Posted on 05/12/2003 10:15:59 PM PDT by Polycarp
Anti-Catholicism in the U.S.: A hate much loved and lied about
By Michael Pakenham
Sun Staff
Originally published May 11, 2003
Is a need to hate essential to the human condition? No. But history and contemporary life insist that hating has beguiling charms. Denying them is a main job of civilization. That job's not being done very well these days.
For the moment, put aside African-Americans, Jews, Latinos and other traditional hate targets and consider the Roman Catholic Church in the United States.
The most elegant description of anti-Catholicism I have read is John Highham's: "the most luxuriant, tenacious tradition of paranoiac agitation in American history." That surgically precise diagnosis is quoted in The New Anti-Catholicism: The Last Acceptable Prejudice by Philip Jenkins (Oxford, 288 pages, $26).
Jenkins is a chaired professor of history at Penn State and has written 15 previous books, several of them involving the Catholic Church and Christianity in general. Answering the inevitable question, he writes "I was a member of the Roman Catholic Church for many years, but I left without any particular animosity, and since the late 1980s, I have been a member of the Episcopal Church. ... I have never been a member of the clergy in any church, nor a seminarian, nor was I associated with any religious order." (And, no, lest you ask, I am not and never have been a Roman Catholic.)
Jenkins examines the phenomenon slowly, methodically, tracing its long history and its European origins, its often-disguised currency among orthodox liberals, the Church's treatment in novels, movies, television and the mainstream press. The array of issues on which anti-Catholicism can flourish today in the United States. is very powerful - feminism, homosexuality, contraception, abortion are at the top of a longer list.
He builds with methodical patience - to a conclusion that there prevails today in the United States. rampant, forceful, shameless and largely uncriticized anti-Catholicism.
(Excerpt) Read more at sunspot.net ...
Really? What's the generic Christian equivalent of "Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All for You"?
Where's the generic Christian equivalent of Bob Jones University, whose president "eulogized" Pope Paul VI by calling him a "deceiver" and "antiChrist" and comparing him to Satan?
Where's the generic Christian equivalent of ActUp tossing condoms around during Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral?
But perhaps this is not a response to being of the catholic religion as much as it is a response to some of the very liberal views and actions of the catholic church. I know whenever I see the Pope snuggling up to Castro and his ilk or condemning the U.S. involvment in Iraq it makes me a little nervous. Perhaps it's political and not religious.
Like what? The churches pro-life stand? Or maybe the pro traditional family position? Maybe your referring to the ultra liberal views the church has on birth control, divorce and homosexuality. If caring for the sick, imprisoned, the poor, etc are liberal then you have a problem with Christ as well as His Church.
I know whenever I see the Pope snuggling up to Castro and his ilk or condemning the U.S. involvment in Iraq it makes me a little nervous.
Do you get nervous when you read about Christ eating with tax collectors or talking with prostitutes? You (and I for that matter) may find the manner in which the pope evangelizes for Christ perplexing at times but I have no doubt about his sincerity of belief in the Lord and dedication to his mission.
Perhaps it's political and not religious.
For some this is true but for many it goes much deeper.
If I believed that the majority of anti-Catholic sentiment were directed at the Am-Church and not the Roman Catholic Church in general, than I could understand it’s seeming pervasiveness. In fact, I have many problems, on a host of issues with the way the Catholic Church in America is run. Nevertheless, as fouled up as the Am-Church is, it has little to do with the most virulent of anti-Catholic sentiment.
I think you missed my point entirely.
How about you, 'Wonk?
Down boy! You said it yourself. I can't speak for all conservatives, but the catholics we american conservatives deal with on american political issues are the american ones. I have always appreciated the 'traditional' catholic pro-life and pro-family teachings, but don't see much of that among american catholics that I have dealt with, which is, admittedly, a small minority. But that is where some of these opinions from conservatives might be coming from. Those that differ on political issues, that is.
That's pretty sad, considering they are not being very "catholic/christian-like". Catholicism is not a club. Those who treat it as such are doing The Church an injustice.
Will only Catholics go to heaven?
I know several who might not. And no, Heaven is not a "members only" club either, lol.
Calling oneself Catholic and actually being Catholic are not mutually inclusive. Remember, the people wearing the white hoods that like to burn crosses call them selves “Christian”.
As far as voting democrat is concerned, I think you’ll find that observant Catholics tend to vote for conservative candidates. You should also realize that many of those “Catholics” who vote for democrats would be more comfortable, theologically in a Protestant Church.
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