The only good Catholic is a bad Catholic. That’s the unofficial position of the US Democratic Party (DNC). What does that mean? It means as far as the US Democratic Party (DNC) is concerned, the only good Catholic is one who doesn’t really believe or practice the Faith. In other words, Catholics like Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi represent the sort of Catholics Democrats approve of — faithless, heretical and apostate. They constantly remind everyone about their supposed “Catholic” faith, but they don’t act like Catholics when it comes to their beliefs or policy positions. They’re “Paper Catholics,” as in technically members of the Catholic Church on paper, but not in faith or practical application. In other words, as the Scriptures say, they have a “form of godliness but deny its power” (2 Timothy 3:5). While Catholics who actually take the teachings of the Church seriously, particularly the moral teachings, need not apply for any position within the Democratic Party. Now they want to extend that mindset to government positions as well. One need not be a Democrat to hold to this position. It’s a common Leftist mindset, that has recently been embraced by the Democratic Party, but does not necessarily originate from it. Regardless of the origin, the implications are clear. In order to be accepted as Americans now, we Catholics must reject at least part of our faith, otherwise there is no place for us in the USA, no seat at the table, and we become second-class citizens.
There’s really nothing new about this, when you know history. Catholics have always gotten the short-end of the stick in the English-speaking world under Protestantism. Just talk to the Irish. They’ll tell you all about it. Catholics were outright persecuted in England, Scotland, Ireland and Northern Ireland, under the Penal Laws from 1562 to 1829. Catholics in the English colonies in North America were given the shaft in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, New York and Maryland (even after Maryland was originally founded as a Catholic colony). So getting the shaft in the English-speaking world is nothing new to Catholics. We’re used to it. Maybe a little too used to it. George Washington gave Catholics a fair shake in the American Revolution, and for that we are grateful, but the good general’s Christian charity was short-lived in the colonies he helped to liberate from the English crown. With the rise of the American Republic came the advance of the “American Party,” unofficially called the “Know-Nothing Party” which was anti-Catholic to the core, as its members were prompted to say they “knew nothing” about the party’s anti-Catholic agenda. This was followed after the Civil War by the Ku Klux Klan, who’s anti-Catholic escapades are known the world over as legendary! While anti-Catholicism in America had long been a Protestant pass time, the torch has passed on to the Left-wing Democrats of today. Their anti-Catholic tactics are a little different, but the effect is the same. Under Left-wing, Democratic anti-Catholicism, Catholics are permitted to remain members of the Catholic Church, carry their rosaries, call themselves Catholic, and generally revel in the trappings of Catholicism, but they just can’t believe or act upon Catholic teaching when it comes to morality. They can call themselves Catholics, carry rosary beads, and go to Mass, but they can’t actually believe what the Church teaches. So in other words: “the only good Catholic is a bad Catholic.” President Joe Biden, and Speaker Nancy Pelosi stand out as the poster children for this new standard, representing what the Democratic Party will tolerate. Are you Catholic? No problem! Just deny your faith on moral issues, and you too can rise in the ranks of the Democratic Party.
If the Democrats just kept it limited to their own party, that would be bad enough, but that’s not the agenda here. What’s good for the party is also good for America, or so they think, as Democrats now seek to impose their unofficial party standard on American civil institutions as well. For example, Marine Corp reservist officer, Michael Berry, recently alerted Congress to a slide used for training by the US Army, classifying Catholics and Evangelicals as “religious extremists” that are a danger for “domestic terrorism.” Now, isn’t that sweet. Our young men and women in uniform are being conditioned to believe that Catholics and Evangelicals are a “threat to America” so that maybe they won’t feel so bad about shooting us if some future president ever orders them to. Of course, the vast majority of US troops are Catholics and Evangelicals, so while you might think they would just laugh this off, not to worry, Democrats have a plan for that too. Already, Secretary of Defence, Lloyd Austin, is conducting a purge of US Armed Forces, to get rid of “religious extremism” (whatever that means) in the military. If the training slide, used by the US Army, is any indication of what is meant by “religious extremism,” Catholics and Evangelicals need not apply to the US Armed Forces. For the record, in light of this, I have advised my children not to join the military, explaining to them they would not be welcome there. Perhaps other Catholics, and Evangelicals, should do the same. For future reference, if there is ever a draft again, this might be a way of getting out of it. Just declare yourself a “religious extremist” according to the training standards of the US Army.
