Why Such Inordinate Publicity?
Posted on November 16th, 2009

Deep Throat ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…”

When I opened the Island newspaper on Monday, 16th November, I was shocked to see yet another full page feature on Arch Bishop Malcolm Ranjith, which is appearing at regular intervals or, serially if I may say.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The people were in a great state of stress and tension, only the previous day, Sunday,15th November awaiting the announcement of the decision regarding elections which was to be released at the much awaited SLFP National Convention. That is not all, there is a pervading mood of gloom all over the country, political uncertainty, a fear of what the strikes by the Petroleum Corporation, Electricity Board, National Water Supply and Drainage Board, would mean to the ordinary citizen, and the pressure and agony caused by ever increasing cost of living. Of what relevance is such a stale feature on a Roman Catholic Bishop at this juncture, when all eyes were turned towards the great problems besetting the country?

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The BishopƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s point man who seem to be a retired officer of the security services, does not even qualify to write a credible account about a cleric. Besides the writer should have the common sense to realize that the Catholics are a minority in this county and such concerted forays to bloat the ego of specially selected Catholic cleric will not go too well with the majority of the readers of the Island who without doubt are Buddhists.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The readers would not have seen any regular articles of this nature published on the Mahanayakes for instance, or any Hindu or Muslim prelate. Of what purpose are these periodic feature articles on one single special Bishop in the first instance where there are in fact a number of other Bishops silently following the foot steps of Jesus Christ without any show of pomp and power, but clothed in the garment of spirituality.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ I am sure all concern Catholics will want to admonish such writers to desist from what seems to be a well organized campaign that can do more harm than good towards the faithful and devoted Catholics, their faith, and peaceful religious amity.

One Response to “Why Such Inordinate Publicity?”

  1. cassandra Says:

    For a classic piece of whingeing, this must be hard to beat.

    You seem to be upset with the feature article on Archbishop Malcolm Ranjith, on any amount of grounds, among others, because it was not the first such article, because in your view it was not topical at a time when important political matters were dominant and because Catholics are in a minority and the article “will not go too well with the majority of the readers of the Island who without doubt are Buddhists”.

    Why must anyone be ‘shocked’ to read a feature on a leader of any religion? What was so offensive in the article? Was it in any way derogatory of other faiths or their adherents? If not, what is problem?

    Just because political matters are uppermost in the public mind should everything else in life come to a stop? Should the media not cover other things? Is life only concerned with politics?

    And why should the fact that Catholics are in a minority be an issue here? I believe that the vast majority of readers do not think like you or are so mean spirited as to find an article on a leader from another religion, objectionable. I am confident that, on the contrary, most Sri Lankans have more good sense and goodwill than that.

    Alas, there seems to be a minority who will see a problem even when none exists.

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