Hattip to Matt Archbold at Creative Minority Report. Veep and Beloved National Clown Joe Biden excuses his refusal to kiss the ring of the pope by making up a fable about his Mom:
He remembers getting a call from his mother, who told him not to kiss the queen’s ring.
Hmmm, well my late mother was as Irish Catholic as they come, put up with no guff from anyone, and I am sure that if she had ever had the privilege to meet a pope would have gladly, out of respect, knelt and kissed the ring of the pope.
Frankly, that Biden decided to act like an ill bred doofus does not concern me. Considering his pro-abort voting record, the only way he should be allowed to “kiss” a pope’s ring is if it has a pope’s fist right behind it. Now, as it turns out, one American President , or rather a future President, has kissed the ring of a pope. Eleven year old Theodore Roosevelt and his family had an audience with Pio Nono on December 25, 1869. Although a Protestant, at the end of the audience Roosevelt knelt and kissed the ring of the pontiff. This of course is not surprising: at the age of eleven Roosevelt was already twice the man that Biden will ever be with five times the intelligence and grace.
Banning abortion is torture, but ripping a baby baby apart isn’t ? Only a left wing bureaucrat with too much time on his hands could think with that level of enlightenment.
Oops I meant to post that on the other thread. But then again, that apply to Biden as well.
Joe Biden can kiss my . . .
I would say, the Pope’s ring would be effusively thankful that it was not befouled by the lying lips of Joe Biden. 🙂
I have to wonder if Biden held out his hand for the Pope to kiss Biden’s ring, and the Pope shook Biden’s hand instead. Awkward.
Biden is evidently the opposite of his boss, who is known for bowing to foreign leaders. Kissing the Pope’s ring is not a gesture of homage to an individual. It is a sign of respect for the office, not the man. Does the Veep, a professed Catholic, have no respect for the office of the papacy?
I’m sure Pope Francis will make no such demand. Our new Pope does not consider himself royalty. He will lead with a humble heart and win souls back to the Church.
When did Jesus require ring-kissing? Oh,
right, He didnt own a ring. Or red leather shoes or an ermine cape.
“[6] And when Jesus was in Bethania, in the house of Simon the leper, [7] There came to him a woman having an alabaster box of precious ointment, and poured it on his head as he was at table. [8] And the disciples seeing it, had indignation, saying: To what purpose is this waste? [9] For this might have been sold for much, and given to the poor. [10] And Jesus knowing it, said to them: Why do you trouble this woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me.
[11] For the poor you have always with you: but me you have not always. [12] For she in pouring this ointment upon my body, hath done it for my burial. [13] Amen I say to you, wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, that also which she hath done, shall be told for a memory of her. [14] Then went one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, to the chief priests, [15] And said to them: What will you give me, and I will deliver him unto you? But they appointed him thirty pieces of silver.”
St. John 12:1-8 tells us the complainant was Judas – the one who was going to betray Christ. St. John (he was there) explains that the carping was not because he cared about the poor, but because Judas was a thief.
Judas was the prototypical liberal.
Imagine there is no liberal.
It’s easy if you try.
Well, he really shouldn’t have to. He shouldn’t have to kiss the Queen’s ring either. Early Christians didn’t offer the pinch of ash, and today we feel as the result of centuries of Chrsitian thought that it is all a matter of allegience. Whom do we obey, God or man?
“Whom do we obey, God or man?”
A Catholic should show respect to the Vicar of Christ Jon. He is the successor to Peter to whom Christ granted the keys of the kingdom of Heaven. Biden is a buffoon and a cretin who routinely lies when he is cornered as he did when he made up the fable of his Mom’s advice to justify his rudeness. It does not bother me however, since Biden is not worthy to kiss the ring of the Pope. Now feeling the Pope’s foot giving him a swift kick in the rump however…
I understand your line of reasoning, although we have come to think of Jesus as the church’s head and all of us as brothers in Christ. It is difficult to adhere to practices of the old world, especially in the church, though I of course speak as an Evangelical Protestant.
Biden is a buffoon and a cretin who routinely lies when he is cornered as he did when he made up the fable of his Mom’s advice to justify his rudeness.
I think he just confounded the advice from his mother with the advice he got from Mary Kinnock.
If we take the remarks of Jesus to his immediate disciples seriously, we are left with the impression that no one should have any titles and that deference should be mutual in the Spirit, never enacted ritualistically.
“though I of course speak as an Evangelical Protestant.”
If Biden did not claim to be a Catholic his breach of etiquette would not be worth my time to mention.
I see. American Catholics often do what they want and tend to be pretty individualistic in their conception of things. I’ve noticed they don’t necessarily tout the party line. They don’t go along with every pope or everthing each pope says. Some would like to send it in the direction of the Episcopal Church as an earlier blog pointed out. THese are American Catholics. I suspect European ones may be that way too, but I don’t know for sure.
“I think he just confounded the advice from his mother with the advice he got from Mary Kinnock.”
OK Art, let’s see if anyone gets that comment besides you and me! 🙂
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Another take.
Uncle Joe remembered that Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss. Joey got nervous, realizing that he has been a betrayer of Truth, and not wishing to “Hang out” at the “dump” as was Judas’ reward, Joey didn’t take the chance.
“I would say, the Pope’s ring would be effusively thankful that it was not befouled by the lying lips of Joe Biden. ”
In light of the shame Biden has brought upon the Church in using his political power to undermine Church teaching in the most horrible ways, his refusal to kiss the Pope’s ring is no big deal. It would only stand to reason. In fact, I think, in this light, it would add further insult to the grave harm he has done to both Church and society if he had kissed the Pope’s ring. Something I’m sure the talking heads on our side would have pointed out if Biden had placed his “lying lips” on the Pope’s ring.
