Chris Hitchens was right

**natty dread** · 03-06-2013, 12:56 PM

March 5, 2013
Mother Teresa was 'anything but a saint,' new Canadian study finds
By ADRIANA BARTON
In a study to be published this month in Religieuses, a French-language journal of studies in religion and sciences, they suggest the nun's approach to caring for the sick was to glorify human suffering instead of relieving it

Mother Teresa may be synonymous with selflessness, but according to a team of Canadian researchers, the Catholic nun was "anything but a saint," the Times of India [http://articles.timesofindia.indiati...vatican-study] reports.

In a study to be published this month in Religieuses, a French-language journal of studies in religion and sciences, they suggest the nun's approach to caring for the sick was to glorify human suffering instead of relieving it.

Mother Teresa was lavish with her prayers, but penny-pinching with the wealth amassed by her foundation, according to Serge Larivée and Genevieve Chenard from the University of Montreal's department of psychoeducation, and Carole Sénéchal of the University of Ottawa's faculty of education.

The beatification of Mother Teresa, which the Vatican completed in October, 2003, is the last step before sainthood.

But according to Larivée and colleagues, the Vatican turned a blind eye to Mother Teresa's "rather dubious way of caring for the sick, her questionable political contacts, her suspicious management of the enormous sums of money she received, and her overly dogmatic views regarding ... abortion, contraception and divorce."

Mother Teresa believed the sick must suffer like Christ on the cross [http://www.nouvelles.umontreal.ca/ud...-a-saint.html], they suggest.

"There is something beautiful in seeing the poor accept their lot, to suffer it like Christ's Passion. The world gains much from their suffering," the journalist Christopher Hitchens reported her as saying.

(Hitchens referred to her as "a fanaticist, a fundamentalist and a fraud." [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hl8mdnuuse4])

The study authors note that doctors visiting many of the 517 "homes for the dying" run by Mother Teresa observed unhygienic conditions and a shortage of actual care, food and painkillers. Lack of funds were no explanation, since Mother Teresa's order of the Missionaries of Charity had raised hundreds of millions in aid money. When the nun herself was in need of medical treatment, "she received it in a modern American hospital," they point out.

According to Larivée and colleagues, Mother Teresa's image of altruism is a myth. Even so, he acknowledges the power of her extraordinary reputation.

"It is likely that she has inspired many humanitarian workers whose actions have truly relieved the suffering of the destitute and addressed the causes of poverty and isolation," he said. "Nevertheless, the media coverage of Mother Teresa could have been a little more rigorous."

In death, as in life, there's no rest for the weary.

**iceman** · 03-06-2013, 01:09 PM

I was hoping that you were saying that smoking and drinking scotch until you keel over had been recognized as a wise course of action.

**DasBlunt** · 03-06-2013, 01:11 PM

I would have liked to have seen more rigorous investigation for this "study" and article. She was a missionary first, a nun (not a doctor), and her order was running a huge number of missionaries and terminal care in third world countries. They were poorly organized and in general she was taking orders from someone else. She was not running the show nor managing the money, as all nuns do not run anything, basically.

Media whores. Hitchens was a cool dude, but just another media whore.

**userA** · 03-06-2013, 01:33 PM

at least she didn't take PED's

**PNWbrit** · 03-06-2013, 01:39 PM

Originally Posted by flowing alpy

at least she didn't take PED's

Doesn't Hitchen's Kissinger book mention he was on HGH?

Although I would have thought you'd have to actually be human for it to work?

**My Pet Powder Goat** · 03-06-2013, 01:41 PM

Originally Posted by DasBlunt

I would have liked to have seen more rigorous investigation for this "study" and article. She was a missionary first, a nun (not a doctor), and her order was running a huge number of missionaries and terminal care in third world countries. They were poorly organized and in general she was taking orders from someone else. She was not running the show nor managing the money, as all nuns do not run anything, basically.

Media whores. Hitchens was a cool dude, but just another media whore.

You're a good catholic, eh?

**ate'em** · 03-06-2013, 01:43 PM

what's the opposite of the pot calling the kettle black???

the paedophile pope granting someone sainthood.

i can only hope to go to hell if these guys run heaven.

**Benny Profane** · 03-06-2013, 02:17 PM

Jesus.. Mother Theresa. Who's next on the list? Derek Jeter?

**stfu&gbtw** · 03-06-2013, 02:19 PM

Originally Posted by Benny Profane

Jesus.. Mother Theresa. Who's next on the list? Derek Jeter?

