On June 9, the intrepid fact-checkers at Snopes decided that the anti-Catholic Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence is not a hate group. Why? Because they themselves say so and the left-wing Southern Poverty Law Center does not list them as such.
In Kentucky, Attorney General David Cameron is running for governor in an attempt to unseat Andy Beshear and tweeted out that Beshear’s past history with the group should be “disqualifying.”
The fact that @AndyBeshearKY would host an anti-Christian hate group that makes fun of people of faith is disqualifying. This November, he’s going to have plenty of free time to hang out with those people, but it won’t be in the state capitol. https://t.co/6PEfGPHsnx
— Daniel Cameron (@DanielCameronAG) June 6, 2023
The Kentucky Republican Party also tweeted:
Andy Beshear does NOT align with Kentucky values.
— Republican Party of Kentucky (@KYGOP) June 8, 2023
If you need a reminder, Andy Beshear gladly posed with an Anti-Catholic group; a group that mocks religion. Does that sound like a governor who is in touch with the values of our state? pic.twitter.com/qncjtXiSmo
Author Izz Scott LaMagdeleine didn’t rate Cameron or the Kentucky GOP false, but noted:
The Lexington Herald-Leader reported the governor took the picture with the Kentucky chapter of the Order of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, which the article described as a "charitable group focused on helping marginalized people within the LGBTQ+ community." Members of the group have explicitly denied that it is anti-Catholic
LaMagdeleine, who bio uses the pronoun “they”, then quoted the Los Angeles Times “the order draws inspiration from Catholic nuns — alongside religious sisters of many other faiths — serving the needy who are neglected by others because of their sexuality or gender expression, according to the Sisters and scholars and acolytes of the group.”
If some group said they drew inspiration from Islam by dressing up in a buffoonish parody of Mohammed, there is no chance they would not be described as an anti-Islamic hate group. Certainly, no-fact checking outlet would ever use the subject of the fact-check as an authoritative source on themselves.
After going into the controversy around the group and the Los Angeles Dodgers, LaMagdeleine quoted some more Catholics who said similar things to Cameron, but added “The Southern Poverty Law Center, which identifies and monitors hate groups, does not list the Order as a hate group.”
The SPLC is a left-wing advocacy group that uses “hate group” as a label to try to shut people up. It is simply not a credible source.
LaMagdeleine quotes the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence’s website that says in part “We use humor and irreverent wit to expose the forces of bigotry, complacency and guilt that chain the human spirit.”
Proper irreverence involves showing a lack of respect of false idols like politics or romantic relationships or as a form of dark humor about fears like disease, war, and death. What the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence do by openly mocking the crucifixion of Christ is blasphemous.
