I know of your (occasional) fondness for pinatas :)
The Washington Post and its writers see everything through a set of rose-colored glasses called left-wing politics. "Dissenting Catholics are as Catholic as orthodox Catholics" blah, blah, blah!
"The idea that anti-Catholicism is a significant force in American life today is a complete canard, perpetrated by theologically and politically right-wing Roman Catholics--a minority among the Catholic laity--and aimed at anyone who stands up to the Church's continuing attempts to impose its values on all Americans."
In her misguided, paranoid attempt to dismiss the prevailing anti-Catholic sentiment in America as "non-existent" Jacoby proves herself wrong by showing herself to be anti-Catholic.
Oh yes, anti-Catholic bigotry is clearly dead and buried. </sarcasm>
This is an execrable article with blindingly ahistorical non-facts presented as gospel truth:
"There is indeed a long and ugly history of Protestant anti-Catholicism in the United States, dating from the dawn of the republic. Yet even at a time when Catholics still encountered significant social discrimination, the Church was extraordinarily effective at writing its social and sexual agenda into law through state statutes that obstructed access to contraceptives and contraceptive information. These laws were only struck down in the early 1960s."
Ahem... I wish that we Catholics could take credit for laws "obstructing access to contraceptives and contraceptive information." However, we cannot.
For folks who would like to know what actually happened, rather than what Ms. Jacoby fantasizes, they might start by googling "comstock laws."
Send the author back to school for remedial history lessons.
Obviously Susan Jacoby has never read the FR religion forum. I have seen 'Papist' so often here that I honestly didn't know that it was a derogatory term.
Check the COMMENTS under the article.
Who weighs in (pardon the pun), with his "SUSAN JACOBY IS 100% ON TARGET. I'M A PRIEST" - and then launches into an attack on the Catholic Church as the source of all hurt and pain and evil and corruption?
Why THOMAS DOYLE, of course, Savior of the abused, personal chaplain to SNAP.
Talk about someone who needs to get into some love-hate therapy - and fast!
I wonder if he's turning in his considerable profit from that "apostolate" to his provincial superiors over at OP, Inc?
Where's the Barf Alert?
Dear Ms. Jacoby,
"Truth is not subject to a majority vote." - Cardinal Ratzinger
As a lifelong Catholic I can remember experiencing anti-Catholic bias as early as first grade.
I take it as a compliment because I've always believed that people hate you hardest when you're doing something right.
How does a church "impose" its values on Americans? Are there penalties prescribed for non-adherence to Catholic doctrine?
Rather, the reverse is true. It is secular humanists who continue to try and impose their values on all Americans, including Catholics, (abortion.....homosexual "marriage"........removing all reference to God from public life......"hate" speech etc etc) and the Catholic Church is one of the few remaining bulwarks which still resists the secular, godless tide. Amazing really, considering all the problems which the Church has had in the US.
Many Catholics, or should I say CINOs, have sold out. They are the "good Catholics" whom Ms. Jacoby regards as the mainstream. Unfortunately, pockets of stubborn resistance still remain and in fact, may be growing. These hold to traditional values and prevent the total conquest which Ms Jacoby desires. Hence the hissy fit.
The word "impose" clearly implies that the Catholic Church is doing something un-American and is somehow violating our cherished "freedom". It isn't such a stretch to conclude from this that measures ought to be brought to bear against the Church. I foresee this push becoming stronger as the tide of immorality rises and the godless gnash their teeth at the thought of any obstruction to their whims and selfish impulses.
There are only two sides, The Church and Her enemies.
Ah, but where's the article on obsessive behavior by the anti-Catholic crowd? Or those who post hit pieces at every chance?