Bill Donohue Must Resign, For The Good of American Catholics

[Soutane]

Alex Wilhelm.Writer and religious commentator
Posted: June 16, 2010 12:41 PM BIO Become a Fan Get Email Alerts Bloggers’ Index .

Bill Donohue Must Resign, For The Good of American Catholics
While minding one’s own business is often considered a virtue, when the chaos from a neighbor’s house spills into your own yard you are afforded the option to say something. In the case that I raise today, a certain man has been allowed to run about like a feral child in the playground of the media, spouting nonsense and threats for quite long enough. I say on behalf of reasonable-minded people everywhere (both skeptics and believers), that Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League, needs to be reined in before he completely destroys the reputation of the Catholic Church in the United States.

The Holy See has been through a rather rough patch in the last few years. Unfortunately one of their most public representatives during this time of difficulty has been a man whose actions are indefensible. Mr. Donohue could not have broached the national media arena at a worse time for the church. While the Vatican is in crisis around the world, with the Pope himself calling for change and penance, Bill Donohue has been happily kicking the hornet’s nest with a vigor unabated by either logic or circumstance.
huffingtonpost.com/alex-wilhelm/bill-donohue-must-resign_b_613348.html

 

[Soutane]

Bill Donahue must be really getting under the left’s skin when an apologist for the ultra secularist Huffington Post has the audacity to demand his resignation.Seems that they would prefer to deal with “tame” Catholics.Mr. Donahue,said,“no.”

Come on all you Catholics who despise Donahue for his direct,“uncouth” and oh so embarrassing ways-time to jump on the Huffington bandwagon.The most effective non-clericalNorth American Catholic to defend Catholicism

Thank God for Bill Donahue and the Catholic League…

 

[scipio337]

A PoHuff contributor doesn’t like Donohue. I am SHOCKED!

They probably don’t care for EWTN much either.

The Catholic League is a private org. They can do what they’d like.

Little Bio on the author:

While not religious, Alex has long experience with people of faith from every place on the religious spectrum. He feels that while non-belief is on the rise, the future of religion and spirituality is hardly set, and will be the defining issue of the next century.

Zing!

Other gems by the same author: “Why Christianity Must Adapt – Or Perish”

Apparently, Christianity hasn’t conformed to modernity enough for his taste.

 

[Beau_Ouiville]

Well, the article makes some strong and accurate criticisms of Donahue. I don’t know if they rise to the level of requiring him to resign, however.

I don’t know why folks are discussing the article author.

 

[scipio337]

Well, the article makes some strong and accurate criticisms of Donahue. I don’t know if they rise to the level of requiring him to resign, however.

I would agree with the “strong” and “criticisms” part.
Beau Ouiville:

I don’t know why folks are discussing the article author.

Perhaps to get a better idea of what the authors other views are.

As a Catholic, I find it a little absurd that a “non religious” person for the resignation of a person serving on a private Catholic organization, don’t you?

 

[Dale_M]

Well, the article makes some strong and accurate criticisms of Donahue. I don’t know if they rise to the level of requiring him to resign, however.

I don’t know why folks are discussing the article author.

Yep, it seems a bit strange. Donahue is often embarrassing, but sometimes he is spot on. I don’t think he should resign. Rather, I think the public needs to realize that sometimes he is correct, and sometimes is making off the wall criticisms.

 

[WatchingMedia]

Left-wing Huffington hates Catholics, and this is evidenced by the anti-Catholic articles.
She thinks we are stupid enough to be manipulated by her journalists.

Donahue’s organization just sent letters to all US Bishops listing all the organizations that they have been donating Catholic dollars to - which support abortion and gay marriage. (About 50 organizations.) This probably really ticks Huffington.

The author did not call for the resignation of the 80 Nuns/Sisters who supported abortion in the recent Health care bill.

What we must “judge” about any Catholic in public life is - - -
Are his/her statements the TRUTH ?
Are the statements in accord with the teachings of the Church - “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition”?

Donohue supports our Pope, and is usually right on regarding Church teachings.
Does anyone have other information that they can prove ?

Where the Huffington author is the biggest “liar” is that Donohue does not represent the Catholic Church.
Only the Pope, his authorized Representatives, or Bishops may speak on behalf of the Church.
On the other side, that would be like saying Nancy Polosi or the 80Nuns/Sisters who support abortion represent the Church. Duh !

It’s easy to criticize. Instead of complaining about someone’s style - let’s look at content.
And if he/she is correct, contact our own Bishop - so that the issue will be addressed and corrected.

 

[Beau_Ouiville]

As a Catholic, I find it a little absurd that a “non religious” person for the resignation of a person serving on a private Catholic organization, don’t you?

No. I don’t deal in ad hominem.

What we must “judge” about any Catholic in public life is - - -
Are his/her statements the TRUTH ?

Which is the same thing we must review in any article about any Catholic.

 

[scipio337]

No. I don’t deal in ad hominem.

I didn’t know calling something “absurd” is a personal attack. I would advise staying away from PoHuff, then.

The most horribly anti-Catholic piece I’ve ever read was on PoHuff, just this year. It called the Catholic Church a “Criminal organization that should disbanded, and prosecuted under RICO laws”.

Of course, the comments were all high-fives and "heck yeah"s.

 

[WatchingMedia]

Left-wing Huffington hates Catholics, and this is evidenced by the anti-Catholic articles.
She thinks we are stupid enough to be manipulated by her journalists.

Donahue’s organization just sent letters to all US Bishops listing all the organizations that they have been donating Catholic dollars to - which support abortion and gay marriage. (About 50 organizations.) This probably really ticks Huffington.

