Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, says he no longer attends Church because his ā€œpersonal ethics are enough.ā€

During an interview with BBC News, Fauci told host Kathy Kay there were numerous ā€œnegative aspectsā€ about the Church altogether. Though Fauci maintained that there were problems within the Church, he claimed he identifies as a Catholic.

As the two walked together, Fauci pointed out the Dahlgren Chapel of the Sacred Heart at Georgetown University, where he and his wife, Christine, were married.

ā€œThere’s Dahlgren Chapel where Chris and I were married,ā€ Fauci told Kay, to which she commented on the beauty of the chapel before asking him if he still attended Church there.

ā€œYou don’t practice anymore, do you?ā€ Kay asked Fauci after he revealed that he did not attend Church at the chapel anymore. ā€œWhy?ā€

ā€œA number of complicated reasons,ā€ Fauci told Kay, as she asked him to continue, pointing out that they had ā€œa whole corridorā€ to walk down.

Fauci explained how his ā€œown personal ethics in lifeā€ were ā€œenoughā€ to guide him and keep him ā€œgoing on the right pathā€ in life.

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ā€œI think there are enough negative aspects about the organizational Church,ā€ Fauci added. ā€œThat you are very well aware of. I’m not against it. I identify myself as a Catholic. I was raised, I was baptized, I was confirmed, I was married in the Church. My children were baptized in the Church. But, as far as practicing it, it seems almost like a pro forma thing that I don’t really need to do.ā€

Fauci’s comments were met with a wave of criticism with some people pointing out that Fauci viewed ā€œhimself as God.ā€

ā€œBecause he sees himself as God,ā€ actor Matthew Marsden wrote in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

ā€œJesus answered, ā€˜I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me,ā€ Rep. Austin Smith (R-Ariz.) wrote in a post on X.

https://twitter.com/azaustinsmith/status/1734059806091342269

ā€œOf course he doesn’t practice Catholicism, Fauci is an evil elf who worships only himself,ā€ Buck Sexton, one of the co-hosts of ā€œThe Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Showā€ wrote.

Sean Southard, the director of the Kentucky Republican Party, pointed out Fauci’s ā€œanswer could haveā€ been a ā€œgreat opportunityā€ for him to ā€œshare the magnificence of the Church and the beauty of God entering the world as a child.ā€

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ā€œInstead, he belittles the liturgy,ā€ Southard added. ā€œSad.ā€

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Fauci received a large amount of criticism regarding his recommendations regarding social distancing, wearing masks, getting vaccinated and against large gatherings.