# How was Bl. Mother Teresa evil? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 26, 2005, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-bl-mother-teresa-evil/305615 "2005-05-26T16:13:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![WeRSauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f19dbf/32.png) [@WeRSauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WeRSauron)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2005, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-bl-mother-teresa-evil/305615/81 "2005-06-02T23:30:04Z")
I am not converting to Catholicism, but I have studied it - at least the faithful side of it - in some depth. If someone is offended by the sainthood process, they ought to start their own thread about it. This thread is not about the sainthood process at all. To faithful Catholics, canonization is a very dear process. They believe in it. They are loyal to it (somewhat). For faithful Catholics, the matter of saints is a major issue. I don’t think it’s polite or respectful to make fun of something people hold very dear. It smacks of ignorance of what value it has for many people. As far as people and their opinions are concerned: it has been my experience that people actively resist any correction of their beliefs. They also actively defend their beliefs when threatened or attacked. Oftentimes, their arguments become nothing more than, “It’s true. That’s that.” Indeed, people can change, but there are also very active subconscious forces within society to preserve the beliefs and ideas it teaches. To think anyone can simply be exposed to alternative views and embrace them is a bit unrealistic. Religious people have been trying to convert the non-religious, and vice versa, with little success on both sides. It’s all a battle of ideas. **Anaamika** - [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=6222596) is for you. WRS ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2005, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-bl-mother-teresa-evil/305615/82 "2005-06-03T02:40:27Z")
> [@WeRSauron](#): > > If someone is offended by the sainthood process, they ought to start their own thread about it. This thread is not about the sainthood process at all. **w** hen I posted the above about the **h** agiographic process **i** t was not my intent to offend any Catholics. Of course, **n** o Catholics I have known were completely humorless, **e** ven on (perhaps especially on) the subject of their **r** eligion. (In fact, none complained about the above.) ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2005, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-bl-mother-teresa-evil/305615/83 "2005-06-03T02:41:31Z")
> [@WeRSauron](#): > > If someone is offended by the sainthood process, they ought to start their own thread about it. This thread is not about the sainthood process at all. **w** hen I posted the above about the **h** agiographic process **i** t was not my intent to offend any Catholics. Of course, **n** o Catholics I have known were completely humorless, **e** ven on (perhaps especially on) the subject of their **r** eligion. (In fact, none complained about the above, but I’m sure they’re glad to have you as the guardian of what they should find offensive and as their self-appointed defender.) ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2005, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-bl-mother-teresa-evil/305615/84 "2005-06-03T02:43:36Z")
> [@WeRSauron](#): > > If someone is offended by the sainthood process, they ought to start their own thread about it. This thread is not about the sainthood process at all. **w** hen I posted the above about the **h** agiographic process **i** t was not my intent to offend any Catholics. Of course, **n** o Catholics I have known were completely humorless, **e** ven on (perhaps especially on) the subject of their **r** eligion. (In fact, none complained about the above, but I’m sure they’re glad to have you as the guardian of what they should find offensive and as their self-appointed defender.) Suggesting: rather than continuing to bump this thread to complain about me, why not open one in the Pit? I’ve never been pitted and would be _deeeelighted_ to join you there. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2005, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-bl-mother-teresa-evil/305615/85 "2005-06-03T02:45:15Z")
Sorry about the triple post- on my end it was stalling and I didn’t think it had uploaded. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2005, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-bl-mother-teresa-evil/305615/86 "2005-06-04T04:06:31Z")
> [@WeRSauron](#): > > To faithful Catholics, canonization is a very dear process. They believe in it. They are loyal to it (somewhat). I acknowledge that their are issues here I don’t understand, but I’d say Benedectine’s waiving of the five year waiting period for his predecessor goes beyond somewhat. ---
**Author:** ![WeRSauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f19dbf/32.png) [@WeRSauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WeRSauron)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2005, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-bl-mother-teresa-evil/305615/87 "2005-06-04T04:09:19Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > I acknowledge that their are issues here I don’t understand, but I’d say Benedectine’s waiving of the five year waiting period for his predecessor goes beyond somewhat. Simply a response to the demands of “Santo Subito.” Not to mention it also involves probably his own belief that the Candidate is a saint. WRS ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2005, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-bl-mother-teresa-evil/305615/88 "2005-06-04T04:09:44Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > I acknowledge that their are issues here I don’t understand, but I’d say **Benedectine’s** waiving of the five year waiting period for his predecessor goes beyond somewhat. Strangely enough, every time I realize Ratzinger is the pope now, I NEED a Benedictine. Or a Jack Daniels. Either one, really… ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2005, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-bl-mother-teresa-evil/305615/89 "2005-06-04T04:35:06Z")
> [@WeRSauron](#): > > Simply a response to the demands of “Santo Subito.” What exactly does this mean? Why exactly was it necessary to skip the five year waiting period? > [@](#): > > Not to mention it also involves probably his own belief that the Candidate is a saint. I thought the Pope was supposed to decide this only after the five year waiting period, three miracles attributed to intercessary prayer, and the devil’s advocate arguing the anti side. Has Benedictine decided to ignore all that as well? ---
**Author:** ![WeRSauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f19dbf/32.png) [@WeRSauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WeRSauron)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2005, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-bl-mother-teresa-evil/305615/90 "2005-06-04T05:41:26Z")
**DocCathode** , The reigning Pope has chosen the name of “Benedict,” not “Benedictine.” “Benedictine” means “of or pertaining to Benedict,” usually referring to [St. Benedict of Nursia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benedict_of_Nursia), who founded what is commonly known as the [Benedictine Order](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_Saint_Benedict). Additionally, your other comments are [addressed here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=6227692). WRS ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2005, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-bl-mother-teresa-evil/305615/91 "2005-06-04T19:22:52Z")
> [@WeRSauron](#): > > I am not converting to Catholicism, but I have studied it - at least the faithful side of it - in some depth. > > If someone is offended by the sainthood process, they ought to start their own thread about it. This thread is not about the sainthood process at all. > > To faithful Catholics, canonization is a very dear process. They believe in it. They are loyal to it (somewhat). For faithful Catholics, the matter of saints is a major issue. I don’t think it’s polite or respectful to make fun of something people hold very dear. It smacks of ignorance of what value it has for many people. > > As far as people and their opinions are concerned: it has been my experience that people actively resist any correction of their beliefs. They also actively defend their beliefs when threatened or attacked. Oftentimes, their arguments become nothing more than, “It’s true. That’s that.” > > Indeed, people can change, but there are also very active subconscious forces within society to preserve the beliefs and ideas it teaches. To think anyone can simply be exposed to alternative views and embrace them is a bit unrealistic. Religious people have been trying to convert the non-religious, and vice versa, with little success on both sides. It’s all a battle of ideas. > > **Anaamika** - [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=6222596) is for you. > > WRS First, I was raised a Catholic, though I’m no longer practicing, and I can tell you that **Sampiro** ’s little joke was NOT offensive to Catholics, all right? Catholics make jokes about their faith all the time. Second, since the canonization process IS very important, perhaps some are upset that JP II and now Benny 16 have decided to ignore some very key steps? Since canonization isn’t something done on a whim, Catholics SHOULD be concerned about the ramifications of this speeding up the process. Is it because of popularity? If so, it shouldn’t be. If it’s politics, doubly so. Stop trying to speak for Catholics. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-bl-mother-teresa-evil/305615.md?page=4)