Bill Donohue Is Back, So Let’s Recap…

Last updated on: February 29, 2008 at 1:06 pm by Morning's Minion

Bill Donohue Is Back, So Let’s Recap… 2008-02-29T13:06:25-05:00 Morning's Minion

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

According to the Catholic League, Obama is now a champion of the “culture of death“. The reason? His statement that he thought it was wrong for the federal government to interject itself into the Terry Schiavo case. It’s funny, I’m surpised it took Bill Donohue so long to jump in this time around. Four years ago, he was pretty much releasing Republican daily speaking points at this stage in the game!

Thoughts on Donohue

Before getting to the heart of the matter, let’s recap a little. Donohue does not like Obama. A while back, he complained about some of the people supporting Obama. Specifically, he mentioned “three controversial clergymen” including a Chicago-area Catholic priest. Among the accusations are that these clergymen condemned zionism, and blamed 9/11 on American foreign policy, received an award from the Nation of Islam, befriended Louis Farrakhan, and demonstrated against a gun store. Blaming 9/11 on foreign policy? Only those wedded deeply to a rigidly Calvinist view of the world deny that there are legitimate grievances against the United States in the Islamic world, as I talked about yesterday, grievances that include an unconditional support for Israel, the simultaneous talking up of democracy while backing despots and cracking down on actual democratic outcomes, and– more recently– the invasion and occupation of a Muslim country and the use of torture. Then again, Donohue has always been more American than Catholic. And anyway, what of the religious leaders who explicitly blamed Americans for causing 9/11–- Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson. Where was Donohue then? And what about the other allegations? Demonstrating against a gun store? Hasn’t the USCCB spoken out in favor of gun control?

We need to revisit Donohue’s partisanship, I think. He really really liked George Bush in 2004 and really really did not like John Kerry. He once asked “Is Bush too Holy to be President?” and declared that “most observers, regardless of their political bent, agree that President George W. Bush seems at home with his Christianity” and “most Americans appreciate and admire President George W. Bush for his strong religious convictions”. Donohue also presented a number of anti-Bush quotes as evidence that “we need to build more asylums”. And while Bush is deeply religious, Kerry was clearly a phony. So when Kerry talks about religion (such as when he stated the Catholic belief that both faith and good deeds are required for salvation) he is denounced as a hypocrite, and insincere. Donohue is disgusted by Kerry trying to defend his religiosity, asking “whether Kerry is playing politics with his religion”. To Kerry, “religion is an enigma”. Donohue even feels the need to list friends of Kerry’s who claim he is not religious. Contrast with the fawning treatment of Bush.

There’s more. How about both candidates’ attempts at religious outreach? Special venom is reserved for Kerry’s people. Donohue claimed that the resume of one (Mara Vanderslice) is “that of a person looking for a job working for Fidel Castro”, while another (Brenda Peterson) is lambasted for opposing “under God” in the pledge of allegiance. Contrast this with his now infamous defense of Bush’s Catholic liaison, Deal Hudson. After allegations of sexual impropriety with an 18-year old student, Donohue blamed the victim, decrying the allegations of a “drunken female he met in a bar.” Even by Donohue’s standard, this was low.

There’s more. How about Bob Jones? During the 2000 election, Donohue accepted Bush’s apology for speaking there, claiming that the issue was now settled. He talked about Christian forgiveness. He then went on to accuse John McCain of “demagoguery” and of playing the “politics of fear” for raising Bob Jones’s anti-Catholic and racist background. And others who kept raising the issue were engaging in a “smear tactic” for “political profit”. Later, when John Ashcroft received an honorary degree from Bob Jones, and was criticized, Donohue leaped to his defense, calling it “much ado about nothing” and declaring that Ashcroft was right to attack his opponent for raising the issue. Contrast this with the Catholics for a Free Choiceincident. Donohue hounded Terry McAuliffe for listing this organization under the “Catholic” banner on the DNC website. (And in this case, Donohue actually had a point, for once). But when McAuliffe caved, how did Donohue react? You might guess something along the lines of “settling the matter” and “Christian forgiveness”, along the lines of Bush at Bob Jones? You’d guess wrong. His actual statement? “We will not congratulate the DNC for doing the right thing… this victory is oh, so sweet.” Nice.

And when Donohue faced allegations that some of his evangelical allies among the “Justice Sunday” gatherings included those who branded Catholicism a false religion, Donohue not only defended his friends– betraying the mandate of the Catholic League– but attacked phantom left-wing critics: it’s the “fat-cat, left-wing bigots like George Soros who concern us” whereas “Dobson is our friend.” On the allegation that Republicans favor tax cuts for the rich? “The greedy want to keep the money they’ve earned; those who want to take it from us are the altruists”. What about the Iraq war? Here, he claimed, falsely, that Pope John Paul never said that there was “no legal or moral justification for the war”. And he angrily denounced those who “exploited” the pope’s position while not respecting “his teaching on all subjects”.