Those of you over 40 may remember the Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts. One time they were roasting Frank Sinatra. And Milton Berle made the crack that, “Frank is going to see the Pope in Rome. And he’s gonna be made a cardinal so from now on we’ll only have to kiss his ring.” The underlying punch of that crack was about how Sinatra’s influence in Vegas was such that you couldn’t get work in the entertainment industry there unless Sinatra approved of you. This whole Biden episode made me think of that.
In light of the shame Biden has brought upon the Church in using his political power to undermine Church teaching in the most horrible ways
You are confounding Biden with Robert Drinan. Biden’s clownishness is a source of embarrassment, not shame.
I’m sure her Maj. would be astounded should anyone attempt to kiss her ring – the only ring she wears is her wedding ring which is of course on her left hand, and she normally wears gloves. On being presented to the Queen you shake hands and give a slight bow (from the neck only). Ladies should curtsy. I remember Nancy Reagan refusing to do so, which prompted the general comment: “If folks don’t know how to behave, they should stay at home”.
Art
I am not speaking Biden’s clownishness, which is a source of entertainment for his political opposition. Biden, as both senator and VP, has been ardently pro-abortion. You could say the same for Fr. Drinan as well.
He confuses the kiss’s symbol as showing respect of the man .. rather than the office. Maybe Obama would rather Joe give a High Five.
If I recall correctly, Senator Biden insisted on every act of deference due to his position. It’s easy to be humble about someone else’s rank.
Ya know “it’s hard to be humble when you’re perfect in every way”.
Jon misses the point in his post above. If temporal Authority comes from God, then certainly the “keys” of Saint Peter do. When a man, given authority by God to rule, commands some act that is contrary to God’s law, then, as Peter told the scribes, “We ought to obey God rather than man.” Jon wold not have lasted long with the Israelites if he refused to obey Moses, or would he John?
Kelso, I believe you are drawing a false parallel. And I don’t think Moses asked anyone to kiss his ring. Something tells me that had he done that, he wouldn’t have lasted as long in his assignment.
I have tears in my eyes from laughing so much.
Great commentary in the article and equally great comments below. Made my day. Joe Biden is a buffoon indeed.
Why am I not surprised by his attention seeking nonsense. And his farcical convoluted explanation for his behavior. If you are confident in your actions, believing they are right, then why do you need to explain yourself? Only a moronic bafoon would feel the need.
Ring or no ring, Jon, would you have obeyed Moses. The priests swung incense in the holy of holies before two stone tablets, the rod of Aaron, and the manna. Your problem, I gather, is not the pope’s ring, but the pope. You seem to want an acephalous Church, in which everyone is free to be their own pope.
Both Moses and most of the chosen people were punished by not living to enter the Promised Land. Nevertheless, the chosen people, unlike most contemporary Catholics, actually did whatever Moses told them.
Moses didn’t need no stinkin’ ring.
As the Bible says, the sins of the father are visited down unto the fourth generation, Joe…
Just as well. I’d hate to see the Pope catch the stupid.
Claudia Johnson says:
Monday, March 25, 2013 A.D. at 5:43pm
Your despicable slander of the good heart of Pope Benedict and woeful ignorance of Christian symbolism are noted.
Mr. Biden, do as your own wisdom directs you. However, that ring is the ring of the fisherman, the vicar of Christ. The taditional kiss is a demonstration of love for the apostlic church, not a sign of submission. That is why popes kiss babies and the handicapped. They are showing the love of Christ.
The Pope does not need his ring to be kissed. He may know that V POTUS needs prayers.
I’m trying to think of some way of not insulting the VP, but he’s just such a complete tool, God forgive me. I don’t know whether to weep or laugh at this fresh act of clownery. His mother should’ve taught him to try to deserve respect rather than simply demand it. Pride goeth, etc.
His mother should’ve taught him to try to deserve respect rather than simply demand it. Pride goeth, etc.
Catherine Finnegan Biden told the newspapers in 2008 that Sen. Hairplugs was a “wonderful human being”. (You know, he could “sing and dance and write verse” just like his 12 hour-a-day coal miner grandpappy taught him, not to mention produce original papers on legal topics and win moot court competitions).
Mary Kinnock never weighed in on the subject.
Of course the VP didn’t kiss the Popes ring. It would send a message that he is part of the Church and beholden to its rituals and teachings. Clearly, this VP wants to be known as being Catholic only in name. Imagine that image being used against him in the future. HIs political career in the US would be over.
“His political career in the US would be over.”
It already is over. Biden is simply too much of a simpleton to realize that fact.
No, I do not want a church where everyone is their own pope. I want a church where everyone bows to God and his word. Christ is the head of the church and that is sufficient for me. Ancient Israel wanted a king. They got one, but their request indicated their rejection of God their King.
The elitist liberals in the USA are disgrace to their country. They have a contempt for the truth. The founding fathers would have run them them out of town. Pope Francis has already become more relevant to the world than they could ever hope to perceiv
So, Jon, does Christ speak to you? Why did Jesus command us to “hear the church.” Why did He tell His apostles “He who hears you hears Me”? Why did He give men the power to forgive sins? Your own words betray you. You ARE your own pope. If not then you are a PROPHET directly inspired by God. Have you worked any miracles?