If one were to ban a Muslim group from attending a new student orientation fair at any given college, because the presence of such a group would be alienating for students of other religions and constitute a micro-aggression, I’d suspect such a person might be called an Islamophobe.
If one were to also ban a Gay Rights group from attending the same event, because the presence of such a group would be alienating for students of other sexual orientations and would also constitute a micro-aggression, I’d suspect such a person might also be called a homophobe.
The same logic could apply to any African-American group, except “racist” would be the word of choice or perhaps “deplorable”.
All these examples might be akin to saying you and/or your belief system(s) are not welcome here and you will not be allowed to recruit new members. What if this happened to an atheist group? I’m sure it would get ugly, although the term “atheist-ophobe” doesn’t roll off the tongue.
For some, the logic doesn’t seem to flow so well when the group is a Christian group. When one of the Oxford Colleges banned members of the Christian Union from its freshers’ fair on the grounds that it would be alienating for students of other religions and constitute a “micro-aggression”, I don’t believe the media stormed the internet and airwaves with cries of …“Christianophobe!” In actuality I’d have to say the action by the organizer(s) constitutes more of a macro-aggression as opposed to only “micro”.
To add insult to injury, the organizer argued “Christianity’s historic use as ‘an excuse for homophobia and certain forms of neo-colonialism’ meant that students might feel ‘unwelcome’ in their new college if the Christian Union had a stall.” Imagine if that exact same quote was used referring to a Muslim group.
In the face of perhaps a new era of direct attacks on religious liberty, clear thinking about inclusion becomes especially imperative. Without clarity, the cloud of muddled thinking that billows from all the “inclusion via intolerance” is quickly turning Christianity into society’s second hand smoke. As a people we don’t kill or arrest smokers; we just shame them and make sure they are safely out of the way.
“Marginalizing Christianity from the public sphere is a sign, not of intelligence, but of fear. It is failing to see, through the dark clouds of prejudice, that society cannot help but benefit from Christianity.”
̶ Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco
Photo by Tor Lindstrand – SWEATworkshop04, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=34812092
What one notes about this is that the detritus of efforts to adopt and maintain anti-discrimination law has among a certain sort of bourgeois promoted a cultural norm wherein there are strata of groups whose sensibilities are paramount over every other consideration (except the sensibilities of those in higher strata). The gaystapo has quite successfully managed to persuade this sort to see male homosexuals much as they see themselves most of the time, as Special.
It’s vaguely amusing that this was done at a state institution in a country with a religious establishment (even if the Queen is the only practicing Anglican left in the country).
“Marginalizing Christianity from the public sphere is a sign of:”
I’d add self hatred, ignorance and nihilism. A dictatorship of relativism.
Every other day it seems that Christianity itself is walking along the via del la rosa. One of Oxfords colleges is helping to usher in what might become a crucifixion for our faith. Not yet, but as this intolerance from the tolerant crowd grows one doesn’t have to guess what it will take to see Religious Freedom being stripped away from Christian Church. The odor from the HHS mandate still wafting in the air.
Every other day it seems the screams for Barabbas are drowning out the whispers for Christ.
Interesting trend;
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/why-millennials-are-ditching-religion-for-witchcraft-and-astrology
Morals from the stars. (?)
Who needs Christianity when all that’s needed is a tarot card reading and a bag of crystals?
@Phil,
Your link did not work, but I found the article via a search. It gives me an idea for another post. I teach Confirmation class to public school kids. It’s sometimes hard to get their attention on a Saturday morning. When I bring up things like fallen angels (or what we can call demons) or what #6 means in scripture and #3 and what 3 six’s might mean (666), I suddenly have their FULL attention.
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/why-millennials-are-ditching-religion-for-witchcraft-and-astrology-2017-10-20
To Philip N.,
Sorry for beiing picky, but the correct term is “Via Dolorosa” or “The Sorrowful Way.” “Via Del Rosa” would mean “Way of the Rose.” It is an Italian term vice the correct Latin term.
To Ben B.,
I got no answers except, “Iesus in te credo.” Marginalization of Christians is but the beginning of persecution in the West. We see its culmination in the atrocities of Islam in the Middle East.
@ Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus.
Oh no. Please don’t hesitate to correct me.
I thank you for it.
