The Big Tent, being all Big Tenty, has a nice mix of religions (Jewish, Methodist, Lutheran, and Catholic), and I like to think that we are pretty tolerant. So let me ask a question: is this ScrappleFace article anti-Catholic?
It sure seems like it to me, and this being the tolerant place that it is, I'm not sure I want to have a permanent link to ScrappleFace up on Big Tent anymore. But I'd like to hear from everyone else first. What do you all think?
12 comments:
I don't think it was anti Catholic, I think it just shows the stupidity of the reporter. I think the Pope was correct about all the glitz. Most newer worshippers don't relate to the "show", but want substance. I'm a Methodist and we are too wishy washy, the Catholics stand for things and must not loose that even if they want to loose the glitz
This will cause riots in the streets of . . . . oh, wait. That satire is not aimed at Mohammed? Never mind.
Critical of elements of Catholicism, to be sure. Not anti-Catholic.
dcat
Seemed like it wasn't directed at Catholics or Catholicism, but I have to confess that I don't get the joke.
I see where you are coming from, Tom, but I agree with dcat. I think the piece focuses on the writer's perception of the "religiosity" of the Church, not on the faith itself. It does have a bit of a harsh edge to it, though.
An equivalent satire of Lutheranism would involve them all praying to Luther (who is often given divine status by Lutherans, substituting a potluck dinner for communion, and turning Jesus into a staunch nationalist German.
Not anti-Catholic, just a bad joke written by a stupid and probably anti-Catholic writer....
Not anti-Catholic.
The pope is awfully important to the Catholic church, not because he wears particular clothes, and certainly not because he is trying to draw attention away from God and to himself.
So next question: when does something that mocks Catholic institutions and practices become anti-Catholic? What's the threshold? Let me know, because I don't want to seem oversensitive to these things.
Would it be considered anti-semitic if it were talking about Jewish traditions?
Tom,
I read the "article" and while it was a lame attempt at humor--it isn't anti-Catholic--it just isn't funny (not b/c it touches on sensitive subjects but b/c it just isn't funny). Doesn't Scrappleface mock most everything?
I actually think that the point of the article is that people want the Pope to be like Oprah but the media wants the images. It could be read as pro-Catholic--that is--that the Pope and the Church will not cater to the whims of popular culture. But I agree with Jeff. If this many smart people can misunderstand it, the thing is poorly written.
I am reminded of that Seinfeld episode where Jerry is offended by his dentist's conversion. He goes to a priest to complain that the dentist has converted for the jokes. The priest asks if this offends him as a Jew. Jerry replied, "It offends me as a comedian."
By the way, if you want to hear some subtle anti-Catholicism---the Southern Baptist Convention is meeting in Greensboro, NC June 13-14. Watch and see if they continue their call for the severance of diplomatic ties between the Vatican and the US (this has been a favorite resolution in years past). As someone who grew up in SB Church, I always pay attention to their annual convention---whether they are condemning Disneyland, officially pronouncing Islam to be a "gutter" religion as they did in St. Louis a few years back, or calling for women to accept their subordinate status in the family---whenever my people get together en masse they are sure to offend.
Man, I hate Baptists.
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