Grace Thompson
The Huffington Post has been accused of anti-Catholic bias in its reporting, with some claiming that it misrepresents the Catholic Church and its followers. In 2012, socially conservative leaders demanded an apology from Huffington Post publisher Arianna Huffington over a column by Larry Doyle that mocked presidential candidate Rick Santorum and his Roman Catholic faith. The column, titled The Jesus-Eating Cult of Rick Santorum, referred to the Catholic Church as the tactical arm of the North American Man-Boy Love Association and described communion as a cannibalistic reverie. In addition, the Catholic League president Bill Donohue has criticized Huffington Post blogger Michele Somerville for intentionally misrepresenting his comments and lying about his position on New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's religious convictions. These incidents have sparked debates about the portrayal of Catholicism in the media and whether anti-Catholicism is a form of acceptable bigotry.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Anti-Catholic | The Huffington Post has been accused of being anti-Catholic, with a letter sent to Huffington Post publisher Arianna Huffington demanding an apology for a column mocking presidential candidate Rick Santorum and his Roman Catholic faith. |
| Anti-Religious | The Huffington Post has been criticized for its views on religion, with some saying that it shows a startling contempt for religious beliefs and a mainstream media problem with religion. |
| Left-Wing Bias | The Huffington Post is often characterized as a leftist or liberal media outlet, with criticism of its negative coverage of conservative figures and positive coverage of liberal figures. |
| Sensationalism | The site has been accused of prioritizing sensationalism over factual reporting, with critics claiming that it objectifies others and has an obsession with sex. |
| Reader Condescension | Some critics accuse the Huffington Post of condescending to its readers, providing unnecessary context and assuming its readers are unable to understand the news without help. |
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What You'll Learn
Huffington Post's criticism of Rick Santorum and his Catholic faith
The Huffington Post has criticized Rick Santorum for his political stances that conflict with the teachings of the Catholic Church, his own faith. While Santorum has garnered support from evangelicals, his popularity among Catholics is not as robust. This is due to his conservative positions, such as his opposition to gay marriage and abortion, which go against Catholic social teachings.
Santorum's emphasis on his "Christian roots" and public piety have been more favored by evangelicals, particularly in the Midwest and Southern states. However, his positions on certain issues, such as his defense of tax cuts for the wealthy and torture, have been criticized by Catholics as inconsistent with their faith's teachings.
In an article titled "Rick Santorum: Catholic or Evangelical? Yes," Huffington Post acknowledges that Santorum is a practicing Catholic but notes that his appeal to conservative Protestants transcends religious identity. It suggests that what matters to evangelicals is that Santorum espouses their values, creating an ecumenism of the trenches that overlooks Reformation-era disputes about doctrine.
Santorum himself has stated that he values faith over politics and considers politicians' faith significant. He has also said that the distinction between private religious conviction and public responsibility has caused "great harm in America." This stance has led to criticism from those who believe in the separation of church and state.
While the Huffington Post has been accused of anti-Catholic sentiment in some of its articles, it is important to note that the publication has also demonstrated a willingness to correct the record and address misrepresentations when they occur.
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Huffington Post's removal of a lie about Bill Donohue
The Huffington Post has been accused of anti-Catholic bias. One instance that brought about this accusation was a blog post by Michele Somerville, which criticised Catholic League president Bill Donohue. Donohue had released a statement saying that he did not condemn New York Governor Andrew Cuomo for his personal lifestyle or religious convictions and that he expressly declined to express an opinion on the matter when asked by the New York Daily News. However, Somerville's post intentionally misrepresented Donohue, stating that he had condemned Cuomo. Somerville even linked to the news story in her article, proving that she was aware of Donohue's actual position.
Following a complaint by Donohue, the Huffington Post acted quickly and removed the lie about him. The senior religion editor for the Huffington Post acknowledged that the link provided by Somerville to the Daily News article was to a different story on the same topic. It was also noted that Somerville had put quote marks around a comment attributed to Donohue that he never made. The editor stated that it was Somerville herself who made the decision to delete the entire reference to Donohue.
Bill Donohue expressed gratitude to the religion editor at the Huffington Post for her professional and fair handling of the matter. This incident sparked discussions about the Huffington Post's portrayal of religion and whether it showed contempt for certain religious beliefs. Some critics accused the publication of hyping stories that portrayed Christians and their beliefs in an absurd light.
While the Huffington Post has been accused of anti-Catholic sentiment in this particular instance, it is important to note that they did take steps to correct the record and address the misrepresentation of Bill Donohue's comments. Additionally, the Huffington Post has shown an interest in covering religion by introducing a dedicated religion section on their website, "HuffPost Religion." This section includes a variety of religious stories and perspectives, indicating an attempt to engage with religious topics and provide a platform for religious discussions.
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Huffington Post's addition of a religion section
The Huffington Post has added a new feature, "HuffPost Religion", edited by Paul Raushenbush. Arianna Huffington, who has always been "fascinated about religion", set the tone for a courteous dialogue about religion, spirituality, and the ways they influence people's lives. She stated that despite religion's central role in American life, people often end up talking at each other instead of with each other.
The addition of the religion section to the Huffington Post has been met with mixed reactions. Some appreciate the interesting stories and contributions from bloggers like Father James Martin. However, others criticize the site's views on religion, accusing it of displaying contempt and hyping absurd Christian beliefs. For instance, a provocative photo of hands draped across a bed was paired with a headline quoting a pamphlet that suggested women who dress provocatively might be inviting rape.
