Bishop orders priests to read anti-Obama letter at Sunday sermons

[ericlp]

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2012/10/31/173269/bishop-orders-priests-to-read.html

Everyone board the Jesus Bus were gonna go do some vot'en! Fuck the church... I say we end their tax exempt status right now...

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2012/10/31/173269/bishop-orders-priests-to-read.html

Everyone board the Jesus Bus were gonna go do some vot'en! Fuck the church... I say we end their tax exempt status right now...

Not going to happen. The Dems would be crippled if the same rules were applied to black churches. Everyone seems to forget about those.

 

[Double Trouble]

It's not an anti-Obama letter, it's actually a letter outlining the policies and the opposition of the Church to them. I don't see any reason why the church should not point out policies that are a direct assault on the beliefs of that church.

Also, the letter didn't say who to vote for (in fact, it explicitly says that it does not tell parishioners who to vote for), so there is no problem with their tax exempt status either, what they're doing is perfectly permissible.

 

[umbrella39]

False equivalency is false... tax away tax exempt status. All churches. Awaits links to similar orders from 'black churches'...

 

[Rainsford]

Not going to happen. The Dems would be crippled if the same rules were applied to black churches. Everyone seems to forget about those.

Certainly it's not totally one sided, but the mix of religion and politics is pretty clearly heavily tilted towards the Republicans.

 

[Double Trouble]

Certainly it's not totally one sided, but the mix of religion and politics is pretty clearly heavily tilted towards the Republicans.

Religious people tend to be more conservative, but Haya's point is well taken: it's funny to see the outrage of some over things said in some churches, while at the same time they have no problem with similar things said in other churches. It all depends on which candidate they support right?

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Certainly it's not totally one sided, but the mix of religion and politics is pretty clearly heavily tilted towards the Republicans.

That's so, but we're talking churches. There may be some organized activities at Republican dominated churches, however the Democratic Party relies, especially with black voters, on churches themselves to be active.

I don't see any "cut them off" discussion by the OP or anyone else for engaging in politics. I don't see any criticism at all.

 

[ericlp]

Of course you don't see any problem with this... Because you are right winged... Why would you see a problem with it?

That's exactly "THE PROBLEM" people like you go on your marry way with no clue what the fuck is going on here...

If the churches want to tell people to vote for Romney (yeah like) don't give me the BS they aren't suggesting that. Look, I'm an atheist I see this crap happening all the time. The church is influencing the voting public ... They are suppose to remain neutral and not just come out and read between the lines on how to VOTE! If they do, they should lose their tax exempt status plain and simple. If you want to turn a blind eye to this and make another excuse for Jesus ... well that's your problem...

It's only obvious what's happening here...

 

[Michael]

And why are churches supposed to be neutral?

Michael

 

[Nemesis 1]

False equivalency is false... tax away tax exempt status. All churches. Awaits links to similar orders from 'black churches'...

Did you read the letter ,, Its not against obummer its against policies being forced on the church by the gooberment an unconstitional law. I say lets jjust forget the election . The sides appear pretty even lets do it . Lets kill christians muslims or any faith group that go against the messiah and his demon hoard.

 

[Zorkorist]

Obama is full of religion.

Universal health care, etc.

-John

 

[Rainsford]

That's so, but we're talking churches. There may be some organized activities at Republican dominated churches, however the Democratic Party relies, especially with black voters, on churches themselves to be active.

I don't see any "cut them off" discussion by the OP or anyone else for engaging in politics. I don't see any criticism at all.

I would say Democratic churches shouldn't be doing this either, I guess I was just saying I don't think it's an equivalent issue. The amount of power exercised in the two parties and on the election as a whole is quite a bit different. Religious Republicans shape the message of the Republican party way more than religious Democrats shape their party's message.

 

[nehalem256]

Certainly it's not totally one sided, but the mix of religion and politics is pretty clearly heavily tilted towards the Republicans.

If Democrats want to win the vote of religious folks perhaps they should adopt a platform more in line with their values?

 

[bononos]

If Democrats want to win the vote of religious folks perhaps they should adopt a platform more in line with their values?

Which policy do you say are currently not in line with their values? From the bishops address, the sole issue was contraception and abortion.

 

[Lemon law]

This nation was founded on the principle of separation of Church and State. As IMHO, our Catholic Bishop is a poster child advocate for losing the tax exempt Status of the Catholic church in the USA.

But especially in the case of our catholic Bishop and also in the case of other abusing churches, an independent Justice department can and should file suit against a number of churches that have abused the separation between church and State the worst. And threaten to remove their tax exempt Status if they refuse to recant.

As I point out, our American Bishop is answerable to the Pope. And if the pope in Rome is not a total dope, our American Bishop will find himself the Pope's chief paper clip counter and powerless to make idiotic policies. As the rest of the Catholic church will learn from his mistakes. And so will the other churches who well might risk their tax exempt Status if they do not straighten up their act.

 

[davmat787]

They are riding a fine line, but appear to be just on right side of it as they are not telling the congregation who to vote for explicitly.

"Again, I am not telling you which party or which candidates to vote for or against," he said. "But I am saying that you need to think and pray very carefully about your vote, because a vote for a candidate who promotes actions or behaviors that are intrinsically evil and gravely sinful makes you morally complicit and places the eternal salvation of your own soul in serious jeopardy."

