As noted by Ms. Dowd, the denunciation of Catholic priests suspected of pedophilia is being compared with anti-Semitism, and "La Repubblica reported that 'certain Catholic circles' suspected that 'a New York Jewish lobby' was responsible for the outcry against the pope."
But there's more. On Good Friday, “Let us Pray for the Conversion of the Jews” was recited, purportedly by mistake, by traditionalist Catholic congregations in Italy and the Society of Saint Pius X, whose bishops' excommunication was remitted by Pope Benedict in January 2009.
Elsewhere, Afghanistan's President Karzai has stated that the Americans, whom Karzai labels "invaders", are in Afghanistan because they want to dominate his country and prevent him from reaching a peace agreement with the Taliban. As observed in a recent article in The New York Times, Karzai's brother, who is allegedly involved in the narcotics trade, money laundering, election fraud and deals with the Taliban, is also allegedly in bed with the CIA. The response of certain persons in the Obama administration: Israel's failure to achieve peace with the Palestinians is endangering U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
Heaven knows what the Jews or Israel have to do with the Catholic church's pedophilia scandal or U.S. involvement in Afghanistan, but they are always there to blame.
Maybe those at the Vatican who would have us believe that a "New York Jewish Lobby" is responsible for the current outcry against the pope are referring to AIPAC, which is also being pilloried by the new left for its alleged fiendish manipulation and control of the U.S. government. Peculiar, or not so peculiar, how the extreme left and right are always able to find common ground demonizing the Jews and Israel.
People, who see world through the prism "us versus them" (on left or on right) always find Jews as ultimate outsiders. They are eager to see outsiders as unworthy or enemies.
ReplyDeleteHowever, all leftists have common reason to hate Jews. Leftists are collectivists, and collectivists always hated Jews as individualists, who are not "patriotic enough", not "devoted to the common cause enough", "not idealistic enough". The Jewish idea of personal responsibility, personal choice, personal spiritual quest is intolerable for collectivists.
On another hand, in Islam, self-sacrifice for the group is the only allowed form of self -expression. No wonder, that collectivists (socialists, liberals) find themselves adoring Muslims.
Sir, your posts often show balance and restraint, even when I would not agree. As a practicing Catholic I might point out a few things.
ReplyDeleteFirst, Dowd is citing at least secondhand a report about 'certain Catholic circles' . The comment and her presumptive assessment has of course been repeated virally and without question, the only half credible source I've seen being proposed is possibly a Honduran Cardinal from something he said in 2002 . Yes, there is frank anti-Semitism in some sliver, fanatical Catholic groups, just as there is anti-Catholicism in some Jewish ones (I have seen it firsthand). But that hardly reflects Vatican position. Any more than a single newspaper tenuously traced to a leader of a Lubavitch community in New Jersey is an accurate barometer of nuanced feeling in the Knesset. And Dowd knows better (her degree is from Catholic U), but she is already loaded for bear against the Church and eager to please her constituencies.
Second, that the Times has historically been hostile to the Church is well established, forgetting whatever the credal dispositions of Sulzberger and his editors. The original Times piece on Benedict has been shot full of holes
http://headlinebistro.typepad.com/headlinebistro/2010/04/defending-pope-benedict-rounding-up-the-responses.html
But do not expect to find the mainstream media second guessing any such piece. Yes, the Church has and still has grave problems, this is not the place for an apologia, but individuals and institutions in the media have also knowingly abetted plenty of mendacious nonsense.
Last, the Good Friday service contains a litany praying for the conversion of everyone, and singles out various groups covering the gamut of belief, non-belief, atheism, et al. (The repentance and re-conversion of all Catholics, Protestants, ... is prominently included.) The media select one prayer for one group out of a dozen others and give the illusion the Jews are somehow uniquely and accusingly singled out. Which of course people ignorant of the context swallow whole-cloth from the media echo chamber. Do I relish Mormons praying for the conversion of the world, my own included ? , ... no, but I understand they believe they mean well and do not consider it a particularly grievous insult. Nor am I deeply offended that, to my knowledge, pious Jews believe the Deity or a Messiah will somehow redeem the world through the Jewish people. They think they are correct and well meaning and that I am mistaken, end of story.
Again, I do ask for agreement here. But one might consider that a couple talking points picked up from the media perhaps deserve a bit more skepticism than they receive in the post. Thank you .