"Catholics and Muslims along with the fake Jews all are Satanic Cults" - Who Knew?

"The more things change, the more they stay the same." (That's attributed to Alphonse Karr. What he actually wrote was "Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose.")

The human mind is a wonderful thing. Given a running start, it can believe just about anything. Like the alternative history someone revealed in another blog's comment. Here's an excerpt:

"The so-called 'Jews' are Turkish Khazars, who have nothing to do with the real Jews of the Bible, but invented their own version of what a Jew is. Also the Ashkenazi Germans did the same... Catholics and Muslims along with the fake Jews all are Satanic Cults. Also, many False Christians are out there too who don't know Jesus, His Words and The Bible, but only their little cult organization's 'church' and their false teachings."

A comment dated March 25, 2009, left on Another War-on-Terror Blog (February 8, 2009).

I put a copy of the entire comment in " 'the Catholics are super-duper terrorists': Who Knew?" (Another War-on-Terror Blog (April 1, 2009)).

I am Not Making This Up

I know: It's April 2, the day after April Fool's Day. This could be a joke, but it isn't. At least, not at my end. It's possible that the alternate history given by Anonymous is the result of free time, Internet access, and a sophomoric sense of humor.

Catholicism is a Cult: Nothing New in That Claim

I think that Anonymous was quite serious, though. The claims made were not identical in detail to those I've read and heard over the decades, but the overall pattern is the same.

• Catholics
  • Worship Satan
  • Are deceived by the Vatican
    • Which doesn't have anything to do with Jesus and the Bible
• The Jews are involved
  • Optionally
    • They aren't really Jews
  • They're not real Christians, anyway
• And the whole lot is plotting against real Christians
  • Optionally
    • And real Americans
    • Along with some other un-American, un-Bible-Christian group that's been in the news

I'm oversimplifying, of course: A thorough discussion of the anti-Catholic/Jew/whatever subcultures could probably fill a book. Make that several books.

One of the advantages to being a religious minority is the sort of focus it encourages. As one of 'those Catholics,' I have choices. Among them: I can relax, go with the cultural norms, and become a 'Pelosi Catholic;'¹ or I can become very aware of my faith, what I believe, and why I believe it.

I prefer the second option. To me, saying that you are Catholic, and not bothering to learn what the Church teaches, makes about as much sense as saying 'I am an athlete,' and then living the life of a couch potato.

• " 'Get f****d, Catholic Church' - It Comes With the Territory"
  (March 18, 2009)
  
• "Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas: Nancy Pelosi Isn't Alone"
  (March 8, 2009)
• "Pelosi and the Pope, Emotion and Beliefs"
  (February 19, 2009)
• "Catholics Not Allowed to Read Bible!! Catholic Church Banned Bible Ownership!!"
  (January 27, 2009)
• "The First Black Pope Will Be a 'Sign of the End Times,' of Course"
  • (from "Obama, the Black Pope, and American Culture"
    (November 12, 2008))
• "The Pope, the Antichrist, and Fu Manchu"
  (October 2, 2008)
• "Catholics Don't Believe the Bible: Who Knew?"
  (September 26, 2008)
• "Catholic Beliefs and Practices: Don't Believe Everything You Read"
  (September 16, 2008)

Related posts, on "Who Knew? Assertions and Assumptions from All Over"

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¹ "Pelosi Catholic" is a term I use to describe an "ardent" Catholic who is, at best, clueless about Catholic beliefs and practices.