Doing the missionary position

Is nothing ever sacred with Christopher Hitchens? Apparently not, as even Mother Teresa isn't spared by Hitchens. I must admit that this is quite a difficult read, one that I approach with trepidation, being Catholic myself.

Christopher Hitchens was known for his bias against organized religion, blaming it for its indifference or inaction to the solutions of some of the world's problems. His god Is Not Great (lowercase on the 'god', please) is a wonderful read regardless whether you're an atheist or not. I 'read' the audiobook format, with Hitchens narrating. It was a fascinating experience.

The Missionary Position: Mother Teresa in Theory and Practice is an earlier work than gING, as it was published in 1995. But it still rings fresh, especially after Mother Teresa's beatification in 2003 and her seemingly inevitable canonization. And Hitchens doesn't hold out. He's here to present the case against Mother Teresa. Such chutzpah, no? To think that Mother Teresa was even alive at the time the book was published.

So what comprises Hitchens's case against Mother Teresa? First is Mother Teresa's attitude toward poverty. Hitchens feels that she seems to encourage it, telling people that their poverty and suffering bring them closer to God. Even the sisters of the Missionaries of Charity, the group founded by Mother Teresa, appear to be content with this poverty.

Second is the fact that Mother Teresa and her Missionaries of Charity may not even be poor. They've received hundreds of thousands of dollars in aid, and Mother Teresa has been the recipient of several prizes from organizations. Surely, that would bring in the money, right? But no, the centers where they care for children and the dying still appear to be rundown, with hardly any medical facilities. Also, Mother Teresa has been seen together with political despots and tyrants simply because these persons have generously donated to her cause.

Third is Mother Teresa's stance against abortion and contraceptives. We know that all Catholics should be against these unnatural methods, but Mother Teresa was always vehemently opposed to it. She believed that God always provides for everyone. Here is where Hitchens makes a good point. If God always provides, then there wouldn't be any need for the efforts of Mother Teresa and her organization, would it? Also, Hitchens points out that Mother Teresa's initiatives aren't even a drop in the bucket in the whole scheme of things.

So does The Missionary Position have a good case? Yes, I believe so. It does present Mother Teresa in a very unflattering light. But the true Catholic, or any rational person for that matter, would explore further. Hitchens was our devil's advocate, and we loved him for it.

Read this book if:

1. You'll read anything by Christopher Hitchens.
2. You've always been curious about this little lady.
3. You love controversial books.

My book-ish weekend (part 1)

Last weekend was quite filled with book-ish activities. There were a couple of book launches in the metro, and 3 book clubs scheduled their meetups during this weekend. (I'm not a member of the 3rd club though.)

So after work last Friday, I went to the other side of the city for a meetup with the book club headed by Orly. Thank goodness they meet Friday evenings! For that month, they've chosen a biography: The Rise and Fall of Imelda Marcos written by Carmen Navarro-Pedrosa.

Unfortunately, that book, which was published in 1987, has been out of print for 10 years. I've even called the publisher just in case they have a few left in stock, but they've run out and they told me that they have no plans of doing another print run. What's a bibliophile to do?

Good thing that the moderator did send me a copy via courier, although it's in a format that I'd rather not divulge. (Hint: It's still not electronic.) It did take some getting used to; you know, reading something ring-bound and white and in letter-sized pages. But hey, it's wonderful reading material so I couldn't complain.

Saying that The Rise and Fall of Imelda Marcos is controversial would be an understatement. It's a book rife with unflattering details. I've always thought that Imelda came from the rich side of the Romualdezes; apparently, she didn't. But what's more unsettling than knowing this info is how there seems to be a huge effort on Imelda's part to cover it up.

Also, the biography is one scathing criticism of Imelda as a government official and as a person as a whole. Here is one woman who's always determined to get what she wants no matter what it takes. She's manipulative, deceitful, and excessive. What's even unbelievable is that a lot of people really take to her. Oy!

I do have one negative comment about the book though and it has something to do with the sources. Most of what have been included in the book are anecdotes from Imelda's relatives, her acquaintances in her early years, and even her household helper. There's always something dangerous about gathering information in this way. Some people just can't help but add "color" to their accounts.

I do hope that the publisher decides on having another print run, even though a limited one. I'd like to have this book on my shelf. Orly was also able to interview the author before the discussion! Check out part 1 here. And I'm posting some pics of the discussion for you, dear reader.

Orly, having the members pick out the discussion questions

Another book that I'd like to have, also out of print

This is the first part of the biography.

The food that I had that night

From the top: seafood chowder (not good), 

warm foie gras salad (not good), 

grilled cheesesteak sandwich (good)

The requisite group shot