This kind of religious discrimination is not just limited to the Democrat-controlled federal government. We’re seeing it on the state level too. In Democrat-controlled California, a bill is seriously being considered that would prevent conservative Christians (especially orthodox Catholics) from serving in law enforcement. Yes, that’s right. This is really happening. The fact that such a bill is even seriously considered by the California legislature is unforgivable. Whatever they do with it, whether they change the language, or drop the bill entirely, doesn’t matter anymore. It’s like trying to “unring” a bell after it’s already been rung. The message has clearly been sent. California Democrats don’t want Christians in law enforcement. There is no way to soften this, or smooth it over. The message was crystal clear, and it was sent. Well, I’m not a Californian anymore (thank God), but I can say the message was “received loud and clear” by me. Perhaps California Christians, considering a career in law enforcement, may want to move to another state first. While the bill may not pass, it doesn’t matter. The message is crystal clear and it has been sent. If you’re a Christian in California, California legislators don’t want you in law enforcement, but we would love to have you in a lot of other states. Maybe consider some Conservative, Red States? You may not be welcome in California, but you are more than welcome here in Red-State America. We love law enforcement in Red-State America, and we love Christians (and that includes Catholic Christians). So if you’re a California Christian, considering a career in law enforcement, consider coming to a Red State first. We’ll treat you right.
What we are witnessing today is a new form of anti-Catholicism in America, which we Catholics are all too familiar with, and whether or not Evangelicals like it, they’re getting hit with it now as well. Historical irony certainly does have a sense of humor. The people who dished it out to Catholics for centuries are now getting a taste of it, right alongside Catholics. To which I can only say to my Evangelical brethren in Christ: “Welcome to the club! Make yourself at home. It sucks, doesn’t it?”
Evangelicals are going through quite an adjustment process right now. They’ve never been persecuted before. We Catholics are used to it, much of our plight came from their religious ancestors, but they have never had to deal with it — until now. Some might be inclined to gloat, but not me. I welcome them with open arms, and so should you. They, along with us, now have the privilege of understanding what it means to be mistreated and disenfranchised in the name of Jesus Christ. They, along with us, will suffer together in the years ahead. Hopefully, our mutual suffering, at the hands of the same oppressors (Left-wing Democrats) will strengthen what we have in common in Christ, making us see each other as fellow Christians, and brethren under the cross. In the years ahead, Evangelicals are going to have to reign-in the anti-Catholic elements within their own ranks, just as General George Washington did within his ranks. “We must all hang together, or we shall all hang separately.”
Soon the Democrats will offer the same proposition to the Evangelicals as they have to Catholics. They’ll say: “The only good Evangelical is a bad Evangelical.” Then, and only then, will our Evangelical brethren finally and fully understand what it’s like to be a Catholic in America. If you’re an Evangelical, who is finally coming to the realization that you’re about to suffer for Christ right alongside orthodox Catholics, maybe you should get a copy of my book, so at least you can understand the people who are being persecuted alongside you. As for Catholics, the time for compromising with the political Left is OVER. For decades, our bishops have compromised Catholic teaching and morality, with Democrat officials, hoping to gain a seat at the table of the American dream. That compromise has resulted in the outright persecution of faithful and orthodox Catholics by Democrats now. Their compromise has led to the mistreatment and disenfranchisement of their flock. If you’re a Catholic bishop, you need to stop compromising with the Democratic Party, and the Leftist establishment, now before it’s too late. Every compromise you make worsens the situation for Catholics on the lay level. If you can’t stop, please retire. We would be better off without you. For our children are losing their futures because of your compromises. As for my fellow lay Catholics, the only thing I can tell you is this. If you’re going to be persecuted for your faith, and you are, then you might as well be persecuted for being Catholic in style. Find a Reverent Catholic Mass, using the website ReverentCatholicMass.Com. Join it, support it, and spread the word. If we Catholics are going down for our faith, we should at least be going down in style, like our forefathers before us.
Shane Schaetzel is an author of Catholic books and an Evangelical convert to the Catholic Church through Anglicanism. His articles have been featured on LifeSiteNews, ChurchMilitant, The Remnant Newspaper, Forward in Christ, and Catholic Online. You can read Shane’s books at ShaneSchaetzel.Com
Complete Christianity 