There are serious problems for the Church today. That can make it easy to idealize the past. Didn’t things used to be better?

Not necessarily.

Below are 16 old anti-catholic political cartoons as a reminder of how people viewed the Church in the U.S. not that long ago.

[See also: 27 Fascinating Photos of Pre-Vatican II Catholicism]

[See also: What a Traditional Christmas Eve Mass Looked Like in 1944]

As you look through them, you’ll notice that a few things stand out:

1) The KKK

The Ku Klux Klan was apparently the brave defender of Protestant America against Catholicism in the early 20th century.

2) Catholics are apparently scheming

Bishops are often depicted as secretly scheming ways to take control of the U.S. government.

3) Catholics apparently hate the Bible

Several cartoons not only make a strong dichotomy between the Catholic faith and believing the Bible, they make it seem that the Church is actively against the Bible.

Here are the cartoons:

Look to the caption for any information we have about the publication and date of the cartoon. You can click on any image to view it full size.

Harper's Weekly, 1875 / Public Domain, Wikipedia
Harper’s Weekly, 1875 / Public Domain, Wikipedia

Pillar of Fire Church, 1928 / Public Domain, Wikipedia
Pillar of Fire Church, 1928 / Public Domain, Wikipedia

via dzehnle.blogspot.com
via dzehnle.blogspot.com

via dzehnle.blogspot.com
via dzehnle.blogspot.com

via dzehnle.blogspot.com
via dzehnle.blogspot.com

via dzehnle.blogspot.com
via dzehnle.blogspot.com

via catholicleague.org
via catholicleague.org

via catholicleague.org
via catholicleague.org

via catholicleague.org
via catholicleague.org

via catholicleague.org
via catholicleague.org

1913 / Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons
1913 / Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons

1925 / Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons
1925 / Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons

Pillar of Fire Church, 1925 / Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons
Pillar of Fire Church, 1925 / Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons

Klansmen: Guardians of Liberty, 1926 / Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons
Klansmen: Guardians of Liberty, 1926 / Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons

via patheos.com/blogs/mcnamarasblog
via patheos.com/blogs/mcnamarasblog

Punch, 1850 / via corjesusacratissimum.org
Punch, 1850 / via corjesusacratissimum.org

via lancemannion.typepad.com
via lancemannion.typepad.com

Do you see any elements from these cartoons in our world today? Join the conversation in the comments!

[See also: 22 Classic Drawings from the Baltimore Catechism]

[See also: 32 Beautiful Holy Cards From Another Era of the Church]

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