Re: [Marxism] On Gary's indignation and my opinions

["Calvin Broadbent" <calvinbroadbent@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi,

I was quite unaware that you meant to give a factual account of
Protestantism and Catholicism as they have existed *locally* (i.e. in
Ireland), James. Were you to do so, I would certainly not accuse you of
religious bigotry- *even* if your analysis was virulently anti-Protestant
(and I am somewhat aware of the degeneration of the progressive aspects of
that religion in Ireland over the past two centuries). For the record, I am
not, have never been, and never will be a Protestant! (My parents are also
atheists- one-time Protestant ones admittedly). ;)

I fully admit that my reply was far too sweeping an indictment (let alone
analysis) of the history of the Christian religion in Latin America and
Ireland. Undoubtedly, I let my own anti-religious bias substitute itself for
my ignorance of historical detail. Still, I certainly stand by my suggestion
that Christianity is guilty of the most stupendous crimes against humanity
and reason. Again, I suppose that is only its 'bad side' (sic).

Regarding 'sectarian' indoctrination of 'Protestant' children in North
Belfast: Mrs. McAleese's comments are, in fact, quite accurate in many (not
all) quarters there. As James suggests, however, this has nothing to do with
theological disputation, and, as I have suggested, everything to do with the
concrete fundations of Northern Irish society (class division, the unionist
elite, the armed power of loyalist bigots, social deprivation, segregation
and isolation, etc., etc.). I recommend the book *Holy Cross* by Anne
Cadwallader, which shows the extent of vile bigotry amongst the Protestant
working class in North Belfast and its sociostructural supports.

In *Holy Cross, Cadwallader relays the'righteous indignation' Rev. Ian
Paisely expresses at the comparision between the Holy Cross 'dispute' and
the travails of the little girls at Little Rock when confronted by 1000s of
white racists at their school in the 1960s. Paisley claimed to be outraged
by people comparing the conflict between Protestants and Catholics in NI to
the poor black people of Alabama who faced such violent hatred. What Paisley
did not mention (and is not mentioned in Cadwallader's great book) is that
Paisley's 1960s *Protestant Telegraph* printed articles in favour of Suth
African apartheid, and ran articles praising Lestor Maddox (racist governor
of Georgia) and George Wallace (top anti-civil rights man in the US).
Paisley himslef was awarded his degree in 'Divinity' (so much for Jesus) by
Bob Jones (a Christian racist with ties to the John Birch Society).

The incidents at Holy Cross primary school casts some doubt as to the
vailidity of any blanket condemnation of the role of the Church (especially
the Catholic Church) in Ireland, I think. Even though, the Catholic Church
in Ireland has tended to be extremely conservative, dogmatic, and outright
reactionary in regard to many political issues, there can be no doubt of the
personal courage and integrity of many of its practitioners in Ireland.

Finally- you would be hard pressed to give a balanced portrayal of Latin
American Catholicism if you covered up the many savage crimes of the
conquistadores. Don't you think?

cheers.


JAMES WROTE:

> I recently said that if I gave a factual account of the history of
> Catholicism and Protestantism (I meant locally) I would be accused by both
> liberals and Marxists here of religious bigotry.  My good friend Calvin B.
> (who is a serious analyst of prejudice etc) said surely not unless I
> omitted the "religious bigotry and insane activities of the Catholic or
> Protestant churches". Note that he is placing conditions on what I could
> write without being so accused.  He is after all a Protestant atheist! ;>)

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