How Do They Know?

Last night on Discovery Health Channel, I was watching this forensics show called Skeleton Stories. The show chronicles how forensic anthropologists are able to solve cases by looking at the bones of victims. It appeals to my love of forensic shows, anthropology, and mysteries. Last night, they found the skull of a young woman and were able to locate the suspect, who in turn was a crazy, guy intent on going after prostitutes. However, when he was first named, the narrator made a point to show that the suspect’s exterior life was quite a paradox to his serial killing intentions. He was middle class, a father of two small children, and “he was a devout Catholic” (the screen then flashes the image of a dangling Rosary). The next clip is of the prosecutor stating, “he read scripture at Church every week.” Later a few other comments are made about how the guy felt the need to rid the world of prostitutes as a message from God, and how when they asked him to locate the rest of the woman’s remains, he stopped and looked up at the sky and asked God to help him. Yeah, OK, whatever.
Here is what I don’t understand: how do they know this guy is a devout Catholic based on Church attendance? Obviously, he isn’t if he is going around soliciting prostitutes and killing them. This type of rhetoric is not limited to last night’s Skeleton Stories, I hear it all the time. I *think* the point is to make an example of either “see how religion can make people horrible” or “here’s another example of how hypocritical Christians are” or whatever. I remember the same terminology was used a great deal to describe Mary Kay Letourneau and her father. They were “devout” Catholics because of some obscure outward behavior, like attending Mass.
I often find these assumptions odd because it is hard to determine how devout someone is in their heart. It is a judgment I am rarely able to make. “Practicing” Catholic is usually a better description of a person’s religious life that you do not know.
The other media stereotype I see used as a template for reality is the idea that adhering to a religion, particularly a Christian one means you just know you have it all right. You sit on your High Horse looking down at people who all get it wrong and shaking your head in dismay at them. We all have voices like Glinda, The Good Witch saying nothing besides “oh yes my Sister, praise be to God”. Since we have opinions on moral issues (which is ridiculous because moral issues never affect us on our high horses), we can never stray into Human World, or else we are hypocrites.
I am lost about this stereotype. Following a Christian religion doesn’t mean, “cease to be human”, it means trying to find your way by following Jesus as a guide. I am often baffled why this is such a hard concept to grasp.
I am thinking of my mother-in-law. My husband had a few locked up bins in her basement of collectibles and comic books he had been collecting since childhood. Personally, I would not have left them there, but he trusted his mother. Her live in boyfriend stole them to sell for drug money. The amount he stole, we counted the value up to close to $7000 before we stopped counting. When my husband demonstrated he was angry and upset, and wanted to press charges, my mother-in-law gave my husband a lecture about what a hypocrite he was because he claims to be a Christian, which means he shouldn’t get angry, but should only forgive the guy. Where do people get this stuff?
If you are a Christian and are an offender of some sort, you are a horrible, but true example of what Christianity does to people, and how hypocritical Christians are. If you are on the side of having been hurt in some way, and your response is not “Oh, how tragic, but I will turn the other cheek, and never notice you offended me”(in the Glinda Good Witch voice), (in the Glinda Good Witch voice), you are a hypocrite as well. You can’t win.