Catholic bishops plan to forcefully confront Obama

[ensho]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/religion/chi-081111bishops,0,615284.story


In a direct challenge to President-elect Barack Obama, America's Roman Catholic bishops vowed on Tuesday to accept no compromise for the sake of national unity until there is legal protection for the unborn.

About 300 bishops, gathered in Baltimore for their national meeting, adopted a formal blessing for a child in the womb and advised Chicago's Cardinal Francis George, president of the conference, as he began drafting a statement from the bishops to the incoming Obama administration. That document will call on the administration and Catholics who supported Obama to work to outlaw abortion.

"This is not a matter of political compromise or a matter of finding some way of common ground," said Bishop Daniel Conlon of Steubenville, Ohio. "It's a matter of absolutes."
-snip-
----------------------------

Yes, it is a matter of absolutes. religiously insane men should absolutely keep their noses out of women's business.

can the religiously insane bend Obama? hope not.

[Horse with no Name]

1. How about the bishops worry about the priests who are molesting

alter boys and leave politics alone UNLESS they want to pay taxes on their brothels?

[VWolf]

58. Bingo n/t

[Cronus Protagonist]

70. What about the little girls?

More girls get molested than boys. Why do people obsess for one over the other?

[rfranklin]

2. How about legal protection for the victims of predator priests?

How about you start following Jesus and actually do something other than pray for the poor and afflicted?

[cliffordu]

3. I'd say as soon as they all volunteer to become castrati for Jesus,

they can stick thier little noses into a private family matter.

[Matariki]

4. I pray their religion becomes completely obsolete as fast as possible.

They have ZERO right to seek laws to control women's bodies and reproduction. Fuck them.

[nichomachus]

5. They're drunk with power after Prop H8 -- we need to beat them down

along with the Mormon cult

[Davis_X_Machina]

13. On the contrary...

...Obama carried the Catholic vote, (which Kerry couldn't do), and they feel their signature issue is losing traction.

[hlthe2b]

6. When the Vatican liquidates even 1/100th of 1% of their wealth

towards the plight of the poor and the "born," then I will listen.

[rebel with a cause]

62. The catholic church is a corporation and part of big business.

Have been for a long time. I remember when it was uncovered that they were one of the biggest slum lords in NYC. These protestant mega churches are probably basing their business plans on the Catholics.

[still_one]

7. It is way overdue, STOP tax deductions for churches /nt

[shadowknows69]

8. Nope sorry, you won't be getting your anti Roe V Wade judges anytime soon.

[ogneopasno]

9. How nice to hear them jump right out and stand up for something, just like they did for victims of

molesting priests. Oh wait.

[shadowknows69]

10. Or the holocaust

[jrockford]

56. oh jeez

:eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes:

:puke: :puke:

[babylonsister]

11. Yea, I have an absolute for them. Leave PE Obama alone, you old goats. nt

[LittleApple81]

12. For heaven's sake, nobody is forcing anybody to have an abortion. Did they confront pedophilia in

their midst this strongly? And these people are men dressed in robes who have never faced the dilemmas women must face in their lives. I was raised as a Catholic, but I was 13 when I realized that they have no right to impose on me any of their ideas. And no, I have not had an abortion but have met people who have and I want to preserve the availability of choice.

[Realityhack]

29. Nope... they hid the pedophilia in a criminal conspiracy. Obama should remind them of that n/t

[Renew Deal]

14. They must feel burned that Catholics voted for Obama.

:D

[tyne]

15. 33% of abortions are

done on Catholics.

[Renew Deal]

40. And how do we know that?

:shrug:

[Midlodemocrat]

75. We don't, obviously. More divisive bullshit.

[elkston]

16. WTF? Did they do anything like this with Clinton?

Why is everyone acting like Obama is the Holocaust?

[TahitiNut]

17. When dogma imposed upon congregants isn't enough, become Pharisaical and impose laws on others.

Hypocrites. What 'virtue' exists in a totalitarian society where no choice is accommodated? "Grab 'em by the balls and their hearts and minds will follow"??
:puke:

[AndrewP]

18. Exhibit #99934902349234 as to why churches should NOT be tax exempt

[Sal Minella]

19. And not one of mercy toward the post-born children suffering in want. Not one.

[stray cat]

20. Are they also going to adopt all the embryos in feezers left over at fertility clinics?

and support them through college?

