Letter: Prejudice against Catholicism

The headline in the Sunday, March 3, Advocate excitedly announced, “New pope to emerge from conclave.” Holy Shinola, Sherlock! What was your first clue? This type of revelation typifies the news coverage seen since Pope Benedict XVI chose to step down. At least this article went on to quote a priest and an archbishop who actually knew what they were talking about. The news media’s coverage of all things Catholic shows an outsider’s lack of sound knowledge of their subject that is rightly expected from well-paid professional journalists.

Though they are supposedly sophisticated, their lack of interest in informed reporting involves them in the only socially acceptable prejudice allowed today. I am certain the myth of media objectivity has now all but disappeared among discerning people since criticism of every conceivable ethnicity or personal persuasion brings swift condemnation except for Christian/Catholic positions. Persons of good conscience will want to ponder what this portends.

The day Pope Benedict announced his retirement, The Advocate ran a photo, closely cropped from chin to eyebrows, which had quite a sinister look about it. Then followed an editorial cartoon lampooning the College of Cardinals as senile buffoons. If the topic were African witch doctors or American Indian medicine men, then the subject would be presented respectfully as the “wisdom of the elders,” but since it is mostly older white men a politically correct yet morally wrong slander could not be resisted.

The Roman Catholic Church is the only institution on the planet immune to the kinds of corrupting and undermining tactics that are employed by the worldlings who hate the wisdom of tradition and who despise an uncompromising virtue. Adaptations and reforms have always been part of Church history, but not in doctrines of faith and morals. This is not because the Church will not change them, but since genuine authority is not a matter for private judgment, the Church cannot change truths that transcend time and place.

The Catholic Church, unlike nearly all other institutions, will never bow before the politically correct gods of today’s thought police. It is the Church’s hierarchical structure and the institutional wisdom of its elders, drawing on two millennia of experience that keep the proverbial “gates of hell” from prevailing against it.

I have some good advice, of the type a brother would give, for all who use words to make their living. You may find it in the good book where it is written, “Be not deceived, God is not mocked.” Not successfully anyway.

Viva Pope Francis!

Chris Griswold

glazier

Baton Rouge

Comments

1) Comment by cfg60 - 30/03/2013

My dear friend 1ryben. . . . . . You Chicken!!

2) Comment by cfg60 - 25/03/2013

Dear 1ryben, You may obtain your copy of the assigned book at your friendly online book dealer for about $12. I am obtaining mine also. So much to respond to and so little time! You are still blaming God for the acts of others. God is not the author of evil, just the judge of it. Your are the one with the "magical thinking" that the omnipotent deity manipulates His creatures as puppets on a string. "Free will" is not a cop-out, it is a reality. You have free will and look what you do with it, use the life, breath and freedom God gave you to slander Him. Were I you I would not be so demanding of justice for others (although there IS ultimate justice) because each of us is in need of mercy which is just the opposite. No one and no institution is perfect or has always been honorable, made up as they must be of fallen humans, and this certainly includes you. God extends mercy to all contrite people whose evil eventually causes them to turn away from it toward him, right up until the time when the will becomes fixed and judgment awaits, the moment of death. Were I you I would turn my attention away from others over whom you have no influence and center instead on the mulitple millions of your own egregious sins about which you will give an account to Him who judges justly. Mercy, not justice, for ourselves and all others, however evil their actions, should be first priority. I am just full of good advice. For you I would advocate less emphasis on the details of the abuses ("pelvic thrusting") because to someone less charitable it could sound suspiciously like delectation on your part. I still have heard nothing from you on the obvious campaign of deliberate disinformation about Catholic culpability in sexual abuse matters. Respondent conditioning, also known as Pavlovian conditioning, has been used to inculcate you and others with demonstrably false impressions. It is the subtle form of the old style propaganda which was at least straight-forward about its motives. The authoritarians of today are more scientific in their mind conditioning techniques. While on the subject of good books I reccommend to all David Mamet's one entitled, "The Secret Knowledge," especially pages 21 - 28 where he speaks of these respondent conditioning techniques being used to forge false ideas in the public consciousness. Mamet is the pulitzer prize winning playwrite, author, screenwriter and essayist who embodied all that the American Left stood for. The jacket blurb says, "But in recent years Mamet has had a change of heart. He realized that the so-called mainstream media outlets he relied on were irredeemably biased, peddling a hypocritical and deeply flawed worldview. In 2008 He wrote a hugely controversial op-ed for the Village Voice titled, "Why I am no longer a 'Brain-Dead Liberal," in which he methodically eviscerated liberal beliefs." Mamet overcame the disinformation of the Leftoid media to achieve a coherent world view. So can all who see these words. The question asked, and still unanswered, was, "Why are they lying to you?" Specifically, why has the Catholic Church been singled out by those who falsely call themselves Liberal for a campaign of disinformation aimed at discrediting it as an institution? Everything about the framing of this issue has been aimed at undermining the institution of the Church instead of looking objectively at the actions of a number of homosexuals masquerading as priests who used their position to gain access to teenage boys, and that is not pedophilia but pederasty. Why have you only heard that from me? Why should the clergy abuse scandal not be used to purge their ranks of false priests who never intended to keep their vows, instead of defaming the Church's prestige? Why single out Catholicism instead of pointing blame where it rightly belongs? In plain words, what makes Roman Catholicism such a potent foe of all "Illiberalism" that such a disinformation campaign resulted from a hostile and biased press? Why? Any answers?

