You Don't Need to Calm Down

A famous country/pop singer has a new song out depicting Christians as dumb, fat, and homophobic. What I want to address are the myths about Christians.

The depiction of the “ignorant and ugly” Christians has been around for a long time.

The first point I'd like to make clear is: most people who are Christians are entirely sympathetic with the weak human nature we all share and the temptations we all suffer.

It is a myth that Christians hate gays. Many Christians have relatives/friends who have same-sex attraction, just like the rest of society.

Back in the 1980s--when the threat of AIDS was very real, and no treatment was in sight, and there were a lot of deaths--most people did not socialize with openly gay people for fear of contracting AIDS (blood exchange was a concern in the bathrooms and on game fields). Yet, a male gay couple was a regular part of our dorm floor's Friday night Monopoly game. Those who invited the men were practicing Catholics and Christians. Additionally, Catholic hospitals and hospices were in the forefront of caring for those with AIDS during the crisis.

The second myth about Christians is we are ignorant.

Interestingly, some of the greatest scientific minds throughout history practiced the Catholic faith. Many highly educated people belong to our Church today. Still, so what if some Christians are less educated? The Canonized Saints of the Catholic Church range from uneducated people to Doctors of the Church, and all types of people are declared most blessed and favored by God.

Intelligence is not a litmus test for holiness.

As for Ms. Swift's decision to film her music video in a make-believe trailer park, it's a telling choice for a woman who grew up in a mansion in a tony Philadelphia suburb (before becoming a superstar). How can the rich understand the plight of those who are poor?

I taught some very poor children who lived in a trailer park, and they were bullied because of where they lived. Perhaps those who advocate for the poor should insist that public schools' bullying education should decry unfavorable media depictions of those who live in trailer parks (like Ms. Swift's)?

The poor suffer a great deal with self-worth issues. We need an Equality Act for the working poor, and still none is being considered by Congress, just for the far-richer LGBTQ+ community.

The third myth is that Christians will eventually yield to Pop Culture pressure.

Because we live for the world that is to come when Jesus returns, we don't need to worry or care about what people think of us. That is why we stand firm during persecution. We value a Sacramental definition of Marriage and the Equality Act would make that a crime. We are not about to change our religious beliefs no matter what a law says or threatens to do to us.

Catholics must confront our attackers in the same manner as Jesus did on the road to Damascus. We cannot meet evil with evil, but rather we must testify to the truth.

I wonder sometimes why Jesus didn't let his glorious appearance alone sway St. Paul. Instead He asked Paul why he was persecuting Him. Jesus is so linked to His Church that to persecute the least of us is to persecute the King of Kings.

Which leads me to my final point, that we must all learn to live a holy life and call others to join us. We can never accept sin despite what society (and in particular Pop Culture) demands. To accept sin would be wrong.

If we truly love others, we want the best for them, and encouraging a sinful lifestyle is never seeking the best for them. We must think of the everlasting soul's final destiny.

The cult of celebrity may use shame tactics to try to stop us from following Christ, but just consider who is in charge of the eternal world and feel comforted.