Anti-Catholicism is on the rise and despite its frequency many Catholics often seem surprised to hear it. CMR is here to help by offering you the top ten clues that you’re about to hear something anti-Catholic.
We break it down by percentage. This is math folks. We’ve carried the ones and everything. (No, we’re not going to show our work. Just trust us.)
Broken down by percentage points here are the chances you’re about to hear something anti-Catholic if you hear:
44% chance if someone says “I’m not religious but I’m very spiritual.”
49% chance if someone says, “The Pope during WWII…”
A 53% chance if someone says “I read in the New York Times…”
57% chance if someone says “I don’t need an intermediary between me and God…”
68% chance if a representative of Barack Obama’s Faith Based Advisory Council office is quoted.
83% chance if you hear from your television, “You’re watching Hardball…”
84% chance if someone says “Richard Dawkins said…”
89% chance if someone says “I don’t normally watch “The View” but Joy Behar said…”
94% chance if there’s any mention of a flying spaghetti monster.
98% Any mention of The Inquisition or the Crusades.
100% If someone says “I was raised Catholic so…” anything that follows is guaranteed to be anti-Catholic.
Hope these help. Please feel free to add your own.
July 15, 2010 at 3:13 am
-100% I read from Divine Ripples that…
23.5% According to our theology professor in Notre Dame …
27.2% The Jesuit theologian said…
33% The LCWR stated in a press release that …
37% I read at the Natl. Catholic Reporter that…
July 15, 2010 at 3:23 am
110% The Bible says…
Forgetaboutit% The Bible NEVER mentions
July 15, 2010 at 3:26 am
Can we get some kind of definition of "anti-Catholic"? I ask this in all sincerity and as someone who is sympathetic (to say the least) to the point of view here. I don't disagree that there is a disturbing trend toward targeting Catholics but I'm not sure what this term means exactly. I mean, people can believe differently from the church without being "anti-Catholic", right? Or else the term doesn't really mean much. Again, I am asking sincerely, because I'm concerned about seeing us fall into the kind of victim mentality that's been criticised in other groups.
July 15, 2010 at 3:34 am
Just go to your average Modern Roman Catholic Church!
It can be very anti-Catholic.
http://wdtprs.com/blog/2010/07/new-michael-voris-video-and-wdtprs-poll/
July 15, 2010 at 4:21 am
100% if you hear, "I was reading on the Huffington Post Religion section…"
July 15, 2010 at 4:25 am
75% "Well, I went to Catholic school for nine years and…"
July 15, 2010 at 4:44 am
93% chance if asked, 'Why don't you like Yoga'…
July 15, 2010 at 6:11 am
94% if you hear, "I was an altar boy…"
July 15, 2010 at 7:33 am
88% if, like I heard from my sister, "Well, I went to the Sinsinawa Dominicans & asked them…"
July 15, 2010 at 8:08 am
I was raised a Catholic so…
…I am a child of God.
…going to a good Catholic college was a natural choice.
…it is sometimes good to see the church from my wife's perspective as a convert.
All 100% anti-catholic, aren't they?
July 15, 2010 at 12:14 pm
110% "We are waiting to be addressed by the Speaker of the House…"
July 15, 2010 at 1:48 pm
95% "I'm not anti-Catholic…"
July 15, 2010 at 2:07 pm
99% if You're watching CNN, MSNBC, ABC News, CBS news, NBC News
50% if you are watching Fox
July 15, 2010 at 2:15 pm
"A priest goes into a bar…"
Any joke that starts with "altar boy", "priest" or worse yet – both.
Sincere answer for Jules up there about what "Anti-Catholic" means. (Not a perfect definition, but I hope it helps) :
First, know what it means to be Catholic, to include the faith, teachings of the Church, the traditions and way of life of Catholics themselves. Any comment or communication that insults, looks down upon, is insulting to or otherwise denigrates what it means to be Catholic would qualify.
Comments promoting a sincere theological discussion or questions are not necessarily anti-Catholic in my book. Even questioning Church teaching, if it is done in a manner that sincerely seeks an answer, is not necessarily Anti-Catholic, but it can be.
Lastly: When you are a practicing Catholic, you will know it, when you see it as you often will.
July 15, 2010 at 2:27 pm
Please excuse the above redundancy. And repetitiveness. Again, please excuse… 😉
July 15, 2010 at 5:47 pm
Please read about this Long Island Pastor and see if He does not sound anti-Catholic.
The LINK is:
http://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2010/07/note-bad-news-from-long-island.html
July 15, 2010 at 7:07 pm
While Anti-Catholicism is real, we have been seeing some exciting breakthroughs in praising Jesus with Catholic and Protestant groups.
John 17:21-22 — the night before Jesus died, He prayed for ALL believers…He prayed one thing: that we would all be as close as He and the Father are.
John Paul II recognized ways we can help each other – Protestants and Catholics.
I am a committed Catholic – however – I love my Protestant brothers and sisters…and I feel that the Lord wants us to follow the Great Commandment above **all** else…to love Him, and love others.
We have only one enemy – the Liar – El Diablo (which means "the divider.")
And nonbelievers will know we belong to Jesus (Jesus said this) by *ONE* thing….
OUR LOVE.
Last point: it has been hard to be Catholic for 2000 years.
The first 300 years, we were KILLED – just for loving Jesus.
It has been, is, and always will be a challenge – we will suffer just as He did.
Heaven.
That is our goal.
In Heaven with Him, and upon meeting Jesus, hearing Him say, "Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into my happiness."
July 15, 2010 at 7:08 pm
This comment has been removed by the author.
July 15, 2010 at 7:09 pm
98% People who comment on NCRonline.org
100% They should allow ordination of women
100% Priestly celibacy is wrong…
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"Hope these help. Please feel free to add your own."
These are funny, but in what sense should this help? Usually assuming that 90% of people you meet, even in catholic environments, are anti-catholic, it is a good assumption (sadly).
July 15, 2010 at 7:35 pm
I'll help you out Jules by listing some of the opposite sides.
…historically, the Catholic Church was awful to women.
…really, the Church has no moral authority over people.
…it's awful that the Church won't do anything about those pedophile priests
…Mary was obviously just a lady.
Basically, the essence of anti-Catholic rhetoric to me is not knowing anything about the Church, but thinking you know MORE about the Church than practical Catholics. You didn't do any research, you just made a bad Bill Maher joke your opinion.
Two gets you four that these statements will come from someone "Who respects everyone's opinion."