Catholicculture Gives Us A Yellow Rating :(

[Ash Wednesday]

Didn't this happen before when we got dinged over posts, like when hot stuff (j.a.i.m.e.) was talking about his boobs and it didn't occur to the outside internets that he is male, and a very funny one?

Not that I'm really getting at anything important. I just thought the last incident was pretty funny, so I'm surprised it's come up again.

Edited June 7, 2010 by Ash Wednesday

[Archaeology cat]

[quote name='laetitia crucis' date='07 June 2010 - 05:15 PM' timestamp='1275927339' post='2125215']
[size="1"]Side note: Green is my favorite color. [/size]
[/quote]
[color="#008000"]Mine too![/color]

[Apotheoun]

I had just gotten used to being yellow, but green is a lovely color too.

[IgnatiusofLoyola]

Of course we really deserved to be green. After all, Bunchie, our beloved mascot (except for those who hate him) is green! We have lived up to Bunchie's awesomeness!

[homeschoolmom]

[quote name='Apotheoun' date='07 June 2010 - 01:40 PM' timestamp='1275932422' post='2125261']
I had just gotten used to being yellow, but green is a lovely color too.
[/quote]
[url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redshirt_(character)"]Red shirts[/url] end up getting killed off.

[Socrates]

[quote name='Marie-Therese' date='06 June 2010 - 04:26 PM' timestamp='1275855974' post='2124761']
Your tone is dangerously close to what you are accusing the others of. Maggie had already been apprised of her misuse of the word penultimate.

Slinging the word Pharisee around is pretty inflammatory. I'd advise you that, if Catholic fidelity and charity is your concern, then a loving admonishment of your brethren would do much better than a contemptful, condescending one.
[/quote]
You're obviously missing the irony and point of my last comment. See Luke 18:10-14 for a reference.
My point was that those who continuously bash orthodox Catholics for their alleged self-righteous phariseeism should first check their own eyes for beams.

It was the consistently contemptuous, condescending tone of certain phatmassers regarding orthodox Catholics that I was responding to.

[Socrates]

[quote name='Raphael' date='06 June 2010 - 05:15 PM' timestamp='1275858951' post='2124819']
I agree that they do a lot of good work, but at the very least, they need better guidelines for whomever does their reviews. The issues they list against PM are simply not anything the site should be held responsible for. The content of individual posters should not come into play. I understand warning folks that there may be unorthodox or uncharitable posts, but marking that as a negative under the "fidelity" category is absurd. User-driven content shouldn't count at all, but when a site strives to moderate that content, as PM does, that should be an enormous plus. Furthermore, when they give a site a low review regarding "fidelity," I'd have to disagree with your claim that the aren't calling us non-Catholic. Perhaps they're just saying we're less Catholic than they are, but when all the official opinions of those who run PM are orthodox, that's entirely unfair.

Aside from that, I appreciate the hard work they do and their efforts to spread the faith. I just don't think they have the right to go giving ratings on their reviews. Movies are rated by the Motion Picture Association of America, which is an established part of the industry and has the competence to judge such things. Ratings on very subjective things (such as recipes on Epicurious) are done by public vote, which makes sense given their subjectivity. I don't mean to call Dr. Mirus and his folks incompetent, but what competence do they have to give ratings on all manner of Catholic websites? They have no legitimate authority in that realm. The sites they rate really ought to be reviewed by a panel of well-educated and catechized Catholics with theology degrees from a variety of reputable universities. That would ensure that the reviews are based on the truth, the Catholic faith, and it would also prevent bias, such as unfavorable opinions of Catholic hip hop or the charismatic movement (which are, I'm told, quite popular sentiments at Christendom). A panel review would provide balance, in order to back up the principle "in necessary things, unity, in unnecessary things, liberty, and in all things, charity." Furthermore, they should have someone on the panel to speak on technical matters. A reviewer who doesn't realize that this or that disagreeable post is spam? The sites should also be reviewed over a period of time, not just a pop-in visit from out of nowhere. Finally, they should make an association of Catholic websites they have "accredited," much like universities may join, if they meet certain standards. That way, websites that are committed and would like to be accredited for a seal of approval could find out what they need to work on, while other sites could remain in "green" status for being faithful without necessarily cutting certain unfaithful elements, such as user-driven content. Such associations are voluntary and it might be better understood that sites not accredited are still faithful, just not a part of the ongoing accreditation system.

That's what I would do, if I were Dr. Mirus.
[/quote]
[i]Any[/i] systems of ratings for things are fallible, at least somewhat subjective, and prone to error.
And any rating system is going to make ratings or judgments that others will strongly disagree with.

