Lesson 4. Which one of these pictures is not like the other? Which one of these pictures doesn't belong?
If you guessed Billy Graham, you'd be correct. If you pointed out that he is the only Christian, you'd be wrong, as Warhol was reputed to be a practicing Catholic. Yes, you could say he was the only Protestant Christian, and that's worth some points. But here's the reason, for the purpose of our understanding of being Catholic, especially in the new media, the post-modern era, the Internet Age, or whatever you want to call it. As far as I know, Billy Graham is the only one of the four shown for whom I have seen few if any complementary posts. Not even when he's sick, have I seen a prayer post. He's just not mentioned, or he's set up as an example of 'bad evangelicals'. I'm not saying he's never been praised mind you. It isn't as if I've read every post ever written. But as much as I've read praise posts of the others, I'm at a loss to think of any that have praised the good reverend, at least to the same degree. The other three: liberal pro-gay marriage and abortion rights advocate Jon Stewart, radical progressive atheist, the late Christopher Hitchens, and Andy Warhol, avant-garde artists and advocate for the modern pornoculture, all have received at least one post praising them and lifting them up in some positive manner. In some cases, they've received more than one praise post.
So again, if you are an evangelical, a Protestant or even a recent convert, get used to some changes. You aren't in Kansas any more. Those you once celebrated, Dr. Graham, or Karl Barth, or Martin Luther, or just about anyone on an average Protestant list, will hardly ever - if ever at all - be referenced or mentioned, at least in a positive light. Meanwhile, expect a fair amount of high fives to folks who advocate things considered so horrible, that Catholics say they cry out to God for vengeance How can this be? Why wouldn't Catholics celebrate someone like Billy Graham more than, say, Jon Stewart or Christopher Hitchens? Welcome to the Catholic blogosphere mate.
It is an unfortunate aspect of human nature that we are more forgiving of strangers than our family.
ReplyDeleteI think there's also some of this drawn from the gospel. We read how Jesus was hard on the religious folks of His day and easy on the sinners and accept the surface of the point. So we must coddle every sinner and visit harshness upon every religious man.
I think you're right to a point. There is our civilization's influence by way of 'those who have been given much.' But it can take an unhealthy turn, and sometimes I fear we are far too harsh on those closest, or at least inconsistent in that we surround ourselves with a small bubble who we just won't criticize, then those immediately outside our bubble are the targets of our harshest venom.
ReplyDeleteBut I also think its a combination of the progressive tendency to tear down our heritage to build a better one, and quite frankly, a tendency some Catholics have of being a little harsher on Protestants than just about everyone else. A combination of several things I guess.