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Journal SeanAhern's Journal: Catholic Bashing 20

Journal by SeanAhern

From the Chicago Sun Times:

[In the movies,] Catholicism has been represented far more frequently than any other faith. I've probably seen more films about the Catholic Church (and movies with nuns or priests as supporting characters) than all other religions put together. Just from the last four years, I could easily put together a Catholic Film Festival -- but I don't think too many Catholics would be pleased with the entries.

What follows is a list of movies that feature Catholic religious, most of whom have far removed themselves from Communion with the Church, though they wouldn't admit it.

Go read the article, and tell me if you agree with its conclusion:

[N]o other religious group gets bashed with such frequency. Can you imagine a similar number of films with Jewish leaders playing villains and moral weaklings?

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Catholic Bashing More

Catholic Bashing

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  • I'm not Catholic, and I disagree with many of their teachings (being a "protestant" and all), but I think it is ridiculous the beating they take in the popular media.

    It has become so commonplace for movies to bash Catholics that they aren't even controversial anymore. Yet, a Christian movie comes along about the death of Jesus Christ, and suddenly it is the most controversial movie of the year because it might possibly be anti-Semetic. It is an interesting double-standard.

  • I think most movies poke fun at Catholics mainly because they are probably the most universally recognized Christian faith. As such many folks know of Catholic traditions, like "Father forgive me for I have sinned..." and nuns wear habits and live in convents (which is interesting since we have a nun living downstairs in our apartment who I have neither seen wear a habit and obviously does not live in a convent).

    Also, with the Catholic church being by far the largest individual denomination within the Ch
    • "As a side note, I find it interesting that Mel Gibson would play a minister in _Signs_ where he is obviously not Catholic, since he would not have been able to be married and have children."
      Why exactly is that interesting?

      • Re:Stereotypes. (Score:2, Interesting)

        by FroMan ( 111520 )
        The movie _Signs_ was not about aliens. The aliens could just as easily have been Germans in a WWII setting, or the Russians in a Cold War setting.

        The movie was about faith, as such, the faith of a man who has had a very difficult trial in his life, stumbled, even desired to hate God for his trials, but in the end God reveals himself to the man and brings about his redemption.

        Were I to create a movie, or book, or any sort of story with that lesson embedded in it, I would certainly do it from my perspecti
    • Interestingly enough, there are a few married priests. They are typically priests from the Church of England who converted, and were already married. Once in the Catholic Church, however, they are subject to the normal rules. Not celibacy (that would be silly), but no divorce, and they cannot remarry if their spouse dies.
      • That is odd. I have never heard of that. I would have assumed that at this point it was required to always be celibate to be a Catholic priest.

        Originally (like 1000 years ago) priests were not required to be celibate. I think it was from some of the popes abusing their power and setting their children in line to be pope after themselves. Granted I am sure a Catholic, or atleast someone who knows Catholicism history better than I, would have a better writeup about it.
        • I think it was from some of the popes abusing their power and setting their children in line to be pope after themselves

          My mother's take on it is about 90 degrees from that. See, the church could get the property of the priest after death if there were no heirs.

          Which is accurate doesn't interest me in the least, as I find the idea of celibate priests an anachronism that may have never had a proper place. My wife and I had to have our pre marital counseling with a minister (episcopalean) as did my wife's
          • BTW, let's remember that we are speaking of the Roman Catholic church. There is no 'catholic' religion. I can think of at least four churches that are legitamately 'catholic', but only one that is 'Roman Catholic'.

            Nod. Upper case 'C' is, atleast in the US known as the Roman Catholic church. Its easier to type and understood just as well.

            As far as the church being able to aquire the priests property after the priests death? I dunno, it makes sense, but the issue is that the priest must first aquire pro
            • I can see as a tradition folks might want to stay unmarried to completely devote their lives to the church, but I do not think there is any Biblical evidence for priests or nuns.

              If you mean "I do not think there is any Biblical evidence for priests or nuns" remaining unmarried, there are several Biblical verses on this.

              For instance, Paul was an unmarried priest:

              "For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that. I say
          • My mother's take on it is about 90 degrees from that. See, the church could get the property of the priest after death if there were no heirs.

            Actually, in the West, priestly celibacy was something that was practiced ever since the time of the Apostles.

            My wife and I had to have our pre marital counseling with a minister (episcopalean) as did my wife's brother and his wife to be (catholic). With our guy, we could say 'well, how did you confront this issue with your wife' or he could offer anecdotes about
  • I think when many film makers want to portray organized religion in a film- they choose Roman Catholicism. It is so easy to do visually- and requires very little explanation in most of the world.

    I'm trying to think of any other religion that has the same characteristics. The collar, the habit, the traipsings of the mass and cathedral that are so visually appealing.

    With the holocaust such a recent event- is it any wonder that western film makers (esp. hollywood) shy away from appearing antisemitic?

    And t
  • Maybe this is obvious, or maybe I'm wrong, but in the past decade or two, I think Islam has had a phenomenally negative connotation. I would propose that it has taken a worse beating than Catholicism.

    Also, speaking as someone with little religious affiliation, the fact that many of the movies are targeting Catholicism is almost tangential, as stoolpigeon pointed out. It makes an easier religion to portray as being "religious" in many senses because it seems rather formal compared to the Protestant variat
    • Maybe this is obvious, or maybe I'm wrong, but in the past decade or two, I think Islam has had a phenomenally negative connotation. I would propose that it has taken a worse beating than Catholicism.

      Well, this would mainly be due to the terrorism that is mostly a Muslim phenomenon nowadays. Also, the Sharia (Islamic law) is something objectively bad about Islam.

      But the "liberals" who attack Catholicism tend to defend Islam. I'm thinking of people on university campuses, etc. I think this may be becau
      • > I think this may be because liberals tend to be anti-American

        Well, I'm glad you're not prone to making sweeping generalizations. Nothing like saying that half of America is anti-American without any justification. If I say that conservatives tend to be anti-American, do I get a cookie too?

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