Down Under Journalists Turn Cynic Towards Chaste Catholics

NewsBusters.org ^ | 7/15/2008 | Matthew Balan

[Pyro7480]

Friend and fellow blogger Dawn Eden, touring Australia for Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to the country for World Youth Day, reported on her site on Tuesday that she fell prey to the Down Under version of liberal media bias. "A Current Affair," a program on Sky Television that shares the same name and ilk with the Maury Povich program, interviewed Eden, an author and convert to Catholicism, for a segment they labeled "No Sex Pilgrims" (video available here). The Aussie tabloid television reporters who featured her seemed incredulous that anyone in this day and age would live chastely.

...[C]orrespondent Ben McCormack interviewed Eden and Ruth Russell, a 20-year-old native Australian who is a "committed Catholic and a virgin." ...McCormack reminded viewers that "[w]e live in a sex-filled world -- movies, television, advertising, and film clips..." He continued, "...[W]hile many teenagers are doing it younger and more often, Ruth Russell has chosen to just say no." He later described Russell as "an out and proud Catholic, and an out and proud virgin, choosing to save sex until she's married."

...At another point in McCormack’s interview of Russell, the young Aussie stated that if she never got married, she "will never have sex, because part of chastity, as a single person, is abstinence." The tabloid correspondent replied condescendingly: "That sounds really, really tough. You'll never get to experience sex if you don't get married." Russell confidently responded, "The people that ask me those sort of questions almost say that that's the only thing in life. I see so many other things. But it's a lifestyle that I'm committed to, and I'm happy this way. I'm fulfilled. Why would I change?"

[Pyro7480]

Liberal media bias is international.

[Pyro7480]

Catholic ping!

[marron]

You have to be retarded to get hired as a “journalist”. Retards hire retards. Its the way of the world.

[Dilbert San Diego]

It’s amazing that the concept of chastity or virginity is a foreign concept to some. It’s like sex activity is just expected. They can’t conceive of someone who will keep their pants up. They can’t conceive of a young woman keeping her legs together. They can’t conceive of the idea of the sexuality being something that these young people hope to share on their wedding night. It just is unbelievable to me at just how unbelievable the concept is to the liberal news people.

[wastedyears]

I’m 22 and I’m celibate. I have her beat.

Where are the Aussies interviewing me?

[Tax-chick]

Ping to another piece about your niece. She’s really hobnobbing with the stars here - Dawn Eden is big time :-). It’s a shame she’s much too old for my son Tom, who has always wanted to live in Australia!

[Salvation]

For more on the virtue of chastity:

Christopher West's Theology of the Body Webiste

Books, tapes, CDs, DVDs, etc.

From book by the same name by Pope John Paul II.

[Tax-chick]

If a person is single, being chaste means being abstinent, as Russell clearly stated. If a person is married, chastity means having sex only with one’s spouse. In most cases, chastity for those in the religious life means celibacy.

Pretty good, but marital chastity also requires that all sexual activity be open to life. An understandable (but unfortunate) omission in a piece mainly focussing on non-marital sexual activity.

[Pyro7480]

It was probably better to not overcomplicate the explanation.

[Tax-chick]

Yes, that’s true. Simply mentioning the fact that “chastity” and “abstinence” aren’t the same thing is useful for the secular audience.

Of course, chastity as a virtue includes more than sexual abstinence for the unmarried, as well. It’s a mental and spiritual discipline as well as a restraint on action.

[Pyro7480]

Dawn Eden would agree with you. :-)

[Tax-chick]

I think Dawn Eden is one of the very best writers on the subject. I also think she’s older than I am, although I could be wrong ... but I’m sure she’s much more fashionable.

But why does she get to go to Australia while I’m sitting here drinking wine, cooking Cuban food, and FReeping? I’m a chaste middle-aged lady, too!

[count-your-change]

“The tabloid correspondent replied condescendingly: “That sounds really, really tough. You’ll never get to experience sex if you don’t get married.”
He’s disappointed that she’s unavailable to him.

[netmilsmom]

>>I’m 22 and I’m celibate. I have her beat.<<

Me too. I went to 34.

[Tax-chick]

I got married at 22. (Which is not to say I was celibate until then, because it was before my conversion, but that is neither here nor there - just ask Dawn Eden.)

[Pyro7480]

You have FR mail.

[NYer]

"The people that ask me those sort of questions almost say that that's the only thing in life. I see so many other things. But it's a lifestyle that I'm committed to, and I'm happy this way. I'm fulfilled. Why would I change?"

