way of preventing the spread of that deadly disease. The fact that he was a man in many ways of contradictions, a man who so vehemently was against war for instance, the Iraq war two years ago and yet believed in a just war, for instance the intervention to stop genocide in the Balkans. I think that he was a man of some contradictions, a man of some controversy, a man who some Catholics found it was simply too difficult to adhere to his particular doctrine. And yet he was a man whose personal, moral stature and personal sense of clarity and conviction caused so much admiration among so many people around the world.
From Transcript Four:
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: And he was really a symbol for so many of these people. And particularly young people. And it is strange, as so many of us have commented, that it's not just the elderly, the people who perhaps would be more likely to stick to the doctrine of the — and theology, particularly the conservative theology that he preached, but even young people, many of whom said they have been somewhat alienated by his strict teaching. They are the ones who came. And they're the ones who stuck by him as well.
From Transcript Five, an interesting sense of "contradiction" from Anderson "host of the Mole" Cooper:
COOPER: It's important to point out, too, I mean, we've heard a lot this evening in the last couple hours about how he was the first pope to visit a mosque, the first pope to visit a synagogue, to reach out to differing faiths.And yet, he also reaffirmed the Catholic belief that it is only — you can only reach salvation through Jesus Christ, and only through the teachings of the Catholic Church.
GALLAGHER: Yes, absolutely. This document, Dominus Jesus that came out a few years ago and said just that, that salvation is through Jesus Christ, and was a very controversial document at the time because as you say, he was out — reaching out to other religions.
But I think that just goes to show that the pope was really a man of his convictions.
COOPER: And I mean, I guess, some people would see that as a contradiction. And yet, in his mind, it wasn't. That...
GALLAGHER: The two go together. Yes, the two can go together.
From Transcirpt Six:
COOPER: And our coverage continues now. I'm joined in New York by CNN's Paula Zahn, and also here in Rome, by CNN's Chief International Correspondent Christiane Amanpour.Christiane, you have been talking to people all evening long and one of the things that we have been talking about are the contradictions in this pope's life in his teachings. The contradictions both public and private.
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INT'L. CORRESPONDENT: Indeed, and yet, despite that he does remain a giant figure. All the people we have spoken to say despite some of those controversial positions, in terms of his doctrinal theology, that instituted under his papacy, despite some peoples' differences with that they nonetheless admired him as a person of great moral stature, of great charisma, a unique pope in terms of what he did with the papacy.
From Transcript Seven:
ZAHN: Thanks so much, Anderson. And as we touched on a moment ago with Paul Elie, despite enjoying almost rock star status, Pope John Paul's message on certain issues put him at odds with many of the faithful in this country. However, today, it wasn't the policies but the man who was remembered.
Special mention must be made of Paula Zahn's interview with Nancy Dallavalle, associate professor of religious studies at Fairfield University in Connecticut. Zahn's questions:
ZAHN: How do you view the pope's record on women during his papacy?ZAHN: When you had a poll back in 2002 and I recognize the poll, like American, the pope wasn't like American politicians at reading the polls, but that 75 percent of American Catholics wanted to see women ordained as priests. That didn't happen. Going forward, what will be the consequences of what you see as inaction on that issue?
ZAHN: I had a conversation with a nun earlier tonight that says, while she respects that the pope wrote this letter, basically acknowledging some of the sins of the church towards million, that, while she's that critical for him for not going forward in ordaining women right now, she was very upset that he didn't allow the debate to continue.
ZAHN: Raises the stakes incredibly. Obviously we don't know who this pope's successor will be but are you optimistic or pessimistic that this issue will change at all in this next papacy?
To their credit, CNN's hours and hours of coverage consisted of more than these odd and questionable comments... but it's hard to shake the feeling that the undercurrent of much of the coverage was "yes, everyone's mourning him, but let's not forget a lot of people disagreed with him!"
Amanpour is one of the most biased "reporters" out there.
20. From what has been stated above, some points follow that are necessary for theological reflection as it explores the relationship of the Church and the other religions to salvation.
Above all else, it must be firmly believed that “the Church, a pilgrim now on earth, is necessary for salvation: the one Christ is the mediator and the way of salvation; he is present to us in his body which is the Church. ...This doctrine must not be set against the universal salvific will of God (cf. 1 Tim 2:4); “it is necessary to keep these two truths together, namely, the real possibility of salvation in Christ for all mankind and the necessity of the Church for this salvation”.
...For those who are not formally and visibly members of the Church, “salvation in Christ is accessible by virtue of a grace which, while having a mysterious relationship to the Church, does not make them formally part of the Church, but enlightens them in a way which is accommodated to their spiritual and material situation. This grace comes from Christ; it is the result of his sacrifice and is communicated by the Holy Spirit”; it has a relationship with the Church, which “according to the plan of the Father, has her origin in the mission of the Son and the Holy Spirit”.
21. With respect to the way in which the salvific grace of God — which is always given by means of Christ in the Spirit and has a mysterious relationship to the Church — comes to individual non-Christians, the Second Vatican Council limited itself to the statement that God bestows it “in ways known to himself”. Theologians are seeking to understand this question more fully. Their work is to be encouraged, since it is certainly useful for understanding better God's salvific plan and the ways in which it is accomplished. However, from what has been stated above about the mediation of Jesus Christ and the “unique and special relationship” which the Church has with the kingdom of God among men — which in substance is the universal kingdom of Christ the Saviour — it is clear that it would be contrary to the faith to consider the Church as one way of salvation alongside those constituted by the other religions, seen as complementary to the Church or substantially equivalent to her, even if these are said to be converging with the Church toward the eschatological kingdom of God.
