Catholic "criminals"

[BainsBane]

89. it would be nice if you bothered to read some of my posts

before passing judgment. You obviously haven't bothered to learn who I am or what my argument here is. I have repeated several times in this and other posts that I am not a practicing Catholic.

You view religion as a choice if you have no understanding of history and the role religion has played in the maintenance of culture, if you assume the contemporary capitalist culture that severs people from place, family, and ancestry is somehow immutable and natural. So if you assume that connection to the past and one's family is meaningless, then sure, it's a choice. But if for people who seek to maintain culture, religion is part of that, as any Jew will tell you.

I don't know who these people are who you think there is nothing wrong with the Roman Catholic Church. One can scarcely find a Catholic in this country who would claim such a thing. If you locate one, let me know. Virtually no one outside of the church hierarchy defends pedophilia, and American Catholics are doing what they can to try to effect change in the church. In fact, the church's harshest criticism comes from Catholics themselves. The difference is they don't seize on that as a justification to pretend they are inferior to others. I am continually amazed how content people are to know next to nothing about those they condemn.

Another thing Americans despise about the Catholic church is the commitment to social justice that rejects the morality of capitalism and the divisions between rich and poor. The Council of Bishops demands for universal health care since the 1970s, for example, or their denunciation of the Ryan Budget and other draconian economic policies is a particular anathema to America culture. That and racism are the origins of anti-Catholic bigotry in this country, dating back early into the nineteenth century and long before anyone was aware of pedophilia scandals.

A good way to ensure more Republican votes is to insist Catholics convert to Protestantism. That's one handy way to get rid of one of the country's most sizable Democratic voting blocks.