The smearing of the Catholic Church usually shows one or both things:
--fear
--ignorance.
BOTH are powerful, aren't they?
Considering that ones enemy reasons from “fear” or “ignorance” lends them a semblance of passivity and the target an illogical conclusion that mere education of the aggressor can be utilized to sway them.
More logical is the conclusion that the aggressor knows fully well their perceived enemy, and that any means or methods are being used by them to win or make their point.