3) Comment by cfg60 - 24/03/2013

Dear 1ryben, DONE!! I have been wanting to read Hitchen's book anyway. I have always liked his contrarian style but not his offbeat beliefs. I read mine and you read yours. The despotic clock is kicking me off now. More later

4) Comment by 1ryben - 23/03/2013

It's not media bias when they report on abuse by priests. You admitted yourself that catholic priests have used their authority to sexually take advantage of youth. It is fact that bishops and cardinals did not report these allegations to authorities. That they just transferred these deviants. The media reported abuse by catholic priests. well, they were catholic, and they were priests. That's not media bias. Truth is not media bias. The bias is transferred from the reader. You, as a catholic is more sensitive to the articles that point out the wrong doings of your church. I just read in the paper that a youth pastor received a 20+ year sentence for sex with a juvenile. I guess the media is biased there too. The issue is that the Catholic Church feels like it is the victim of some sort of slander or smear campaign. Its not. My bias leads me to believe that the media is actually too soft on religious issues. too scared to offend. They often sit on stories for fear of getting the natives riled up. Your main source is a study commissioned by catholic bishops...no bias there? You try to deflect criticism of the church by pointing to others that are just as, or more guilty as them. It still does not absolve the Catholic Church of any guilt. That is such a childish argument. >>>free will, such a cop out. It's a get out of jail free card for your god. You people pray for guidance all the time. When things go well, you thank god for his grace. Yet I'm the evil doer when I blame god for ignoring the cries of those for whom evil is being forced upon them. They didn't chose or welcome the abuse. FORCED! One pelvic thrust at a time. Truth be told though, I don't blame god for any of those atrocities. Because there is no god. These were/are evil men doing evil things. To blame god is akin to pointing the finger at Sasquatch. Again, if you do believe in a god though, shouldn't you hold that god to at least the same moral standards as man? If you do believe in an all powerful, all knowing god, how can you not hold him accountable for either action or inaction? >>>if I didn't want people to read my comments, I wouldn't have posted them on the Internet for the world to see. You can cast as many magic spells toward me as you wish....sorry, I mean pray...yea, pray, because that's so different. Which idol...I mean saint will you send my way? Threatening me with fire and brimstone is pointless. I do not, in anyway believe nor have I been presented with any evidence of such place. Why don't you threaten me with unicorns too (that's in your book also) >>>I'll do your homework, if you'll do mine. God Is Not Great by Christopher Hitchens and the God Delusion by Richard Dawkins. Or read the book that started it all for me, the book that made me begin to question my faith (I was a full on Catholic believer)....The Bible.

5) Comment by cfg60 - 23/03/2013

Christ himself announced his own "zero tolerance" policy when he said, "It would be better for him if a millstone were put around his neck and he be thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin." It may well be that the infamous few (4,392) priests accused of dishonoring their clerical collar will find it to eventually be their own personal millstone. And then, on the other hand, 105,302 men wore the same collar with honor and distinction, laying down their lives in service to their congregations, humbly ministering the sacraments to them in fidelity to their vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. The whole of their lives are spent (after they can clear their desks of an overload of administrative tasks) in counseling faith to the despairing, provisioning the destitute, visiting the prisoner and giving comfort to the dying often times in circumstances of heroic self sacrifice. Many of these are, "Men of whom the world was not worthy," (Hebrews 11:38). This should give you something to meditate on.

6) Comment by cfg60 - 23/03/2013

Dear 1ryben, I read your former post, I read your latter post, and I hope that it doesn't violate any "terms of use" clause to inform you that you are as much of a practicing prevaricator as the biased news media that was the topic of all my postings. I have yet to see anything that you have posted that speaks appropriately on topic and in specific to what has actually been said. You will need to cite for me your sources about anyone justifying the raping of children, or defending these actions. Whether diliberately or not you are not speaking to the issue that was clearly raised, which was the lies of the supposedly trustworthy news media. By doing so you are aping the liars who slander the Church by false assertions of culpability. Scandals are as heinous to those inside the Church as to those outside of it, although they generally are not so hysterical as some others seem to be. The news media has falsely framed the scandal as particularly Catholic and singularly pedophile which cannot be supported by the FACTS which have been cited for you. Point out to me where I have excused or defended child rape or else hold your peace. Respond to the issues which have been raised instead of going off on irrelevant tangents which avoid facing the issue at hand, that the news media and you as well are slandering the Church with false allegations. If you actually do oppose child abuse then use up some of your inner hysteria on the public school system (twice as guilty as the Catholic Church) or on protestant churches (more citations of abuse than the Catholic Church) but be sure to cite primary sources, as I have done, so thay you may be thought of as a cogently coherent participant in a sane debate. If you cannot do so then we are entitled to the understanding that you are simply another irrational Catholic hater with personal issues that probably need counseling. As for God Himself, he has given everyone their own free will to use it for good or for ill. He will not smite down evildoers in the act of using their God given free will for evil, but he will hold them responsible for all their actions by judging the intents of their heart. There truly is ultimate justice and no one ever really gets away with anything at all ever. This is the soundest advice that can ever be given to anybody. And finally, I apoligize for ruining your day by telling you that I have printed out some of the more extreme posts in this debate and am distributing them to good people who will pray for you at the holy sacrifice of the mass. In this way it may be possible for you to avoid being ashamed on the day of judgement but of course the Creator of the universe requires some cooperation on your part. God is not the author of evil, but He is the judge of it. For a much needed act of Lenten penance you may obtain the book "Pope Benedict XVI and the Sexual Abuse Crisis," by Erlandson and Bunson. It is a groundbreaking, critically objective assessment of the criticism facing the pope as well as a review of his response the the victims, abusers, bishops, media and the millions of Catholics worldwide who continue to be justifiably horrified by the scandal. This book lets the pope's record speak for itsellf. After you have equipped yourself with facts and discarded the hysteria please complete your penance by posting your book report here online where we can all benefit from your research.

