(LifeSiteNews) — Catholics on social media are pushing back against political commentator Glenn Beck for remarks he made last week that some are calling anti-Catholic.
During a recent press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, U.S. President Joe Biden made the sign of the cross. He did so just as Netanyahu, who is Jewish, was speaking about their “friendship” going back over 40 years.
Despite showing obvious signs of cognitive decline in recent years, Biden appeared to know exactly what he was doing. The White House has not answered media inquiries about why he did it, however.
Beck is Mormon, though he was raised Catholic. He often criticizes Pope Francis and his social justice agenda. At the same time, he has taken a keen interest in Our Lady of Fatima and Russia, having invited LifeSite co-founder John-Henry Westen and author Taylor Marshall on his show to discuss the subject in recent years.
On his podcast last week, Beck chastised Biden’s decision, describing it as offensive to Netanyahu.
We shouldn’t have to tell the president to NOT make the Catholic sign of the cross in front of the Prime Minister of Israel. But yet, here we are… pic.twitter.com/AGs5NAPEap
— Glenn Beck (@glennbeck) September 22, 2023
“I don’t generally think [making the sign of the cross] is a good idea to do while you’re in the presence of the Prime Minister of Israel, which, happens, I hear, I don’t know, has a few Jewish people in it that tend to, I don’t know, maybe have a problem, especially with the Catholic Church. I mean, they’ve got a history,” he said.
Scores of Catholics on X responded to Beck’s remarks, some of whom noted that the sign of the cross is a Biblically rooted gesture that reminds souls of Christ’s death.
“We glory in the cross,” Marshall said in a video reply. “To make the accusation that making the sign of the cross is de facto offensive to Jews — if we go down that line, we are going to cancel out every single person.”
Glenn Beck vs. Joe Biden on Sign of the Cross in Public https://t.co/um4hM8m8wJ
— Dr Taylor Marshall™️ (@TaylorRMarshall) September 26, 2023
Former child actor turned Catholic homesteading activist Bug Hall said, “I don’t always do the sign of the cross as big as possible, but when I do … it’s because I’m around anti-Catholics.”
Other users drew attention to the Church’s teaching on the Social Kingship of Christ, which, as explained by Pope Pius XI in his 1921 encyclical Quas Primas, affirms that by his death, Jesus acquired divine rights over all nations of the world as their ruler.
Submit to Christ the King, Glenn. pic.twitter.com/UHOOQGtw4X
— Tridentine Brewing (@TridentineBrew) September 23, 2023
Several X users praised Biden for being “based” while also denouncing Beck, who is an ardent Zionist, for putting political calculations ahead of Christ.
GLENN BECK
‘Don’t make the Sign of the Cross!’
Neocon Mormon Glenn Beck has slammed Joe Biden for making the Sign of the Cross in Israel, insinuating that it was anti Semitic
This is despite an explosion of violence against Christians by Israelis in recent months pic.twitter.com/OxR3gfUgTB
— Catholic Arena (@CatholicArena) September 23, 2023
In the Gospel of Matthew, Christ himself states that “everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father.” Making the sign of the cross has been a constant practice among Catholics since the first centuries after Our Lord’s death. Aside from being used by priests at Mass and during the Sacraments, crossing oneself is the most obvious physical way a Catholic can express faith in Jesus Christ.