Harry Knox, who serves on President Obama’s faith-based advisory council, was called a “Catholic bigot” by John Boehner this week for saying that Pope Benedict XVI is is “hurting people in the name of Jesus.” This phrase “Catholic bigot” has been gaining currency in right-wing Catholic blogs and is applied to anyone who criticizes the Pope, the church or Catholics in general. Much of this whining has been coming from a Thomas Peters who runs the American Papist blog.
While bigotry can be defined as intolerance toward ideas not one’s own, it’s semantic space also implies an irrational devotion to one’s group, extending not only to religion, but to ethnicity, race, national identity, etc. I suppose if one dismisses insanity as a valid base of argumentation, the insane ones will can view the dismissal as bigoted. Knox’s comments were sparked by the Pope’s visit to Africa last year where Benedict condemned the use of condoms and extolled abstinence as a way to deal with sub-Sahara Africa’s crippling HIV problem. This is a valid criticism of the Catholic Church and the Pope given the grave implications to Africa. To reduce this to name-calling and a feeling of Catholic victimhood is absurd and evasive.
The persecution mentality will live on in the minds of these folks. I have no sympathy. Knox was asked about his comments this week by CNSNews, one of these pitiful right-wing online rags, and he stood by his comments. Good for you Mr. Knox.