7) Comment by 1ryben - 22/03/2013

Please read my previous comment. I knew you'd try to use math to justify the raping of children, or however you try to justify it. These men used their position s of power to sexually force themselves on others. That's awful no matter how you slice it. Then, to have the church leaders do NOTHING! Yet you people still defend their actions. Pathetic. If a human saw a man raping a child and did nothing about it you'd label him a monster. Yet, your all powerful and all knowing god did just that and it's all fine. Why would we hold our gods to a lesser standard than we hold ourselves? You people say we should try to live our lives as god would. You say what would Jesus do, but you also say Jesus is god, so what did he do? Nothing, nothing at all. He did nothing to help the victim. Be like Jesus/God No thank you! He is a monster, a terrible human being. Petulant, vengeful, awful monster.

8) Comment by cfg60 - 22/03/2013

Dear Brother Bouncer, I see where your comment from 3/20 was removed for "violation of terms of use." I wish they had not done that. I was not bothered by it. And when you said that I should, "Plant your lips firmly on my . . . . and stick your religion where the sun don't shine" you did not even use the common three letter synonym for "donkey" but an utterly inoffensive word. Speech is either free or it isn't and I always favor free speech. I hope you or anyone else won't be offended if I comment that in addition to the impossibility of your suggestion ever happening there is also the added impediment of the fact that your sizable head seems to be firmly implanted in your own rebuttal. Thanks so much.

9) Comment by cfg60 - 21/03/2013

Published in 2004 by the John Jay Institute of Criminal Justice at the City University of New York was an exhaustive study entitled, “The Nature and Scope of the Problem of Sexual Abuse of Minors by Catholic Priests and Deacons in the United States. “ Commissioned by the United States Catholic Bishops Conference it is the authoritative source for empirical information on the sex abuse scandal in the Catholic Church. All are invited to go there and wade through its many pages and graphs and tables to your heart’s content. The study covers the years 1950 to 2002. During that time 109,694 men served as priests in a wide variety of capacities in the Church. Out of that number a total of 4,392 (4%) were reported to have been involved in wrongdoing. From that number only 149 persons account for a full quarter (26%) of all incidents reported during that half century. By percentages that means that 96% served with honor and distinction while 4% were said to have criminal behaviors and .135% of all priests committed 26% of all offenses. For those with common sense it will not need to be pointed out that this scandal cannot be as statistically pervasive or endemic as has been portrayed by the national press. For those without common sense nothing short of judgment day will suffice to satisfy their craving for self righteous ego gratification so they will just have to wait for it. The scandal has been reported as particularly Catholic and singularly pedophile and neither can be supported by the data. A pedophile is fixated only on prepubescent children generally thought of as younger than eleven years old (Harvard Mental Health Letter July, 2010). Four fifths (79%) of all cases involving Catholic clergy are victims between eleven and seventeen years old. Since pedophilia is considered a distinct sexual orientation of its own, another word must be used to apply to the bulk of the offenses. A curious word, “ephebophilia” (Greek, “upon puberty) has been put forth but the most common term for an older adult who fixates on youthful but sexually mature victims is “pederast.” A more reasonable accounting of this scandal would involve looking honestly into the phenomena of homosexual and/or pederast priests if you care to make the distinction. No one is certain of the precise number of true pedophiles in the population but they seem to gravitate towards the helping professions and some estimates place their numbers as high as 10% within certain job categories. What data there is suggests that the incidence of pedophiles is much higher in other segments of society than that of Catholic clergy and without the pederast problem the Church would have a lower than average child abuse ratio compared to the general population at large. The false impression of Catholicism is exacerbated by the fact that Catholicism is the most numerous of all denominations and has more ordained clergy than some others’ total membership. The Church is centrally directed and has well organized files on its personnel which may be targeted by lawyers for subpoena that other denominations lack. There are a large number of independent protestant Christian churches with larger child abuse records but are not classifiable as a particular type and not so handy for branding by name as the Catholic Church is. There is no “pedophile pastor” impressed into the national consciousness as was done with “pedophile priest.” Utterly unreported by the Catholic bashing press is another report also published in 2004 entitled, “Educator Sexual Misconduct: a Synthesis of Existing Literature,” which reveals that there are hundreds of thousands more abuse allegations lodged against school personnel than Catholic priests and that your children are more than twice as likely to be exposed to improper contact at school than at any other venue. No “pedophile pedant” term has been given common coin in the public consciousness nor has much of this behavior been reported at all except in the sensational ways so beloved by our tawdry news media. It may be well argued that since 2002 when the U. S. Conference of Catholic Bishops instituted the “Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People” which established essential norms that the safest environment for children in America today is at a Catholic Church. In 2009, for instance, there were only six credible cases reported in the Bishop’s annual audit. There is much, much, much more substance to be had by an objective study of this topic but I am weary after a day of outdoor work and now want to go home from the library and rest. Any intellectually honest person will recognize that an illiberal campaign has been waged against the Church by a lying and hostile press. You good people have been made by respondent conditioning to believe in lies. There never has been and never can be a truly objective news media as they so stoutly assert. The myth of media objectivity is as untruthful as the myth of the “pedophile priest.” The question to be asked is not, “Are they lying to us?” The question to ask is, “Why are they lying to us?” How is it that you don’t know these things? Will the lying media repent and apologize and make restitution? Can you be at one and the same time a faithful Catholic Priest who has sworn holy vows and also a child abusing pederast as well? Why is it that the Catholic Church has been singled out for this slander from among many other more guilty institutions? Why has the overwhelming homosexual nature of the scandal, older men seducing teenage boys, been ignored? Since they have overlooked so much alternative evidence may we conclude that the press does not actually care about the safety of children but only for their self serving propaganda campaigns? How can the highly paid national press overlook the obvious data while an untutored, uncredentialed blue collar craftsman can easily locate the suppressed truth? Will our hometown paper, the Advocate, immediately assign some of their news hounds to follow this hot trail and expose the dereliction of duty by their brother journalists? Your friendly neighborhood window glazier is now signing off. Godspeed.

