Steve Skojec has a blog post up that is well worth reading. There are a number of bloggers who profess themselves to be all things Catholic, some are well known and some are best not to be known.
Some of his quotes:
I have a question for my fellow Catholics: when did mischaracterization, ad hominem, and scathing personal attacks become the qualifications for popular Catholic writers? When did it become acceptable for these so-called Catholics to use their platforms to sling mud at and besmirch the reputations of any brother in Christ who disagrees with them? Where is their interest in charitably engaging those with whom they disagree in an attempt to persuade them rather than abuse them? Why should they be empowered to try to force into silence any voice with which they find fault?
I’ve personally been on the receiving end of any number of cheap shots, mischaracterizations, and even unbelievably vulgar private screeds from certain well-known Internet Catholics.
This reaction that is happening in the Catholic blogosphere doesn’t even resemble justified outrage. It’s a lynch mob. And it’s comprised of people who call themselves Catholic, but could really use a crash course in what that means.The Baltimore Catechism might be a good place to start, since it presents things simply and clearly and doesn’t “make a mess” of doctrinal certitude. I’m not even kidding.
These self-serving, egotistical bloggers and their commenters should be ashamed of themselves, if they are capable of shame. Their reaction is the reason so few of the reasonable individuals I’ve spoken with at various academic and other Catholic institutions feel at liberty to come forward with their concerns.
Having been attacked myself publicly for this rather unimportant blog amongst other things which I do; I can sympathize with Steve and Hilary White, whom he refers to in the whole story. I knew Hilary when she lived here in Toronto; she is an incredibly intelligent, devout and committed Catholic. To see her slandered in this way is disgusting. She is of the ilk that would take a bullet for the faith; I dare say something her detractors would not do.
I've also had the pleasure of having been mocked by the one of those same at Patheos; I won't use his name nor link to him to give him any more income. Another self-published "theologian," or Greek philosopher or whatever he considers himself, went so far as to stalk me on his blog to the point where it was harassment. For two years another, another two have undertaken a campaign of on-line harassment including the writing 30 page long email chains to friends and strangers, open slander on FB and hate-mail campaigns to international colleagues in a failed attempt to discredit my work.
Steve's right; it means that we're doing something right.
Some of his quotes:
I have a question for my fellow Catholics: when did mischaracterization, ad hominem, and scathing personal attacks become the qualifications for popular Catholic writers? When did it become acceptable for these so-called Catholics to use their platforms to sling mud at and besmirch the reputations of any brother in Christ who disagrees with them? Where is their interest in charitably engaging those with whom they disagree in an attempt to persuade them rather than abuse them? Why should they be empowered to try to force into silence any voice with which they find fault?
I’ve personally been on the receiving end of any number of cheap shots, mischaracterizations, and even unbelievably vulgar private screeds from certain well-known Internet Catholics.
This reaction that is happening in the Catholic blogosphere doesn’t even resemble justified outrage. It’s a lynch mob. And it’s comprised of people who call themselves Catholic, but could really use a crash course in what that means.The Baltimore Catechism might be a good place to start, since it presents things simply and clearly and doesn’t “make a mess” of doctrinal certitude. I’m not even kidding.
These self-serving, egotistical bloggers and their commenters should be ashamed of themselves, if they are capable of shame. Their reaction is the reason so few of the reasonable individuals I’ve spoken with at various academic and other Catholic institutions feel at liberty to come forward with their concerns.
Having been attacked myself publicly for this rather unimportant blog amongst other things which I do; I can sympathize with Steve and Hilary White, whom he refers to in the whole story. I knew Hilary when she lived here in Toronto; she is an incredibly intelligent, devout and committed Catholic. To see her slandered in this way is disgusting. She is of the ilk that would take a bullet for the faith; I dare say something her detractors would not do.
I've also had the pleasure of having been mocked by the one of those same at Patheos; I won't use his name nor link to him to give him any more income. Another self-published "theologian," or Greek philosopher or whatever he considers himself, went so far as to stalk me on his blog to the point where it was harassment. For two years another, another two have undertaken a campaign of on-line harassment including the writing 30 page long email chains to friends and strangers, open slander on FB and hate-mail campaigns to international colleagues in a failed attempt to discredit my work.
Steve's right; it means that we're doing something right.