Monday, March 23, 2009

Vatican Editing & a Clear Conscience

I found an article complaining that the Vatican edited the remarks of the pope that were given during his recent visit to Africa (link). I was immediately reminded of this amusing clip (link). No doubt the remarks were edited for the perfectly innocent reason of reflecting "a version which represents the [pope's] views as he would, on reflection, have liked them to be."

-TurretinFan

UPDATE: In fairness, it looks like the American's White House is run by the same folks who work at the Vatican (link). Did they know there was a video? (one wonders)

8 comments:

Ben Douglass said...

Or someone in the press office edited the Pope's words without the Pope's knowing it.

Anonymous said...

Like you don't do the same thing for Luther

Turretinfan said...

Ben:

I wouldn't be the least surprised if the pope wasn't asked before the change wad made. In fact, I rather suspect that is the case.

-TurretinFan

Turretinfan said...

Anonymous:

What a silly comment.

-TurretinFan

Ben Douglass said...

I wouldn't be the least surprised if the pope wasn't asked before the change wad made. In fact, I rather suspect that is the case.

Dear Francis,

In your post, you allege that this is the case "no doubt." How quickly suspicions become certainties, when their object is your favorite whipping boy.

Turretinfan said...

I see what you mean. I meant that "no doubt" rhetorically. In fact, my suspicion is the opposite: namely that the explanation isn't innocent: the words were changed to make the pope say something more reasoanble (in the editor's view) than what he said.

As noted above, I don't have any reason to think that the pope himself was consulted, though (of course) he is "responsible" for things that are put out in his name.

-TurretinFan

Ben Douglass said...

Sorry, my eyes glossed over the n't in wasn't in your previous comment, so I thought you were saying the opposite of what you said.

Turretinfan said...

I've done the same sort of thing myself many times. No harm, no foul.