In response to criticisms, the Huffington Post has demonstrated a willingness to correct the record. In one instance, the Catholic League president Bill Donohue criticized Huffington Post blogger Michele Somerville for misrepresenting his position on New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's personal lifestyle and religious convictions. The Huffington Post responded professionally, removing the lie and addressing the issue with the help of their religion editor.
While the Huffington Post's religion section aims to foster respectful dialogue and provide a wide range of perspectives, it also faces challenges common to mainstream media's portrayal of religion. Critics argue that clueless individuals are often responsible for selecting stories, resulting in a disconnect between the media's portrayal and the actual beliefs of religious individuals.
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Huffington Post's claim that religion has made a mess of the earth
The Huffington Post has been accused of being anti-Catholic and exhibiting a general contempt for religion. In 2015, the publication featured an article titled "Religion Has Made a Mess of the Earth." The article argued that the hierarchical nature of religion, with a God ruling over a vertical universe, has led to a preoccupation with escaping earthly life for heavenly bliss. This "vertical religion," according to the author, has caused dysfunction in the world.
The article reflects a contemporary ignorance of Christianity, according to critics, who argue that it fails to grasp basic Christian doctrines such as Creation, Incarnation, Redemption, and the Trinity. They emphasize that Christianity does not demean life on Earth or promote a neglect of our earthly responsibilities as stewards of the planet. On the contrary, Christian teachings value the present life and emphasize the importance of caring for God's creation.
While the Huffington Post has been criticized for its portrayal of religion, it is important to note that the publication has also demonstrated an interest in religious topics. It introduced a "HuffPost Religion" section, featuring a range of perspectives on different faiths. However, critics argue that the Huffington Post, like much of the mainstream media, suffers from a lack of religious understanding, often choosing sensational stories that reinforce negative stereotypes of religious people.
The Huffington Post has also published articles examining the intersection of religion and climate change. For example, it has highlighted instances where religion has been used to oppose environmentalism and climate change science. However, it has also acknowledged that most major religions do not promote ignorance or neglect of our environmental responsibilities.
The accusations of anti-Catholic sentiment and religious contempt at the Huffington Post are not universally accepted. While some see bias and ignorance, others appreciate the publication's interest in religious topics and its willingness to address complex issues, even if it sometimes falls short in its understanding.
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Huffington Post's portrayal of Catholic readers as stupid
The Huffington Post has been accused of portraying Catholic readers as stupid. In 2012, socially conservative leaders of several major organizations sent a letter to Huffington Post publisher Arianna Huffington, demanding an apology for a column mocking presidential candidate Rick Santorum and his Roman Catholic faith. The column, written by Larry Doyle, was titled "The Jesus-Eating Cult of Rick Santorum." It referred to Catholics as participating in a "cannibalistic reverie" and compared them to members of the North American Man-Boy Love Association. The letter accused Doyle of "hurl [ing] the most contemptible insults towards Catholics ('Jesus eaters'). It also criticized Huffington for allowing such content on her site, despite her earlier promise that readers would not find "flame-throwing, name-calling, and simplistic attack dog rhetoric".
In addition to this incident, there have been other instances where the Huffington Post has been criticized for its portrayal of Catholic readers. For example, in 2016, a piece on Donald Trump included an editor's note at the end, stating that Trump "regularly incites political violence and is a serial liar, xenophobe, racist, misogynist, and birther". This edit was criticized as treating readers like they are "so stupid they will be unable to sort the white hats from the black hats without help".
Furthermore, the Huffington Post's coverage of religion has been described as showing a "startling contempt". For instance, a provocative photo of hands draped across a bed was paired with a headline about a "religious pamphlet claiming that women who dress provocatively might be inviting rape". While the story itself was about an anonymous pamphlet handed out in Bristol, Virginia, the way it was presented on the Huffington Post carried the suggestion that "those crazy Christians are at it again".
Despite these criticisms, it is worth noting that the Huffington Post has made efforts to correct the record and address mistakes. For example, in one instance, the Catholic League president Bill Donohue criticized Huffington Post blogger Michele Somerville for intentionally misrepresenting his position on New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's religious convictions. In response, the Huffington Post acted quickly and fairly, removing the offending statement.
Overall, while the Huffington Post has been accused of portraying Catholic readers as stupid, there are also examples of the publication taking steps to correct mistakes and address concerns raised by Catholic organizations and readers.
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Frequently asked questions
The Huffington Post has been accused of anti-Catholic sentiment in its content and by its writers, including founder Arianna Huffington. In 2012, Huffington was pressured to apologize for a column by writer Larry Doyle that mocked presidential candidate Rick Santorum and his Roman Catholic faith. The column referred to Catholicism as "The Jesus-Eating Cult of Rick Santorum".
A letter was sent to Huffington by socially conservative leaders of several major organizations, demanding an apology and for the column to be removed. The letter accused Doyle of "hurl [ing] the most contemptible insults towards Catholics ('Jesus eaters')".
Yes, in 2019 the Catholic League reported that the Huffington Post had corrected the record after a complaint about a Huffington Post blogger, Michele Somerville. The complaint was made by Catholic League president Bill Donohue, who criticized Somerville for misrepresenting him by linking a news story that proved she knew his position on a certain matter. The Huffington Post's religion editor acted quickly and fairly, deleting the reference to Donohue.
Yes, in 2015, the Catholic Herald reported on an article from the Huffington Post that claimed "religion has made a mess of the earth". The article specifically criticized the concept of a "hierarchical God and a vertical universe", which the Catholic Herald argued was "completely wrongheaded".
