It’s Just Matthews Being Matthews

Fools rush in where journalists tread with respect

Catholic Chris Matthews must have been a hit around the OMSNBC water cooler Monday night. The abject rudeness and sarcasm with which Matthews conducted his interview with a Catholic bishop on the issue of abortion no doubt sent tingly sensations, similar to the ones Chris says he gets when Barack Obama speaks, up the legs of all the pro-abortion gang at the least watched “news” network on television. Rambunctious hugs from Keith Olbermann and Andrea Mitchell. A sisterly kiss from Rachel Maddow. A great night to be a progressive liberal.

Never mind that all the “hits” Matthews thinks, or at least hoped others would think, he scored against Bishop Thomas Tobin, Diocese of Providence, RI, were based upon false premises and liberal claptrap. With the country steadily moving against the liberal false idol of abortion, someone had to get on the air and take the Catholic Church down a peg or two. And the obvious choice was someone who had already shred his dignity and lost all credibility as a journalist. A fool ready to rush in where true journalists tread with respect.

The basis for the interview was the recent public exchange over abortion between Bishop Tobin and Congressman Patrick Kennedy (D RI). (Is The Catholic Church Finally Taking A Stand?) In private correspondence in 2007, Bishop Tobin had asked Kennedy to refrain from presenting himself for Communion due to Kennedy’s avid support for pro-abortion legislation. Kennedy, however, took it upon himself to make the matter public with a sarcastic diatribe against the US Conference of Catholic Bishops’ letter to members of congress expressing opposition to any healthcare legislation that did not specifically prohibit tax payer funding for abortions.

As Kennedy’s bishop, Bishop Tobin felt he had no choice but “to reply respond publicly and strongly whenever he attacks the Catholic Church, misrepresents the teachings of the Church, or issues inaccurate statements about my pastoral ministry….”

After clearly taking the worst of a couple of well publicized exchanges, Kennedy wisely chose to clam up and let the matter die out. At which point Matthews decided to ride in on his high horse and brow beat Bishop Tobin on the air.

The “penalty question”
There was nothing new in Matthew’s diatribe except for the embarrassing virulence. His attack on Bishop Tobin centered on two worn out pro-abortion red herrings. The “what should the penalty be…” question and the completely fallacious, especially in the case of a child’s life, “church and state” argument.

Matthews: “You’re coming down on Congressman Kennedy and other public officials. …Would you outlaw abortion?”

Tobin: “That’s the direction our nation ought to move… Keep in mind what we believe about abortion. Every time an abortion takes place, a baby dies. I don’t know how people of good conscience, especially people with a Catholic background, could take that position in good conscience.”

Matthews: “What penalty would you give for a woman getting an abortion.”

Bishop Tobin correctly responded that he could not speculate on what penalties would be imposed. Matthews persisted, rapid fire. Jail? For whom, just the woman? What about the doctor? For how long? The bishop simply reiterated there was no way a clergyman could respond to such a hypothetical legislative question.

Matthews followed the well known script culminating with the question that if pro-life advocates consider abortion to be the murder of a child, shouldn’t the woman and/or the doctor be charged with a capital crime? And when Bishop Tobin again declined to speculate one way or the other, Matthews stated that lacking penalties there would be no point in making abortion illegal. Which would be true. If Bishop Tobin had actually said that there shouldn’t be any penalties in such circumstances. He simply stated that he has no idea what they would be. And neither would Matthews.

In the likely event that Roe v Wade is overturned, the issue of abortion would return to the states, where it belongs. Any state choosing to illegalize abortion would set penalties considered appropriate. But crimes involving the death of a person, and the penalties for such crimes, vary widely according to state laws and the circumstances of each offense. First degree murder, second degree murder, voluntary manslaughter, involuntary manslaughter, criminal negligence, etc. Bishop Tobin’s admission of lack of experience in such matters hardly disqualifies him from saying that abortion is wrong and should be illegal.

Rendering the unborn unto Caesar
Declaring victory on the “penalty question”, Matthews then concluded by propping up the groundless church and statement argument. “I do believe that Jesus had it right when he said, ‘Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s…”.

Jesus always “had it right”. But Matthews, like all pro-abortion Catholics, twists scripture into knots scrambling for contradictions to the Magisterium of the Church. But it can be said, with all certainty, that nothing can be found in the words of Our Lord that justifies the dismembering and disposal of God’s children in the womb.

The “render to Caesar” passage, as in Luke 20:20, is often twisted by church and stators. Agents of the scribes and chief priests attempted to trick Jesus into saying that the Roman taxes levied upon Judea were unlawful. Requesting a Roman denarius, Jesus asks the agents whose image is stamped on the coin. “Caesar’s” was the reply. “Well then give back to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s”.

Whether translated give back or render, the passage says just the opposite of what Matthews implies. Tiberius Caesar’s image upon the denarius clearly marked the coin as property of the Roman government and therefore should be given back to Caesar. But only God creates life and, according to the “render passage”, all life belongs to God. Thus, in the case of an innocent unborn child, “Caesar” has no right to authorize the taking of that child’s life.

Throughout the interview Matthews facial expressions displayed anger and bitterness. His tone of voice dripped with contempt as he made it clear he was mocking Bishop Tobin each time he addressed the bishop as “your Excellency”. The utter rudeness of the interview drew extensive criticism in the media and on the internet. But it was obvious to anyone watching closely that Matthews knew how transparent his arguments were and that he was attempting to back a busted hand with bluff and bluster. Matthews Being Matthews.

Bishop Tobin, though definitely taken aback by the harsh rhetoric and persistent interruptions, maintained the dignified, quiet demeanor of a man who knew he was firmly grounded on the right side of the issue. His eyes and tone of voice reflected compassion and concern for both Patrick Kennedy and Chris Matthews.

Coming back home on abortion
Bishop Thomas Tobin is one of the many Catholic bishops who realize that the Catholic Church in America has been lax, if not outright negligent, on the “moral evil” of abortion. An intrinsic evil that not only claims the lives of over one million unborn children each year, but contaminates the souls of the legislators and jurists who make abortions possible, as well as the souls of the those who knowingly work to elect those who enable abortion to office.

Bishop Tobin is doing nothing more than extending a loving and welcoming hand to Patrick Kennedy, Chris Matthews and every other Catholic who has been misled, or misunderstands their duty as Catholics, on abortion. Millions of Christian faithful pray daily for their brothers and sisters who have gone astray on abortion. Praying for you to come home and stand in defense of Jesus’ little ones.

And if love and prayer just can’t quite do it, pro-abortion Christians might do well to take a moment and envision the future. God, surrounded by the souls of 50 million infants slaughtered by some of the most barbarous methods imaginable.

And you explaining about separation of church and state.

Watch Chris Matthews’ interview with Bishop Thomas Tobin