The voice of sanity in a sex crazed world.

[wastedyears]

Jeez

[trisham]

But why does she get to go to Australia while I’m sitting here drinking wine, cooking Cuban food, and FReeping? I’m a chaste middle-aged lady, too!

***********************

Hold on a second..did you say "Cuban food"? Are you sure you really want to be somewhere else? :)

[Tax-chick]

Australian wines are worth the trip just for that, and I’d trade their seafood for my Cuban beans. I’ve been practicing Cuban cooking for a couple of years now, in anticipation of the official passing of Fidel Castro. We plan to shoot off fireworks and invite the neighborhood over to eat.

[netmilsmom]

>>Jeez<<

It was actually pretty easy. Dated Catholic men who didn’t pressure me and never found the right one to marry.

I had to convert a Presbyterian!!!!

[wastedyears]

Did you marry that one?

[trisham]

LOL! TC, you are a treasure. :)

[redgolum]

Well, it is a shock to many.

When we moved out to Iowa, prior to getting married, everyone was surprised that 1. We were sleeping in separate apartments until the wedding and 2. We hadn't had sex yet.

Many of my bride's coworkers tried to talk her out of getting married, since “If you haven't lived with him for a few years and had a couple of kids, how do you know him?”

And this is Iowa.

[Tax-chick]

Anoreth’s going to write “Fidelito es Muerto!” on the street in chalk, and we’ll have Potations on the sidewalk. Lots of Hispanics in our neighborhood, so I’m sure the party will catch on.

Unless we die of old age first ... it’s hard to beat Zombies ...

[trisham]

We have a large Hispanic/Latino population in this area. It's been an invigorating influence. We visited Puerto Rico a couple of years ago. Wonderful people, full of life.

[Tax-chick]

Several our Spanish choir people are Puerto Rican. We do some of their popular music at our receptions; many people from other countries know the same songs. I’ve never been there, but it seems very scenic from the television programs.

[trisham]

It's charming, although there is poverty. Still, I would love to return, as there is much history, natural beauty and the people are so nice. The food is delicious as well.

[Tax-chick]

I’m glad you had a good trip! One of my choir ladies (the one with the tin ear ...) just returned from three weeks in Puerto Rico. Like anywhere else, people who live there probably don’t see the “sights” much.

[Tennessee Nana]

It’s amazing how many people expect single women to have “boyfriends”...

or there’s something “wrong”...

The same attitude...

“incredulous that anyone in this day and age would live chastely”

Well, Jesus is our example..

He never did anything secjular-wise than would be imposible for us..

and He never got married or had sex..

And He lived “in a sex-filled world”

The Romans and the Greeks in Israel at the time were not exactly chastity prone...

King Herod etc..

[netmilsmom]

>>Did you marry that one?<<

Oh yeah!!! He was Mr. Right and now Netmilsdad!

[wastedyears]

Tin ear? Tinnitus?

[wastedyears]

Cool

[padre35]

Well, as the Christ said “Do not be surprised if the world hates you..”

For me, this is what He was teaching, follow me and the world will not like you.

[melsec]

Thanks Tax Chick,

This particular program is very low brow and not to be taken too seriously. Some of the coverage of World Youth Day and this particular issue has been great - particular kudos for Channel Nine’s morning show which has given what I might call enthusiastic coverage. Some of the interviewer’s last names would give it away that they are either Orthodox or Roman Catholic.

Anyway I think that the Pope’s visit and the enthusiasm of the young Catholics from around the world will have a lasting effect among many young people in our country

Blessings

Mel

[Tax-chick]

Excellent observations. It’s important for all of us to challenge the assumption that it’s impossible or unreasonable to live a chaste life, whether one is married or unmarried.

[It's me]

They can’t conceive of a young woman keeping her legs together.

Well, she certainly won't conceive that way, either!

:)

[Bigg Red]

It’s amazing that the concept of chastity or virginity is a foreign concept to some.

&&&
I am constantly astounded at how this paradigm has been turned upside down. When I was a teenaged girl in the 1960s, the worst thing someone could say about me or one of my friends is that we were not virgins. We took great care to guard our reputations through the way we talked and the way we dressed so as not to be thought of as less than pure.
The unchaste teen girl was the exception, and those few who had lost their virginity were certainly not proud of or bragging about their indiscretions.

And here we are some 40 years later acting as if a virginal young woman is some sort of freak. Sad, sad state of affairs....