In the November 23 edition of the National Catholic Reporter, Crispian Hollis, Roman Catholic bishop of Portsmouth, England is reported as stating that he supports the legalization of prostitution but insists that he is not condoning prostitution itself. I can’t help wondering if the bishop could also support embryonic stem cell research while insisting that he does not condone using the results of that research itself, or support the legalization of marijuana while not condoning the use of marijuana itself, or support the ordination of women while not condoning women priests themselves. Maybe a politician could get away with with such irrational calisthenics, but a bishop? I wonder.