Catholic League president Bill Donohue today contrasted the disparate way our society treats the internal matters of Catholics, Muslims and Jews:
“What were once regarded as internal matters for Catholics to resolve are now being treated as public matters. So it is that everyone, regardless of religious affiliation, is now opining on the wisdom of celibacy and gays in the priesthood. Such gossip can be read in newspaper editorials and opinion pieces in magazines; it can also be heard on talk radio and TV. But when it comes to other religions, a different rule applies.
“For example, Ramadan begins October 4, yet no survey has asked John Q. Public whether he approves of the Ramadan practice of abstaining from sex during daylight. Moreover, there will be no talking heads ridiculing Muslims for their ‘sexual hang-ups.’
“Two Jewish holidays will be observed in October as well. There will be no op-eds, and no roundtable discussions questioning the rationality of celebrating Rosh Hashanah or the rituals attendant to Yom Kippur.
“Today, the New York City Fire Department will hire its second Muslim chaplain. The imam, Intikab Habib, does not believe that Muslim men bombed the Twin Towers; he thinks it was a conspiracy. Yet he will be employed to service men whose friends were killed in 9-11 and none of them will be permitted to comment. This is considered a Muslim issue.
“Last year, an Orthodox rabbi in New York, performing a religious ritual, sucked the blood from the penis of three baby boys after they were circumcised. In doing so, he transmitted herpes to all of them, and one of them died. Initially sued by city authorities, the lawsuit was recently withdrawn and the Department of Health announced it will not make its medical investigation public. This is considered a Jewish issue.
“It’s time Catholics told the meddlers to mind their own business.”
