Comments for Steve Jobs and the New Evangelization at http://www.thecatholicthing.org , comment 1 to 22 out of 20 comments http://www.thecatholicthing.org Fri, 24 May 2013 16:18:44 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/steve-jobs-and-the-new-evangelization.html#comment-11294 Point of article well taken. One can learn good lessons from bad examples. I had an aunt that was less than kind in many ways, certainly not warm and loving, certainly lacking faith but I still learned many important lessons from her. One was how NOT to behave! We are responsible for how we spend our time - just like commenting on articles on a computer I never had access to as a kid - when I could be doing something that might be more important for me or my family. It's not the fault of Jobs that I'm using a computer made by Apple or that I'm on this website. While I'm grateful for technology, I do miss simpler times but I wouldn't want to go back! Job's quotes are useful and, as Fr. McCloskey points out so eloquently, can inspire us to doing God's will with similar tenacity - just remember to give God the glory! - Colleen Wed, 09 May 2012 04:54:02 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/steve-jobs-and-the-new-evangelization.html#comment-11210 Dear friends Thanks for all your comments. As i said Steve was not even close to an Saint but neither was Aristotle but the Church Uses his ideas also - Fr. C. J McCloskey Fri, 04 May 2012 06:14:22 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/steve-jobs-and-the-new-evangelization.html#comment-11170 "Steve Jobs was notorious in the business world for pirating the ideas of others and hastily copyrighting or patenting so as to prevent the originators from capitalizing. In his last interview, he had the gall to lament over that which he felt had been taken from him.". Whoa! That's a complete inversion of the Apple story! - Kevin Killion Wed, 02 May 2012 04:28:54 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/steve-jobs-and-the-new-evangelization.html#comment-11153 In the history of the Church, it has always looked at the contemporary world in which it lives, and tries to find some example, some truth to expound on and use that as a springboard to relate the Gospel - a 'teaching moment' lesson: ie: Jesus: The Parable of the Good Samaritan. St. Paul: in the plaza of the gods, looking at the unknown god statue/altar to relate about Jesus ... to springboard to the Gospel of Jesus. The point of the article isn't Steve Jobs and all his foibles, it's- we take the good and leave the rest... (something we hope others can do with our lives- be they perfect or imperfect, as the case may be ...). - Joann Tue, 01 May 2012 09:03:59 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/steve-jobs-and-the-new-evangelization.html#comment-11135 Hmm. Ugh. What? I don't know what to say here, Jobs really is a mixed bag, some good, some bad (just like his tech). It's hard to totally pigeonhole him into either or. He is also very disputed, what he did and did not create, just being one example. But I generally don't see him worth being presented as any kind of role model, in life, he was kind of a jerk (his bio only proves it). Not to mention the accusations that he stole other people ideas. That is not to say he had no virtues whatsoever, nor that he did no good in this life. Though it's nice to see the good Father engaging with the world on these things! Though I will say that his comments on Job's sayings were in fact quite better than anything Job's ever said. Regarding the tech revolution Jobs helped usher in, there is (like any new technology, etc) both good and bad about it. Life made easier, yet distraction becoming the new past time of the age. Magnified the free flowing of and access to information, yet people seem dumber and less thoughtful then ever before. See what I mean? Also, regarding Job's religion, he was a Buddhist, a convert to be exact. And what does that mean? Well consider... -His adopted parents were Christian, he left the faith during the crazy era that was the 60s/70s/sex revolution/counterculture thing. He is one of those guys who sees Jesus as distinct FROM Christianity. -Though not totally without any religious feeling, he converted to Buddhism -Again, it's western Buddhism, which is a total kiss your own butt kind of thing. Western Zen Buddhism is much less, er, um, Buddhist than the eastern variety (hint, why do you think so many chic types pick it up? Real Buddhism is ascetic and often requires sacrifice of personal indulgences, hence sex revolution and Buddhism don't go together, thus discouting a large majority of white Buddhists. Western Zen is really all about getting to itch your spiritual funny bone, without having to be 'religous' thus remaing chic). -That said...a main tenent or prescription of Buddhism is distraction. Hello! Steve Jobs is the master of mass distraction! Alot of his inventions seem to envelope the very idea! Is this coincidence? I don't think so. -So was Jobs Secular, or religious? Well, perhaps God only knows. - Edward Mon, 30 Apr 2012 10:36:29 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/steve-jobs-and-the-new-evangelization.html#comment-11128 I did read the Isaacson biography. I don't think we need to sanctify a person before we can appreciate that they sometimes understood some portion of the truth. I like to think Job's looked to perfection as something that existed, something he was only able to come near to through beauty and simplicity. We have more knowledge but the new evangelization can be reaching out to those with 'some truth' and leading them on to the fullness of that truth, Jesus. OT. china has better technicians at the level that our computer industry needs. Maybe if our education system was less interested in keeping their own salaries at high levels they could help keep some of those factories here. Oh. I forgot the EPA. They are against all factories. - A Mitchell Mon, 30 Apr 2012 07:40:27 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/steve-jobs-and-the-new-evangelization.html#comment-11123 Several commenters simply aren't addressing the main point Fr. M is making. Fr. M is asking Catholic readers to contemplate/emulate the virtues that Mr. Jobs clearly did have (e.g., perseverance, an appreciation/urgency for the gift of life, etc). For example, in the initiation into