Ok, I’m sorry but isn’t this going a bit far now.  I understand receiving death threats for a communion host is just plain idiotic, but why are people now going out of their way to piss on someone else’s religion???  I’m sorry, but now I’m disgusted.

I thought it was pretty funny actually, but then I’m told I have a poor sense of humor.

I will admit, I only scanned the blog as I didn’t have time to read it all, but considering the blog and the other linked video it seems now this is becoming the “cool” thing to do.  That’s what upsets me, that people are doing this now with total disregard for someone’s religion. It’s like going to a graveyard and spitting on people’s graves or trashing their headstones.  I’m Catholic, but I’m not one of those “I’m crazy about Jesus” people.  I’m honestly disgusted that people sent death threats over the original incident.  But this is new trend is just stupid and offensive in my opinion.

But this new trend…

...was predictable.

With bullyboy Donahue playing to his frothing-at-the-mouth supporters, pushback was inevitable. I don’t believe that any religious practices deserve any respect, but under normal circumstances nobody would go out of their way to mock Catholics.

I was amused by this. I see nothing wrong with having a little fun at the expense of religion. Keep those demands coming!!!!

Well, then I guess I’m one the only person (at least from those who have chosen to speak up here at SEB) that disagrees with these actions.  Just figured I’d throw in my 2 cents on the matter.

I like how the guy gives the cracker a naïve persona. Josh...lol. And he does have a point, being taken to movies is alot better than being chewed, digested and ultimatley flushed into the sewers. 

I would like to disrespect and even contempt for the Catholic Church become mainstream.  This group has caused so much suffering to so many people and has been given so much deference by governments for far too long.

Well, then I guess I’m one the only person (at least from those who have chosen to speak up here at SEB) that disagrees with these actions.  Just figured I’d throw in my 2 cents on the matter.

So, can I assume that you believe that disrespecting anyone’s religious practices is a bad thing, or is it just bad if it occurs to Catholic practices?

So, can I assume that you believe that disrespecting anyone’s religious practices is a bad thing, or is it just bad if it occurs to Catholic practices?

You assume correctly.  Every religion or choice of non religion deserves at least some level of respect.  Whatever level of respect you feel is appropriate, but it should be the same level for all religions and those who choose no religion.  I feel everyone should be treated the same. 

Now I understand some who are religious don’t act this way and I can see where those who are committing these acts might be doing it in response to those actions.  However, doing some thing like this pisses on every Catholic, good or bad. And that’s what I’m upset with.  I agree many Catholics have acted idiotically, death threats because someone stole a host is just plain stupid, but I don’t think the reaction should be something that disrespects all Catholics.

Chief, all I can tell you is that I have a certain level of respect for the people of any given religion, at least until they give me reason to take it away, but I don’t necessarily have a given level of respect for any particular set of beliefs.

I see nothing wrong with ridiculing silly beliefs and the belief in Transubstantiation is a pretty silly belief. Doesn’t mean Catholics are bad people and I tend to give most of them the benefit of the doubt, but in the grand scheme of things it seems to me the offense of making fun of an Eucharist pales in comparison to the offense of, say, child molestation and cover up. Something that I would have expected Catholics to nearly have a revolt over and which they didn’t.

Les,
I can agree where you are coming from. And actually, you do have a good point, I’m not sure why there wasn’t more of an uproar over the child molestation scandals.  I guess most looked at the situation with rose colored glasses and didn’t realize how bad it truly was. And that is sad as well.  Catholics have done a lot to prevent the possibility of that happening again, but I don’t know why those involved weren’t more harshly dealt with.

I also understand your respect for the people of any religion. I guess to meet it feels that if you mock something I believe in then that is the same as mocking me.

That’s an understandable reaction as beliefs tend to be very personal. Just so you know the fact that you hang out here with us heretics increases my respect for you as a person that much more.

chief, I don’t disrespect Catholic parishoners and most of the priests at at all.  My disrespect is aimed at the Catholic Church, specifically the current and past Popes and their followers.