[Radical Activist]

21. Abortion rates are highest in countries where the catholic church has the most political power.

They should rethink their approach and start speaking out about the iraq war as much as they speak about abortion.

[Realityhack]

27. Not to mention capital punishment, torture, food stamps, etc. n/t

[Deep13]

22. Confront him with what?

He already won the election.

They can go back to their churches and their holy writ. Leave the governance of the nation to the adults.

[DemoRabbit]

23. I guess they haven't heard of the separation between church and state.

[kevinbgoode]

43. They only believe in that when some other faith tries to step on them.

Otherwise, like most of the Right, they believe the government is an extension of their Church.

[Realityhack]

24. Obama should invite them over... then inform them that unless they cut the shit....

He will bring federal RICO charges against them for hiding child abusers and revoke their tax exempt status for the BS they pull in elections.

If they want to play hard ball he should beat the fuck out of them.

[AndrewP]

34. Exactly

Time to return political fire

[Tommy_Carcetti]

54. Thankfully Obama isn't a reactionary and is much smarter than that. nt

[Realityhack]

83. Yeah I know...

I just find this shit so frustrating. How dare they 'warn' someone who just won by a landslide that he had better bring the nation back to the bronze age.

I am very glad that Obama is president and not I. I am sure he will handle this appropriately.

[Libertyfirst]

65. Is it possible to bring RICO charges. I thought $$$ had to be involved.

If not, I say lets pressure the hell out of state prosecutors to bring charges. They certainly conspired throughout the church organization to protect criminals of the most vile type. Is there a lawyer out there who thinks this is possible?

WTF do they think they are anyway? 76% of the people of this country are not catholics and a large percentage of them who are disagree both on birth control and abortion.

[Realityhack]

84. I have no idea.

It was just my ranting because I find this so offensive.
I think charges should be brought against any church official involved in a cover up but it isn't all of them.

[FUCK_BUSH]

79. I agree 110%. fuck these religious zealot. We have to push back against these ass holes.

[xxqqqzme]

25. Hasn't the Catholic Church's oppression and

treatment of women as second class gone on for more than a few centuries already?

[BootinUp]

26. Obama should suggest they work to spread the word

in their Churches and bring people to the right decision through religious works. Leave governing of a secular society to the governors.

(just my lame idea of course)

[MattBaggins]

48. Wow what are you anyway?

One of them there Liberals that reads communist crap like the US Constitution?

[BootinUp]

52. thats me, heh. nt

[Democrats_win]

28. I blame THEM for the bad economy: they supported bush!!!!

[autorank]

30. They're like the Mormons

The Mormon church was left alone, unquestioned and unchallenged for decades, for the most part.
The major intrusion into their shortcomings was "Big Love" on HBO but that was a niche series and
didn't create that much of a stir. Then they over reached and attacked California gays. That was an
incredibly stupid thing to do. Now they have an irate, intelligent, well heeled block of quite a
few people who will stand and do battle with them for, oh lets say, forever. That's a huge problem
for any entity, a permanent, furious, committed opponent.

Now this. The mood is great after this election. When have we ever seen spontaneous demonstrations
around the country. That's an indication. Even those with anxiety about a few of the possible
appointments are holding fire and waiting. Give Obama a chance, wish him well, hope for success since
we all need it. Then this crap from the Bishops. Wrong time fellas, very wrong. You're even more
out of step. Those loyal Catholics who do go to church regularly contain a subset of Obama voters,
people who feel good about their vote and campaign activities. This isn't what they want from their
church. The votes of former Catholics who have left in droves should have been a warning. .

But no, the Bishops issue their proclamation - at a time when national unity is vital to keep us safe
and to revive a collapsed economy, these fools shoot their mouth off. This will be another chapter
in the continual undoing of the church, sadly, when they should be saying something like - we wish
the president well and hope he pays attention to the social justice agenda we've outline.

This will hurt them. When JFK ran, he and the church went to great lengths to show how being a
Catholic had nothing to do with politics. Well, how far we've come.

Sow the wind, reap the whirlwind.

[williesgirl]

31. Fuck them. Clean up your own house and stay out of our business.

[TygrBright]

32. Yeh. That'll work. n/t

[DU GrovelBot]

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[MountainLaurel]

35. Sounds like they're gonna put a horse's head in his bed

Frickin' mafia.