?
@ Been
Sorry about the faulty link…my mistake.
I should of checked it out after posting.
The decreasing numbers of believers at that age is in great part due to the laxidasical attitudes of their parents. Public school.
I wonder how many parents even believe in God?
Ben-Thank you for this insightful article; and God bless you and keep you as husband and father, but especially as confirmation class catechist- God has put their souls in your hands.
It was my experience some decades ago when I did a confirmation class for 100 plus or minus, that after reception of the sacrament the majority of the students ceased church going. They were juniors or seniors in high school and I am sure their parents made it a sine qua non of cellphone, car, and internet that they do confirmation classes. It would be a blessing to many teachers if you would enlarge on how you get them interested, and how you keep them coming. Thank you. Guy McClung, Texas
Thanks Guy,
Been doing it for 7 years now. Very difficult in our culture and when parents are not involved. When I tie in their fascination with the occult with Catholicism you should see the look in their eyes (topics like fallen angels, exorcisms and what certain numbers mean in scripture like 666). I’ll start working on a Halloween post!
[…] Stand Did Jesus Teach Salvation by Faith Alone? – Trent Horn, Catholic Answers Magazine Who Are the Christianophobes? – Ben Butera, The American Catholic Nigeria, Faithful See a Miracle of the Sun Like in […]
Bicycles, cars, trucks and buses travel the roads. It is not the vehicles but the sovereign persons who drive the vehicles who are and must be respected and acknowledged. Bicycles make one vulnerable on the road, while trucks make one more secure. Ideology wielded by officials makes Islamophobes and Christianophobes. Only the sovereign person chooses his ideology and he is judged by what he does. “See how the Christians love one another.”
That said: Judging persons by the group that the belong to is a gulag. Giving individuals special consideration because of the group that they belong to is also gulag.
Public domain, public square, public everything belongs to the public in joint and common tenancy. No person is excluded except as persona non grata after a trial in a court of law.
If a person is micro-aggressed and is forced to leave by this micro-aggression he must have his day in court, or like marriage he must forever keep his peace. How is one forced to leave by micro-aggression? Entering into one’s personal space? assault and battery? slander? micro-aggression must have a name and a court date with evidence, since no one owns the whole kingdom, since the kingdom is created by subjects or the state by sovereign citizens.
“I’ll start working on a Halloween post!” Eve of all hallows. Will the Satanist be micro-aggressed by a red devil costume? How about skeletons? We all have a skeleton except the devils and the angels. How about angels and superheroes? How about the “Invisible Man’, whose soul was covered in bandages to show his form for he had made his body invisible? How about the Grim Reaper” Death himself? and vampires? and werewolves? and zombies and ghouls? and Frankenstein that had no soul? It is incredible to know that when Satan said “NO” to God, God listened and now when man says “NO” to Satan, he must listen, absolutely every time. Saul Alinsky asked God to send him to hell because he admired Satan. Now Satan is subject to exorcism and mankind’s “NO”.
Thank you
“Saul Alinsky asked God to send him to hell because he admired Satan. Now Satan is subject to exorcism and mankind’s “NO”
Mary. Your truly gifted.
Mankind’s no to Satan is a daily, hourly and sometimes minute by minute struggle to say NO. Thank God for his grace.
St. Michael, pray for us. Mother of God, continue keeping Mary De Voe close to your Immaculate Heart. 🙂
@Ben Butera
Auto-correct is a killer.
Excuse my “Been” Ben.
Philip: All people are in the IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY and in the SACRED HEART OF JESUS. Thank you for your prayers. Mine are for you at Mass Sunday.
Do you consider yourself an orthodox Catholic?” Senator Dick Durbin (D., Ill.) asked Notre Dame Law School professor Amy Coney Barrett, a nominee for a federal appeals court,last month made me realize that we are living though very interesting times when the senator who identifies as A Catholic proceeded with the religous test for the nominee. The media response would have been much different had the nominee been any other religion besides Catholic. I was amazed that this happened.
People simply do not like to be reminded of their sins. Hence, the fear of being near someone that could disturb their complacency. Goes for Christians of all stripes, non-believers (yes, they know) , and secular Jews. Amazing how these people seem to have no reluctance to put their psycho neurosis out for public view.