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Available
Call number
Publication
Plattsburgh, NY : McClelland & Stewart, 2011.
User reviews
LibraryThing member Aula
Coren sets out to clear up popular misconceptions about the Catholic church in a clear and unashamed manner. He sees both the Catholic church and its adherents as being derided, almost as part of a popular sport - 'let's diss the Catholics!'. Many of the fallacies surrounding the Church - the abuse
I agree with his premise - recently, in many parts of the world, it has become acceptable to levy insults and derrisive comments against Catholics (and other people of the Judeo-Christian faiths), more to show one's own 'superiority' than anything else.
However, that said, I don't think he made his arguments well at all. He is his own worst enemy in that nearly every one of the cases he argues falls down because he does not follow through and thus leaves enough holes in his arguments for ten dissenters to run through. I don't have to agree with his argument to take it as a valid, if opposing, opinion - but the arguments have to be solid. And they are not.
He switches focus frequently, thus making it look as if he's evading a point because he doesn't know how to counter it. His history is attrocious - he relies heavily on pro-Catholic sources, yet still manages to get serious facts wrong. He doesn't address certain aspects - in the case of abortion, he never mentions the negative aspects of an unwanted pregnancy forced on a woman who feels she has no other recourse; in the case of the abuse scandals, he doesn't mention the very delayed reaction of apology by the Pope to the victims; when mentioning the aid the Church supplies to third world countries, he doesn't mention the very specific agenda they have against birth control; and so on.
He uses very emotive language and examples which, again, make it look as if he's manipulating his audience instead of making his case. The section of euthanasia in particular was horrendous in its blatant manipulative nature - it did not address the very basic aspects of the pro-euthanasia faction, instead setting out to demonise it wholesale. This is weak and cheap - by denigrating your opponents opinion you show your own insecurity and lack of argument more than anything else.
I'm not Catholic or anti-Catholic - I don't define myself by religious or non-religious beliefs (contrary to atheists and people of faith, both who do). I agree that if you identify as a Roman Catholic, you have to follow all the rules. If you join a soccer club, you have to follow all the rules: it's the nature of playing for a team, sporting or religious. Yet I do wish Coren had taken the time and effort to construct a really tight and believable argument, instead of handing the more rampant and vocal atheists yet another bag of rotten eggs to throw at the Roman Catholic Church.
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scandals, the Inquisition - have been hyped out of control and it is refreshing to see that someone who is from that camp make a stand. I agree with his premise - recently, in many parts of the world, it has become acceptable to levy insults and derrisive comments against Catholics (and other people of the Judeo-Christian faiths), more to show one's own 'superiority' than anything else.
However, that said, I don't think he made his arguments well at all. He is his own worst enemy in that nearly every one of the cases he argues falls down because he does not follow through and thus leaves enough holes in his arguments for ten dissenters to run through. I don't have to agree with his argument to take it as a valid, if opposing, opinion - but the arguments have to be solid. And they are not.
He switches focus frequently, thus making it look as if he's evading a point because he doesn't know how to counter it. His history is attrocious - he relies heavily on pro-Catholic sources, yet still manages to get serious facts wrong. He doesn't address certain aspects - in the case of abortion, he never mentions the negative aspects of an unwanted pregnancy forced on a woman who feels she has no other recourse; in the case of the abuse scandals, he doesn't mention the very delayed reaction of apology by the Pope to the victims; when mentioning the aid the Church supplies to third world countries, he doesn't mention the very specific agenda they have against birth control; and so on.
He uses very emotive language and examples which, again, make it look as if he's manipulating his audience instead of making his case. The section of euthanasia in particular was horrendous in its blatant manipulative nature - it did not address the very basic aspects of the pro-euthanasia faction, instead setting out to demonise it wholesale. This is weak and cheap - by denigrating your opponents opinion you show your own insecurity and lack of argument more than anything else.
I'm not Catholic or anti-Catholic - I don't define myself by religious or non-religious beliefs (contrary to atheists and people of faith, both who do). I agree that if you identify as a Roman Catholic, you have to follow all the rules. If you join a soccer club, you have to follow all the rules: it's the nature of playing for a team, sporting or religious. Yet I do wish Coren had taken the time and effort to construct a really tight and believable argument, instead of handing the more rampant and vocal atheists yet another bag of rotten eggs to throw at the Roman Catholic Church.
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Original publication date
2011
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