The author did not call for the resignation of the 80 Nuns/Sisters who supported abortion in the recent Health care bill.

What we must “judge” about any Catholic in public life is - - -
Are his/her statements the TRUTH ?
Are the statements in accord with the teachings of the Church - “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition”?

Donohue supports our Pope, and is usually right on regarding Church teachings.
Does anyone have other information that they can prove ?

Where the Huffington author is the biggest “liar” is that Donohue does not represent the Catholic Church.
Only the Pope, his authorized Representatives, or Bishops may speak on behalf of the Church.
On the other side, that would be like saying Nancy Polosi or the 80Nuns/Sisters who support abortion represent the Church. Duh !

It’s easy to criticize. Instead of complaining about someone’s style - let’s look at content.
And if he/she is correct, contact our own Bishop - so that the issue will be addressed and corrected.

I need to correct my statement. Individual Bishops do not represent the “Church” unless appointed to do so. They represent their Diocese.

 

[Advocatus_Fidei]

Bill Donohue should be given a Papal Knighthood!

And the Huffingtonpost should only be used as kindling, and the person who wrote this article needs to stop trying to tell Catholics what to do as if it has anything to do with him, we have a leadership and he ain’t part of it.

When they start sacking the people who try and smear the Pope then perhaps we would not need a man like Donohue, the truth is he only exists because of people like those who write the Huffington Post, without them Bill Donohue would not be needed and so would not have a job.

So they want to get rid of Bill Donohue then its in their hands, all they need to do is stop their anti-Catholicism and Mr. Donohue would be out of work.

 

[Joe_5859]

Perhaps the whole article is a clever satire in which the author is being intentionally melodramatic and provocative in order to draw attention to the fact that he feels this is what Bill Donahue does on a regular basis. That’s probably giving the Huffington Post a bit too much credit, though.

The article is certainly one-sided in its portrayal on Donahue as some sort of frothy-mouthed lunatic, but I don’t think it’s totally off the mark. Bill Donahue does get a bit over-the-top at times. I think that’s intentional on his part, though. He overstates his outrage in order to get his point across. If he stated it tactfully, no one would pay attention and the insults towards Catholicism would continue unabated. I don’t think I would be comfortable with that approach for myself, but I respect the work he does.

 

[Beau_Ouiville]

I didn’t know calling something “absurd” is a personal attack. I would advise staying away from PoHuff, then.

You are discussing the speaker instead of reviewing the accuracy of what he or she said. That’s ad hominem.

 

[doanli]

Bill Donahue must be really getting under the left’s skin when an apologist for the ultra secularist Huffington Post has the audacity to demand his resignation.Seems that they would prefer to deal with “tame” Catholics.Mr. Donahue,said,“no.”

Come on all you Catholics who despise Donahue for his direct,“uncouth” and oh so embarrassing ways-time to jump on the Huffington bandwagon.The most effective non-clericalNorth American Catholic to defend Catholicism
**
Thank God for Bill Donahue and the Catholic League…**

**
Amen, agree with you, 100%!**

 

[scipio337]

You are discussing the speaker instead of reviewing the accuracy of what he or she said. That’s ad hominem.

Okay. I find the article to be extremely one-sided.

On a side note, the author seems to have a decidedly anti-religion agenda.

(and I still find more than a few virulent anti-Catholic articles on PoHuff)

 

[Advocatus_Fidei]

If the fault is a personal one then it can only be addressed by addressing the person, by ad hominem, ad hominem does and must have its place to those who live in the real world.

 

[TMC]

I agree with virtually every word of the article. Spewing venom and hatred is no way to spread Christ’s message. Donohue does not speak for me and every time I see him put forth as speaking for Catholics I cringe.

 

[Ceil-1]

No. I don’t deal in ad hominem

.

ad hominem lite.

 

[didymus]

Mr Donahue is not my favorite person but he certainly is useful to have around. Probably a “more reasonable” Bill Donahue would not be so effective.

I’m fascinated that Huntington claims the Catholic League has only a “few thousand members” and links to a NY Times article (which is actually quite fair) that credits him with turning the organisation around:

Mr. Donohue, 52, a former sociology professor who lives in Mineola, N.Y., took over the 11,000-member Catholic League in 1993 and reinvigorated it with his personal blend of religious pragmatism and media savvy . . .
Today, the Catholic League has grown to an estimated 350,000 members (Mr. Donohue multiplies the number of households that donate money by 1.5 to include spouses and other family members).

Okay, take out the multiplier that’s still 200,000+ paying members, pretty damned impressive.

 

[Indyann]

Perhaps the whole article is a clever satire in which the author is being intentionally melodramatic and provocative in order to draw attention to the fact that he feels this is what Bill Donahue does on a regular basis. That’s probably giving the Huffington Post a bit too much credit, though.

The article is certainly one-sided in its portrayal on Donahue as some sort of frothy-mouthed lunatic, but I don’t think it’s totally off the mark. Bill Donahue does get a bit over-the-top at times. I think that’s intentional on his part, though. He overstates his outrage in order to get his point across. If he stated it tactfully, no one would pay attention and the insults towards Catholicism would continue unabated. I don’t think I would be comfortable with that approach for myself, but I respect the work he does.

I think you have hit the nail on the head. Father Jonathon Morris is now frequently on Fox News to combat tirades against the Church. He is mild-mannered, polite and accurately portrays what comes from the Vatican. I always agree with what he says BUT it is not memorable.

When Bill Donahue throws a hissy fit, I remember. And I guess the detractors do too, lest there would not be a campaigne to get rid of him. When he retires, I hope there is one just like him to continue to fight for the Church.