NewsHounds
We watch Fox so you don't have to!
  • Home
  • About
  • Archives
  • Forum
  • Blogroll
  • Donate
  • Shop
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
Home →

Did Fr. Jonathan Morris Fail To Tow Fox Line Re Brain Dead Girl?

Posted by Priscilla -26.60pc on January 05, 2014 · Flag

Fox News solidified its "pro-life" creds when, as part of the media circus outside Terri Schiavo's hospice, Fox hosts (particularly Sean Hannity) openly supported Terri's own family's (Schindler) attempts to override her husband's decision to take her off life support. And now that a California teen has been declared brain dead after tonsil surgery, the anti-choice movement is supporting her family's attempts to keep her on artificial life support. Fox is now taking up this sad situation. Not surprisingly, Fox's Mike Huckabee is also supporting the family's decision. Thus, I was expecting that official Foxpriest, Fr. Jonathan Morris would adhere to what I speculated was the official Fox "pro-life" position. Surprisingly, his comments about the matter, on this morning's Fox & Friends, were a bit unexpected. 

Tucker Carlson opened the segment by reminding the viewers of how the Terri Schiavo case "bitterly divided the country [thank you Fox News] with the question of whether Terri Schiavo should die or be kept alive." Video of Schiavo was shown. He reported that "the family at the center of that controversy is stepping in to defend a teen clinging to life after a tonsillectomy gone wrong." He played video of Schivao's brother, on last night's Huckabee show, saying how terrible it was that her sister had been labeled brain dead which, of course, was the medical and legal consensus. Bobby Schindler whose family's attempts to override the decision of Terri's husband included enlisting the advice of Fox fave Fr. Frank Pavone (Priests for Life), asked "what's the rush" and "why not give her some time." Clayton Morris defined the case as "science vs. religion."

The Fox message seemed to be that despite medical authorities having declared Jahi McMath legally dead, all efforts should be made to keep the lifeless child on life support. I was expecting Fr. Jonathan Morris to validate this position. I was surprised by his response. I think the Friends were, too.

Morris began by saying that he is offering his opinion based on the information available and predicted that his statements might offend some people. He asserted that it's not "up to religion or faith to determine when somebody is alive or dead" because that is based on "science." (Not popular with the Christian right!) He noted that when there is a scientific consensus on whether somebody is dead, religion should provide a way to cope with the loss and not be a tool for trying to "bring somebody back to life" or "suggest that you keep them on life support even though they're dead." He cited the doctor's assessment that the girl has "no brain movement, whatsoever." In a possible attempt to assuage the pro-lifers, he claimed that this is different from Schiavo who had brain activity - a claim not borne out by medical experts who determined that her brain was just liquified.

In a possible attempt to get Fr. Morris back with the program, Carlson cited cases where "it's not so clear" whether people are alive or dead and "there's not a scientific consensus." Morris cited medical criteria upon which ethicists agree and repeated his contention that there Jahi has no brain activity and in that case "you don't say that God tells me to keep her alive." He later said something that is anathema to many in the Christian right: "We have to trust science." The Friends were quite muted at the end of the segment. Tucker Carlson mumbled a thanks to the priest.

Usually, the Christian right and the Catholic Church are in sync when it comes to culture war issues. In this case - not so much. So as this situation unfolds, what will the Fox say?! 

Follow @NewsHounds


Do you like this post?
Tweet

Showing 7 reactions



    Review the site rules
Sandman2 commented 2014-01-06 09:27:48 -0500 · Flag
I know that families are devastated by the loss of a loved one and will grasp at any straw to keep hope alive. That being said, I watched Huckabee last night and he had Terri Schiavo’s brother on to discuss this case. I got the impression that Schindler thought that the brain is just another bodily organ that could be replaced like a kidney or something. He seemed woefully uninformed about brain injury given how long ago he went through this sort of thing with his sister.
I actually felt sad that Fox would drag him on air without knowing how uninformed he would sound.
Peter Lynch commented 2014-01-06 08:27:48 -0500 · Flag
Good for the priest. Maybe he has been listening to the new pope. He will have to start over – humility will be his biggest problem.
Kent Brockman commented 2014-01-06 00:17:52 -0500 · Flag
Easy Solution – just get rid of the Evil Science operating in this situation so she can have a natural death. In other words, remove the Evil life support machinery. Living (and dying) without science is good, natural & Christian … right?
Jane S commented 2014-01-05 22:48:10 -0500 · Flag
Priscilla, it’s “toe” the line, not “tow” the line. Look it up. It’s a metaphor about runners at the starting line, not something about pulling a line of something or other.
Barbara S. commented 2014-01-05 20:37:07 -0500 · Flag
It’s always “God’s will”, until it isn’t “God’s Will”.
Lakeview Greg commented 2014-01-05 14:51:58 -0500 · Flag
There are still many people out there who think the random movements Schiavo had were signs of progress. As the autopsy showed, she had no brain and hadn’t one for a while.

People are gonna cling to whatever little hope there is.
NewsHounds posted about Did Fr. Jonathan Morris Fail To Tow Fox Line Re Brain Dead Girl? on NewsHounds' Facebook page 2014-01-05 14:29:17 -0500
Did Fr. Jonathan Morris Fail To Tow Fox Line Re Brain Dead Girl?








or sign in with Facebook or email.
Follow @NewsHounds on Twitter
Subscribe with RSS


We’ve updated our Privacy Policy
Sign in with Facebook, Twitter or email.
Created with NationBuilder