Fox’s Rachel Campos-Duffy and Steve Doocy are quite triggered over an Atlantic article detailing how Catholic rosary beads have been co-opted by radical, homophobic, White Christian nationalist groups. But rather than address the misuse of a sacred symbol by hate-filled people, the friends “defended” them with their own hate-filled message which seemed to prove the author's point!
On Fox & Friends this week, cohost and devout Catholic Steve Doocy was properly outraged as he reported that an Atlantic “op-ed” (labeled as an “idea“ piece) is stirring “outrage” over its position that “the Catholic rosary, the rosary is now a symbol of extremism.”
Doocy quoted from the article which states that today’s Catholics are “part of a growing contingent of Christian nationalism.” (An assertion linked to a well-sourced “Salon” article.)
He introduced an outraged Rachel Campos-Duffy, another devout Catholic Fox News host who, like Doocy, is *anti-abortion. He joked about how they both have lots of rosaries. He wanted to know if “they are trying to cancel the rosary?” to which she responded, “who knew that we are right-wing extremists for having a rosary?” That, of course, is not at all what The Atlantic article said.
Campos-Duffy said, “The first thing authoritarians try to do is to delegitimize and ban religion.” As she spoke, pious visuals of Catholic rosaries were shown. She claimed that there are more articles, like this one, which criticize those “who try to adhere to more orthodox or traditional interpretations of faith as are being extremists, White nationalists, fringe" - a "fringe" that is rapidly moving into the mainstream.
Invoking her own and Doocy’s Catholicism, Campos-Duffy claimed that those who criticize militant, right-wing Catholics are “ignorant” for not understanding the “imagery of the spiritual battle that we’re in, the rosary and prayer as a weapon in this spiritual battle, as sacramentals…against the devil, these are things we believe in." She didn’t mention the author’s comment that “in mainstream Catholicism, the rosary-as-weapon is not an intrinsically harmful interpretation of the sacramental.”
Campos-Duffy added, “We believe this imagery because we know we’re fighting something very evil.”
Despite the Atlantic author’s historic overview, she found it interesting that the rosary “would be associated with violence.” Without acknowledging the link between anti-abortion violence and Christianity, she referenced “pro-abortion” violence towards pro-lifers in the aftermath of the overturn of Roe.
She actually underscored the incendiary nation of Catholic militancy described in the article with her proclamation, “We really need to fight back.” She preached that Christianity is “under attack all over the world and we should be very protective of our religious liberties and push back against this bigotry against Christians.”
Doocy defended those who put rosaries on their AR-15’s with a whitewash (pun intended). He informed us that this is part of a military tradition for those whose guns are used in combat, referencing the tired “no such thing as an atheist in a foxhole” metaphor. He babbled on about how “you need protection, if it’s not going to be the body armor, it’s going to be the rosary.”
Doocy was especially irate about how the last line of the (not) op-ed described how “the battle beads culture of spiritual warfare permits radical-traditional Catholics literally to demonize their political opponents and regard the use of armed force against them as sanctified. The sacramental rosary isn’t just a spiritual weapon but one that comes with physical ammunition.”
Campos-Duffy offered the patented Christian-victim message with her totally off-the-mark summary of the article: “The message is that we are going to go after you. We are going to say you’re extremist if you try not just to practice your religion, but actually participate politically in order to protect your own religious rights in this country which have been under attack and Catholics and Christians saw it when the government shut down churches during the pandemic. They woke up and this is what secularists, progressives and authoritarians are nervous of, and Marxists.” She accused the article of “trying to demonize us so that we go into our foxholes and not fight this battle.”
Campos-Duffy and Doocy claim that Catholics are being persecuted for merely practicing their faith and fighting "evil." Yet, they are using incendiary language to demonize and "go after" The Atlantic author and unnamed evil doers who are supposedly persecuting Catholics. As the article points out, “Catholics are taught to love and forgive their enemies, that to do otherwise is a sin.” But what really is interesting is that both Doocy and Campos-Duffy are OK with those who carry rosaries on their AR-15’s – you know, Christian extremists - many of whom were very evident during the January 6th insurrection.
And that just proves the author’s point. Holy you-know-what!!!
*In May of this year, Rachel Campos Duffy spoke at an anti-abortion event in St. Louis, Missouri. It was sponsored by the Vitae Foundation, a group which uses its ample financial resources to promote an anti-choice agenda which includes deceptive advertising. Its board includes Melissa Ohden, an "abortion survivor" who has appeared on Fox to promote her dubious claim and anti-choice talking points.
You can watch Doocy and Campos-Duffy prove The Atlantic author’s point below, from the August 15, 2022 Fox & Friends.
I truly amazes me how people who are so vocal about basking in the love of gentle Jesus, and who say they want to live in accordance with his message, can also be filled to the gills with such violent rank hatred.
I have a neighbour like that who refuses to make any contribution towards a local women’s group that helps feed, clothe and house the poorest in our midst. This being Italy, where family members are wont to take care of their own, the poorest are mostly migrants and she really hates/fears them. Personally, I’m not a believer but I also have nothing against people believing what they want to believe SO LONG AS they are consistent in their beliefs and refrain from trying to impose them on others (especially me, dammit).
People of Earth – let’s deal with facts and philosophies. It’s time to get over the giant stumbling block that is superstition!