By Matt Abbott
Op/Ed
Catholic Online

I"m a bit perplexed 'and disappointed' that WorldNetDaily, which has been a very good conservative news site overall, would run a column that is so blatantly anti-Catholic. I"m referring to an Aug. 9 commentary by James Rutz titled "Which church is the best"? (http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=45674)

Rutz, who describes himself as 'an equal opportunity church basher,' does throw in a semi-compliment or two for the Catholic Church, but then makes this preposterous assertion:

"On Jan. 22, 1998, when [Pope Benedict XVI] was still a cardinal and the grand Inquisitor (yes!) of the Roman Catholic Church, he declared that their archives (4,500 large volumes) indicate a death toll of 25 million killed by the Catholic Church for being 'heretics.' And likely two-thirds of the original volumes are lost".

For an accurate assessment and explanation of the Inquisition, see the following:

http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/madden200406181026.asp

http://www.catholic.com/library/Inquisition.asp

http://ic.net/~erasmus/RAZ421.HTM#Inquisition(s)%20and%20Persecutions

Rutz also asserts:

"By papal decrees, Mary was already named mediatrix in 1931 and 'Queen of Heaven' in 1954. Admiration for admirable people like Mary is wonderful, but this is way over the top. See Jeremiah 44, where God angrily condemns the Jews to death by famine and sword for paying homage to the 'Queen of Heaven.' The tens of thousands of Catholic martyrs, apostles, missionaries and devoted religious who have given their blood, sweat and tears to their supreme Lord Jesus for centuries deserve a purer posterity than this."

For an accurate explanation of the role of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Catholic Church, see:

http://www.catholic.com/library/mary_saints.asp

http://www.therealpresence.org/archives/Mariology/Mariology_021.htm

http://www.ewtn.com/faith/teachings/marya1.htm

I have considered WorldNetDaily to be a Catholic-friendly site (save certain columns by Rabbi Shmuley Boteach and Bill Press), particularly during the controversy over Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ, which WND supported. But Rutz's column makes me wonder if WND now condones anti-Catholic bigotry. Sadly, such seems to be the case.

I wonder if WND would post a column by Alan Keyes or Pat Buchanan, both of whom are Catholic, lambasting Protestantism (or Judaism, for that matter). Perhaps the editors would. But then, I sincerely doubt either commentator would write such a column in the first place. After all, what would it accomplish?

WND should be commended for defending people of faith and for promoting the pro-life, pro-family cause. But columns such as the one by Rutz will only alienate its (orthodox) Catholic readers.

Contact

Matt Abbott
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