Posted on 09/24/2008 4:27:29 AM PDT by governsleastgovernsbest
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. -- First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America
Because John Mashek is apparently so utterly unfamiliar with it, I'm setting out the text of the First Amendment for his ease of reference. According to his column in U.S. News, the Roman Catholic bishop of Scranton, PA violates the First Amendment by denying Joe Biden communion because of his support for abortion rights.
Writes Mashek [emphasis added]:
Biden, like 14 other Democrats in the Senate, is both pro-choice and Catholic. So the bishop decreed that the party's vice presidential candidate was not welcome at the communion rail. These Senate Democrats and many other Catholics—including this writer—do not necessarily favor abortion, but we do not feel our religious views should be foisted on others in a nation where church and state are divided.
. . .
That division of church and state has application here. No priest, minister, or rabbi should be telling the flock how to vote or for whom. Some do, and they are wrong.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsbusters.org ...
One more MSMer who totally misconstrues the Establishment Clause ping to Today show list.
Please ping to Roman Catholic, right-to-life and other relevant lists.
Turns the First Amendment on its ear...
of course speech is all that is important to the media anyway.
The Bishop does not work for the government.
What a moron!
Freep-mail me to get on or off my pro-life and Catholic List:
Please ping me to note-worthy Pro-Life or Catholic threads, or other threads of interest.
Obama Says A Baby Is A Punishment
Obama: “If they make a mistake, I don’t want them punished with a baby.”
Obama: “If they make a mistake, I don’t want them punished with a baby.”
Thanks for pinging.
Only speech they agree with...the Bishop is speaking too...but his speech is no good.
Nothing in the 1st assures you that your speech doesn’t have consequences. Funny thing about that speech thing...you get to spout off and others get to reply....
The bishop isn’t telling Biden how to vote.
The church is free to run itself as it sees fit and the government can’t do anything about it.
If they try to push this one, they’re screwed. I can’t imagine any Catholics I know who would be willing to let the government tell them how to practice their religion.
This person is a blithering idiot.
Another dimwit!
“Congress shall make no law...”
The Catholic Church can make all the laws it wants.
If Biden and his baby-killing buddies don’t like it, THEY CAN LEAVE. PLEASE!
Proaborts have no right to walk into a church and dictate the church’s rules.
This might have been news if the Bishop had called for burning Biden at the stake for spreading heresy (i.e. it’s all right for the faithful to murder human life).
I really think that ex-communication is in order...
But how could you expect a mere journalist to understand law? He only went into journalism because he couldn't pass arithmetic.
I have heard a lot of libs lately crying about separation of church and state. I guess it only counts ....surprise surprise...when it conforms to their thinking.
However, I predict that if the Democrats take the White House watch there be questions raised about the church's tax exempt status on the grounds that their denial of sacraments to politicians based solely on their support of abortion laws is messing in politics.
No, that's protected speech.
It would only violate the First Amendment if he actually burned him.
The clergy are not government employees, they are representatives of a religious institution and as such, they are bound by the teachings of their religion.
If someone is in disagreement with these teachings they have every right to act accordingly.
The Bishop did nothing wrong. This is not a First Amendment situation.
But the Bishop is trying to foist his religious views on YOU, idiot!
If you do not affirm those views, then you ARE "others", and what the Bishop says or does is none of your, or the state's, business.
“No priest, minister, or rabbi should be telling the flock how to vote or for whom.”
No one has the right to demand a PRIVELEGE from the Church, when the Church has the authority to determine WHO is abiding by the teachings, and who is not!
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