Even Chris Matthews Gets Catholicism

I often hear it lodged against the Catholic Church that her unity is only skin dip, that her ranks are full of dissidents and that she is just like the Protestant ecclesial communities--only with a facade of hegemonic control. I have read this complaint more than once. I admit that the Catholic Church is full of sinners. She is the genius behind the modern hospital system because She was and still is the original hospital...

...of souls. 

This problem is exacerbated because most Christians sects form as a kind of rigorist response to some perceived evil: anywhere from card playing to short-shorts. Others develop out of a deep sense of personal agreement over some social concern, while others form around a shared theological interest that will mark their marquee: Pentecostal, Baptist, Methodist, etc. All that to say, all of them form out of a common agreement and thus their members share a cultic resemblance. Their lock-step behavior seems much more 'unified' than the diversity one can find in Catholicism. Even the one's who declare their doors to be "wide open" are rather homogeneously granola--if you get my meaning.

Recently, our president decided to kick the Catholic Church in the teeth. He then asked them to pay for the dental work. In the video below, pay close attention to what is said at minute 1:04-1:20. Chris Matthews notes that all of the dissenting Catholics, in this moment when the Catholic Church teaches what seems to be so backward to the modern man, understand what Catholicism is all about:

HT: Chelsea Zimmerman

What. The. Church. Teaches. 

This is no argument that what, in fact, she teaches is true. However, it is an argument that proves that even dissenters know they are dissenting in the Catholic Church. Catholic unity is found in the unity of truth--not in the unity of common held opinion. It's reason #2, I'm Catholic. (here's reason #1)

Yet, why do dissenters stay?

Well, like her founder, Judas's have a way of sticking around for the ride. That's just how we roll.

You might also like:

"When Church Shopping Makes Sense"


"Three Reasons Why Jesus Would Be Rejected"


Consider subscribing to Almost Not Catholic. Click here to make it happen.