Huck and the Eucharist and Dividing Religious Voters

In the wee hours of the morning, I posted on the controversial Public radio skit involving Huckabee and the Catholic Mass.

I thought this was a very perceptive piece that was written called Public radio, Huck and the Eucharist.

Now the writer gets to the core of what is maybe is going on here. I urge people to read the whole thing because it is a pretty good piece that gives background. However let me excerpt this part:
The point, you see, is that the producers of the show were not mocking Jesus and they were not mocking Roman Catholics. They were mocking Bible Belt people. They were mocking an evangelical from the Bible Belt who is running for president. The problem was that they had to use the Mass and the Catholic faith in order to get to the punch line about the evangelical target. Follow that?
So, what is the point? That Catholics should not vote for Huckabee? That many Catholics are tempted to vote for Huckabee and this offends progressive Catholics? That this was a journalist’s attempt to protest political cooperation between evangelical Protestants and traditionalist Catholics? Or was this simply a stupid skit that gives us insight into what a very, very small number of people in public radio think is funny?.

......

It’s way too simplistic to say that NPR people are all liberals and who are out to mock people like Mike Huckabee and the people who are voting for him.
But I will ask this question: Can you imagine a public-radio station airing a skit this blunt about, oh, any efforts that Barack Obama may make to reach out to Catholics? Wine, bries, soul food, watermelon and Eucharist? That Hillary Clinton might make to reach out to Muslims? Imagine the humor material lurking there. That John Edwards might make to reach out to Jews?
And will NPR do a straight national news story about this controversy? Just asking.

Now these are all great question. I have stayed away from calling the person that produced this show "Anti Catholic". As the author of the piece states she is Catholic herself. Of course as real a life matter that means nothing. I see Catholics that have not seen a Church door in years say the most anti Catholic stuff. But because they were baptized and confirmed for some reason they get a pass. It works on the other side too. I know many of a Baptist or Evangelical that ID themselves as that but say the most anti Baptist things you can imagine. 44 percent of the South is "un churced" but many of these people still have a ID with their religious affiliation.

The author of the this piece is asking the right questions. I have to admit as a Catholic Convert the Public radio skit hit me on several levels. However much like the author , It hit me as a possible attempt to divide Religious voters that share common goals and also as a hit piece on Evangelicals. That might have not been the producers intent. But it is in my mind.

I suspect that Catholics of the John II generation, who are comfortable dealing with Evangelicals, their counterparts in the Evangelical faith community, and especially Catholics in the South as a whole realized what was going on. A sort of slam job possibily on not only a vibrant faith community in the US but in some ways a culture. A culture that in fact many Catholics share in this Country.

One final point as to division. I have not gone into this because I am trying to keep my "political posts" reasonable so various readers of mine don't get turned off. Trying to strike a balance as it were.

However it has not escaped my notice that there is quite a effort to to show Huckabee has a problems with Catholic voters based on very flimsy data out of Iowa and New Hampshire. Of course this is not true. Note you did not read the headline- HUCKABEEE LOSING EVANGELICAL VOTE when McCain won that group in New Hampshire. It will be interesting to see where the Catholic votes goes in Louisiana. That primary is coming up and is all by itself. Sadly though no one is promoting it and I wonder how many people will actually show up. I have not even seen a ad that targets Louisiana Republican voters even aired yet by anyone. So I am fearing that many people will not show up thus not even giving us a nice sample size to look at.

However, I do sense a attempt by some to create a division. I think Catholics and Non Catholic Christians must be on guard to prevent this. This is not 1960. Evangelicals lvote for Catholics and Catholics vote for Evangelicals. They often vote against people that are in fact in their faith tradition.

Now returning to the ad itself. Is it anti Catholic and offensive? Hmm good question. I personally don't like it because it holds the Sacrament up to ridicule. However , I have to admit as a person that mixes religion and humor I can see this producers possible innocent intentions. I have cooled off some since I read about this early in the morning. I have to admit I love the Mass to see it used like this irks me. However as I pointed out in my post McCain Embraces Anti -Catholic Hagee Horrors!!!! charges of anti Catholicism should not be made lightly. However questions should be asked.