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But can Catholics really be anti-Catholic?

You betcha ....!!!

Why anti-Catholicism remains alive and well

Catholics!

Interesting article!

As a white, married, heterosexual, conservative, pro-life, Roman Catholic, father and attorney -- I may be the most hated man in America.

A primary reason why anti-Catholicism remains alive and well is because of ignorance of Catholic doctrine and beliefs, even among Catholics. Take a look at those on FR who are the loudest anti-Catholics. Most are "former Catholics" who don't understand even the basics of Catholicism.

read later

55 % of Catholics in NJ support Gay Marriage according to this poll.

NJ Poll finds majority for gay marriage
State survey's results questioned by critics

Tuesday, July 29, 2003
BY KATHY BARRETT CARTER Star-Ledger Staff

A majority of New Jerseyans support allowing gay couples to marry, according to a Zogby International Poll commissioned by advocates for legalizing same-sex unions.

In the poll, released yesterday, nearly 55 percent of likely voters agreed that gay couples should be able to marry, while 41 percent disagreed. The poll also found that 57 percent of Catholics supported gay marriage, even as the Vatican announced it plans to issue new instructions to bishops and Catholic politicians to oppose extending marriage to gay and lesbian couples.

Gay rights advocates said the poll shows there is broad public support for same-sex marriage. But opponents of gay marriage questioned the poll's methodology, noting the results are dramatically different from national polls showing most people oppose gay marriage.

New Jersey is shaping up as a major battleground in the fight over gay marriage. Seven gay couples have filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of a state law limiting marriage to heterosexuals. In addition, a bill pending in the Legislature would give gay couples and unmarried heterosexual couples the right to register as domestic partners and receive many of the same rights and privileges enjoyed by married couples.

Two Canadian provinces have legalized homosexual marriage. Earlier this year, Germany's high court upheld a same-sex marriage law.

"Like all other parents, we want to dance at our children's weddings, including those of our lesbian and gay children," said Clarice Zieja, president of the Bergen County chapter of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, the state group that commissioned the poll. "It's really wonderful to know that the people of New Jersey agree."

The poll results conflict with other polls, including a national poll released last week by the Pew Research Center showing 53 percent oppose gay marriage.

John Tomicki, executive director of the League of American Families, a group that opposes same-sex marriage, charged that the Zogby poll "is meant to try to stampede the public and legislators with biased questions and statistics. It directly conflicts with the Pew poll because the questions were prepared by PFLAG and those who have a gay and lesbian marriage agenda."

Steven Goldstein, who is leading the campaign for gay marriage and the domestic partner bill on behalf of Lambda, a nonprofit legal advocacy group for gays, said the questions were prepared by Zogby with help from PFLAG. John Zogby, president and CEO of Zogby International, said the poll clearly shows support for gay marriage.

"No matter how the question is worded, the answers remain the same. More than half of likely voters support allowing gay couples to marry," Zogby said. "And a majority believe it would be better if the state stopped fighting the marriage lawsuit and used the resources to focus on problems like the economy."

Patrick Murray, associate director of The Star Ledger/ Eagleton-Rutgers poll, said "The numbers aren't like anything I've seen in any other poll about this issue, but it depends on how you ask the questions and where you ask the questions."

"I would find it very interesting if New Jersey is this far ahead of the nation in terms of progressive thought," he said. "New Jersey is always a few points ahead of the nation in opposition to the death penalty or support for gay rights in general, but not 180 degrees apart from the rest of the nation."

Other numbers reflect a dramatic change from earlier polls.

When New Jerseyans were asked whether they personally know someone who is gay, lesbian or bisexual, 77 percent said yes and 23 percent said no. Four years ago, 57 percent responded yes in a similar Star-Ledger/Eagleton-Rutgers poll.

According to the Zogby poll, gay marriage has support across the state, and the most in South Jersey, where 60 percent support it and 35 percent oppose. Whites favor same-sex marriage 56 percent to 40 percent. Nearly seven out of 10 Jews and Hispanics questioned said they favor gay marriage. A majority of Republicans, Protestants, African-Americans and Asian- Americans opposed gay marriage.

Gay rights leaders said while the poll won't affect the pending lawsuit, they believe it will help convince lawmakers to pass the domestic partnership bill.

"We're delighted. The poll reflects our experience with our friends and neighbors, and we hope it improves the chances of passage of the domestic partnership bill," said Michael Blake, president of the New Jersey chapter of the Stonewall Democrats. "I think this will help reassure people that there is strong support for it."

Pollsters interviewed 803 "likely voters" by telephone from July 15-19. The poll's margin of error is plus or minus 3.6 percentage points. The margin of error is greater for subsets such as race, religion, and political party.

But you know from my time spent here on FR I have seen that "anti-catholisism" ALOT of the time, not all, but alot, is no more then someone who disagrees with catholic beliefs, and IMO, that is just not right.

Becky

My 2 cents...

The number of offenders often was grossly exaggerated. In reality, Jenkins suggests, probably no more than 2 percent to 3 percent of all priests were involved with minors.

2 to 3 percent of any profession being "involved" with minors is a problem. If it was 2 to 3 percent of teachers, or scoutmasters, or little league coaches -- don't you think this would be an issue? 2 to 3 percent is a lot!!. And at that level I don't think the "number of offenders" is being grossly exaggerated.

Sex abuse by clergy of other denominations was treated as an isolated, individual phenomenon, but in the case of Catholic priests it was presented as a product of the doctrines and structures of the Church.

This is partly due to the fact that the catholic church is the biggest and most hierarchical. It is like the IBM of churches. Where the problem in protestant churches exists tends to be mainly in the big mainline protestant churches that are structurally similar to the catholic churches (hierarchy of bishops, ability to shuffle problem minister between churches, etc.) But most protestant churches have "elders" who will deal pretty quickly with a problematical pastor or minister, and that pastor or minister is not going to have an easy time finding another job -- because the reason for firing is going to be communicated.

This is IMO. Comments?