A relatively new arrival on the Catholic comment scene, Scout has been putting himself or herself around a bit, with comments on many blogs, great and small. There seems to be a slight disjunct between the Scout of the comments box, who presents as a fairly reasonable and polite commenter, and the Scout of the blog, who, err... does not.
Wading into any strongly stated Catholic views (let alone those from the nutty fringes) Scout is not above hyperbole and Sun-style headlines him- (or her-) self.
However, despite all these efforts, Scout’s site does not attract the volume of traffic he or she doubtless wants, so I though I’d run a trailer here, as I’m sure my readers will appreciate Scout’s particular style and approach.
In the interests of absolute transparency (that’s my value, not Scout’s) I should point out that all that follows is written by me: the style alone is borrowed from Scout.
Hardline Catholic Bishop Hits Children: Parents Look On with Approval!
Yesterday at the ultra-Catholic St James’s Spanish Place, the Uber-traditionalist Latin Mass Society organised Confirmation according to the now-discredited old-fashioned liturgy.
That involved the children being confirmed being physically held down by their sponsors, while the hardline bishop hit each in turn on the cheek!
Given that physical punishment is now outlawed in our schools, that some imams and madrassas are being investigated for using physical punishment, it is extraordinary that the Catholic extremists still think they can get away with this! Do they not know that the world has moved on, and it is no longer acceptable to slap children?
We would encourage the children to bring an action of assault against the hardline bishop, John Sherrington, against their so-called sponsors who were materially co-operating with the abuse, and against their parents who were sat supine in the pews, watching with approval as this barbaric ritual progressed.
For more in this illuminating, expressive and insight-filled style, do rush over to Scout's place, which is dedicated to exposing Catholic lunacy, prejudice and hypocrisy on the web. You'll even find a tag with my name...
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7 comments:
Really sorry that you give the "oxygen of publicity" to Scout whom I and many other bloggers decline to publish.
Father,
It could well be that you are right to deny Scout the Oxygen of publicity. However, I always tend towards ventilation and parody as a way of de-toxifying.
In particular, given that Scout adopts one persona in comment boxes and a different one on home territory, I think it may help many to waste less time engaging with him or her if they visit Scout's blog ans see quite how rabid it is.
But as I say, I could well be wrong to do this, and I will ponder further.
No, I don't think you were wrong to give Scout "oxygen". I don't think we should be worried about tackling detractors head on.
I've learnt so much about Catholicism through the cut and thrust - parrying - style of Internet interaction.
Further, I'm an example of a person that actually came towards the Catholic Church, through the work of a blog (Protect the Pope) dedicated to responding to bias and undue criticism of the Catholic Church.
I agree though that the "Scout" we encounter in the com boxes does seem rather more nuanced than the blogger. But this will always end up being exposed, which is not a bad thing.
Stuart
Thanks for your comment. I hope you have told Deacon Nick about the impact: I'm sure he would be delighted to know!
Will weigh your point of view in the balance with EF Pastor Emeritus'...
BT
Yes Nick does know and we've had some private corresspondence.
The irony was that for some unknown reason, as a fully paid up Protestant Evangeilical blogger, I was the first out of the blocks to highlight and support Nick's endeavour. I still don't really understand my motivation as I bought into all the anti-Catholic bias via the media and Protestantism.
Of course Nick's work opened my eyes wide. I couldn't believe the nastiness, untruths, and damn right hatred levelled at the Pope and his church.
The upshot was that by the time the Pope arrived in UK, I was poorly in hospital, and because of Nick's work, I decided to watch the Birmingham Mass during which I was overcome (literally) with a sense of peace and the full realisation that this Pope was indeed the very Vicar of Christ on earth, representing the one true church.
That's the abbreviated version but gives you the flavour.
I've not looked back since and CANNOT wait to be received and partake of the sacraments. I've waited (painfully) for over a year now, but we are on the final stretch.
I can't wait to blog about being received, it will be like a culmination of something that only God could have achieved within me.
Sorry to ramble, I get so excited.
Stuart, What a heartening account!
Thanks,
BT
Thanks for the free advertising, Ben :) I had a good laugh at your mock Catholic Internet Watch article. As you would expect, I am not on the same page as you, but I would concede there is a certain vein of truth in the point you are making. My experience is that there is a tremendous resistance amongst Catholics to confront the problems in their religion, and because of this, my posts need to be deliberately provocative in order to shock them out of their comfort zones and positions of default complacency. It is also my experience that many, many Catholics really do treat people who simply disagree with them as if they are scum. My blog aims to shock these people into a realisation that not everybody views the world the way they do.
The difference between the 'Scout' of the comboxes and the 'Scout' of the CIW blogposts is stylistic. I am not trying to do anything misleading or dishonest. I believe in engaging with Catholics where engagement is possible, and exposing them for what they are when they are being thoroughly unreasonable. The kind of people my blog focusses on are no angels. They are some of the most hateful, self-righteous, arrogant religious sociopaths you could ever meet! I treat them with vastly more fairness and respect than they treat others.
I can assure you, by the way, that there is not any special significance to my blog having a tag with your name on it. :) All it means is that at some point or other, my blog has discussed you or something you've said. You're quite welcome to a Catholic Internet Watch Provisional Certificate of Sanity (although any future looniness from you and it gets withdrawn :P).
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