Thoughts on the Schiavo Case

This lengthy recap of the last few years is meant to put Donohue’s attack on Obama into perspective. But let’s get to the heart of the issue, the Schiavo comment. This is a highly nuanced topic, as I discussed last year. Basically, up until very recently, the question of whether it was licit to withdraw artificial nutrition and hydration from a patient in a persistent vegetative state remained open. Many bioethicists (including Fr. John Paris) argued that– from the teaching of moralists like Bañez and Vitoria– providing food and water can sometimes be seen as extraordinary and disproportionate, justifying removal of tubes. If so, this would not be euthanasia. This was widely accepted over the last half century or so, going back to Gerald Kelly in the 1950s.

Indeed, the lack of clarity over this case was singled out by William E. May in his Introduction to Moral Theology (2003) as an example over which Catholics might honestly disagree:

“Moreover, at times virtuous people disagree, and disagree in a contradictory way, with regard to specific moral issues on which the magisterium of the Church has not made a firm judgment. For example, some (including bishops) argue that ordinarily one is required to provide food and hydration to persons in the so-called “persistent vegetative state” unless it is clear that doing so fails to nourish the person or imposes unnecessarily harsh burdens, whereas others (again including bishops) vigorously maintain that there is no moral duty to do so.”

Of course, this question was the subject of a very recent CDF statement, stressing that the administration of food and water is morally obligatory in principle, except in rare cases where it is excessively burdensome. The problem is, the loud cavalcade that made a circus of a dying woman a few years ago seemed blithely ignorant of this background debate. They seem not to have noticed that there were very different views on this topic within orthodox circles right up to the CDF notification. And don’t me wrong, I fully support the CDF ruling. But while it was laudable to try to save Schiavo’s life, I share Obama’s doubts about the wisdom of using the full coercive power of the federal government to do so. And note, that’s all Obama said. Funnily enough, most of those supported such intervention at the time tended to be the same poeple who tended to be wary of state power interfering in areas where it should have no jurisdiction.

Fundamentally, I did not see a consistent ethic of life in play. Why were the zealots who were so concerned about the life of one woman in America not seem to care about the thousands of Iraqis slaughtered by American bombs at the same time? Why did they support Schiavo, while refusing to fund health care for people who might not be able to afford even basic treatment, let along the prolonged care that Schiavo required? Why did we hear about Schiavo’s death, and not those who died because they lacked health insurance, or because their insurance company refused to pay for the necessary treatment? Where was the outcry when the man who claimed he wanted to “err on the side of life” institutionalized torture using consequentialist reasoning? Sorry, yet again, no evidence of a consistent ethic of life. Instead, it was a shameful exploitation of a tragedy for partisan ends. No wonder Donohue is trying to resurrect it.

