Is it a sin to call a skank a skank? That's the moral question posed by Jay Anderson, a popular contributor to "St. Blogs" as the conservative Catholic blogosphere is sometimes called.

Last week, Britney Spears released her #1 CD, "Blackout," featuring liner art showing
the singer suggestively posed with a Catholic priest (as featured in the British tabloid, the Sun):

At his blog Pro Ecclesia, Mr. Anderson wrote about this sacrilegious imagery:

She may not be "fat", but she's definitely a skank who is going out of her way to offend Catholics . . .

Mr. Anderson's blog post was quoted Tuesday in the popular Culture Briefs feature on Page A2 of The Washington Times.

Upon seeing his words quoted in the newspaper, however, Mr. Anderson was stricken with guilt and posted a mea culpa, announcing that he would take a sabbatical from blogging:

A woman for whom you should be praying, instead has ridicule and name-calling heaped upon her.

I am ashamed. And I'm thinking that an appropriate penance is for me to give this thing up, at least for a while.

Miss Spears, I apologize for the unkind things I wrote about you.

A hard-boiled cynical newspaperman would advise Mr. Anderson that truth is an ironclad defense against libel. (I don't know if the libel defense will be acceptable at the Pearly Gates. Given the general morality of our profession, I suspect there will be more datelines filed from Hell than from Heaven.)

According to the online Free Dictionary, the word "skank" is Jamaican in origin, its etymology traceable to a certain style of rhythmic dance. Certainly, Miss Spears is noted for her rhythmic dancing.

But the secondary definition is "disgusting or vulgar matter; filth," and here's the tertiary meaning: "One who is disgustingly foul or filthy and often considered sexually promiscuous. Used especially of a woman or girl."

Given Britney's actions in the past few months -- do you need a reminder? really? -- it is difficult to deny that her behavior is skankish. Surely, her reputation is skanky, and she's done nothing to dispel the widespread public notion of her skankdom.

If only Britney herself were as remorseful as Mr. Anderson seems to be (and his friends assure us his penitence is sincere), if only she could renounce her fleshly ways ... But then, she wouldn't be Britney, would she?

You be the judge: Is Britney a skank? And should Mr. Anderson feel guilty about calling her a skank?

-- Robert Stacy McCain, assistant national editor, The Washington Times