My ex-wife is a practicing cafeteria Catholic so I have been exposed to the church and to a great many Catholics, including her church friends and her family.  I was quit active in many of the social events at my ex’s churches, which included working at various bazaars, fairs, dinners, shows, and other events.  The Catholics I know seem to not really give a fuck about the Pope and think that many of the teachings of the Church are full of shit.

That’s an understandable reaction as beliefs tend to be very personal. Just so you know the fact that you hang out here with us heretics increases my respect for you as a person that much more.

I don’t think of people as heretics, I’ve got far too many friends that would “burn in hell” if I were to think that way.  I figure to each their own, hell, in the strictest sense I’d be going to hell as well. I’m one of the more liberal Catholics, I definitely get annoyed with what more of the stricter Catholics say when I’m around ‘em.

As for hanging out here with y’all.  I’ve always found the posts here informative and/or amusing. Though I tend to keep to the shadows due to my in-eloquence when posting. Plus, never figured I’d add much to the topics.  This one just got to me enough that I posted.

itdontmatter, like I said in my last post, I get that most of y’all are more pissed off with the actual Church and not so much the followers, I just tend to take things a little personally, when someone is mocking something I believe in.  Honestly, I’m not sure how I feel about the whole Transubstantiation thing, but the fact that people are taking hosts is still just plain disrespectful in my opinion. And to me disrespecting the religion is disrespecting the followers.

I just tend to take things a little personally, when someone is mocking something I believe in.  Honestly, I’m not sure how I feel about the whole Transubstantiation thing, but the fact that people are taking hosts is still just plain disrespectful in my opinion. And to me disrespecting the religion is disrespecting the followers.

And there’s the rub.

From where I come from, the dogma of transubstantiation is ludicrous, delusional, irrational, and abhorrent. I can’t keep you from stretching this into reading that you yourself are a ludicrous, delusional, irrational, and abhorrent person. At the end of the day, though, I do not respect your beliefs and if you take this as a personal slight, then so be it.

In turn, Ratziner disses my world view every time he spouts off about atheism and secularism. It doesn’t personally offend me, even if I’d prefer he shut up.

Oh, and there’s the recent Cectic:

From where I come from, the dogma of transubstantiation is ludicrous, delusional, irrational, and abhorrent. I can’t keep you from stretching this into reading that you yourself are a ludicrous, delusional, irrational, and abhorrent person. At the end of the day, though, I do not respect your beliefs and if you take this as a personal slight, then so be it.

In turn, Ratziner disses my world view every time he spouts off about atheism and secularism. It doesn’t personally offend me, even if I’d prefer he shut up.

Honestly, things people say about Catholics or anything like that doesn’t get to me, this is the first that has. More than likely if someone were to come up to me and say “hey you eating that host and sipping that wine is idiotic, how the hell can that really be the body of Christ” would likely result in a response similar to: “ok, it’s what I believe in, you believe what you want, I’ll believe what I believe to each his own.” But these people aren’t just verbally mocking the beliefs they are actually taking physical action, To take the time to go to a mass and take physically something from it, that’s what makes it hurtful to me.  It’s jumping up to using sticks and stones, versus just words.

It’s jumping up to using sticks and stones, versus just words.

If you or any other catholics feel that there is something illegal in the methods of procuring crackers you can always resort to the law. If not, then comparing it to sticks and stones is just wrong. Sticks and stones aka assault is illegal.

If you or any other catholics feel that there is something illegal in the methods of procuring crackers you can always resort to the law. If not, then comparing it to sticks and stones is just wrong. Sticks and stones aka assault is illegal.

When I say that “It’s jumping up to using sticks and stones, versus just words.” I meant people are now taking physical action against the Catholic religion.  Not necessarily illegal action in the way assault would be.

Is taking a host from a mass illegal, I’d have to say no, does that make it “ok?” In my opinion, no, but to others the answer is apparently “yes.” Like I said in an earlier post, to each his own, I’m merely stating my opinion.