10) Comment by 1ryben - 20/03/2013

I'll help you. Take the total number of priests and divide by those suspected of child rape. Then tell me the small percentage of the priestly population that engage in those activities. Please explain to me also how a group of men that preach on such high moral fortitude can, as an institution, attempt to cover up the rape of children. No, reassigning priests to a different parish is not doing something about the problem. Take as long as you wish. Those priests did...until they got caught. The institutional coverup is the tougher pill to swallow. Had they been honest. Had they turned these child molesters into the athorities upon first notice, I'd be much more forgiving. Why didn't your god step up to help these poor kids? Where was he? How can he allow these evil men to represent him? How? Was it his plan (as your kind always say)? That's one messed up plan. Or maybe, maybe...there is no plan. Or, more probable still, no God. Certainly not one of such worship and adulation. If this God were a person, he'd be one vile human being.

11) Comment by cfg60 - 20/03/2013

Geez, guys, give me a break! Since you need a first rate explanation it takes time. My last post was yesterday afternoon and this morning I am stealing time to write a rough draft before I go to my income producing activities. We of the humble working poor have neither the time nor the assets to spend all day pursuing our passions. However, I like the idea of "the smoking gun" and will want to use it. Perhaps later on today, or more likely, this evening I can post my rough draft and you jolly fellows can help me edit it. I know I am not alone in my bemusement with those who so passionately hate the god they don't believe in that they have to go apoplectic over it. Have a really good day.

12) Comment by Bouncer - 20/03/2013

****Comment Removed for Violation of Terms of Use****

13) Comment by 1ryben - 19/03/2013

Well, it sounds like you have some facts. Share them. Enlighten us. If there really is a smoking gun of sorts. Why hold it in? If I were accused of a crime and I had proof of my innocence I certainly wouldn't keep that proof a secret! None the less, I'll play along. Sure, they're lying to me. He worldwide media is in on a conspiracy. You're right, I've never pondered why they'd lie to me. So, why? Why are they lying to me? Stay tuned? for what? Look, I gave you specific costumes and magic spells and idols. Where are your specifics. Either step up or step out. I'm amazed that the gospels make sense to anyone. That book is so full of holes and contradictions there is no way it's God's word. If so, he's a lousy god at worst and at best a terrible writer. At least L. Ron Hubbard's (he's the guy who started that Scientology cult) books are funny.

14) Comment by cfg60 - 19/03/2013

Dear 1ryben, You have not yet seen the facts, figures and full story on priestly pedophilia but when all of you do it will cause you to want to re-examine your premises and adapt to a fuller reality. This takes time and I must go to the library to use a computer, being one of the humble working poor. I can give you a hint of the context though. The question is not, "Are they lying to you?" The question to consider is, "WHY are they lying to you?" Stay tuned. And Bouncer, my bouncy friend, I am a rational, thinking adult also, and the gospels make perfect sense to me and are attested to by all human experience and natural law. Your ad hominem insults (whack job) or your self admitted scorn add nothing to the dialogue and detract from your message. Perhaps you slapped yourself silly. I hope you can recover before I get to log on again. Ciao

15) Comment by Bouncer - 19/03/2013

cfg60....Inordinate "pride"? That's a knee-slapper, coming from someone who is so full of himself and his own moral superiority as you are. However you choose to interpret what I said, as scornful (which it definitely is) or prideful (which is open to debate) the point is that as a rational, thinking adult, I have no use for fairy tales or for your imaginary friend in the sky. Like most religious whack jobs, you're simply delusional. However, it is not my place to try to dislodge you from your delusion, just as it is not your place to try to "teach" or "instruct" me in the ways of your voodoo. I'm not interested and couldn't agree more with what 1ryben says.

16) Comment by 1ryben - 18/03/2013

You get atheism all wrong. It's a non belief. It's not a religion. Calling or referencing or comparing atheism to religion is like calling bald a hair color. There is no hair! There is no belief. Now as to atheist organizations not starting schools for the poor, opened hospitals to care for the sick, opened food banks to feed the hungry, or given abused women a better option than killing their unborn child. (That last one is a load of hogwash, but that's not the topic). That may be true to a degree, but there are many secular and non-religiously affiliated groups that do good work. Even if we were to agree that those things are great for humanity, there is no doubt that the Catholic Church is also responsible for many other crimes against humanity. Shall we make a list or will you just call me a liar? Or you'll tell me that was the past, the church is different now.