Certainly, the various religious traditions contain and offer religious elements which come from God, and which are part of what “the Spirit brings about in human hearts and in the history of peoples, in cultures, and religions”. Indeed, some prayers and rituals of the other religions may assume a role of preparation for the Gospel, in that they are occasions or pedagogical helps in which the human heart is prompted to be open to the action of God. One cannot attribute to these, however, a divine origin or an ex opere operato salvific efficacy, which is proper to the Christian sacraments. Furthermore, it cannot be overlooked that other rituals, insofar as they depend on superstitions or other errors (cf. 1 Cor 10:20-21), constitute an obstacle to salvation.
22. With the coming of the Saviour Jesus Christ, God has willed that the Church founded by him be the instrument for the salvation of all humanity (cf. Acts 17:30-31). This truth of faith does not lessen the sincere respect which the Church has for the religions of the world, but at the same time, it rules out, in a radical way, that mentality of indifferentism “characterized by a religious relativism which leads to the belief that ‘one religion is as good as another'”. If it is true that the followers of other religions can receive divine grace, it is also certain that objectively speaking they are in a gravely deficient situation in comparison with those who, in the Church, have the fullness of the means of salvation. However, “all the children of the Church should nevertheless remember that their exalted condition results, not from their own merits, but from the grace of Christ. If they fail to respond in thought, word, and deed to that grace, not only shall they not be saved, but they shall be more severely judged”. ...Those who obey the promptings of the Spirit of truth are already on the way of salvation. But the Church, to whom this truth has been entrusted, must go out to meet their desire, so as to bring them the truth. Because she believes in God's universal plan of salvation, the Church must be missionary”. Inter-religious dialogue, therefore, as part of her evangelizing mission, is just one of the actions of the Church in her mission ad gentes. Equality, which is a presupposition of inter-religious dialogue, refers to the equal personal dignity of the parties in dialogue, not to doctrinal content, nor even less to the position of Jesus Christ — who is God himself made man — in relation to the founders of the other religions. Indeed, the Church, guided by charity and respect for freedom, must be primarily committed to proclaiming to all people the truth definitively revealed by the Lord, and to announcing the necessity of conversion to Jesus Christ and of adherence to the Church through Baptism and the other sacraments, in order to participate fully in communion with God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Sounds about as close to liberal "elites" as you can get wihtout being as wealthly at Trixie Heniz.
"Even then they say that nonetheless for some reason they had an affection for this man"
FOR SOME REASON??!! I cannot TELL you how angry this statement makes me. Another case in point as to why I cannot even look at this harpy's face.
Thanks for posting this.
Just wait... I'm sure the MSM will be in full attack mode once the funeral is over.
Complete with much wailing and gnashing of teeth as they moan about how a more "liberal" pope is needed.
Makes me ill.
The MSM is salivating at the thought of a 3rd world Pope. Not because he might make a great Pope who would further the cause of the Church and Christendom, but simply for its news value, and because the MSM thinks that an 3rd worlder, of necessity would be more liberal, resdistributionist, and anti-Western than John Paul has been.
These MSM people are typically non-Catholic (actually most are atheists or agnostics), so they ought not to have ANY say in the matter...but, of course they want to get a Pope elected who will weaken the Church, the papacy, Christendom, and the West.
The supposition of this person is that a man cannot control his sexual behavior, anymore than he can control his eating. Therefore we have to teach him how to use devises which will limit the harm he does to himself and others. Never mind that sex is more than the satisfaction of an appetite. The appetite exists for greater purposes, which include not only procreation but also as an expression of love. In Africa the sex drive is being abused, with maximum concern for sexual gratification and minimum concern for women. Do you think that a man who has sex with many women will be much concerned by what harm he does to her? If he is focused on himself, do you think he will botther to don a condum, an action which lessens his pleasure and is only a safeguard for her (unless she is a prostitute or someone else who will pass HIV onto him)?
Agnostics who, unlike those of an earlier age, are ignorant of Christianity. The worst thing is that they don't know they are ignorant or even think that their ignorance makes them enlightened!
"Pope John Paul's message on certain issues put him at odds with many of the faithful in this country."
And my question is if they are "at odds" with the Pope's message to what are they being faithful? Not the church which is defined by it's failthfulness to the Pope and his teachings.
Teddy's niece....Kathleen Kennedy Townsend was on CNN giving her version of Catholicism.....it's OK to be pro-choice & support same sex marriage which she calls gay rights.
It was an outrage! Who cares what the Kennedys think...they are not examples of practicing Catholics!
It would have to have the magical powers they attribute to the condom. Maybe they should have witchdoctors sell the condoms.
The DUmmies love her. That's all you need to know about her ideology.
Hmmm. She claims to be Iranian.
I never, ever watch TV news, but I was trapped in an airport the night the pope died, and this was available. I could not believe my ears! It's no wonder CNN has fallen so low in the ratings.
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