Read more here: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2012/10/31/173269/bishop-orders-priests-to-read.html#storylink=cpy

 

[davmat787]

Certainly it's not totally one sided, but the mix of religion and politics is pretty clearly heavily tilted towards the Republicans.

How often do you read or hear a negative coming coming out the mouth of someone on the left directed at religion? Happens all the time on this board alone, so not sure why anyone would be surprised they feel alienated perhaps, and are tilted to the right. I am not religious by any means but you can't deny the borderline hatred many on the left has toward issues and groups of faith.

If you want a groups support, try not ridiculing them every chance you get.

 

[dmcowen674]

Bishop orders priests to read anti-Obama letter at Sunday sermons

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2012/10/31/173269/bishop-orders-priests-to-read.html

Everyone board the Jesus Bus were gonna go do some vot'en! Fuck the church... I say we end their tax exempt status right now...

I'll never forget the Priest screaming from the pulpit in Louisiana that "is a sin to vote Democrat!!!"

"You must vote for Bush for the sake of your soul, country and church!!!"

I'm sure they are doing the same thing now for Romney

 

[trenchfoot]

They are riding a fine line, but appear to be just on right side of it as they are not telling the congregation who to vote for explicitly.

Agree that they are dancing on the razor's edge legality-wise. Nontheless, the message is crystal clear as to who that commentary was referring to, given the activist behavior the Catholic church have been pursuing irt contraception and abortion along with the Repub's concerted efforts in passing legislation supporting said Catholic dogma.

In this regard, the church is violating the intent of the law if not the specific wording. Whether this constitutes a breach of law, well I guess it's up to our highest courts to decide.

 

[werepossum]

They are riding a fine line, but appear to be just on right side of it as they are not telling the congregation who to vote for explicitly.

The only part with which I have a problem is "a vote for a candidate who promotes actions or behaviors that are intrinsically evil and gravely sinful makes you morally complicit and places the eternal salvation of your own soul in serious jeopardy." Democrat policies are much more antagonistic and destructive toward religion, but that's not the whole of morality. In reality both parties have policies that are good and policies that are bad, and both parties (however misguided) have at heart the best interests of the nation - or at least, the nation as they wish to make it. Assigning a sin to voting for a particular party strikes me as putting the Church's interests before the parishioners' interests, and spiritually perhaps more dangerous than a vote for any particular party.

Oddly enough the Catholic Church was generally much more in line with the Democrats than with the Republicans until B. Hussein's naked assault.

 

[Double Trouble]

Of course you don't see any problem with this... Because you are right winged... Why would you see a problem with it?

That's exactly "THE PROBLEM" people like you go on your marry way with no clue what the fuck is going on here...

If the churches want to tell people to vote for Romney (yeah like) don't give me the BS they aren't suggesting that. Look, I'm an atheist I see this crap happening all the time. The church is influencing the voting public ... They are suppose to remain neutral and not just come out and read between the lines on how to VOTE! If they do, they should lose their tax exempt status plain and simple. If you want to turn a blind eye to this and make another excuse for Jesus ... well that's your problem...

It's only obvious what's happening here...

You're talking out of your ass, there is no requirement for a church to be neutral. As long as they don't participate in campaign activity for or against a specific individual, they are perfectly fine with regard to tax exempt status. They are talking about policies that the church disagrees with and asking voters to pray and think long and hard about how they should vote.

First, your whining is hypocritical considering the many organized pro-Obama activities carried out in many churches over the past 5 years with nary a peep from the left. Second, what the Catholic church is doing is well within their rights, if you don't like it, too bad.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

You're talking out of your ass, there is no requirement for a church to be neutral. As long as they don't participate in campaign activity for or against a specific individual, they are perfectly fine with regard to tax exempt status. They are talking about policies that the church disagrees with and asking voters to pray and think long and hard about how they should vote.

First, your whining is hypocritical considering the many organized pro-Obama activities carried out in many churches over the past 5 years with nary a peep from the left. Second, what the Catholic church is doing is well within their rights, if you don't like it, too bad.

Thats the thing. He screams about this letter because it argues a POV that supports Romney but never says a word about a longstanding situation where there is church based organization which exists to get members to vote for Obama. It's hilariously hypocritical. The bottom line is that he's irate not because of church involvement in influencing elections, but because of his partisanship. I'd rather churches stay out of it entirely, but if he has a problem with a letter and hasn't thrown a fit about an organized political church then it's about Obama winning not religion. His partisanship has become his religion complete with hellfire and brimstone. From his rant it appears that those who point this out are his satanists.

 

[HomerJS]

It's not an anti-Obama letter, it's actually a letter outlining the policies and the opposition of the Church to them. I don't see any reason why the church should not point out policies that are a direct assault on the beliefs of that church.

Also, the letter didn't say who to vote for (in fact, it explicitly says that it does not tell parishioners who to vote for), so there is no problem with their tax exempt status either, what they're doing is perfectly permissible.

Guarentee you their opposition to the death penalty won't be in the letter.

 

[Agent11]

So the Catholics are endorsing a Mormon? That has got to be news.

 

[Double Trouble]

So the Catholics are endorsing a Mormon? That has got to be news.

They're not endorsing anyone, they're telling their parishioners to pray and think long and hard about who to vote for, considering the policies and positions of the church and faith.