The Pope hasn't watched TV since 1990

[Elind]

One hears that the Catholic church is out of touch with reality and this would seem to illustrate that in spades. What is the man thinking?

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2015/05/26/pope-francis-says-hasnt-watched-tv-in-more-than-25-years/

 

[MikeG]

Let me see if I've got your logic straight. TV is reality, right?

 

[Tommy Jeppesen]

One hears that the Catholic church is out of touch with reality and this would seem to illustrate that in spades. What is the man thinking?

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2015/05/26/pope-francis-says-hasnt-watched-tv-in-more-than-25-years/

How can the Catholic church be out of touch with reality?
Last time I checked I could see the local Catholic church in my city. It seems to indicate that the church is in reality and the same with the local priest, when I see him. He also seems to be in reality.
Can you explain how some can be out of touch with reality, yet be able to communicate with those of you, who are in touch with reality? What kind of physical/natural processes are involved? What kind physical/natural processes explains the physical/natural state/process of being out of touch with reality?
I.e. what kind of evidence do you have that someone can be out of touch with reality?

 

[stanfr]

I hope to cancel my sat-tv soon...never watch it, too much crap and commercials. Pope's a smart man, at least in this respect...

 

[Spindrift]

ALF was cancelled, nothing else worth watching after that.

 

[SpuriusMaximus]

How can the Catholic church be out of touch with reality?
Last time I checked I could see the local Catholic church in my city. It seems to indicate that the church is in reality and the same with the local priest, when I see him. He also seems to be in reality.
Can you explain how some can be out of touch with reality, yet be able to communicate with those of you, who are in touch with reality? What kind of physical/natural processes are involved? What kind physical/natural processes explains the physical/natural state/process of being out of touch with reality?
I.e. what kind of evidence do you have that someone can be out of touch with reality?

Fallacy of misplaced concreteness much?

But generally, trust Tommy to pretend to be too stupid by half to understand fairly plain and simple English, and be terminally confused by the meanings of simple words and expressions, when he's unable to address the actual point. Or at least I hope it's just pretending.

 

[Elind]

Let me see if I've got your logic straight. TV is reality, right?

Unfortunately perhaps, but yes it is. Needless to say even TV has options, but to say that he never watches what happens in the world, never mind soap operas, is ridiculous.

Do you think he gets everything off the internet? Do you think he can spell Google?

 

[Elind]

Can you explain how some can be out of touch with reality, yet be able to communicate with those of you, who are in touch with reality?

Well, I could simply refer to something like saying condom use increases AIDS, not to mention the suffering that is never seen when TV is against the principles of the Virgin Mary. When you rely on letting those who will mostly tell you what they think you want to hear, what does that make you?

 

[Elind]

I hope to cancel my sat-tv soon...never watch it, too much crap and commercials. Pope's a smart man, at least in this respect...

Why don't you do so today?

 

[Hawk one]

While there are many failings of the CC in general, I'm inclined to argue that not watching TV isn't really a failing per se. In these times in particular, we have so many entertainment choices, that watching TV (as in putting on a TV set and surf through channels to see what they choose to broadcast at that particular moment) is itself something that seems to become increasingly out of touch with reality. Heck, he even has a (manned by others, no doubt, but still) Twitter account.

Now, granted, his decision to not watch TV is based on one of those somewhat holier-than-thou reasons that such people usually offer, but two things to consider here:

1: OK, so we found about this now, 25 years later, because someone asked him about his TV habits... Hardly what I call an in-your-face snugness about it.

2: He's the fricking pope. While the papacy is based on a lot of, shall we say, claims of dubius quality (like, you know, a particular version of God existing), being holier-than-thou is nevertheless their goddamn gig. And as such, "Not watching TV" seems to me to be a small footnote in a laaaarge book of popes being at least ten times more "holier-than-thou" than the current Frankie-boy.

 

[Aepervius]

One hears that the Catholic church is out of touch with reality and this would seem to illustrate that in spades. What is the man thinking?

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2015/05/26/pope-francis-says-hasnt-watched-tv-in-more-than-25-years/

I haven't watched much of TV since about 1995. There has been a 10 year period where I had no TV, and now i have one for my PS3 only.

So what ?

I am probably more in touch with reality that people which only use TV as source of info...

 

[The Greater Fool]

Like most snobs, he prefers the book.

 

[Manopolus]

I have rarely had television that I watched T.V. on in my home during my entire adult life (although I've almost always had one for rented videos and console games). That'd be approximately the same time frame -- I graduated H.S. in 1990. My parents always had one while I was growing up though. It's actually not all that uncommon for single people. Cable isn't cheap on one income, and indoor antennas don't tend to work very well in some locations (and the bigger outdoor antennas sort of require a house rather than an apartment).

Don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting that The Pope's reasons are similar to mine. I wouldn't know.

 

[Ron Swanson]

I agree church leaders are typically out of touch with reality (even based solely on their beliefs lol) ...

... but watching TV or not has little to do with that ... I mean yes if you watch a lot TV it can put you OUT of touch with reality, but that's the opposite of the OP's point.

I had no TV from 7 or 8 years old 'till 20 something ... and it's disconnected again 4 years ago .. my kids don't care, I don't care, guests that come over, don't care.

And I assume the pope doesn't care ... he might be a religious leader and I'll try not to hold that against him ... but not watching TV? .... Good one Pope!

 

[ebardos]

I envy him. To live in a world where The Simpsons still hold so much potential.

 

[Belz...]

He missed the finale of Babylon 5 ? HERETIC !

 

[Elind]

I haven't watched much of TV since about 1995. There has been a 10 year period where I had no TV, and now i have one for my PS3 only.

So what ?

I am probably more in touch with reality that people which only use TV as source of info...

Who said only source. Now if he had said that he used the internet daily, and chatted on blogs (annonymously) then perhaps he could be better informed on what goes on outside the Vatican, but he didn't say and I doubt he does.

 

[fuelair]

One hears that the Catholic church is out of touch with reality and this would seem to illustrate that in spades. What is the man thinking?

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2015/05/26/pope-francis-says-hasnt-watched-tv-in-more-than-25-years/

So.....he missed the same must watch TV that I did!!!!!!!!!

In truth, I cannot remember being tempted by anything referred to as must watch tv. Because A)most of it has been about people/situations whom/which I cared little or nothing about and B) if I do not care about the people or their situations , the writing/execution is not going to pull me in.

 

[fuelair]

How can the Catholic church be out of touch with reality?
Last time I checked I could see the local Catholic church in my city. It seems to indicate that the church is in reality and the same with the local priest, when I see him. He also seems to be in reality.
Can you explain how some can be out of touch with reality, yet be able to communicate with those of you, who are in touch with reality? What kind of physical/natural processes are involved? What kind physical/natural processes explains the physical/natural state/process of being out of touch with reality?
I.e. what kind of evidence do you have that someone can be out of touch with reality?

Interesting philosophy. I do not have time to fully discuss why philosophy does not interest me except for the cute mental tricks it helps you play on the deluded.

 

[Elind]

So.....he missed the same must watch TV that I did!!!!!!!!!

In truth, I cannot remember being tempted by anything referred to as must watch tv. Because A)most of it has been about people/situations whom/which I cared little or nothing about and B) if I do not care about the people or their situations , the writing/execution is not going to pull me in.

Well, perhaps the pope also thinks like your A) and B).