17) Comment by 1ryben - 18/03/2013

I do not claim to be nor ever have claimed to be a liberal. I am independent. If I'm wrong about costumes, we're just arguing nomenclature. What do you call those silly little outfits your priests wear during mass? The shepherd's staff? Sounds like dress up to me. Catholics certainly believe in magic spells. How would you explain this water, after some manic spells...ok, prayers....turn into "Holy Water" or that cracker and wine turning into the actual honest to goodness body and blood of Jesus? It's just ordinary wine and unleavened bread until the pest says his magic spell...there I go again, I'm sorry, prayer. You guys even have a special word for it, transubstantiation. Idol worship, oh yea, heard of the rosary? That's a prayer to a false god at the least. Look around your church, it's full of idols. All those saints...yes, more idols. Wrong on pedophelia! Get your head out of the sand! Ratzenberger himself covered up the molestation of children by catholic priests under his command...or watch...or supervision, whatever. Yet that didn't stop him from ascending to the highest office in all of Catholicville. Bestowed upon the protector of the molestor...infallibility! Must be exhausting to never be wrong, he did quit after all.

18) Comment by cfg60 - 18/03/2013

Dear 1ryben, My apologies, but I have to inform you that you are wrong on “costumes,” wrong on “magic spells,” wrong on “super secret he-man woman haters,” wrong on” idol worship,” wrong on “controlling and power mad,” and wrong on “pedophilia.” Don’t miss the upcoming exposition (you are wrong on “screed,” Bouncer) on that very topic which will cause you to question everything you “know.” About everything else you are merely ignorant. Or, if you prefer, agnostic. Means the same thing. I think I know what happened. I got a double dose of catechism instruction and you got none. Sorry about that. I would give you your portion back if I could, assuming that you ever really had it. Your “deep and thoughtful introspection,” sounds to me just like any other mal-informed protestant catholic bashing diatribe. I was once as you are, having been raised a protestant, but the overwhelming preponderance of evidence is too great not to bring the weight of it over into the Catholic camp. Over a fifteen year period I slowly came to be convinced that not only was everything I was ever told about Catholicism not true, it was actually the opposite of what was true. There is no objection, no disputation, no controversy that cannot be resolved satisfactorily in an intellectually honest way. I usually answer people who ask me why I became Catholic with, “Because it is rational.” Being uninformed they answer, “Gee, I would have thought just the opposite,” which is another demonstration of the inverted reality which afflicts the mis-educated non-believer. Not only that but the attraction of the great treasure house of Catholic Tradition and history and the genuine authority of its magisterium are like seeing mountain peaks at a distance, one peeking out from behind the other. I am very sorry that you were robbed of your birthright by non-orthodox teachers or insipid instruction or whatever was the cause because the value of Catholic belief and practice are infinite. I had to come the long way around the barn to arrive there and perhaps that’s why I treasure it all the more. Dear Bouncer, to say to someone, “Get a grip, and get a life,” is a demonstration of inordinate pride in self and scorn of others, both sins. As for lengthy writings, I am not semi-literate and can toss off half a dozen of them between dinner and desert. Be of good cheer.

19) Comment by bayouboy77 - 18/03/2013

Doesn't anyone find it funny these days how many people will bash Christianity (especially Catholicism) at the first available chance, yet then claim to be "Liberals"??? Why don't these same people bash other faiths??? I don't believe I have ever read in article in any newspaper with such intense criticisms of Judaism or Islam. And if a newspaper were to print such an article, I wonder how long it would take for the article to be taken down, and the national media to pick up the story of how a major newspaper published "hate speech"? Why doesn't bashing Christians fall under "hate speech"? HUGE double standard, especially for people who consider themselves "liberals". Liberal means 'free from prejudice, tolerant'. Go ahead, look it up. The definition is in the dictionary. Most liberals are only liberal when it comes to people who agree with their philosophy of life. But when it comes to Catholic Christians like me, they are all of a sudden so much less tolerant. Go figure. Don't know of ANY atheist organizations that have started schools for the poor, opened hospitals to care for the sick, opened food banks to feed the hungry, or given abused women a better option than killing their unborn child. You guys can keep the Catholic bashing going, but the proof is in the pudding. God Bless.

20) Comment by 1ryben - 18/03/2013

Of all the things I said, you take issue most with your costumes? Really?!? Hate filled? I don't hate you or your religion I just think its dumb. Intolerant? Yea, maybe. I don't think I'm wrong for not tolerating the ridiculousness of your costumes and magic spells. Ignorant, nope. Former Catholic, altar boy, K-12 Catholic school, a minor in Religious Studies. I did not come into my disbelief without deep and thoughtful introspection. I am anything but ignorant. We can make a list of the ignorance of the Catholic Church if you'd like. I don't think that the church is ignorant however, just controlling and power mad.

21) Comment by Bouncer - 18/03/2013

Anyone who has time to write such a lengthy screed on something of such comparatively little interest to everyone (Catholicism) seriously needs to get a grip. And a life.

