— Musings —02.29.2012 06:46 PM
Why hasn’t Santorum performed better among Catholics?
Because – and I say this as a Church-going one, now in the first week of Lenten observance (no hooch!) – modern Catholics are way more liberal than far-right lunatics like Santorum. We left his ilk behind back in the Middle Ages.
Saying JFK made him want to “throw up” wasn’t such a good idea, either. In Irish Catholic households, we still regard that man as our King (much like our Uncrowned King, Parnell, which is a story for another day).
That said, the longer Santorum’s in the race, the happier I am. He’s practically guaranteeing an Obama victory in the Fall.
This Christian/Mormon dick-swinging contest for the GOP leadership is nothing less than hilarious.
It is a bit sobering that one of these assholes might have their finger on the button.
Short answer: You’re right. He’s crazy.
Even the most catholic Catholics in the USA aren’t that nuts.
Nice reference to Parnell . . .
“He’s more Catholic than the Pope” used to be an expression about the devout. I don’t think he has adopted a critical view of church teachings. As a 4th Degree KofC, I can say that I find his views a little, well, I ask WWJVF? I don’t Jesus would vote for someone with that hatred (is this still a word?) in his heart for women and homosexuals.
I was raised Irish Catholic and taught by Jesuits and all that jazz. While I no longer consider myself a practicing Catholic, I do try and stay informed on what’s going on in that institution. As I see things, there are really two Catholic churches. There’s the one populated by dogmatists like Santorum who largely, in my view, use their belief system as grounds to tell others run their lives. And then there is the other church populated by the pragmatists: the silent majority who see faith as a personal matter and who don’t like being treated like a herded flock. They don’t say much but let their actions do the talking. My bias here is obvious, but I think it’s a pretty fair assessment. And it’s why guys like Santorum will not grow beyond his fringe-kook constituency. Sensible people know that faith is better practiced with the mouth closed and the heart open. Not vice versa.
Well put.
The best description of Santorum I have heard is from John Cassidy in the New Yorker, to wit: Santorum manages to simultaneously channel Ronald Reagan, Pius X, and Dr. Strangelove. Yuck.
http://preview.tinyurl.com/7myrek7
Wasn’t Parnell a Protestant?
[And is this time for a rousing rendition of “Cleared”?]
Yeah, so?
I really like that “alpha-male idiot” comment you wrote a while ago, Tiger 🙂