Comments on: How Dare a Private Citizen Endorse a Candidate!

By: archangel michael

archangel michael — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 05:31:58 +0000

recieving communion is like looking for a job, you get refuesed in one church , go to another church, however , to be denied communion , 1,it has to be a proved by god first, 2 then the vatican , 3 all cleargy are servants of god , not gods, go to another church, say nothing , and only open your mouth when its time to recive the hoast, i would report the person ,in this case the cleargy person for abuse of his clerical position, rember god is just, and sooner or later the cleargyman , will get a message from god,

By: Richard Wade

Richard Wade — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 21:17:27 +0000

I say “Go for it Father! Stick it to the sinner!” Tax exempt status aside, every time a cleric tells people who to vote for, who to love, who to hate, who to have sex with, how to have sex, how to think, what to think, which teachers to listen to, what science to study, what art to look at, what music to listen to, what movies to see, what books to read, what clothes to wear, what doctors to see, what medicines to take, what businesses to patronize, what to eat, what to drink and even how to take a crap all on the authority they claim comes from their silent, invisible, embarrassingly absent boss, they lose more of their flock. Good.

By: Perfect Fool

Perfect Fool — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 19:40:03 +0000

Kmiec’s priest did him a favor. He should send the good father a thank you note and get the hell out of that church.

By the way, I can’t remember the last anti-abortion candidate the Dems ran nationally. Does this priest do the same for all catholics who also happen to be registered Democrats? Or just the well-known and influential ones?

By: Epistaxis

Epistaxis — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 15:59:20 +0000

John McCain supports the death penalty and the war in Iraq. Why aren’t any of his endorsers being excommunicated? Why isn’t he?

By: Chris Nowak

Chris Nowak — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 13:03:53 +0000

The annoying thing is that this centers around ONE issue, abortion. But just because you support a candidate doesnt mean you support EVERYTHING that he stands for…because seriously, there are a LOT more important things than the issue of abortion. Maybe this guy thinks that Obama do better overall – save more lives, help people live better lives, you know, other stuff that Catholicism says is good?

I just hate how the Catholic church turns everything into a black and white issue, and how they will harp on one point regardless of the other qualifications of a candidate.

By: TXatheist

TXatheist — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 12:53:38 +0000

I think it borders on a violation. They are refusing one person communion because he said he’s pro-choice. I’m sure there are good portion of catholics that are pro-choice. However, it’s the church’s decision and as a private organization I think it’s their right.

By: Wes

Wes — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 11:28:23 +0000

I second the sentiment that the Catholic church should lose its tax exempt status for pulling crap like this. I don’t have a problem with churches being tax exempt so long as they are not for profit and engage in charitable activities. But when they either start profiting off their ministry and/or start using their status to meddle with politics and government, I see their tax exempt status as an unconstitutional establishment of religion.

If the Catholic church wants to be able to make political endorsements, they’d better not do it on my tax dollars. Endorse whatever political candidate you want—but don’t use my tax dollars to do it. No more faith-based subsidies!

By: Epistaxis

Epistaxis — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 07:02:42 +0000

Technically speaking, he’s been excommunicated.

Since I’m not Catholic anymore (and not a ranking clergy member even when I was), I have no standing to say that the Church shouldn’t play politics this way. As a taxpayer, though, I can say that if they want to do this, they must acknowledge that it’s outside the Internal Revenue Code’s definition of a church, and give up their tax exemption.

By: Greta Christina

Greta Christina — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 04:40:13 +0000

This actually sounds like it might be a case for the Americans United for Separation of Church and State, or even the ACLU. It amounts to a religious organization making political endorsements… which they absolutely are not supposed to be doing if they want to keep their tax-exempt status.

Not to mention it being grossly unethical.

By: Gadren

Gadren — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 00:39:37 +0000

Wait, wait, wait — you’re surprised that the Catholic Church is sticking its fingers in political affairs? That’s all they’ve done for centuries.