Catholic Bashing
Two things happened to me today that showed me just how ugly people can be. Especially when it comes to religion in general and Catholicism in particular.
I woke up this morning and read an opinion written by someone who quoted an obviously non-Catholic website that referred to a certain pop star as satanic. The writer was clearly upset and pointed out that “the fools who created the website didn’t know what it means to be Christian.”
I couldn’t agree more, however, I had to question the writer’s understanding of the faith when he/she went on to add this comment:
Remember the writer is commenting on an opinion he found on a non-Catholic website. Somehow or other he/she decided to use this opportunity to attack Catholics.
Now, this upset me greatly and it upset me not just because I’m Catholic and don’t appreciate being called a devil worshiper, but because the writer was perfectly comfortable blasting one group for labeling someone he/she admired as satanic and then turning around and doing the same thing to Catholics. I couldn’t believe the hypocrisy. I couldn’t believe the insensitivity. I just couldn’t believe how easily this person could condemn one ignorant opinion with another one!
Even though I am not one to want to start a fight I couldn’t help responding to the Catholic bashing. I essentially told the writer that calling Catholics devil worshipers sounded a whole lot like the website he/she was so appalled at for claiming that his pop star’s music is Satanic!
I wasn’t surprised that the writer couldn’t follow the jest of what I was saying. They were not moved to reconsider the fairness of their opinion. They couldn’t see their own hypocrisy. The irony of their statement was completely lost on them. Like I said, I wasn’t surprised.
Instead, they insisted that Catholics have been “mislead into blindly worshiping the devil.” They admitted to the boldness of their statement but insisted that:
Clearly this person has no more idea about the truth of my faith than the obviously non-Catholic website has about his pop star’s.
What a way to start the day, huh?
Well, the tone set by my first contact of the day continued into the afternoon.
I went to the museum to see the Illuminated Bible. I attended the private exhibition with a small group of my mother’s friends. We had our own tour guide and a couple we did not know just started tagging along. No problem. We could all enjoy learning about the exquisite documents on display. Right? Wrong!
This couple began asking the guide how she became such an expert on the bible. She said that she and my mother attended a four-year bible study program sponsored by the archdiocese. What did she want to say that for?!
This couple launched into a sardonic diatribe about how Catholics knew nothing about the bible. How dare they? Here they were tagging along with a group of Catholic women touring an exhibit of the first Illuminated Bible commissioned in 500 years. A bible that was designed to honor God, multiculturalism, and modern society. A bible commissioned by Catholics mind you. A bible crafted by artisans from all over the world using materials and techniques that would ensure that it would be around for a thousand years. And here these people were saying that Catholics know nothing of the bible! What audacity!!!
Well, I’ve had enough.
I’m hear to tell you what my Granmama told me… God don’t like ugly!
I woke up this morning and read an opinion written by someone who quoted an obviously non-Catholic website that referred to a certain pop star as satanic. The writer was clearly upset and pointed out that “the fools who created the website didn’t know what it means to be Christian.”
I couldn’t agree more, however, I had to question the writer’s understanding of the faith when he/she went on to add this comment:
When will people realise that Catholosism is a misconception of the Bible? When will people realise that God is a loving God. He doesn't hate people, he's not to be feared... that's Satan. Catholosism is blind worship of the devil.
Remember the writer is commenting on an opinion he found on a non-Catholic website. Somehow or other he/she decided to use this opportunity to attack Catholics.
Now, this upset me greatly and it upset me not just because I’m Catholic and don’t appreciate being called a devil worshiper, but because the writer was perfectly comfortable blasting one group for labeling someone he/she admired as satanic and then turning around and doing the same thing to Catholics. I couldn’t believe the hypocrisy. I couldn’t believe the insensitivity. I just couldn’t believe how easily this person could condemn one ignorant opinion with another one!
Even though I am not one to want to start a fight I couldn’t help responding to the Catholic bashing. I essentially told the writer that calling Catholics devil worshipers sounded a whole lot like the website he/she was so appalled at for claiming that his pop star’s music is Satanic!
I wasn’t surprised that the writer couldn’t follow the jest of what I was saying. They were not moved to reconsider the fairness of their opinion. They couldn’t see their own hypocrisy. The irony of their statement was completely lost on them. Like I said, I wasn’t surprised.
Instead, they insisted that Catholics have been “mislead into blindly worshiping the devil.” They admitted to the boldness of their statement but insisted that:
Catholosism is centered around fear. Fear is the way of the devil… the Catholic church is hypocritical… there is nothing so far from what the Bible promotes, than the Catholic church.
