Bill O'Reilly: Catholic Church ignores Christmas and sex abuse victims

[Ian David]

O'Reilly compared Catholic leaders' silence over "war" on Christmas to Church's reaction to pedophilia scandal

Summary: Bill O'Reilly compared Catholic leaders' silence on the so-called "war" on Christmas to their silence on the pedophilia scandal in the Catholic Church.

Asserting that Catholic leaders are "MIA in the Christmas controversy," Fox News' Bill O'Reilly compared what he said was the Church leadership's silence on the "war" on Christmas to the Church's handling of the pedophilia scandal. O'Reilly's guest on the December 14 edition of Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor, Rev. Richard McBrien, professor of theology at the University of Notre Dame, responded by saying, "This controversy over a Christmas celebration ... is a very minor issue in comparison."

O'Reilly attempted to further compare what he depicted as Catholic leaders' indifference toward the "war" on Christmas with Protestant-led Christmas movements, citing the leadership of Rev. Jerry Falwell, founder and chairman of the Moral Majority Coalition and American Family Association president Don Wildmon. McBrien countered that Falwell and Wildmon represent "a certain segment of the Protestant side ... But mainstream Protestants generally are in the same boat, as it were, as mainstream Catholics and their bishops."

McBrien then asserted:

Today there are many, many millions of non-Christians beyond the Jewish community. And so, you know, business is business. It's out to make a profit, and it doesn't want to alienate potential customers.

O'Reilly's responded: "{T}hat's dopey, Father."

Promoting the segment earlier that day on his nationally syndicated radio show, The Radio Factor, O'Reilly asked, "Why aren't the prelates of the Catholic Church in America, the cardinals and the archbishops standing up for Christmas? Why? ... If you don't stick up for the baby Jesus, who are you going to stick up for?"

More:
http://mediamatters.org/items/200512150006