NY Times accused of anti-Catholic bigotry, cowardice

By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
3/15/2012
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

Times publishes anti-Catholic ad, but refuses anti-Islam ad.

Sometimes what you don't say reveals as much as what you do say. Following the New York Time's publication of an ad that constitutes a direct, frontal attack on the Catholic Church on behalf of the atheist group Freedom From Religion Foundation, the Times has refused to run a nearly identical ad criticizing Islam.

Which is it, bigotry or fear?

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NEW YORK, NY (Catholic Online) - The new (anti-Islamic) ad was rejected by the Times from fear of Islamic backlash. The Times has promised to reconsider the ad for publication in a "few months" time.

The ad mimics the anti-Catholic ad to the point the two would appear almost identical in appearance and tone.

The anti-Catholic ad was run without fear. The ad targeted "liberal" and "nominal" Catholics telling them "It's time to quit the Church." Although there was criticism over the nature of the ad, there were no threats of violence and no calls for crusades.

Conversely, it is fear that has halted the Times from publishing a nearly identical ad from the group Stop the Islamization of Nations, with the intent of criticizing Islam. The Times explained, "the fallout from running this ad now could put U.S. troops and/or civilians in the [Afghan] region in danger."

Meanwhile, Catholics have criticized the Times of promoting an anti-Catholic agenda. Bill Donahue, Catholic League president, said the Time's motivation to publish one article but not the other was the result of "either bigotry or fear and they've painted themselves into that corner."

Could it be the Times is focusing its fire on the wrong target?

The Times did issue the following comment, "we publish this type of advertising, even those we disagree with, because we believe in the First Amendment." However, the author of the anti-Islamic ad, anti-Islamic activist Pamela Gellar said, "When is it ever a good time to blaspheme under the Sharia?" Gellar does not believe the Times will ever publish the ad.

Donahue feels the decision is unjust. "No rational person can maintain there is anything but injustice" concerning the Time's decision.

Catholics do not have a history of attacking journalists, however militant Islamists do. At least two Muslims have been jailed for threatening media professionals and other journalists and authors have gone into hiding to avoid backlash for their criticizing Islam.

And those simple facts say a lot.

� 2012, Catholic Online. Distributed by NEWS CONSORTIUM.

- - -

Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for January 2013
General Intention: The Faith of Christians. That in this Year of Faith Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the gift of faith in him.
Missionary Intention: Middle Eastern Christians. That the Christian communities of the Middle East, often discriminated against, may receive from the Holy Spirit the strength of fidelity and perseverance.

Keywords: New York Times, ad, Islam, Catholic

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1 - 10 of 26 Comments

Simon
3 months ago
Still i love the catholic faith. It is the finest.
Jorge
1 year ago
Brian..you cannot have even ONE evidence to prove any extreme rethoric atribbuted to Geller,except if you create or fabricate it.
Brian A Cook
1 year ago
Jorge, I may have tried to post links to examples of extremist rhetoric from Geller, but I believe they were blocked.
Jorge
1 year ago
Bullbajer, can you pease explain in what is pamella Geller being insane?? Just ONE..i can't wait to see it. And please, don't bring what someone else says about her..just use your own brain to prove it! it should be simple for you, but you can't, can you??.. because she is absolutely RIGHT! The ad she made to invite muslims to leave islam is actually based on ACCURATE portraial of the islamic faith, condoned by all muslim insittutions, both moderate, radicals, shiias and sunnis..unlike the anti-catholic ad, that doesn't seem to bother you so much..I wonder why??
John
1 year ago
Drop the New York Times!!!!!! We do not and should not pay for Bigotry.
vance
1 year ago
The NYT came out with a new update. They are cheerfully announcing the the HHS will require Catholic Services and Colleges to provide "Sterilization" for 'College Age Girls'. Again, I hope that no Catholic buys a single New York Times. Leave it in the news rack where it belongs.
Bulbajer
1 year ago
Kumar khan, I don't doubt that the human rights conditions in most Islamic countries are much worse than those in the West. What I do doubt is Pamela Geller being sane. Read some more about her, the things she says and the kind of people she associates with.
Jorge
1 year ago
the whole isse can be resumed in a simnple sentence:anti-God bigotry, lack of honesty, moralls of atheists and their muslim masters, nothing more!
abey
1 year ago
This whole issue can be rounded about as 'The Complacency of the Christian to his faith" to the "Pride of the Pagans & the Atheists in the name of " liberalism & Secularism" respectively to their lusts, cowardice & deceit" to "The Jealousy of the Muslim to his faith". It is for anyone to guess as to who is on the right.
Wes Lisitza
1 year ago
Wait a minute! You mean there are still Catholics who read the New York Times?! I thought we all agreed to end our subscriptions with them when they actively pursued stories against the Pope during Holy Week a year or two ago. And what about the typical articles that make the Catholic Church appear to be an antiquated, medieval institution of misogynistic old men? I mean, did some Catholics just think "well, I'll cancel my subscription for a year and go back to it again later?" Seriously, Catholics need to stop looking at that newspaper as just a regular news outlet and regard it as White Supremacist Monthly or something just as offensive. The New York Times will just never go back to being anti-Catholic. It's a lost cause, so let it go and concern yourself with more important, Catholic Friendly media like Catholic Radio, The World Over, or EWTN. I'm still wondering when Catholic.org is going to cover the controversy of the Buddhist Lesbian being refused communion at her mother's funeral in Maryland, and how the arch-diocese stripped the brave priest of his duties when it caved to backlash. Where's that story?

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