A Firm Rejection of U.S. Catholic’s Misguided Comparison
On May 23, 2025, Robert Spencer, known as @jihadwatchRS on X, brought attention to an outlandish article published by U.S. Catholic titled “What Catholics Can Learn from Islam About the Pursuit of Happiness.” Spencer shared the article in a post, linking to his own commentary on Jihad Watch. The U.S. Catholic piece cites the World Happiness Report’s claim that the United States is growing less happy, suggesting that lessons from the Muslim tradition can help. This piece is a baffling mix of theological ignorance, shallow comparisons, and relativistic nonsense that undermines the richness of Catholic doctrine. Faithful Catholics should reject it outright as irrelevant and misguided. Here’s why this claim is not only wrong but an insult to the Catholic faith.
1. Catholic Happiness Is Found in Christ, Not Worldly Metrics
The U.S. Catholic article leans on the World Happiness Report to frame its argument, but this secular metric of happiness—based on subjective well-being and societal factors—has little to do with the Catholic understanding of true joy. Catholicism teaches that happiness, or beatitude, is found in union with Jesus Christ, not in chasing fleeting emotions or borrowing from other faiths. The Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12) offer a divine roadmap to eternal fulfillment through virtue and grace. Suggesting that Islam, which denies Christ’s divinity and the salvific power of the Cross, can teach Catholics about happiness is absurd. The article’s reliance on a secular report to justify its premise only highlights its disconnect from Catholic theology.
2. Theological Differences Render the Comparison Ridiculous
Catholicism and Islam are fundamentally incompatible in their views of God, salvation, and the human person. Catholics believe humans are made in God’s image, redeemed by Christ’s sacrifice, and called to eternal life through the sacraments. Islam emphasizes submission to Allah’s will, with no concept of divine sonship or sacramental grace. The U.S. Catholic article’s claim that Catholics can learn from Islamic perspectives on happiness ignores these irreconcilable differences. It’s as if the author thinks spiritual traditions are interchangeable recipes you can mix and match—utterly incoherent and disrespectful.
3. Catholic Practices Are Profound, Not Interchangeable
The article’s suggestion that Catholics adopt Islamic practices like prayer or fasting to enhance their pursuit of happiness is laughable. Catholic prayer, particularly the Eucharist, is a direct encounter with Christ’s real presence, not merely a mindfulness exercise as the article implies about Islamic prayer. Catholic fasting, rooted in penance and union with Christ’s sacrifice, carries a depth that Ramadan’s fasting cannot replicate in a Catholic context. These practices stem from entirely different theologies, making them incompatible. The article’s vague appeal to “shared values” like charity or community is so generic it could apply to any belief system—or none. Catholics already embody these values through the Gospel, with no need to look elsewhere.
4. Relativism Undermines Catholic Truth
The U.S. Catholic article drips with religious relativism, implying that all faiths are equal paths to the same end. This is not just theologically false—it’s a betrayal of the Catholic Church’s claim to the fullness of truth through Christ. By suggesting Catholics can “learn” from Islam’s approach to happiness, the article dismisses the unique role of the Church as the guardian of divine revelation. Catholics profess that Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6), not one of many options for personal satisfaction. The article’s failure to uphold this truth renders its arguments irrelevant to any serious Catholic.
5. Shallow Scholarship and Empty Platitudes
The article lacks any serious engagement with Catholic theology or Islamic texts, cherry-picking superficial similarities without referencing the Catechism, Scripture, or the Quran. It tosses around buzzwords like “happiness” without defining them or grounding them in Catholic teaching. The result is a flimsy, feel-good comparison that collapses under scrutiny. Catholics have a 2,000-year tradition of saints, theologians, and mystics who have deeply explored the pursuit of happiness. To claim that Islam offers something novel or superior is not just nonsense—it’s an insult to the Church’s intellectual and spiritual heritage.
6. Syncretism Is a Dangerous Dead End
The article flirts with syncretism, the misguided attempt to blend religions into a spiritual smoothie. This erodes Catholicism’s distinctiveness, which holds that Christ is the sole path to salvation. While interfaith dialogue can promote respect, suggesting Catholics adopt Islamic practices to improve their spiritual lives crosses a line into betrayal. Faithful Catholics should reject this muddled thinking and hold fast to the clarity of their faith, which offers all they need for true happiness.
Conclusion: Toss This Article, Embrace the Faith
The U.S. Catholic article, with its baseless claim that Catholics can learn from Islam about happiness, is a theological trainwreck. Its reliance on the World Happiness Report, shallow comparisons, and relativistic undertones make it utterly dismissible. Catholics have a rich, Christ-centered understanding of happiness rooted in Scripture, tradition, and the sacraments. There’s no need to scavenge ideas from another faith, especially one that fundamentally differs in its view of God and salvation. Skip this article and turn to the Gospels, the saints, or the Catechism for true guidance on eternal joy. Anything else is just noise.