By your standards, it seems that no websites would have the right to rate anything.

CatholicCulture is not infallible, and does not possess any kind of "official" authority as the last word, nor does it claim to. It's not like they officially accredit anything. They have no legal power. They can't prevent anyone from using any website, nor penalize those that do.
Their ratings are simply suggestions, as are those on any other websites.
Just like Steven Greydanus's DecentFilms.com gives reviews and ratings of films from a Catholic/Christian perspective, but his ratings are not authoritative, and while I think they're generally good, I think his evaluations of some movies are rather off.

Speaking of movie ratings, I don't think an "official" body like the MPA necessarily makes their ratings more accurate - there are quite a few PG-13 movies that are morally a lot worse than certain R rated flicks. Similarly with the USCCB movie ratings (ironically cited in CC's controversial warning).

I don't think Christendom College, Catholic hip-hop, or the charismatic movement had to do with anything here, so I'm not sure why you bring them up. I'd never even heard of Catholic hip-hop when I was in Christendom, and opinions are divided concerning charismatics. And Dr. Mirus has not been with Christendom for several decades.

I'm sure if someone had the resources, a better rating system could be devised. (I'm sure the CC staff would agree with that.) Until then, I don't think its fair to condemn them for having some system in place to advise people, imperfect as it may be.

Anyway, CC made an erroneous judgment in their review, which dUSt brought to their attention and they successfully corrected it. (No thanks to the chorus of snarky condemnation from the phatmass peanut gallery.)
My issue was not with pointing out that they made a bad call (I agree on that), but on all the generalized trashing and condemnation of CatholicCulture.org as a whole, which I felt was unwarranted and somewhat slanderous.

Edited June 7, 2010 by Socrates

[Marie-Therese]

[quote name='Socrates' date='07 June 2010 - 02:22 PM' timestamp='1275934947' post='2125278']
You're obviously missing the irony and point of my last comment. See Luke 18:10-14 for a reference.
My point was that those who continuously bash orthodox Catholics for their alleged self-righteous phariseeism should first check their own eyes for beams.

It was the consistently contemptuous, condescending tone of certain phatmassers regarding orthodox Catholics that I was responding to.
[/quote]

I got the sarcasm. My point was that it was misplaced. If you are trying to address the attitude that people are behaving contemptuously, then responding with a tone that is also contemptuous (sarcastic or not) kind of defeats the point. Put love where there is no love, as St. John of the Cross said.

I get sarcasm. Really. It is my preferred weapon of humour. However, there is a time and place for it. I think that your admonishment was probably lost...I mean, I knew exactly what you meant and I was still a little irritated, if I am being honest.

I'm not trying to lecture you, my only point is that when it comes to trying to convey a certain message, be careful of how you frame it. That's all. Pax.

[Tridenteen]

JMJ
Well, I am glad to be in a green and friendly enviroment. Sr. Grace liked yeller, but she likes that there green even better!!!!!!!

[cmotherofpirl]

Its not easy being green...

[Maggyie]

[quote name='Marie-Therese' date='06 June 2010 - 05:26 PM' timestamp='1275855974' post='2124761']
Your tone is dangerously close to what you are accusing the others of. Maggie had already been apprised of her misuse of the word penultimate.

Slinging the word Pharisee around is pretty inflammatory. I'd advise you that, if Catholic fidelity and charity is your concern, then a loving admonishment of your brethren would do much better than a contemptful, condescending one.
[/quote]

I appreciate, but truly there can not be too much correction where grammar and usage is concerned... the more correction, the deeper the proper usage will be burned deep into the flesh of my brain, working its way into the juicy subconscious parts where it will dwell next to my fear of gymnasts and my love of puppetry...

[jmjtina]

[quote name='dUSt' date='05 June 2010 - 11:56 AM' timestamp='1275757000' post='2124106']
I think it would be hilarious to create a "Site review" section on phatmass and give CatholicCulture a yellow rating for "improperly rating phatmass as yellow". It would be our only site review.
[/quote]

LOL, ditto Cmom. It's not easy being green!

Edited June 8, 2010 by jmjtina

[Ash Wednesday]

[img]http://media.giantbomb.com/uploads/0/9596/518805-kermit_large.jpg[/img]

/approves

[Laudate_Dominum]

[ insert asinine comment ]

[Laudate_Dominum]

Have you been half asleep and have you heard voices?
I've heard them calling my name.

Is this the sweet sound that calls the young sailors.
The voice might be one and the same.

I've heard it too many times to ignore it.
It's something that I'm supposed to be.

Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection, the lovers, the dreamers and me.