Ever since the Pope announced his resignation, it's been a Catholic-bashing free-for-all on DU.

[Brigid]

Even worse than usual. Anti-Catholic bigotry is the one acceptable prejudice on DU. Juries let even the most virulent and extreme hate-filled screeds stand. And we are not allowed to respond unless we want to make things worse. I alerted on an especially bad thread, and it was allowed to stand by 1-5. That is bad enough, but the comments from the jurors were breathtakingly vicious. I also get the feeling that some, while rightly being genuinely offended over issues like pedophilia, are also using this as an excuse for hatred of those who had nothing to do with it. It's really getting frustrating lately.

Thank you for listening and for letting me vent.

[hedgehog]

1. I've been tempted to alert, but figured that I would get shot down.

I try to be understanding. Many people here grew up with terrible experiences with religion in general, not just the Catholic Church. I think they are making up for all the hurt they faced then by posting attacks on Catholicism now. It's bothersome, to say the least, but maybe venting here is less harmful then venting in real life.

We could offer it up for the poor souls in Purgetory?

[Brigid]

5. They ought to get a lot of time off, then.

[LeftInTX]

2. It is upsetting considering that Catholics at one time were a backbone

of the Democratic party.

[TheMadMonk]

3. Beg to differ. It's the CHURCH, and the behaviour of...

...its representatives (priests/nuns) and heirarchy (bishops, cardinals and popes) that are the subjects of ENTIRELY LEGITIMATE bashing.

As far as attacks on religon are concerned, Islam takes a far greater bashing than Catholicism.

[Brigid]

4. I don't entirely buy that.

We are regularly accused of aiding and abetting, among other things, because we have not left the Church. The crimes in question are so heinous, I find that very offensive.

[TheMadMonk]

8. Many are the parents who actively favoured the Church...

...over their own children. Other churchgoers too, sometimes a majority of a multiply accused priest's congregation.

Those I DO accuse of aiding and abetting.

And STILL that is not an attack on the religion itself.

And like it or lump it, your choice to claim membership in an organisation which has been demonstrably morally bankrupt (by its own standards no less) for well over a thousand years, does make you in a small way complict in the actions of the leadership of that organisation.

And still I have not attacked your religion.

You don't have to abandon your faith. However, I do expect you to at least speak up against those who would hide behind it.

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

11. Exactly

I have been accused of supporting pedophilia because I remain a practicing Catholic.

I have been slammed for complaining about anti-religious bigotry on DU, which is obviously far worse than the actual bigotry.

[hedgehog]

6. It is not acceptable here to blame every follower of Islam

for the actions of a few, even when those actions are approved of by some mullahs. (And I want to note, disapproved of by most mullahs!)

However, many here blame every Catholic who drops money into the basket each week to keep the lights and heat on at their local parish for enabling every priest pedophile, every bishop involved in a cover-up and most of all, for the anti-gay and misogynistic statements coming from the hierarchy.

BTW - if you don't know how different the attitudes of the sisters are from those of the hierarchy, you haven't been paying attention well enough to make a valid comment.

[TheMadMonk]

10. Would they be the sisters who ran the Magdalene Laundries...

...or those who buried babies in convent cellars?

And how much of what the sisters have to say today is straight up self interest, in a world where the average convent is populated by 0, 1 or at most 2 novices, a few in their middle age, and a large but rapidly diminishing number of the elderly?

Self subjugation is not a welcome message in a feminist world.

I've been around for two generations of professed reform now, and both times those reforms have been proven shams.

And history tells us unequivocably, that the Church has been a morally bankrupt organisation for well over a millenium.

I don't blame you for the actions of others, but I do think you OWN a piece of it, when your coin pays their way.

[goldent]

7. It will eventually blow over

What I suspect will happen is that the new pope will get elected, people who know nothing of him, besides a few lines of internet gossip, will become instant experts and claim he is the worst choice possible. Then they will get bored with it, and it will be time to post stories about how Easter is a pagan fertility celebration.

[hedgehog]

9. " it will be time to post stories about how Easter is a pagan fertility celebration. "

The annual Rite of Spring!

[goldent]

12. Yep, you can set your (lunar) calendar by it. nt.

[47of74]

13. I don't know sometimes if the jury system is working all that well.

I've alerted on things - not just religious - that appeared to be really out of line or in violation of the TOS. Then the jury finds nothing wrong with the post.

[Tumbulu]

29. Yes, the jury system is lousy most of the time

and I think many people have left DU over it.

There seem to be far more rude, nasty posters than before and I come her less often because of this.

[Kingofalldems]

14. I've alerted on the bashing before

Doesn't work.

[47of74]

15. My ignore list is growing by leaps and bounds

I figure once a person starts attacking the religion beliefs of others they have little to contribute so it's best to put them on ignore.

[UrbScotty]

16. People often criticize what they do not know.

Even today, there is a sense of mystery surrounding Catholicism and what the Church teaches and believes.

As a result, a lot of people will do this - both online and offline.

One time when I was in college, my Catholic roommate was discussing religion, and his girlfriend (not a Catholic) said that Catholics "worship" Mary in a way that is sacrilegious. That's not true, of course - as he said, we honor her, but we don't worship her. Still, she was adamant about what she believed.

If the Church really was what some people say it is, I would have run away from it like a bat out of Hades.

Instead, knowing what I know about the Church and our beliefs, I am proud to say that I am Catholic.

[SylviaD]

17. Amen! n/t

[goldent]

18. Very true.

In fact, it is a "guilty pleasure" of mine to read some of the anti-Catholic rants. Besides ignorance, they are often rich in irony. I know a lot of them are written by people just having fun.

[UrbScotty]

19. Just found this quote from Archbishop Sheen:

There are not more than 100 people in the world who truly hate the Catholic Church, but there are millions who hate what they perceive to be the Catholic Church.

Couldn't agree more.

[Brigid]

20. I had forgotten about that quote.

Yes, Archbishop Sheen was quite right.

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

21. Yes, he was

I regularly see people attacking a caricature of the Catholic Church. Quite often, when I do, I think to myself that I could make their case better than they do, since I am familiar with Catholic beliefs, history and practices.

I don't. Why should I give my opponents ammunition?

[goldent]

22. Well, it seems cruel to allow them to publicly display their ignorance

but it would also be cruel to put an end to the merriment it provides

[okasha]

23. Silliest Manufactured Outrage Ever

now playing in the Obese Cardinals thread in Religion.

[NaturalHigh]

25. Excellent quote.

The bigotry around here lately is pretty shocking.

[NaturalHigh]

24. It was especially bad yesterday.

A few of the worst offenders are still at it this morning.

[Brigid]

27. Yes, they are.

Don't they have stuff to do? I have a history exam to study for, an assignment to complete for my paralegal class, my kitchen needs to be cleaned up . . . You get the idea.

[NaturalHigh]

28. Good luck with all of that.

It's easy to get sidetracked when angry (or just annoyed or exasperated).

[CBHagman]

26. And it's pretty bad today.

I just wandered into a thread in one of the general fora and found open condemnation of Catholics. Really, is this what Democratic Underground is supposed to be? And what of community standards?

Thus far the pay version of DU hasn't lived up to the old version. I don't remember things being quite so pervasively unwelcoming. Perhaps when we won the White House, the anger had to go somewhere, and was turned on fellow Democrats.

[Tumbulu]

30. Yes, could be

even in my normal group of sweet people, they have gone on a anti Catholic binge. Which is why I dropped by here. I am not even a practicing Catholic anymore, but gee whiz, this is really too much!

[Tumbulu]

31. It does seem to be the case

although Skinner had a nice OP.