[ProfessorGAC]

36. Any Who Says "Matter Of Absolutes". . .

. . . is not worth speaking with.
The Professor

[Annces]

37. I think Obama is adaptable

and will learn about a lot of this stuff fast. He has been subjected to intolerance from all sides, though he comes from a very Christianized background, black church in Chicago.

[Le Taz Hot]

38. They're right about one thing:

It IS a matter of absolutes. Just not in the way they mean it.

[Reader Rabbit]

39. Official Response: "Sure, I'll support that...

"...the minute you fill out the paperwork to eliminate the tax exempt status of the Roman Catholic Church."

If you're gonna play politics in America, you can't simultaneously claim to be a religious institution. It's written in our Constitution, dumbasses.

[GodlessBiker]

41. They will forcefully confront the President-Elect while wearing those dresses that the bishops wear.

[kevinbgoode]

42. When are the bishop's churches going to be registered on the

sexual predator directory?

[Sal Minella]

73. Or on the real estate tax rolls?

[jmg257]

44. Why the HELL can any church have this much political muscle, and still be tax-exempt?

They are clearly guilty of using/planning to use the power of the pulpit to brow-beat the President, and to shape national policy the way THEY see fit.


from the OP article:
"...the bishops urged the cardinal to indicate a desire to work with the administration in areas of economic justice, immigration reform, health care for the poor and religious freedom. But they stressed the church's "intent on opposing evil" and "defense of the unborn child."

They vowed to oppose any law or executive order that might loosen restrictions on abortion.

They emphasized that efforts to advance abortion rights would "permanently alienate tens of millions of Americans and would be interpreted by many Catholics as an attack on the Church."

From a bit about exemption: http://atheism.about.com/od/churchestaxexemptions/a/overview.htm
"3. Tax Exemptions Are Related to Public Policies
If a tax-exempt group — religious or secular — promotes ideas which contradict important public policies (like desegregation), then the group’s tax-exempt status may not be granted or extended. Tax exemptions are provided in exchange for groups’ providing services to the community; when the groups undermine important goals of the community, then the tax exemptions are no longer justified.
...
6. No Political Activity For or Against Candidates Permitted
Church tax exemptions are in jeopardy if an organization engages in direct political activity either against or on behalf of a political candidate or in an attempt to directly influence the passage of particular legislation. Churches and religious organizations, just as any other tax-exempt charitable organization, are free to comment on any social, political, or moral issues. They may not, however, speak out for or against political candidates if they wish to continue being tax-exempt. Losing tax-exempt status can mean both having to pay income taxes and that donations to the group will not be tax deductible by the donors."


With so many experts scratching their heads on how to fix a government starved for tax dollars, wouldn't it just seem fitting that this and all other bully-pulpit bullshit (like prop 8) reveals a nice way of helping to pull us out of the economic crisis?

Please, God - for all the evil accomplished in your name, give We the people this one!

edit: link added

[GreenPartyVoter]

63. Bring up those awful priests of theirs and offer to start taxing them. See how

they take that.

[Kashka-Kat]

45. how about using contraceptives then??? ya want to get rid of abortion, that's the way to do it

Idiots - when are they going to start using their God given brains. If Mr. Sperm never hooks up with Ms. Egg then - VOILA - problem solved.

[spanone]

46. separation of church and state....obama should remind them of their tax status

[sinkingfeeling]

47. Memo to Catholic bishops: Ain't gonna happen!

[galaxy21]

49. I fail to see the point in just criticising democrats, when the republican have done nothing about

all the abortions happening.

Seriously, the republicans had congrees, the senate and the white house for six years, and didn't even consider a constituional amendment against abortion. Three of the judges upholding roe vs wade were appointed by republicans. Banning abortion, or seriously restricting it, would be political suicide for the GOP. They know that.

Honestly, the republicans don't want to ban abortion anymore than the democrats do. The democrats are just more honest about it.

I never got priests and bishops telling people to vote republican because they're pro life. It's not like they're ever going to do anything about it.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

50. As a Catholic, my thoughts.

They have a right to make their opinion known to the President. But I think the 44th President is not going to be ruling on the basis of his or anyone else's religion, but upon his own principles.

