Theos-Talk Archives (September 1997 Message tl00176)

From: Drpsionic@aol.com

> Very simple.  Mother Theresa may have meant well when she started her work,
> but then the media got their hands on her and being an ancient Albanian she
> had no idea of how to deal with it.

> As the adulation grew, she fed upon it and those who admired her and found
> herself using her position as the Offical Saint of the Media to promote all
> her favorite causes, such as the papacy, every dictatorship spawned in South
> America, cozy up to Baby Doc in Haiti and even a few marxists along the way.

I don't know about cozying up to "every dictatorship spawned in South
America", but in the case of Baby Doc, her "cozying up" merely consisted of
accepting money donated by him. In answer to critics, she said that it was one
of the few glimmers of conscience in Duvalier. By using the money for good,
she said, it would help Duvalier's soul. She gained no personal comforts from
his donation and used it for the poor.

> Christopher Hitchens called her right.  She became a ghoul in the most
> literal sense, feeding off the energies of the dying to support her
> pretentions of sanctity and managing to fool of lots of people in the process
> who never bothered to look past the facade.

In addition to gaining few material comforts for her work, when she was
physically well, she maintained a vigorous schedule, spending hours of a day
doing very unglamorous things such as pulling maggots out the stinking flesh
of the dying. She alleviated more misery in a few good days than you or I will
do in several lifetimes.

Diana, on the other hand ... Let me don my "bullet proof and flame proof vest"
.. She was a good woman, but no saint. It is right that she be honored, but
the public response seemed quite out of proportion to me.  Writing a check,
meeting with dignitaries, or attending a banquet for a few hours, while
spending many other hours in resorts, luxury hotels and BMW's is different
from getting your fingers dirty and giving your *whole* life to a cause.

I am glad that so many people prayed at once during her service and welcome
reminders of charitable acts (not only the writing of a check), but where is
such devotion to God?  What about other people who gave their *lives* to
a good cause?