Anti-Catholic Media Figures Loom Large in Sex Abuse Scandal

By John Zmirak is a Senior Editor of The Stream, Dec. 15, 2017

In case you ever wondered, the answer is yes: Some of the biggest enemies of Christian churches and morality have their own set of “issues.” The folks behind some of the nastiest public attacks on the Catholic church? They are nose-deep in the current explosion of sex-abuse accusations.

Not too surprising, is it? People with a deeply personal interest in tearing down sexual barriers hate the organization they see as most “repressive.” The Catholic League for Civil and Religious Rights has issued a blockbuster two-part report. It documents the links between Church-hatred and sex crimes.

The League’s rogues gallery includes:

Harvey Weinstein

As the League notes, Weinstein has been accused “by dozens of women of sexual harassment or sexual assaults, including rape. Fired by The Weinstein Co. and expelled from various professional guilds. [He is] [u]nder investigation by police departments in New York, London, Beverly Hills and Los Angeles. (AP 11/24/17)” What has Weinstein done to attack the Church? What hasn’t he done? The League lists the highlights:

• In 1995, Harvey Weinstein and his brother, Bob, offered us Priest, a film featuring nothing but miscreant priests.
• In 1998, they gave us “The Butcher Boy,” which starred Sinead O’Connor as a foul-mouthed Virgin Mary.
• In 1999, we were treated to “Dogma,” where the audience learned of a descendant of Mary and Joseph who works in an abortion clinic.

• In 2002, they released “40 Days and 40 Nights,” a film that ridiculed a Catholic for giving up sex for Lent.

• Also opening in 2002 was “The Magdalene Sisters,” a movie that smeared nuns.
• In 2003, “Bad Santa” opened for the holidays; Santa was cast as a chain-smoking, drunken, foul-mouthed, suicidal, sexual predator.
• In 2006, “Black Christmas” made a predictably dark statement about the holiday.
• “Philomena” was released in 2013. It is a tale of malicious lies about Irish nuns and the Church (Harvey lobbied hard for an Oscar, but came up empty). In real life, Philomena Lee was a teenager who abandoned her out-of-wedlock son, and who, because of the good efforts of the nuns, was adopted by an American couple.

But it doesn’t end with Weinstein. And the culprits span the range of religious ethnic and origins.

Louis C.K.

Of Hungarian Catholic ancestry, he also figures prominently in the Catholic League report. It notes that he has been “[a]ccused by several women of sexual misconduct. He says the allegations are true and has apologized.” His anti-Catholic media incidents include the following:

• Accused Pope Benedict XVI of “f***ing boys” (Catholic League, 5/18/2015)
• His show “Louie” featured an entire episode mocking and maligning Catholicism. For example, he said “the purpose of the episode was to convince elementary school kids that all the talk about Jesus dying on the Cross for our sins is pure bunk.” (Catholic League,10/15/2010)
• YouTube mockumentary called “Louis C.K. Learns About the Catholic Church.” It features a priest who tells him that the purpose of Catholicism is “boy f***ing,” not faith. He takes him through a crash course in this perverse theology. (YouTube)
• Mocked Christianity in a short segment of his “Louie” show, in which he has a fictional debate with a woman from “Christians Against Masturbation.” He defended the act. For obvious reasons, the clip has now gained much media attention. (People,11/10/2017) (AP, 11/24/2017)

Lest the hallowed halls of government escape this plague, the League points also to a U.S. Senator.

Al Franken (D-MN)

The League reminds us that this soon-to-be ex-Senator was “[a]ccused of forcibly kissing a woman while rehearsing for a 2006 USO tour; Franken also was photographed with his hands over her breasts as she slept. Franken has apologized, while maintaining that he remembered the rehearsal differently. (AP, 11/24/17) Subsequently, several more women have come forward accusing Franken of having groped them while posing for pictures with them. (Philadelphia Inquirer, 11/30/17)”

Franken’s jabs at the Catholic church include:

• He has mocked the Eucharist.
• He has ridiculed the crucifixion of Jesus.
• He has slandered all priests as molesters.
• He has belittled practicing Catholics (e.g., Knights of Columbus).
• He has disparaged the Church’s teaching on embryonic stem cell research.
• He made crude jokes about a dying woman, Terri Schiavo, and then misrepresented her condition by passing her off as already dead.
• He once called New York Archbishop John Cardinal O’Connor “an a**hole.” (Catholic League, 10/27/2008)

But the “high” points of hatred for the Church remain in the media. The League next singles out:

NPR News Chief Michael Oreskes & NPR Chief News Editor David Sweeney

Oreskes was “[a]ccused of inappropriate behavior or sexual harassment by at least four women. He was ousted from NPR. (AP,11/24/17).” Sweeney “[l]eft NPR in late November amid allegations of sexual harassment by at least three female journalists. (AP, 11/24/2017)”

NPR’s anti-Catholic and anti-Christian moments include:

• On May 27, 2012, Barbara Bradley Hagerty did a piece that was posted on the website of National Public Radio (NPR) titled, “Just Doing His Job Is Catholic Official’s Defense.” Here is how she opened her story: “A clergy sex-abuse trial in is [sic] reaching a crescendo in a Philadelphia courtroom. One defendant is James Brennan, a priest accused of trying to rape a minor, which is not that unusual.” [Emphasis added.] (Catholic League, 5/30/2012)

• On Jan. 7, 2008, the Utah NPR station, KCPW, aired a skit lampooning Mike Huckabee that trashed Jesus. On the show, “Fair Game with Faith Salie,” the following was said: “Tired of bland unsatisfying Eucharists? Try this Huckabee family favorite. Deep-Fried Body of Christ — boring holy wafers no more …. Mike likes his Christ with whipped cream and sprinkles.” (Catholic League, 10/26/2010)

• On July 5, 1997, NPR mocked the Eucharist when host Scott Simon and musical satirist, Tom Lehrer, got together. Lehrer sang “The Vatican Rag.”Here are some of the lyrics: “Try playing it safer, drink the wine and chew the wafer”; “Two, four, six, eight, time to Trans-substantiate.” (Catholic League, 10/26/2010)

Charlie Rose, Woody Allen, David Letterman, and More

The League report also details biased or deliberately offensive statements by a variety of other entertainment and media figures. They are now under accusation of sexual misconduct. They include TV host Charlie Rose, director Woody Allen, and late night legend David Letterman. See the report for a complete dossier of abusers and of their enablers.