When I say that “It’s jumping up to using sticks and stones, versus just words.” I meant people are now taking physical action against the Catholic religion.  Not necessarily illegal action in the way assault would be.

Sticks and stones absolutely implies assault, not just any vanilla physical action. Tecnically speaking criticizing the church is ‘taking physical action against the Catholic religion’ since talking is technically a physical action, seeing as we have not yet started communicating telepathically.

Is taking a host from a mass illegal, I’d have to say no, does that make it “ok?” In my opinion, no, but to others the answer is apparently “yes.” Like I said in an earlier post, to each his own, I’m merely stating my opinion.

How do you define ‘ok’? How do you know it was taken from a mass? Maybe he bribed a priest for it. Would that make it ‘ok’? Maybe he bought it off a parishioner. Would that shift the ‘non ok=ness’ to the person he bought it from?

Obviously, you’re going to start splitting hairs with me so here are responses to your points.

Sticks and stones absolutely implies assault, not just any vanilla physical action. Tecnically speaking criticizing the church is ‘taking physical action against the Catholic religion’ since talking is technically a physical action, seeing as we have not yet started communicating telepathically.

Fine, I’ll conceed the “stick and stones” point because I’m not wanting to debate the technicalities of the simile. As for your statement that speaking out against the church is a “physical action,” there is a difference between verbal abuse and physical abuse, yes?  Then there is a difference between verbally mocking the church and taking a physical action to mock the church.

How do you define ‘ok’? How do you know it was taken from a mass? Maybe he bribed a priest for it. Would that make it ‘ok’? Maybe he bought it off a parishioner. Would that shift the ‘non ok=ness’ to the person he bought it from?

I was going to say “right” but then we’d just end up debating what our definition of “right” is. I’ll just say I think it’s wrong to purposely secure a hallowed object and treat it with disrespect. Just like I mentioned earlier it would be wrong for someone to go to a cemetary (considered by many to be hallowed ground) and start spitting,pissing,etc on people’s graves. As for how it the item may have been obtained, all those involved in obtaining the object are in the wrong whether it was a bribed priest, a parishioner or another non-parishioner.

Fine, I’ll conceed the “stick and stones” point because I’m not wanting to debate the technicalities of the simile.

Fair enough.

As for your statement that speaking out against the church is a “physical action,” there is a difference between verbal abuse and physical abuse, yes?

Yes

Then there is a difference between verbally mocking the church and taking a physical action to mock the church.

There’s a difference yes. I guess we’ll have to agree to disagree on weather it is a significant difference in this case.

I for one do not consider it to be ‘physical abuse’ of any kind. And no, I know you didn’t say it was physical abuse, but it is possible to read your statement as saying that.

I’ll just say I think it’s wrong to purposely secure a hallowed object and treat it with disrespect.

We’ll have to disagree there as well. I certainly dont think it’s wrong to disrespect people’s kooky cookie beliefs.

Hell, I even found this funny.

There’s a difference yes. I guess we’ll have to agree to disagree on weather it is a significant difference in this case.

I for one do not consider it to be ‘physical abuse’ of any kind. And no, I know you didn’t say it was physical abuse, but it is possible to read your statement as saying that.

I’m not trying to say it’s physical abuse and I don’t see how it could be read that way. I was simply trying to point out that stating that mocking something with words, isn’t a physical action simply because the act of forming words is something that is done physically. The abuse example was purely said to prove that point.

We’ll have to disagree there as well. I certainly dont think it’s wrong to disrespect people’s kooky cookie beliefs.

That we will and I’m fine with that.  We each have our own opinions.

That we will and I’m fine with that.  We each have our own opinions.

I was getting worried about that for a second...well, ok, a 10th of a second.  Glad to see you both understand the difference between opinion and fact though, most people I deal with in real life can’t seem to tell the difference. Maybe I just need to deal with more rational people...Anybody know any?