The Pope on Facebook

Pope welcomes Facebook, but cautions, using antiquated words.

Trust Benedict to pretend that he understands the new reality by using online jargon like social networking sites and digital divide. His ignorance shows when he used labels appropriate eons ago like marginalize and obsessive.

Here is the feed from Associated Press:


VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Benedict XVI says social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace can foster friendships and understanding, but warns they also can isolate people and marginalize others.

Benedict urged a culture of online respect in his annual message Friday for the World Day of Communications.  Benedict welcomes as a "gift" new technologies such as social networking sites, saying they respond to the "fundamental desire" of people to communicate.

But he also warns that "obsessive" virtual socializing can isolate people from real interaction and deepen the digital divide by excluding those already marginalized.  He urges producers to ensure that the content respects human dignity and the "goodness and intimacy of human sexuality.

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Obsessive is the adjective form of ob·ses·sion (əb-sěsh'ən, ŏb-) which means  compulsive preoccupation with a fixed idea or an unwanted feeling or emotion, often accompanied by symptoms of anxiety, or a compulsive, often unreasonable idea or emotion.

Perhaps the Pope does not understand that virtual socializing is about connecting with friends and establishing connections. What is unreasonable about that?

Yeah, I know I am just ranting. I am just deeply disappointed that the Vatican refuses to accept that its moral framework is irrelevant to the world today. The Church needs a new "eye" to see today's reality.

Okay, it is not about grammar and word usage, it is about obstinacy.