Young, stupid and probably soon unemployed

Foreign Office apologises for Pope ‘condom’ memo

The Foreign Office has apologised for a “foolish” document which suggested the Pope’s UK visit could be marked by the launch of “Benedict-branded” condoms.

Called “The ideal visit would see…”, the paper suggested the Pope be invited to open an abortion clinic and bless a gay marriage during September’s visit.

The Foreign Office stressed the paper, which resulted from a “brainstorm” on the visit, did not reflect its views.

The junior civil servant responsible had been put on other duties, it said. . . .

The paper was attached as one of three “background documents” to a memo dated 5 March 2010 inviting officials in Whitehall and Downing Street to attend a meeting to discuss themes for the papal visit.

It suggested Benedict XVI could show his hard line on the sensitive issue of child abuse allegations against Roman Catholic priests by “sacking dodgy bishops” and launching a helpline for abused children.

It went on to propose the Pope could apologise for the Spanish Armada or sing a song with the Queen for charity.

When I read this, I was not appalled, but I did groan. I suspect that the “junior” civil servant is a young man. I can just imagine him guffawing with his friends and making all sorts of juvenile jokes. I wonder if that document was really supposed to be sent as an attachment, or whether it was supposed to be removed, and someone overlooked it? Unfortunately, it was attached, and it made it out into the public view. The young man is on leave and being “counseled.” He may very well lose his job once the furor dies down.

Does he deserve what is happening to him? Yes, he does. He has caused an international incident between two sovereign nations. Is he a strident secularist? I doubt it, the tenor of the document–do read the full story, please–reminds me more of a stupid college prank than it does of an expression of internal hatred of religion. I am not offended because, in this case, my evaluation is that this is not an attack memo, but rather young male stupidity at work. There are strident secularists. They publish books. They get on TV. They give lectures. But, this does not strike me as one of that group.

This strikes me the same as the teenage or college-age girl/woman that takes some risque photographs and posts them on her Facebook™, then wonders why they are being circulated publicly. In both cases, the young person involved learns not to do that again in the School of Hard Knocks, an institution that all of us know quite well. In Spanish there is a saying, “la letra con sangre entra,” which basically means that you learn your letters with blood (hard knocks). Sadly, all too often experience is the best teacher, but experience is a bloody and difficult teacher. And, that young man is now going through a bloody and difficult time. I suspect he will never do this again!

I found myself asking the Lord to remember to teach me without hard knocks, to warn me well ahead of time when I am about to step into it. Lord, have mercy.