22) Comment by cfg60 - 18/03/2013

You dear people are so good to me. You know my time is limited so you set me up with easy to rebut assertions. Postscript56 says, “Have you even read the Bible?” Why, yes I have. I was raised in the Presbyterian Church which starts children on Bible study at they same time they are learning to read. Not only have I read it I have logged thousands of hours in Bible study, an essential qualification since it is not self explaining and in need of authoritative interpretation. Why you would wrongly assert that I don’t know that the Church has always been persecuted (and always will be) mystifies me but it is a mistaken assumption on your part. Almost all the Old Testament prophets were killed for failing to win friends and influence people because of their inveterate habit of speaking Truth to power. All of Jesus’ inner circle were killed except one, and all of the early popes were fated to experience martyrdom up until the fourth century time of Constantine. My purpose was to speak against the settled predisposition in all media, national and local, to practice their prejudices against an institution that the intrinsic content of their own writings show they are clueless about. MBW says that, “One headline and one photo,” do not a prejudice make, and he/she is right so far as that goes. Most of you dear ones are not attentive enough since you are not involved enough within the topic to notice that ALL secular reporting on Catholicism is by people who feel like they have to include some criticism or snide comment that they leave off when other faiths are the topic. It happens all the time but not so a casual and disinterested observer would take notice of it. By the way, I do wish to thank that genial gentleman who is the editor of the opinion page and the powers that be above him for making .001% of their own space available to rebuttals of the prevailing predisposition for anti-Catholic sentiment. Thank you very much. The comment by 1rybn that ends in, “Costume party and all,” is a wonderful specimen of mean spirited, hate filled, ignorant and intolerant rhetoric. And I’ll bet you call yourself a liberal. When twinkiecat writes, “The Catholic Church has NOT been around for two millennia. St. Peter, whom they call the first pope was designated the first head of the Christian Community. . .” he/she makes a curiously self contradictory statement since there was only one Church founded by Jesus and entrusted to Peter and the apostles to take to the world. For 16 centuries that Church was a monolith and was called Catholic, meaning universal. Incidentally, that is why Latin was adopted for the official language for if you are going to have a universal Church you need to have a universal language. Twinkiecat commits the literary sin called “anachronism” by attempting to transpose 20th century culture onto a first century situation. Obviously, if they had been given a glimpse of 20 centuries later they would have marveled at the outcome of their efforts, which seemed so meager at the time, but which have borne fruit and multiplied into a magnificent edifice. In the first chapters of his “Revelation” the apostle John actually is given a glimpse into a far future time and a close study of that work wonderfully resembles the liturgy of modern Catholicism. Finally, nimby’s terse comment, “Organized religion gives certain men the excuse to use “god” as a power control tool,” seems to be almost the sole thoughtful contribution thus far, for it is a self evident truth. It is always true in all human institutions and the next question is, “For what purposes is that influence used?” Is it for the upbuilding of individuals in order that they have a coherent personality integration so that a free and prosperous commonwealth is the result or is it used for self aggrandizement and enrichment by covetous megalomaniacs who care naught for all else but self? That should provoke some thought. Time is up. Must go now and make money to give to those people who need it so much. I don’t need it all that greatly but others seem to have a determined fixation on obtaining it. Stay tuned for an upcoming exposition on the topic so prominent in everyone’s mind: priestly pedophilia.

23) Comment by DMJ - 18/03/2013

The Catholic Church has perpetrated some of the greatest atrocities in history. Your dear, retired Pope Benedict was personally responsible in coverring up for institutionalized child molesting. This great religion of yours was complicit in the Holocaust and, this very day, is in Africa preaching against the use of contraception to prevent the spread of AIDS. That anyone still calls themselves a Catholic with a clear conscience is amazing to me. This archaic, bigotted organization deserves every ounce of criticism it gets and then some. Oh, and let's just pause and consider the irony of the phrase, "prejudice against Catholicism." Are you kidding me? Catholicism practically invented prejudice.

24) Comment by MBW - 17/03/2013

What a ridiculous letter. Chris Griswold takes one headline and one photo from the Advocate (both of which were pretty bland and inoffensive) and spins it into a tale of anti-Catholic bias? Give me a friggin' break. Here we go again: Christians, who make up the overwhelming majority of the US (and LA) populations trying to present themselves as "victims". Give it a rest.

25) Comment by Mygulfbleedsforu - 17/03/2013

You just can't get out there and try to influence the whole world's behavior, then whine that you don't like being in the spotlight. Well, I mean, you can, but don't be surprised at the lack of sympathy.

26) Comment by Mygulfbleedsforu - 17/03/2013

You just can't get out there and try to influence the whole world's behavior, then whine that you don't like being in the spotlight. Well, I mean, you can, but don't be surprised at the lack of sympathy.

27) Comment by nimby? - 17/03/2013

organized religion gives certain men the excuse to use "god" as a power control tool ...

28) Comment by 1ryben - 17/03/2013

How childish! "Hey, he's picking on me. Make him stop it. It's not fair! He says stuff about me, but not her. Boo hoo." C'mon, you people make it so easy with your silly little costumes, smoke signals, super-secret he-man-woman-haters all boys club, pedophilia, idol worship, the list is endless. Here are my two favorites though . So that cracker and juice is really the body and blood of your king after some dude says some magic words? Really? You leader dresses like a shepherd complete with shepherd's staff, he's deemed infallible, you then follow...like sheep! Sheeple of the first degree! Costume party and all.

29) Comment by Bighug - 17/03/2013

Responsible journalism would be putting all the religious news in the Faith section. Why aren't news items about such things as suicide bombings, families killing their daughters for religious reasons, and Christian homes being burned, included there?