The Knights of Columbus, candidates are asked to contemplate the latter. - Chris in Maryland Mon, 30 Apr 2012 04:34:14 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/steve-jobs-and-the-new-evangelization.html#comment-11119 No. "You comment is too short." No, it isn't. - Mack Hall Mon, 30 Apr 2012 02:33:21 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/steve-jobs-and-the-new-evangelization.html#comment-11110 The comment about death as the best invention of life brings to mind that we must never stray from the faith God has granted us and the quote from G.K. Chesteron that sums it up: "There are two ways to get home. One is to never leave." - Judy Joyce - Editor ProseandPaleAle.com Sun, 29 Apr 2012 18:40:58 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/steve-jobs-and-the-new-evangelization.html#comment-11109 I liked him, too, Fr. McCloskey. A brilliant example (yours) of engaging the modern (secular) world in dialogue. - Carol O. Sun, 29 Apr 2012 17:44:32 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/steve-jobs-and-the-new-evangelization.html#comment-11108 “Quality is more important than quantity. One home run is much better than two doubles.” Are we ambitious to go after the best people to bring them to Christ without any fear of failing?" In response to this quote, the "best" does not equal the smartest and/or the richest. The best people are the poor people, the generous, the humble and the holy, the ones who do not have or care about wordly riches or wordly success. They are the best in God's eyes. - kc Sun, 29 Apr 2012 17:09:39 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/steve-jobs-and-the-new-evangelization.html#comment-11106 God is our judge. May he rest in peace. - Miriam Sun, 29 Apr 2012 14:57:52 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/steve-jobs-and-the-new-evangelization.html#comment-11105 "...I am not postulating Steve Job's cause for canonization." In February, 2010, in a White House dinner for American CEOs,Pres. Obama asked Jobs when he was returning all the jobs he had sent to China back to the U.S. Jobs answered they were not coming back. You see, the Jobs products we use in this Country were assembled by what in this Country would be described as "slave labor" (long hours, living in barracks, the worker must sign a pledge not to commit suicide) at the expense of the American workers with OSHA protection, health benefits, pensions, etc. Why would the fact that Jobs had no religious affiliation (Buddhist?)preclude him from being considered for sainthood? - Manfred Sun, 29 Apr 2012 13:48:48 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/steve-jobs-and-the-new-evangelization.html#comment-11102 Steve Jobs was notorious in the business world for pirating the ideas of others and hastily copyrighting or patenting so as to prevent the originators from capitalizing. In his last interview, he had the gall to lament over that which he felt had been taken from him. If anything, he emerges as the modern "god of materialism". - Deacon Bill Gallerizzo Sun, 29 Apr 2012 11:05:33 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/steve-jobs-and-the-new-evangelization.html#comment-11100 Two doubles may far exceed a single home run, depending on the number of runners on base. I don't blame Steve Jobs for the annoying photographs of him that I was continually coming across after he died. The ipod is a well-designed product. It doesn't seem right that someone can be excellent at some secular activity and still be a scoundrel, but, apparently, that is possible. I guess motivation is a factor. These comments are not intended to pass judgement on Steve Jobs, one way or another. - RichardC Sun, 29 Apr 2012 08:30:40 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/steve-jobs-and-the-new-evangelization.html#comment-11099 Actually, Fr. McCloskey, could you please write an article responding to the previous post from parent "4subsidiarity"? I think many parents/adults would like to read something about how Steve Jobs or current technology should be used by adults and teens. In fact, if we, the ones who know better, do not use this technology the way God intended it, then nobody else will. For example, I've been able to learn more about God, theology, the Mass, etc., etc. than any other simple housewife ever has in history, thanks to the Ipod. Examples abound. Of course temperance, order and all other virtues have to be taught and respected. - Lauren Sun, 29 Apr 2012 07:50:18 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/steve-jobs-and-the-new-evangelization.html#comment-11097 Oddly enough I was thinking about Steve Jobs' "Oh wow, oh wow" comment last night in a cab. Saw "We bought a zoo!" on the in-flight and found myself asking myself, "what is the zoo I need to buy?" As both Jobs and St. Josemaria tell us with "begin again," it is never too late to make the difference for Christ and His Church that we were created to make. Thank you Fr. C. John for an inspiring piece. - Dave Sun, 29 Apr 2012 06:49:27 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/steve-jobs-and-the-new-evangelization.html#comment-11096 " Steve Jobs took that away as well." Only if you let him, Mr. 4S. You are still the father. - Louise Sun, 29 Apr 2012 06:10:56 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/steve-jobs-and-the-new-evangelization.html#comment-11095 Father, I'm hoping you wrote this essay to generate debate and not really to hold up Jobs as a role model. Jobs was notorious for his mistreatment of workers in the manufacture of a product for the elite. I could go on but you really need to read Walter Isaacson's biography of Jobs. He was not a very nice man. I think you have been conned. Con artistry was one area where Jobs excelled. - will manley Sun, 29 Apr 2012 05:40:21 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/steve-jobs-and-the-new-evangelization.html#comment-11094 Also, Steve Jobs clearly owed his life to the culture of life of the Church. That he was not aborted as per the wishes of his mother was due to the anti-abortion Catholic culture of his mother's father and their community. I believe that if the Church must write large checks to "pay" for the serious sins of its clergy it should be entitled to compensation it's good works of salvation; perhaps 1% of Apple stock for starters. - pedsurg Sun, 29 Apr 2012 03:37:27 +0100