Angry Twins report on Common Sense Prevailing...

...For a change. Get the story here WYD has cancelled the appearance of a controversial band:

Lima, Aug. 09, 2005 (CNA) - In an email message sent to hundreds of people who expressed their concern over the participation in World Youth Day of the controversial rock band from Argentina, RESCATE, organizers of the event announced the band has been eliminated from the WYD program.

The concern over RESCATE’s performance was not due to the band’s Protestant identity—the closing concert at WYD is billed as an ecumenical event—but rather because of the disparaging remarks against Pope Benedict XVI made by some of the band’s members.
In a press release, RESCATE expressed “surprise” at the story published by CNA and claimed the statements against the Pope were “taken out of context.”
CNA sent a questionnaire to RESCATE requesting clarification on their beliefs about the Pope and the Catholic Church and accepting the band’s offer to open a dialogue, but the CNA never received a response.

The comments, btw, can be found here:

Catholic News Service reports (hat tip: NOR) that "the Christian rock band from Argentina, Rescate, which boasts of being 'the only Hispanic artists that will participate in the closing concert for the XX World Youth Day,' criticized Pope Benedict XVI, who will be the central figure at the celebrations in Cologne, Germany."

The 8-member rock band told the Chilean website “Musica123” that the group seeks “to spread the message of Jesus in a language that is understandable to every person.”

In the interview granted during their first visit to Chile, the band said, “Personally, we don’t think the Pope is God’s representative on earth. Jesus came to do away with any intermediary between God and man, and therefore we have a direct relationship with Him.”

They go on to say even more clueless, silly things, but the comment above caught my eye. The band's comments are discordant and don't harmonize well with reality. An intermediary is, of course, someone who "goes between" two groups/persons to bring about a new relationship. Rescate states that it seeks to "spread the message of Jesus in a language that is understandable to every person," meaning it is trying to mediate between Jesus and other person with the goal of bringing about a new relationship between the two. In other words, the band members are acting as intermediaries between God and man. Rescate, then, has established itself as a pope. Perhaps that's why it has a problem with Benedict XVI: it doesn't like stiff competition...

(hat tip to Ignatius Scoop) Turning the other cheek does not mean suffering Reasonables gladly. OK, so maybe the band isn't Reasonable. They sure acted in an unFoolish way, however. In fact, their stupidity can't be justified by "context". I think they know that, too. After all, they did not return the questionnaire.

Look. They were booked to perform a concert at World Youth Day, hosted by Catholics, who eagerly await the participation of the Pope. In the Spirit of Ecumenical relations, this band may have wisely known their role and shut their mouths. Instead, they decide to shock-jock using their fifteen minutes of fame. They're surprised when they get the boot? Scripture says, "turn the other cheek." It doesn't say, "Be a doormant." It certainly doesn't say, "Give scandal to Catholic kids by legitimizing a sophmorish rock bands defiance of the Vicar of Christ."

Maybe they should try to grow up a little. They'll be other WYDs.