Editor, Bigotry, as one dictionary defines it, is "stubborn and complete intolerance of any creed, belief, or opinion that differs from one's own." I find it amusing that such a term that so aptly describes the Roman Catholic viewpoint throughout history should be applied to me.
A. Michael Martinez seems to think that my opposition is due to some lingering Protestant distrust. Not so. I was born, baptized, raised, educated and, yes, abused in the Roman Catholic Church.
But the rituals still touch me; the art and architecture still inspire. However, it is my own long, independent study of the church and not some knee-jerk fundamentalist anticlerical reaction that causes me to distrust it so. I have learned far too much real history that does not match the pious fables of parochial school - fables that may soon be dressed up as "facts" to impress naive freshmen.
The word "propaganda" first referred to the missionary activities of the church, after all. The claim that only students interested in taking part in Roman Catholic studies will come under its purview reassures me not at all, because the church has a hand in determining the teacher, and hence the course material. "Advisory" role or not, what instructor would bite the hand that feeds him or her? The University should exist to broaden the mind - to challenge preconceptions, not reinforce them. But Martinez says that such classes will help "dispel the many half-truths, myths and outright lies that anti-Catholic bigots espouse." What about the myths and lies of zealous believers?
Finally, I find the church sponsoring a chair in New Mexico particularly outrageous. With the Catholic hierarchy's proven history of dumping depraved clergy here and covering it up, there is every reason to be suspicious of its motives for funding a chair in the nearest academic institution that could critically examine its role.
Just because the scandals have ended here doesn't mean the cover-up hasn't.
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Jay Nelson
UNM alumnus