Frankly, I'd like a better dialogue on the whole abortion debate as opposed to this whole ridiculous bumper sticker war, "Pro-Abortion" vs. "Anti-Choice" stupid BS. But that's just me.

[JohnnyLib2]

55. Thank you for the clear thought.

And I'm sorry that you and other Catholics are receiving the broad-brush negative treatment.

[jrockford]

57. It's typical and expected here, or so I've noticed.

That itself is nuts. I attend St. Patrick's Church and the congregation there (of mostly Irish and Irish-American Catholics) did not support Prop8.

The broad brush stroke makes me sick, but those that make it are merely identifying themselves as what they indeed are... :puke:

[Solon]

81. Where are the broad brushed attacks?

I see people attacking the Church and Bishops, not the laity. Indeed, in most cases, the people who are most critical of the church usually are Catholics themselves. Having been raised a Catholic myself, I'm well aware of the disconnect between the Church and its own laity.

If I were to say that I think the Catholic Church is run by a bunch of assholes, is that a broad brush attack? Of course not, hell, most Catholics in my area think exactly that about the local Archdiocese.

[old mark]

51. That group of alcoholic sexual predators should just

shut the fuck up.I hope they get to read this stuff to see how folks really feel about them.

mark

[tsuki]

53. I wonder if they are going to drag their new BFF, the Mormons, along with them? nt

[Bluenorthwest]

59. the hubris of these 'bishops'

To me, this is like a moral fatwa issued by Charlie Manson or John Wayne Gacy.

[MineralMan]

60. Sounds like

Another group working on marginalizing themselves. Screw 'em!

[gollygee]

61. The Catholic Church doesn't determine federal policy

Voters do. And we chose someone who is pro-choice.

[hunter]

64. Like 300 rain drops on a windshield.

What kind of forceful confrontation is that? It's hardly worth flicking the wiper switch for.

I'll bet if they were polite the bishops might "express their concerns," but they don't have any standing for "direct challenge." The U.S. Constitution is the Law, and the bishops have exactly the same standing as the gun lobby, and the extremists from either group never own up to the death and suffering they've caused.

[bullwinkle428]

66. I fully believe in the separation of church and hate -

a more apropos bumper sticker may not exist for this situation!

[DS1]

67. Diddling cases dropped 13% ever since Roe v Wade

They need a fresh supply of kids

[Mushroom]

68. forcefully and stuff

""Any one of us here would consider it a privilege to die tomorrow--die tomorrow!--to bring about the end of abortion," said Auxiliary Bishop Robert Hermann of St. Louis."

Yup, as the mad monks sing

Tomorrow! Tomorrow!
I love ya Tomorrow!
You're always a day away.

[Dappleganger]

69. When they confront Obama about accepting no compromise on poverty...

providing universal health care for children and mothers, education and creating more jobs--then maybe I'll listen.

With all due respect, fuck them.

[dropkickpa]

71. fuck them in their obsolete ears

Repeatedly.

[LeftHander]

72. One of those bishops has a potato in his ass.....

Just knowing that puts one in a position of power....

[AtomicKitten]

74. If they can't separate church and state, the must have their tax-exempt status revoked.

Good thing Obama's not Catholic. They reamed Kerry big time in 2004. :mad:

[mnhtnbb]

76. Catholic bishops have no power over Obama--absolute or otherwise--

and no power over the American judicial system, either. So they can all take a flying fuck.

[FUCK_BUSH]

77. Catholic bishops , you can go ahead and FUCK YOURSELF and stay away from young boys.

[BurtWorm]

78. Tax time for the Official Church of the Republican Party

:bounce:

That'll fill some holes in the deficit.

[Iggo]

80. Yeah. Good luck with that, bishops.

And stop moving diagonally! It's really disconcerting!

[Burma Jones]

82. Someone needs to tell these guys that 5 of the 9 Supreme Court Justices are Roman Catholic

If they can't convince them to overturn Roe v Wade, they should just shut the hell up already.

[vanderBeth]

85. Ka-Ching!

That's the sound of us get tax money from the Catholic Church.

[jakefrep]

86. Why don't they hold "pro-life" politicians accountable...

...for not doing a damn thing about Roe v. Wade when they had the chance?

[marmar]

87. In its pathetic, desperate attempts for relevance......

....the Catholic Church is cementing its irrelevancy.