I heard he farted in a restaurant once.

**DasBlunt** · 03-06-2013, 02:21 PM

Originally Posted by My Pet Powder Goat

You're a good catholic, eh?

No, but having travelled most of the planet, I can assure you the twisted perspective of the article is skewed towards much more modernity of order, than any actual situation she was involved in. The expectations the premise supposes (equal and respectful health conditions), is like saying everyone in Africa needs an X-ray and a MRI for a lung infection, regardless if they are starving to death.

**GeezerSteve** · 03-06-2013, 02:25 PM

Nothing new here. I read the book when it first came out.

**My Pet Powder Goat** · 03-06-2013, 02:25 PM

Originally Posted by DasBlunt

No, but having travelled most of the planet, I can assure you the twisted perspective of the article is skewed towards much more modernity of order, than any actual situation she was involved in. The expectations the premise supposes (equal and respectful health conditions), is like saying everyone in Africa needs an X-ray and a MRI for a lung infection, regardless if they are starving to death.

WTF are you talking about? I suggest you keep to giving creepy relationship advice and apologizing for pederass priest.

**DasBlunt** · 03-06-2013, 02:27 PM

Dude, she a was a nun and a talking head, nothing more. Hitch used the talking head part to his excess, pun intended on "excess". rock on.

**PNWbrit** · 03-06-2013, 02:29 PM

Originally Posted by DasBlunt

NI can assure you the twisted perspective of the article

For fucks sake man just don't read Hitchens on Lhamo Dondrub. It'll put you right off your yoga/donations

**DasBlunt** · 03-06-2013, 02:36 PM

Originally Posted by PNWbrit

For fucks sake man just don't read Hitchens on Lhamo Dondrub. It'll put you right off your yoga/donations

Every perspective is unique, eh? Even the twisted ones.

While the truth is most often hidden behind the rhetoric, guys like Hitch were cool for helping you see the worst potential of things, but those "things" and reality were much more complicated and not absolute. Hindsight is so different and Hitch was one of the masters of history's hindsight, or "history's ass".

**PNWbrit** · 03-06-2013, 02:52 PM

Originally Posted by DasBlunt

Every perspective is unique......not absolute

How.... Buddhist of you.

**hutash** · 03-06-2013, 07:07 PM

Originally Posted by DasBlunt

Hindsight is so different and Hitch was one of the masters of history's hindsight, or "history's ass".

Yeah, I prefer to look at history through foresight. The people who look at history in hindsight miss so much.

It is best to know history before it happens, that way the book can be in final edit when it actually happens.

**PNWbrit** · 03-06-2013, 08:25 PM

Originally Posted by hutash

Yeah, I prefer to look at history through foresight. The people who look at history in hindsight miss so much.

Belongs here?

**Tippster** · 03-06-2013, 08:27 PM

Originally Posted by DasBlunt

Dude, she a was a nun and a talking head, nothing more.

My goodness you're precious. She was held up as a paragon of Christian virtue by everyone in the Church - what a Nun SHOULD be. She was also self-funded, practically, which you would know had you actually read the article.

**iceman** · 03-06-2013, 08:29 PM

You gotta admit that's a pretty stylish sign. Sharp-looking.

**iceman** · 03-06-2013, 08:30 PM

Originally Posted by Tippster

My goodness you're precious. She was held up as a paragon of Christian virtue by everyone in the Church - what a Nun SHOULD be. She was also self-funded, practically, which you would know had you actually read the article.

And as was mentioned she's about an inch away from being named a saint.

**Tippster** · 03-06-2013, 08:34 PM

Originally Posted by iceman

And as was mentioned she's about an inch away from being named a saint.

Oh, she will be. She's probably more qualified than most who already are.

**RootSkier** · 03-06-2013, 09:56 PM

Originally Posted by DasBlunt

Dude, she a was a nun and a talking head, nothing more.

Catholic school for 15 years, altar boy, etc.

When I was in elementary school, the parish/school had a priest who was, in retrospect, a paragon of Catholic-flavored social justice and modernity in the best sense. And you couldn't be more wrong. She was held up as the ultimate manifestation of a true Catholic.

**LightRanger** · 03-07-2013, 03:23 AM

Interesting. Should be interesting to see how the study shakes out.

This guy's pretty cool: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greg_Boyle_%28Jesuit%29 He spoke at my wife's commencement at Santa Clara. A couple of years ago his non-profit had funding issues and it looked like it was going to close. All it took was one article in the LA Times and the whole city was mobilizing and sending money. Really popular guy.