Congressman Patrick Kennedy (D – Rhode Island) seems to be the latest victim of a growing effort by the Catholic Church to ram its views down the federal government’s — and by extension, the general public’s — collective throat.
Kennedy told the Providence Journal that Bishop Thomas Tobin has banned the congressman, a Roman Catholic, from receiving communion, which is the church’s equivalent of “No soup for you!” He said this decision was punishment for his continued support of abortion rights, most recently for his vote against an amendment to the House health care reform bill that sought to restrict funding for abortion services…he later voted for the final bill, which included that provision.
A provision, notably, that critics claim the church bullied through by putting pressure on Catholic Democrats, much like the church is trying to bully the District of Columbia into dropping a push to legalize same-sex marriage by threatening to end its support for human service programs in the D.C. area. — a move that would affect thousands of residents, including many homeless individuals, who rely on those services.
Church officials say they are simply exercising the church’s right to protest initiatives it finds morally disagreeable and in conflict with its philosophies. I have to question what sort of self-proclaimed benevolent organization would throw thousands of people in need under the proverbial bus over the right of homosexuals to marry? Or would deny their followers the ability to fully express their faith because they don’t slavishly adhere to every last word of Catholic dogma? And why our government officials kowtowing to their will? The Catholic Church does not represent a majority view and shouldn’t hold such sway over local or national public policy.
The views and opinions in the Enterprise blogs are those of the author and are not neccessarily shared by Falmouth Publishing.
It is interesting how those who don’t agree with Gods word are so interested in being part of it. If the Kennedy’s or anyone else don’t believe in God or his word why are they and their families continue to try and be part of it and then mock it in with their beliefs and the way their live their lives? Because the only reason they want membership is because the majority of Americans are God believing people and the church is like a important piece of a marketing tool for them. It is about time this group gets told not to go back until they get serious. To allow them to continue making a mockery of the church is ridiculous.
I agree. All this worthless ranting against believers but none against the filth that thinks they are the only ones that can point a finger. Just an example is Roman Polansky who RAPED AND SODIMIZED A 13 YEAR OLD GIRL! All of the filth stood behind this guy making the now woman the 13 year old girl the cause. If you have a daughter you understand how stupid the argument is to defend anyone who has done this to a 13 year old child. The mentality is the same with all of them. They defend their own and then you see them speaking and being interviewed as some sort of ethical stand up type person. It is about time all of us put them in their place.
Isn’t catholicism amazing? From torture & women losing their rights in the old world, to baptizing your slaves & to dunk the witch in the new world. Why do you think we waterboard so well?
For more denial- google: Canada – native – holocaust>
ROVOKE THE CC’S TAX EXEMPT STATUS. Ratzinger is trouble, mark my words. Get the CC out of healtcare for low income families, too. They have a cozy contract in NYState under Fidelis. At the same time, they have closed tons of little churches. They say it’s downsizing in these harsh economic times, but it’s really because of the amazing amount of money lost due to plethora of lawsuits from the sexual abuses.
Yes……i spent years in a catholic school, church twice a week, etc., etc. I respect any genuine soul who just wants to nurture his/her spirit.
…the only reason they want membership is because the majority of Americans are God believing people and the church is like a important piece of a marketing tool for them…
Interesting theory, except that marketing to Catholics is marketing to only 24 percent of the American population. Protestants make up 51 percent. (Data from http://religions.pewforum.org/reports, by the way). Why focus on a quarter of the population when you could try and appeal to a broader base? Or better yet, take religion out of it completely and try appealing to people’s common sense. If a piece of legislation makes sense and just happens to mirror a particular faith’s philosophies, so be it and there’s no sound reason to oppose it.
All this worthless ranting against believers…
I don’t see ranting against “believers” here. Personally, I’m taking to task a church that is throwing its muscle around to influence the government, which is a separate issue from an individual’s faith. No church should influence public policy, and saying so is not an automatic criticism on a person’s beliefs — rather it is a criticism against the church hierarchy.
I again point to the fact that less than a quarter of the American people are Catholic, and I’ll ask why should that one faith be the driving force behind public policy? It shouldn’t. No faith should be the foundation for decisions made by our elected officials that affect all people, because that is essentially forcing one’s faith on others.
Check an earlier post on this blog and you’ll see I have no problem with people exercising their faith as long as they don’t try to push their beliefs into my life.