Clearly this person has no more idea about the truth of my faith than the obviously non-Catholic website has about his pop star’s.
What a way to start the day, huh?
Well, the tone set by my first contact of the day continued into the afternoon.
I went to the museum to see the Illuminated Bible. I attended the private exhibition with a small group of my mother’s friends. We had our own tour guide and a couple we did not know just started tagging along. No problem. We could all enjoy learning about the exquisite documents on display. Right? Wrong!
This couple began asking the guide how she became such an expert on the bible. She said that she and my mother attended a four-year bible study program sponsored by the archdiocese. What did she want to say that for?!
This couple launched into a sardonic diatribe about how Catholics knew nothing about the bible. How dare they? Here they were tagging along with a group of Catholic women touring an exhibit of the first Illuminated Bible commissioned in 500 years. A bible that was designed to honor God, multiculturalism, and modern society. A bible commissioned by Catholics mind you. A bible crafted by artisans from all over the world using materials and techniques that would ensure that it would be around for a thousand years. And here these people were saying that Catholics know nothing of the bible! What audacity!!!
Well, I’ve had enough.
I’m hear to tell you what my Granmama told me… God don’t like ugly!
posted by LightAndShadow at
1:15:00 PM
6 Comments:
Hi,
Thanks so much for sharing.... I can deeply appreciate where you are coming from. Although, perhaps a little too close for comfort.
I live, and was raised in Northern Ireland, where religious bigotry is rife.
I used to watch people who would attend our local church on a Sunday morning, and by Monday evening, they'd be condemning a neighbour because he/she was of the opposing religion.
These same individuals would fight, kill, and maim others in order to make their point; yet shockingly would return to Church each Sunday, as if their work had the approval of God.
It used to make me sick; and still does.
Thank you for taking the time to talk about a subject, which is very close to my heart.
The Bean
By
The Bean, at 12:41 PM
Ahhhh, you learned the hard way, didn't you?
Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, Jew, Buddists... so many flavors yet inherent in all is the foundation of pure and simple love. Sadly, instead of focusing on that we fight to be right!
Thank you so much for leaving a comment...
By
LightAndShadow, at 12:49 PM
Hmmph. I'm not even gonna get into how rudely an EMT spoke to me in an ambulance once when he asked what religion i was after i asked to be taken to what happened to be a Catholic hospital for treatment. Lets just say, if i hadn't been hurting up in that mug, he would've found out firsthand how un-Catholic i can be. LOL
Aside from that, i dunno; i consider myself Catholic solely based on my baptism and my grandparents' total immersion of me in it when i was young; i attended a catholic preschool run by nuns, my mother went to catholic junior high school, is buried in a catholic cemetery; *I* myself have a plot there waiting for me...it seems as though since my mother passed, with all the events of the last year or so, i've been confronted with the fact that i'm religiously on a borderline more often than ever before. i pretty much consider myself 'lapsed' and/or not a big fan of organized religion, but a friend of mine in london (devoutly Cath.) says to me, 'L, catholicism is calling to you'. i thought she was a bit crazy, but who knows? somehow i ended up at that Catholic hospital, conversing with the nuns bedside, sitting in the chapel feeling peaceful; i look down, and Roman Catholic is written on my MedicAlert bracelet next to my blood type and my allergies..there's a cross hanging inbetween my mother's pictures in my hallway, a rosary in my bedside table... Maybe she was right?
By
Danielle's Daughter, at 3:29 PM
God is the important thing! Catholic or not. Ya know what I mean?
Loving God and loving each other must be at the heart of whatever "religion" we choose to practice.
By
LightAndShadow, at 4:02 PM
Ah..u might not want to talk to me anymore..I've bashed Catholics..but wait! Don't not approve! I am a former Catholic...15 yrs..from baby to teen and for all that...nevermore to the Catholic church..u should ask me why..this falling away came after an intense reading of the Bible..the issues I have with Mother Church are too much for a comment!
By
Beloved of El Elyon, at 9:59 PM
Beloved,
How can I go on and on about forgiveness and then refuse to talk to you because you've done some Catholic Bashing?
No, dear, I'm trying to live according to one key principal... Love God and Love Others.
Don't worry I refuse to miss out on relationships because of differences in theology!
Peace.
By
LightAndShadow, at 6:09 AM
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