Fields: Serial Adulterer Newt Gingrich Is A Phony Catholic
BY SAM FIELDS
Guest Columnist
In his latest effort to get to the White House, former Republican Speaker Newt Gingrich has made the ultimate appeal to swing voters. He recently announced that he is now a Roman Catholic, joining the religion of his latest wife.
Gingrich does not appear to have gone through all the trials and tribulations that the Church would require of a serial adulterer.
We are talking talking about someone whose second and third wives were his concubines while he was married to other women.
Who can forget that tender moment when he told wife #1 that he wanted a divorce while she was in the hospital for cancer treatment? At the time, he was cheating on her with the woman that became wife #2.
Is the Church so hungry for converts that it would accept a big phony who in 1998 was denouncing Clinton’s affair with intern Monica Lewinsky affair while he was having an extramarital affair with a congressional staffer? The woman, Callista Bisek, a woman 23 years his junior became wife #3 as soon as he ditched wife #2.
Cheater Gingrich and latest wife
Not very Catholic! It is almost like the Kennedy’s, without the money.
[Special note to wife #3–“The Past Is Prologue.”]
To have a valid Catholic marriage, Gingrich would have to satisfy the Church that his first two marriages were invalid by Church standards. This would make his daughters bastards in the eyes of the Roman Catholic Church.
But this would bring symmetry into life of Gingrich. Two bastards from a father who is a son of a bitch.
MIAMI HAWKING AUTHORITY
I recently questioned why the Defense Department needs to spend $10,000,000 a year on promoting itself at NASCAR.
This objection applies to virtually all government advertising that seems to be little more than self-promotional. I am not talking about serious public information such as announcing some deadline. I am not talking about tourism promotion up North.
What I am referring to is what I heard this morning on public radio WLRN.
“Morning Edition is brought to you in part by The Miami Parking Authority.
Out of new found loyalty, am I now going to only park in city lots? I would surely be the first.
Parking fees are public money. Why is one cent of this going to WLRN or for that matter any other self promotional activity when it cannot possibly improve the mission, revenue or efficiency of that government agency?
It would not surprise me if nationwide governments piss away billions on this self-promotional crap.
MIDDLE EAST DEMOCRACY? NAH
When all is said and done there is no chance that Egypt, Libya, or any of the Middle East countries now in revolt, will become anything close to a liberal democracy.
Liberal democracy is a democracy where the elected representatives power is limited by a constitution that protects individual liberties and minority rights.
If Iraq is an example, what will evolve is a combination of regional, ethnic, tribal and religious majoritarianism, i.e. a tyranny of the majority
It will mean a society where self-imposed ethnic cleansing will lead to a de facto breakup of the country.
The Kurds, Sunnis and Shiites are majoritarian regions where minorities and non-conformists are not welcome or tolerated.
Here are two examples closer to home. From 1945 until the 1980’s Yugoslavia was held together by the Tito dictatorship. With his death, the rise of majoritarian ethnicism destroyed national unity and lead to multiple civil wars.
Consider the American South. With the exception of post-Civil War Reconstruction, (1865-1976) the South maintained a “White Only majoritarianism that lasted from the 18th century into the 1980’s.
So when you start to think about the future of Egypt, et. al., I suggest you think 1930’s Mississippi or 1990’s Serbia.
BULLETIN: PRIEST IS GAY!!!!!
Chestnut Hill College of Philadelphia, PA said it fired, Rev. James St George, a part-time professor, when officials learned he was gay. A school spokesman said the conduct is “contrary to the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church.”
While it may be contrary to the teachings, it conforms quite well to the reality.
Firing someone from a Catholic school for being gay is like [I ASK MY READERS TO FILL IN THE BLANKS.]
March 3rd, 2011 at 8:16 am
I thought liberal Democrats were accepting of lifestyles like Gingrich. Does that only applies to fellow liberals.
March 3rd, 2011 at 11:13 am
and god sayit unto his children be fruitful and multiply amen sayit newt
March 3rd, 2011 at 11:38 am
Fields wrong again –
I generally ignore browardbeat on days Mr. Fields publishes articles because they are consistently filled with hate, venom, and inaccuracies – particularly when it comes to religion. I found this headline to be over the top, and my expectations were met upon reading this article. I found pulling Speaker Gingrich’s religion into criticisms of his behavior inappropriate and unnecessary. Making a mistake, or many mistakes, does not make you a phony Christian. Believers were not promised that they would cease committing sin and lead a life of perfection – quite the opposite in fact.
If by “recently†you mean two years ago, then I suppose we could characterize this claim as accurate. However, Mr. Fields’ assertion that children of an annulled marriage are “bastards in the eyes of the Roman Catholic Church†is dead wrong. See Code of Canon Law, canon 1137. “Two bastards from a father who is a son of a bitch†– journalism at its finest.
I much prefer the articles of local importance written by Mr. Nevins, and look forward to returning to my practice of frequenting this blog (and its advertisers) on days when a competent writer contributes.
March 3rd, 2011 at 1:14 pm
This is directed to Mr. Courthouse.
As a very progressive liberal, I’d be much more forgiving of Mr. Gingrich’s failings as a human being if he wasn’t such a self-righteous asshole.
When Mr. Gingrich decides not to be a blazing hypocrite (e.g., stating that President Clinton’s moral failings by having an affair make him unfit for public office, yet he was doing the same thing; or saying supporting gay marriage undermines the institution, when REPEATED INFIDELITY certainly undermines the institution), then maybe he shouldn’t be called out for his own behavior.
Essentially, people who live in glass houses shouldn’t get undressed with the lights on.
And Sorry to use the name “But Buddy” for a post relating to sexual misconduct.
March 3rd, 2011 at 3:50 pm
I think it’s fairer to say that Newt is a phony AND a Catholic.
March 3rd, 2011 at 4:11 pm
Gingrich is much more than a hypocrite. As an intellectual he knows that what he’s saying makes no sense. He chooses to say it anyway because it makes him popular with supporters are willing to prop up an agenda few others with intellect could support.
For example, let’s look at his opposition to gay marriage. He opposes same sex unions because it offends traditional marriage. So he would deny a same sex couple the legal right to exchange vows of fidelity, like those he so sincerly exchanged with all three of his wives. It’s true, that much is hypocritical. But look further.
He then says that gay marriage would destroy the institution of marriage itself. But he knows that divorce is what has destroyed marriage and that same sex unions wouldn’t do a fraction of the same harm, if any. Yet he makes the argument while disguised as an intellectual.
No. Hypocrite doesn’ cut it, that only scratches the surface. His pathology is deeper and more disturbing. His condition is more sinister than mere hypocricy.
March 3rd, 2011 at 9:31 pm
Well said Sam.
March 4th, 2011 at 12:16 am
Other than Newt himself, the only people hoping he wins the GOP nomination are Democrats.
March 8th, 2011 at 7:18 pm
BILL MAHER: Newt Gingrich Charlie Sheen Analogy
In his final New Rule of the night, Bill Maher uses Charlie Sheen to demonstrate why Newt Gingrich is unfit for the presidency.
“If Charlie Sheen’s home life means he can’t have a TV show, then I say Newt Gingrich can’t run for president.”