Friday, July 07, 2006
Not Relevant!
A battle cry associated with liberals, but John's post about the relative lack of commentary on Vatican II documents got me thinking. Perhaps it's a cultural trait, a failing (I suspect) of both left and right without discrimination, and maybe not a good quality for us to ... own, as they say.
My theory is that liturgy has far more immediacy, as do issues in the news like cloning, pulling the plug, or unffair divorce proceedings. And if there's a poster person, even better. My theory continues: without something to make an issue "real," nobody is trained to care. They don't bother with making policy on important issues coming down the road. They wait until something happens, then scurry to respond, always keeping one eye on the polls as they do so.
Gaudium et Spes doesn't get much commentary because it's not relevant to people. We're not heading to nuclear war. Most of my commenters don't live in third-world nations operating under a crushing debt to the megabank across the street from Starbucks or Home Depot.
Maybe when conservatives get all a-twisted over the USCCB pronouncing on war or economics (but conveniently forgetting they want substance on ESCR and morning-after pills) it might not be hitting them where it's relevant, but it hits their mad spot. But what would've been a mark of great wisdom would have been for ethicists, theologians, and bishops (not to mention lay experts) to get together and formulate a clear reponse to the issue of human cloning for the day when (not if!) it became viable.
For the record, I think most public liberals have sold out to the culture as well. I just think the cons beat them to it and set a bad example for the rest of us.
So take it from there, folks. There's probably more to develop on this theme, bu tI'm rather enjoying something of a day off. If I scratched your mad spot and made myself relevant, have a go.