30) Comment by A Reader - 16/03/2013

Thank you for this excellent and brave letter. It is timely. The ignorant and vicious "reporting" by the media surrounding the new pope the past few days, including articles in today's "Faith" section, shows clearly how obvious this bias against Catholicism is. Take heart, though. It is one of the marks of the True Church to be persecuted. One can't help but wish the media were only half as dogged in investigating the nooks and crannies of Barack Obama's past as they are of those of Pope Francis. Now that would be responsible journalism.

31) Comment by twinkie1cat - 16/03/2013

The Catholic Church has NOT been around for two millenium. St. Peter, whom they call the first pope was designated as the first head of organized Christianity, but he was a fisherman who would have probably been delighted by our big fishing boats, but totally confused by the pomp, ritual, palaces and especially the red shoes of Catholicism. And while the Catholics of today bow down to worship in front of statues and pray to dead people, he and Paul panicked when the early followers tried to worship them. The first church would have found today's Catholicism absolutely unrecognizable. Peter was not the first pope. He was the first leader of the movement that came to be called Christianity. The Catholics need to get straight on that.

32) Comment by twinkie1cat - 16/03/2013

The Catholic church deserves as much criticism as it gets and more. It should get at least as much as Bobby Jindal, supposedly one of its adherents. I could start with its calling itself "The Church", an offense to all Christians except possibly Catholics. Some pope, maybe John Paul said that the Catholic church was the only Christian church. The others are all "christian communities", whatever that means. There are other groups such as some of the pentecostal and baptist denominations that believe the same way, but will work with Catholics during disasters and unite with them, and even the Mormons, to defeat proposals to extend full human rights to all Americans and on political issues that they should be embracing wildly, such as Obamacare. But they still each think the other is going to hell>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> And then there is the official Catholic policy of discrimination against women. Right! Worship and even pray to Jesus's mama, but don't let her be a priest. It's an old white boy's club like the GOP with some black Africans and Hispanics sprinkled in. The times have changed and the Catholic Church needs to change theologically and socially if it plans to remain relevant.

33) Comment by Bouncer - 16/03/2013

Geek.

34) Comment by krl777 - 16/03/2013

Griswold and rgeraldwallace are both apparently unaware that the "New Atheists" such as Sam Harris and Chistopher Hitchens ridicule and denounce Islam, especially Islamic fundamentalism and fanaticism, every bit as fiercely as they denounce Christianity and Christian fundamentalism, and neither was the least bit deterred by fear of reprisal by Islamic fanatics, rgerald's fevered speculations to the contrary notwithstanding. Iranian mullahs actually come in for a lot of ridicule in our culture (as well they should), but they would get even more ridicule if they were walking among us and speaking to us in English, with hypocritical and paternalistic injunctions about how we must live our lives, as the Catholic Hierarchy and the LFF do. The jokes and ridicule, where we have them, and the denunciations, where we hear them, are a complex function of the proximity of the targets, their status and influence in our society, their wealth and security, and their hypocrisy. The local bishop signs on to dictates about your use of contraception, while he and his fellows may have protected pedophile priests. Meanwhile, your local Sikh community is liable to have a gunman open fire on them in confused "retribution" for the 9/11 attacks. This determines far more of the difference in how they are treated in jokes or portrayals than Political Correctness.

35) Comment by potkcalb - 16/03/2013

My what a broadside you fired cfg60! I don't think you missed anyone. But I repeat the letter is goofy.I hope you are not a Torquemada for our time.

36) Comment by On_The_Fence - 16/03/2013

Sesquipedalian, anyone?

37) Comment by bourbon-soda - 16/03/2013

@cfg60 - good luck with instruction on the logical irrelevance of ad hominems and gratuitous assertions. Could you extirpate them entirely, you would decimate the comment section, at least sociopolitical comment. The letter itself could have used some work, IMO. The close-cropped face seems to be a photojournalistic fad, and selection of images for publication is a useful tool in deniable commentary - the camera may not lie, but neither does it usually tell the whole truth.

38) Comment by nimby? - 16/03/2013

cfg60 , what of genocide in the new world ?

39) Comment by postscript56 - 16/03/2013

cfg60 - Have you even read the Bible? The Old Testament prophecies a "suffering servant," a "sacrificial lamb." All four Gospels have Jesus telling his followers they will be persecuted. The apostle Paul was beaten, jailed and died in prison. Stephen was stoned to death. John beheaded. The Romans fed believers to the lions. Why do you think either you or the modern church should fare any differently? Do you understand what you claim to believe?

