Nobody needs to *defame* the Catholic church. The church has done plenty all by its lonesome to defame itself.
If it would quit providing material for others to merely point out, it would have nothing to complain about. Then it could rightly say that it's all slander and lies.
But it isn't. All they end up screaming is *anti-Catholicism*. They aren't (and can't) denying that it's true. They're claiming that people pointing out the obvious and rightly condemning the behavior is being *anti-Catholic*.
Martyrdom only works when someone has done nothing wrong. When one is caught and condemned for wrong doing, it's called *consequences*.
“Nobody needs to *defame* the Catholic church.”
Yes, but they do it anyway.
“The church has done plenty all by its lonesome to defame itself.”
No, it hasn’t.
“Then it could rightly say that it’s all slander and lies.”
Much of it is. There is also a lot of selective coverage.
“Martyrdom only works when someone has done nothing wrong.”
Does that mean Jesus is the only martyr then?