Father James Martin, SJ has a problem with power. He craves it, as an addict dreams of the needle.

What do I mean? On the issue that most threatens the coherence of Christian churches and their liberty in America, Martin collaborates with the Church’s persecutors: the powerful, prestigious, and culturally glamorous LGBT lobby. You know, the group that can get people fired, shamed, and in some places even prosecuted for cleaving to Christian orthodoxy. Yet Martin pretends that his stance is somehow courageous. When faithful Catholics speak out against him, he accuses them of “hate speech,” which in some places is borderline illegal. He casts the organizations that criticize his stance as “extremists,” even “alt-right.” He’s trying to smear orthodox Christians with the dung-soaked brush of disgraceful racism.

Faithful Believers Push Back

Most recently, some lay Catholics protested Martin’s appearance at a parish in New Jersey. As LifeSiteNews reports:

A lay Catholic group known for its fidelity to Church teaching on life, marriage, and family has successfully campaigned to have a Catholic parish cancel a talk offered by pro-homosexual priest and Vatican adviser Fr. James Martin. The Jesuit priest is now on a warpath against the Catholic group, slamming them on social media as “bullies.” Tradition, Family and Property (TFP) launched a petition after learning that Fr. Martin was scheduled to give a Lenten reflection at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Whitehouse, New Jersey on February 15, 2018. The lay group noted how the pro-LGBT priest acted like a “wolf in sheep’s clothing” when it came to Catholic teaching on sexuality. The group stated in its petition: Martin said Catholics should “reverence” homosexual unions

Martin supports the acceptance of transgenderism for children

Martin favors homosexual kissing during Mass (sacrilege against God)

Martin calls dissident, pro-homosexual nun a “saint”

Martin welcomed an award from New Ways Ministry, a group condemned by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops “Fr. Martin’s push to normalize unnatural vice inside the Church, prompted Catholic leaders to cancel some of his recently scheduled appearances,” stated TFP.

It seems like a little thing. A group of lay Catholics thinks that Martin falsifies ancient Jewish-Christian teaching on sexuality. So they used peaceful means to convince a pastor not to sponsor his talk. That’s within their rights. As Americans and as Catholics. It’s within the pastor’s purview to make that decision.

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Time to Quash the Orthodox

But Father Martin is trying to cast free speech and lay activism as extremist bullying. And he wants it stopped. As he Tweeted:

It’s time for bishops, priests and lay leaders finally to stand up to the hate-mongering of online groups with no standing whatsoever in the church, who seek to substitute their spurious authority for legitimate church authority, and who seek to run the church by fear and hatred. — James Martin, SJ (@JamesMartinSJ) January 28, 2018

Have you got that? Bishops should step in and condemn lay Catholics who criticize Fr. Martin. Or else they’re complicit in giving in to “hate.” Catholics should face public condemnation by their bishops if they dare to disagree with Martin’s new, Caesar-friendly stance on same-sex sin.

Think of Martin’s position as a special advisor to the Vatican. Of his friendly relations with many bishops. Of his long list of media buddies. (He worked with Martin Scorcese on the movie Silence, and appears on Stephen Colbert’s show.) Don’t be surprised if he finds some takers. He’s doubtless hoping to see compliant bishops condemn groups like TFP. He hopes they’ll ban them from churches, denounce them in Church newspapers, as if they were indeed some kind of hate group.

Father Quisling, Stooge of Caesar

I answered Fr. Martin this way:

If immigration delivers the left permanent majorities, expect men like Martin to be the Quislings overseeing what’s left of our 1st Amendment rights. They’ll certify which groups are “legitimately” religious, and which are “hate groups” to jail. He’s salivating for that power. — John Zmirak (@JZmirak) January 28, 2018

Imagine an America under President Kamala Harris. As Attorney General of California she prosecuted David Daleiden for investigating Planned Parenthood. Her California Democratic Party tried to deny routine federal funds to any religious college that upholds Christian morals. How do you think her appointees to the federal anti-discrimination apparat would treat Christians who resist the LGBT agenda?

Let’s say such a catastrophe happens. Where do you think clergy like Fr. Martin will be standing? Will they speak up for religious freedom? Or will they serve as front men for Caesar and his soldiers? Will they certify that “mainstream,” “authentic” Christian churches have no quarrel with the government? That it’s just those “hateful” “extremists,” who are really no better than racists?

Bishops should step in and condemn lay Catholics who criticize Fr. Martin. Or else they’re complicit in giving in to “hate.”

I’ve always thought it telling how Martin helped write Scorcese’s Silence. Martin praised the priests who avoided martyrdom. Who instead chose to work with the pagan government. They took wives, nice homes, and salaries, and helped to hunt down secret Christians. Martin wrote in America magazine that they made that choice because Jesus told them to.

Like the sly Jesuit that he is, Fr. Martin is thinking ahead.