Anonymous wrote:I also find it irritating--but Catholicism is a choice you make. Your race/ethnicity isn't.

.....and that makes bashing ok? what a gross statement.

That's true in all religions that have intolerance, though. Fundamentalist Christian are very excluding and self-righteous, as an example.

True, but there are a lot fewer of those living among us in the DC area, though. Particularly in the communities the SUV post referenced.

I was the poster on the "Back away from DCUM" thread and this is my first post on this thread. I said on that thread that I'm not Catholic, and I'm not.

As others have said, insert the words "Jew" or "Muslim" or "AA" or even "atheist" into the SUV thread and all hell would break lose. Well, it seems to be open season on Mormons, too. Bottom line: You're pinning one group to an ugly stereotype involving an unpleasant driver of an ugly car.

Also, it's totally illogical to go from "some Catholics drive black SUVs" to "that stereotyped pinched-faced blond MUST be Catholic on her way to the Gonzaga LAX game." But even though you'll see lots of black SUVs driven by other types of people, this is where many posters can't help going.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I use and am not offended by the term "Catholic Mafia." I'm a member! 3rd generation Irish-Catholic. Blessed Sacrament. Visi. Gonzaga. Catholic U/Notre Dame. Columbia CC. Club Blue Lax. Big freakin SUV. The whole nine yards. Yes, much stereotyping goes on here. But many of us are walking stereotypes.

Can you explain the need to conform so much? down to the car?

What can I say. We get used to school uniforms, and everything else follows suit.

LOL. Good reply!

Anonymous wrote:Intolerant, uptight, self-righteous, having too many kids, Church sex abuse, anti-abortion - what's not to like?

PP here again. You do know that this a very, very small minority of American Catholics, right? Every single Catholic woman I know uses birth control and it's not like it's some secret from our husbands, parents, etc. And before you call someone intolerant and self-righteous you might want to do some self examination first.

I have a lot of problems with elements of the Catholic faith but more problems with elements of Islam. I don't tend to bash either but I agree with the OP that if I wanted to, I could get a lot more bashing in on Catholics than Muslims before other people objected.

Can I just say that as a Catholic who is committed to the church that not all of us are the same? Just like not all Jews, Evangelicals, Muslims, etc are the same. Many of us are very distressed by our institutional church's viewpoints on human sexuality, their lobbying on health policy, the child abuse scandal, etc etc etc. And as a Catholic woman, I am personally appalled at how the bishops are treating the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, simply because they are focusing on service to the poor as Jesus taught, rather than on politicizing issues based on Catholic dogma. As a result I will not give cash to the church; my contributions are instead going to foreign missions for the poor and the LCWR directly. However many of us are not ready to abandon our faith simply because we believe that the institutional church is misguided. We are the church too. Before you cast stones at glass houses, examine your own religion, its history, its political positions, etc. Would you bash all Jews because you disagree with AIPAC? Would you bash all Evangelicals becuase you disagree with the Family Research Council? If so, you are guilty of very narrow thinking. Catholics are not a homogenous body that thinks in tandem 100% of the time, any more than any other religious, ethic or racial group is. Please people, when you disagree with something, try to keep it civil and focused on specific actions - not on ad hominem attacks against all members of a group. It's beneath any educated adult, frankly.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I use and am not offended by the term "Catholic Mafia." I'm a member! 3rd generation Irish-Catholic. Blessed Sacrament. Visi. Gonzaga. Catholic U/Notre Dame. Columbia CC. Club Blue Lax. Big freakin SUV. The whole nine yards. Yes, much stereotyping goes on here. But many of us are walking stereotypes.

Can you explain the need to conform so much? down to the car?

What can I say. We get used to school uniforms, and everything else follows suit.

Don't worry OP, it's okay to bash Mormon's too...

http://www.theonion.com/articles/now-that-my-campaign-is-over-id-like-to-talk-to-yo,29611/

Come on you know you want to!

Intolerant, uptight, self-righteous, having too many kids, Church sex abuse, anti-abortion - what's not to like?

Anonymous wrote:I use and am not offended by the term "Catholic Mafia." I'm a member! 3rd generation Irish-Catholic. Blessed Sacrament. Visi. Gonzaga. Catholic U/Notre Dame. Columbia CC. Club Blue Lax. Big freakin SUV. The whole nine yards. Yes, much stereotyping goes on here. But many of us are walking stereotypes.

Can you explain the need to conform so much? down to the car?

Anonymous wrote:Interesting. I have never met a Catholic I didn't like. 8) There are TONS of problems with the church, doctrine, and leadership, but the Catholics I've met are very down-to-earth. Well, except for one family that seemed almost fundamentalist-conservative, wearing Amish-like clothing. Still, they were nice.

That's been my experience as well. I come from an Irish-Italian-New England-Catholic family and they are fun-loving, good-hearted, party people. They are the exact opposite of what I see described which seems to be the "Southern' version/opinion of Catholics. The Jesuit branch is scholarly and intellectual..and much more liberal. We had no problems getting married in a DC Catholic church with a spouse that hadn't been baptized anything. There is a lot of stress of acceptance, helping the poor/disadvantaged and community. Just about all of the Catholic women I know use BC...that's my circle, btw.

I actually am thrilled that one can "bash" Catholics out loud. I agree with pp that if we were talking the same way about, say Jews or Muslims(yikes) or Chinese or Indian or whatever other such group, one would be out of line and likely bounced from the DCUM world by Jeff. But Catholics are now so mainstream, it's almost okay to bash them. Sort of like bashing a white male. No one is really offended. No one really cares. Wasn't that why when my grandfather was growing up, where Catholics were quite literally getting bashed. But Catholics are now mainstream, and such little "bashing" is either amusing, or doesn't really hurt.

Because the Church proclaims the "fullness of truth.". That is a heavy claim.

The idea of the Church being "exclusive" is funny, though. Do you know what "Catholic" means?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is something about the Catholic attitude that isn't inclusive or open and that's what I find off-putting. There is more "my way or the highway" than in other religions -- and I am just talking about my first-hand experience as a non-Catholic who married a Catholic. I didn't have this view until I went through the intrusive pre-Cana process, met with the priest, etc.

Totally agree. The need to control others and their actions turns my stomach.

Are you kidding me? Southern Baptists, Jehovah Witnesses, and Born Agains are much worse. At least Catholics don't come to your door to try to convert you or tell you that you are going to Hell because you haven't been saved.