Religious People: 'Everybody Knows' What They're Like
Can't say that I blame Mayor Bloomberg, in a way:- He's mayor of an important American city
- The 9/11 Memorial Service is a high-profile event
- Lots of folks will be watching
- There's no sense in encouraging that kind to hang around
- What would the neighbors think?
(ArizonaLincoln (talk), via Wikipedia, used w/o permission)
I think Mayor Bloomberg's gag order on public expression of faith was wrong. But then, I'm one of those people. You know: the sort with religious beliefs. 'Everybody' knows what they're like. All the 'right sort' in Manhattan, anyway: apparently.1
Since the mayor suspended the First Amendment for the 9/11 Memorial Service, some of the rabble went and arranged for an off-site prayer event. (CNA) I hope they don't offend the delicate sensibilities of their 'betters.'
Reality Check: Not All Christians are Dolts
Not all folks with religious beliefs:- Hate
- Jews
- Homosexuals
- Commies
- Anybody who dresses funny
- Assume that
- God hates
- Jews
- Homosexuals
- Commies
- Anybody who dresses funny
- Science is bad
- Every word of the Bible is literally true
- Just like 'Pastor Bombast' says
- God hates
But not all Christians are like Phelps' little band. And not all of us think Bishop Ussher was right.
Since I'm a Catholic, there are some things I must do, and some that I must not. That may sound awfully restrictive, but I think it makes sense:
- "Evolution, Space Aliens, and Two Millennia of Dealing With People"
(July 5, 2011) - "I Worship a Jew"
(April 3, 2011) - "Hating People? Not an Option"
(December 9, 2010) - "Is the Church For Capitalism? Yes: and No"
(March 13, 2010) - "The Catholic Church and Homosexuals: Harsh and Soft, Judgmental and Understanding"
(March 13, 2009)
Religious Nut Cases: It's Not Always the Other Guys
Muslim crazies killed about 3,000 people in New York City on 9/11/2001: but it's not just 'those Muslims' who sometimes go crazy:- "Michael Brae, a Dead Body, Freud, and Prayer"
(November 24, 2010) - "Crowbar for Christ in Colorado?"
(October 7, 2010) - "Beach Killer Joseph Burgess: A Case of Horribly Warped Christianity"
(July 24, 2009)
Fred "God Hates Jews" Phelps isn't a typical religious leader. He's not, in my opinion, even a typical American Protestant. His brand of faith contributed to my conversion to Catholicism, and that's another topic.
It's hard to shake the impression that Mayor Bloomberg, and others in America's dominant culture, assume that a handful of crazies are typical of all America's Christians. It's like assuming that all liberals are pot-smoking vegetarians; or that all conservatives look like Boss Tweed in a Thomas Nast cartoon.
Reality is more complex than those stereotypes. Yet another topic.
The Catholic Church: Intolerant? Satanic?
In a way, I'm glad that Mayor Bloomberg banned all religious expression at the 9/11 Memorial Service. I think excluding so many Americans, he made it easier for some Christians to organize an alternative service.If he'd singled out Catholics? Some of America's Protestants would probably recognize that there was a problem. But there's a little active distrust of Catholicism in America. And a whole lot of ignorance.
At least some of America's establishment assume that the Catholic Church is deliberately obdurate about sexuality. Some zealots lump the Catholic Church in with 'Muslims and other Satanic cults.' I think these misunderstandings are related to two qualities of the Church, that we're:
- Ancient
- Deal with reality
- Not what some contemporary culture's leaders want to believe
Related posts:
- Religious beliefs, real and imagined
- "Separation of Church and State, Assumptions, and Fear"
(September 2, 2011)
Particularly - "'Legislating Morality' - My Take"
(June 28, 2011) - "Apocalypse Whenever"
(June 14, 2011) - "Uncertainty, 'Being Religious,' and This Catholic"
(February 12, 2011) - "Science vs. Religion: the Same Tired Old Line"
(June 5, 2010)
- "Separation of Church and State, Assumptions, and Fear"
- Emotion and Reason
- "Reason, Emotion, and
'Take These Son-of-a-Bitches Out' "
(September 6, 2011) - "Loving Neighbors: Even the One Who Stole Our Gospel Book"
(September 4, 2011) - "Anger, Hate, Love, Prayer and Trashing a Maywood, California, Catholic School"
(May 26, 2010) - "Hating People? Not an Option"
(December 9, 2010) - "Emotions, the Frontal Cortex, the War on Terror, Anarchists, and the Illuminati"
(December 23, 2008)
- "Reason, Emotion, and
- Religious freedom
- "New York Times Editor, Religion, and Politics: Benign But Clueless"
(September 1, 2011)
Particularly - "Catholic Teachings: Not Fashionable"
(June 7, 2011) - "Pakistani Archbishop, Florida Book-Burner, and Living with Differences"
(April 27, 2011) - "Religious Freedom, Niemöller, and Muslims in America"
(April 7, 2011) - "Freedom of Religion, or Freedom From Religion?"
(June 1, 2009)
- "New York Times Editor, Religion, and Politics: Benign But Clueless"
- "The War on Terror: 9/11/2001 - 9/11/2011"
(September 11, 2011)
- "Lack of clergy at Sept. 11 memorial prompts separate prayer event"
Kevin J. Jones, CNA (Catholic News Agency) (September 10, 2011)
- Emotions, by themselves, aren't good or bad
- Anger as a desire for revenge is a bad idea
- Matthew 5:21-22
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2302
- Imposing restitution "to correct vices and maintain justice" is praiseworthy
- Commandments boil down to 'Love God, love your neighbor'
- Matthew 22:36-40, Mark 12:28-31
- Everybody is our neighbor
- Matthew 5:43-44
- Mark 12:28-31
- Luke 10:25-30
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1825
1 As noted in "Related posts," a recent editorial in The New York Times renewed that paper's dedication to a drearily familiar view:
- "Separation of Church and State, Assumptions, and Fear"
(September 2, 2011)
Particularly
- "'Death Cookie' Comic: Seemed Like a Good Idea At the Time?"
(March 5, 2010) - "'Catholics and Muslims along with the fake Jews all are Satanic Cults' - Who Knew?"
(April 2, 2009) - ""Get f****d, Catholic Church" - It Comes With the Territory"
(March 18, 2009)
2 comments:
Sounds like there may have been two sentences in here: "Some zealots lump the Catholic Church in with 'Muslims and other Satanic cults' is that we're ancient"
A blank bullet point under "In the news:" and "Background:"
The Friendly Neighborhood Proofreader
Brigid,
Too true. That's the result of a ham-handed edit I didn't notice - found, fixed, and thanks!
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