Euthanasia

Morning's Minion

Politics

Previous Post

February 29, 2008

Article on Adoption

Next Post

February 29, 2008 Chaldean Bishop Kidnapped

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category 2019 A Consistent Ethic of Life Aaron Weldon Abortion absurdity Abuse Scandal Academics Adoption Advent Africa agreement/disagreement with Church teaching Alexander Schmemann Alexham Alterity America Amnesty International Anarchism angels Anglicanism Animals Annual Statistics Anthony Anxietas Apocalyptic Apophatic Appalachia Aquinas Art Atheism Atonement Augustine Authority Baptism Beauty Bible biblical criticism biblical scholarship Bioethics Bishops Black Catholics Black Theology Blackadder Blogs Books Breastfeeding Brett Salkeld Buddhism Bush administration Byzantine Catholic Calvinism Canada Canon Law Capital Punishment Capitalism Caryll Houselander Catholic Blog Awards Catholic Blogging Catholic League Catholic Social Teaching Catholic Worker Movement Catholicity CFL Charity Children Chris West Christ and Culture Christian Democracy Christian Unity Christmas Christology Church Church Doctrine Church History Climate Change Cohabitation Colbert Collegiality Communion Communism Comparative Theology Competition Conferences conscience conscience rights Consequentialism Consistent Life Ethics Consumerism Contraception Contrition Conversion Converts Coptic COVID-19 Creation Critical Thinking Cross Cuba Culture Culture of Death Culture of Life Darfur David Cruz-Uribe David Wheeler-Reed Death Death Penalty Democracy Demons Desert Fathers Devil Dialogue dignity Disability Disarmament discernment Discipleship discrimination Dissent Distributism Division Doctrine Domestic Church Dorothy Day Double Effect Doubt Down syndrome Driving Early Church Easter Eastern Churches Ecclesiology Economics Economy Ecumenism Education El Salvador Election Election 2020 Ellul Embryonic Stem Cell Research Empire Energy Enlighenment Environmentalism Ephraim Radner Episcopal Church epistemology Equality Eschatology Ethics Eucharist Europe Euthanasia Evangelization Evil Evolution Excommunication F.X. Durrwell Facism Facts Fair Trade Faith Family Fashion Feddie Feminism Feminist theology Fertility Fetal Rights Fiction Film Finances First Things flags Folk Religion Food Foreign Affairs Forgiveness Frank Sheed Free Speech Freedom gay & lesbian persons Genocide George W. Bush George Weigel Gerald L. Campbell Girard/Mimetic Theory Global Warming Globalization Gnosticism Good Friday Grace Gratitude Greed Grey Cup 2009 Guadalupe Guest Post Guest Posts Gun Control Gustave Martelet Habitat for Humanity Hans Urs von Balthasar Harry Potter Hate Speech Health Health Care Healthcare Heather King Hebrew Bible Henri de Lubac Henry Karlson Herbert McCabe Heresy HHS Mandate Controversy History Holidays Holiness Holy Spirit Homiletics Homily Homosexuality Hope Hospitality How Far Can We Go? How Far Can We Go? Human Person Human Rights Humanae Vitae Humility Humor Hunger Hunting Identity Idolatry Ignacio Ellacuría Imagination Immigration In Memoriam Income Inequality Inculturation Indigenous People Individualism Inklings Intellect Interdependence Internet Interpretation Interviews Introduction Iraq War Islam Israel Jain James Alison James Martin Jazz Jesus Christ Jews Joe Biden Joe Hargrave Johann Baptist Metz John Allen John Henry Newman John Paul II John the Baptist John XXIII Jonathan Josef Pieper Joseph (the husband of Mary) Joseph Bernardin Joseph Ratzinger Josh Brumfield Journals Joy Judgment Just War Justice Kari Lundgren Karl Rahner Katerina Ivanovna Kenya Keynes Kingdom of God Kyle R. Cupp Labor Language Latin America Law Leanne Ogasawara Legion of Christ Leisure Lent Liberalism Liberation Theology Libertarianism Libya Lies Life life & dignity & responsibility of the human person Literature Little Way Liturgical music Liturgical Year Liturgy Living Simply Living Wage Local Church Lombard Lord of the Rings Louis Dupre Love M.Z. Magic Magisterium Mark DeFrancisis Mark Gordon Marriage Martin Luther Martin Luther King Jr. Martyrdom Marxism Mary Masculinity Matt Talbot Matthew Fish Matthew Levering McCain Media Memorial Day Mennonites Mental Illness mercy Michael Iafrate Middle East militarism Miroslav Volf Mitt Romney Modesty Moral Theology Morality Mormonism Morning's Minion Mother Teresa Music Muslims Natalie Nate Wildermuth Nationalism Native Americans Nature Nazis Neuhaus New Evangelization New York City News NFP nihilism Nonviolence Not Abortion Nova's Ordo Nuclear weapons Nuns Obama Occult Old Age Opus Dei Ordination ordination of women original sin Orthodoxy Oscar Romero Other Voices Pacifism Palestine Palin Papacy Papal Peace Messages Papal Social Encyclicals Particular Affections Partisanship Patriotism Paul Paul Ryan Paul VI Peace Pentimento persecution Personalism Phantastes Philosophy PKD Planned Parenthood Pluralism Poetry Policraticus Politcal Apathy Politics Poll Pope Benedict XVI Pope Francis Pope John Paul II Pope Leo XIV Population Postcolonialsim Poverty Power Prayer Preaching Predictions Predictions for 2012 President Barack Obama priestly formation & discernment Pro-Life Progress Prophetic Witness Proportionalism Public Diplomacy Public Policy Question Quotes Rachel Maddow Racism Radical Catholic Mom Radical Catholicism Raymund Schwager Real Catholic TV Real Presence Reconciliation Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange Religion religious freedom Responsibility Ressourcement Resurrection Rick Garnett Ridiculous Crap You Never Thought You'd See Robert Barron Roe v. Wade Roman Curia Rome Russia Sacraments Saints Salvation History Sam Harris Sam Rocha Same-sex Marriage Saskatchewan Roughriders Satire School of the Americas Science Scripture Seamless Garment Second Vatican Council Seeing Sex sexual violence Sexuality Sia Sin social justice Social Security Socialism Society of Jesus Sofia Loves Wisdom Solidarity Sophia soteriology Soutenus Spirituality Sports St. Dismas St. Joseph Stanley Hauerwas Statistics Stimulus Suffering Sunday Reflections Supernatural Supreme Court Symbolism Syria Taxing Technology Terrorism The State The Tea Party The Trump Administration Theological Anthropology Theology Theotokos Thomas Merton Throwaway Culture Tim Muldoon Tim Riley Tim Tebow Time Titian Tolkien Torture Toys Trade Traditionalism Transgender Transportation Transubstantiation Trinity Truth TV U.S. Affairs Uncategorized Unions unity among people who disagree US Catholicism USCCB Usury Utilitarianism Utopia Valentine's Day Vatican Vatican II Veterans Vicarious Suffering Video Violence Virgin Mary Vocations Voluntary Associations Voluntary Poverty Voting Vox Nova vox nova blog war War and Peace War Strategy Wealth Weirdness Welfare state Women Women Priests Work Woundedness Youth

Select a Month June 2026 May 2025 February 2025 January 2025 July 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 July 2023 March 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 November 2021 September 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

How many loaves in the feeding miracle?

Select your answer to see how you score.

12 3 5 7