On Tuesday, Bishop Thomas Tobin of Providence, Rhode Island attacked former Vice President Joe Biden's faith, claiming that he is not really a Catholic.
Biden-Harris. First time in awhile that the Democratic ticket hasn’t had a Catholic on it. Sad.— Bishop Thomas Tobin (@Bishop Thomas Tobin) 1597182392.0
Biden is a lifelong, practicing Catholic, and he was also on the 2012 ticket, so Tobin's claim doesn't make any sense. But Tobin is an extreme right-wing firebrand with a history of politicizing the church — in 2007 he denied communion to former Rep. Patrick Kennedy for his pro-choice views, and in 2019 he called Gay Pride events "harmful for children" and demanded Catholics not attend them.
Tobin's attack on Biden's faith triggered a wave of outrage on social media — with many commenters reminding him that he claimed it was "outside his responsibility" to prevent child sex abuse in the church.
@ThomasJTobin1 Biden is a Catholic. What is your problem. You’re embarrassing the rest of us.— Zingamomma 🎶🇺🇸😷🇺🇸🎶 (@Zingamomma 🎶🇺🇸😷🇺🇸🎶) 1597185644.0
@ThomasJTobin1 Step away from the Twitter, @ThomasJTobin1 not only does it remain an occasion of sin, but now you’r… https://t.co/FGcMqX1YCt— Juris Doctor Jenna Wims Hashway (@Juris Doctor Jenna Wims Hashway) 1597184343.0
@ThomasJTobin1 Hey bishop you know what else is sad.... priest diddling little boys— Tyler Best (@Tyler Best) 1597183740.0
@ThomasJTobin1 he's a duly confirmed and baptized catholic. You don't get to take that away from him just because… https://t.co/67lSQ2rqVV— Aida Wear a Mask + Vote 🍌 (@Aida Wear a Mask + Vote 🍌) 1597183625.0
@ThomasJTobin1 (1) "a while" is two words (2) Joe Biden is Catholic (3) Saying otherwise because you think women… https://t.co/cdnSb3Wqvw— Jedi, Interrupted 🏳️🌈 (@Jedi, Interrupted 🏳️🌈) 1597186580.0
@ThomasJTobin1 You allowed children to be abused for years under you watch. You’re an embarrassment to Catholicism… https://t.co/EDRjxMYeVt— Matt McDermott (@Matt McDermott) 1597183998.0
@ThomasJTobin1 "In 2018, Tobin acknowledged that he “became aware of incidents of sexual abuse when they were repor… https://t.co/cTKRremS3x— c.a. (@c.a.) 1597188331.0
@ThomasJTobin1 Leaving aside his sincerity, which you obviously doubt, Biden is a baptized Catholic. Catholic bapti… https://t.co/yKwUrettC0— Tim Spalding (@Tim Spalding) 1597184067.0
@ThomasJTobin1 funny, during the decade I spent as a youth minister and the 40 years I've spent on this planet as a… https://t.co/BCd2jgyanF— Claire Willett (@Claire Willett) 1597185674.0
@ThomasJTobin1 You've got some nerve. https://t.co/2XT238tkBH— Cinloou 🇨🇦 (@Cinloou 🇨🇦) 1597184820.0
@VJShordee444 @ThomasJTobin1 Bishop Tobin is opining on the fact that Biden supports “choice”. Biden has also expre… https://t.co/vI4UNuWpBQ— Robert the Spruce (@Robert the Spruce) 1597189401.0
@ThomasJTobin1 I suppose when your definition of catholic is enabling child abuse then yeah, Joe doesn’t qualify like you do.— Mueller, She Wrote Podcast (@Mueller, She Wrote Podcast) 1597185059.0