40) Comment by cfg60 - 16/03/2013

Please, people, please, ad hominem attacks and deliberate misrepresentations are not substantial. Would any media outlet have lampooned Islam or Judaism or any other world religion as Catholicism has been? Obviously not. The point is that only Christian/Catholic institutions seem to be fair game for slander. And also, get it right! Dear nimby, in England it was the protestants who were drawing and quartering as many Catholics as they could lay their hands on. In France, the revolution tried to exterminate Catholic clergy and nearly did so. And dear chem, you have evidently genuflected before altars of political correctness so much that any race specific reference is regarded as offensive, innocous or not. "African witch doctors and American Indian medicine men" are mentioned as receiving the respect that is also due to Catholicism but which is not extended to them. No offense, no harm, no foul. This is what is so insidious about about the cult of political correctness, it stifles free expression and also inhibits rational thought until its adherents are just reflexive automatons incapable of having all but the narrowest outlook. Speech is either free or it isn't. The P.C. thought police are a menace to liberty straight out of "1984" and should be shunned by all thoughtful, freedom loving people. Finally, dear lovemykids, OK, OK so the Catholic Church is technically only 1,970 years old. Close enought for government work. And please, do not give me that canard that is was a fourth century invention by people distorting the facts. There is absolutely nothing in the writings of the early Church Fathers, first, second, third and fourth century and beyond that does not comport fully with the doctrine and structure of today's Church. So you see, I do know my history and have actually done the reading and study necessary to represent reality instead of relying on fables of anti-Christian bigots. I have a job, and must leave you to go to work, even on Saturday, so I bid you a fond farewell for now. Thanks so much for your time.

41) Comment by chem - 16/03/2013

So what exactly did the media do that showed a lack of knowledge about their subject? Let’s see: The media showed scenes of a bunch of old men in gowns being locked in a room to vote secretly for a new pope. Then their were the pictures of the silly black and then white smoke. After that, the new pope was shown on the balcony. What else is there? Oh, yea. There were all of the reports about how popes are chosen. Then there were the reports about the last time a pope resigned. And all of these reports included catholic clergy and other experts, such as professors of religious history. •••• So then Mr. Griswold is concerned about the editorials about the pope/catholic church. For Mr. Griswold’s enlightenment, that is exactly what editorials do, especially editorial cartoons. No public institution or individual is immune from that process. •••• I wonder if Mr. Griswold realizes how silly and prejudiced he sounds by referring to witch doctors and medicine men in the pejorative. As if the ridiculous notions put forth by his beloved catholic church deserves any better consideration. •••• As has been pointed out previously, Mr. Griswold should learn the history of his church before making such statements as, “wisdom of tradition” and “uncompromising virtue.” Murder, torture, misogyny, pedophilia, support of the Nazis, etc., are all part of that wisdom and virtue.

42) Comment by nimby? - 16/03/2013

the Catholic church has a history using a strong hand in dealing with other religions ; the inquisition , protestants in France , the church of England . it's promotion in the new world resulted in the extinction of many native tribes , others forced into servitude . the pope is a good , Pius man , and he is the church . but I'm not a christian , I don't believe in the church . I believe in the most holy grandfather and the son who walked with the 12 . I don't need to go through channels to speak with my higher power .

43) Comment by cfg60 - 16/03/2013

There was another superfluous study released recently, no doubt paid for with tax money, which claimed to have surveyed people who post things online and discovered most of them are far left radical types with not much else to do except spout off. I cannot vouch for the study, but I see posts here from many of the same people who always feel like they must chime in with their ill considered, uninformed, rudimentary rants which lack all substance, so maybe we have anecdotal confirmation of the supposed study. "Get a life," is not substance. "Goofy letter" says nothing at all. "How did I miss all that prejudicial reporting," ignores the clear examples cited (note the use of actual substance instead of simple rhetoric), and it also indicates an inability to signify reality since the national media is saturated with propaganda against anything traditional and is clearly in opposition to all the underpinnings of Western Civilization. It is the common sense of the Judeo-Christian world view which has created this nation of extravagant freedom and prosperity, and which allows the leisure for the people living the softest lives ever known on the planet to subvert and undermine their own best interests, something like kicking the ladder down after you. Without the foundation of the Christian faith none of you dear people would have the freedom or the education (and mis-education in most cases today) to commit the anti-social acts of subversion so beloved by far out leftoids. My only guess as to why this is so is that their reasoning goes something like, "If there really was a God, how could it not be me?" More later. Ciao

44) Comment by mcarter - 16/03/2013

Totally agree, Chris!

45) Comment by lovemykids - 16/03/2013

Chris the Catholic Church has not been around for two millennium. The Catholic Church also has a history of prejudice, thievery, and torture. Is this some of the experience you are speaking of using.

46) Comment by [e-mail] - 16/03/2013

Great letter, and Griswold said what everybody knows to be true. Have we ever seen any of these bold types who ridicule anything Catholic talk about Islam that way? No indeed, and the reason is that they're afraid to do it because they'll become a target permitted to be killed by fanatics so they have to show their journalistic bravery by beating up on those who don't complain. Bullying? I guess so.

47) Comment by 8point6 - 16/03/2013

Great letter, Chris! And so true!

48) Comment by Bouncer - 16/03/2013

Pfffft. That's the only sort of response a load of hooey like this letter deserves.

49) Comment by InPVille - 16/03/2013

I thought to myself "Whhaaaatttt ! ! !" When I read the line in one article about the papacy that went on about and I quote: "cardinals of voting age".

50) Comment by potkcalb - 16/03/2013

Perhaps someone besides me can figure out how to respond to such a goofy letter.

51) Comment by postscript56 - 16/03/2013

"... the only institution on the planet immune..." Chris, get your head out of the sand. The pedo priest scandal is only the latest corruption in the Catholic church. Maybe if the Catholic heirarchy would come clean about their coverup the church could begin to live up to your expectations.

52) Comment by Bighug - 16/03/2013

Wow! How did I miss all that prejudicial reporting? Thanks for pointing it out, Chris. You may want to consider your statement that "The Roman Catholic Church is the only institution ... ." It probably sounds prejudicial to Baptists, Muslims, Jews, Atheists, Hindus, etc.