As Kevin points out obliquely, there's more than a little anti-Catholicism goin' around. The last installment was delivered when Pope Benedict XVI had the temerity to declare that Catholicism is the true religion, and that other religions, while having some very positive elements, were not precisely "churches" by definition.
But B-16's declaration did not (yet) draw the "highbrow" nastiness which the partial-birth abortion decision of the Supreme Court did.
The neo-Blanshardite reaction to the Supreme Court’s partial-birth abortion ruling was led by former University of Chicago Provost Geoff Stone, who in condemning the decision as upholding what he ludicrously regarded as a an imposition of the Catholic religion pointedly called attention to the fact that the five justices forming the majority are members of the Catholic Church, and the Philadelphia Inquirer, which published a despicable cartoon depicting the five wearing the mitres of Catholic bishops.
(The essay reminds us that Blanshard founded the organization now known as "Americans United for Separation of Church & State, headed by Barry Lynn.)
Those who don't have a problem with anti-Catholicism are mentioned.
No condemnations of the rank anti-Catholicism on display were forthcoming from the American Civil Liberties Union, People for the American Way, or Americans United for Separation of Church and State. Nor was anything heard from the mainline Protestant denominations that are regarded by many Catholic liberals as Catholicism’s true friends and ecumenical conversation partners. Leaders of the Presbyterian Church U.S.A., the Episcopal Church, the United Methodist Church, the United Church of Christ, etc. were silent.
Then there are those who are NOT "mainstream" and who DID object:
...the leaders of the Evangelical movement. And they came with a powerful and, indeed, remarkable statement. Led by Chuck Colson, many of the most influential leaders of contemporary Evangelicalism joined together to condemn anti-Catholicism. And they did not stop there. They went on to acknowledge and express remorse for the involvement of American Evangelicals in anti-Catholic prejudice in the past.
More at the link. And, by the way, Thanks!! Chuck!
As you say, many you named who were silent, also seem to pick and choose the Scripture they want and disregard others. Anti-Christianity is the larger problem. It's amplified, IMO, due to the size of the Catholic Church. You know, the biggest kid on the block, and all that.
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