Posted on 03/20/2010 11:28:21 AM PDT by Colofornian
It is beyond ironic that a Mormon, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, and a Catholic, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, are in charge of passing ObamaCare. If passed, the legislation will federally fund elective abortions in every state. Reid's and Pelosi's respective religions, both of which (at least according to the churches' official doctrines) ardently oppose abortion, are letting them get away with it. Apparently, in this day and age, the powerful are exempt from following God's laws.
While having been formed centuries apart and on different continents, the Catholic Church and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS, or Mormons) share some strikingly similar attributes. The leader of the Catholic Church, its Pope, and the leader of the LDS Church, its President, are selected from the innermost ring of their churches' hierarchies. In each church, this ring is representative of the original twelve apostles of Jesus Christ. Each church believes that its respective leader is divinely inspired and speaks for God.
Both churches have clear and exacting positions on what they believe to be God's teachings and the tenets to which humans must adhere in order to live a morally honorable life. Failure of a church member to adhere to core and fundamental doctrines results in discipline -- and can even lead to excommunication (expulsion).
Yet it appears that both churches are becoming more humanistic by turning a blind eye to some of their core teachings -- as well as by making exceptions to crucial doctrines for the political class. Did God stop talking to these leaders?
The Catholic Church has ten core tenets referred to as the Ten Commandments. The fifth of these commandments includes a provision that prohibits the killing of humans, commonly referred to as murder. For centuries, the Catholic Church has held that abortion is murder and accordingly has forbidden the practice.
In November of 1974, Pope Paul VI, considered the most open and modernizing Pope in recent history, set forth a twenty-seven-point "Declaration on Procured Abortion." It remains the current position of the Catholic Church:
The right to life is no less to be respected in the small infant just born than in the mature person. In reality, respect for human life is called for from the time that the process of generation begins. From the time that the ovum is fertilized, a life is begun which is neither that of the father nor of the mother, it is rather the life of a new human being with his own growth. It would never be made human if it were not human already.
Nevertheless, a small group of sixty American nuns, who have allegedly devoted their lives to the Catholic Church, sent a letter to the U.S. Congress supporting abortion. This is a position in direct contravention of the divinely inspired teachings and declarations of the Catholic Church.
In response, the Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious, the sanctioned society representing women of over 103 Catholic service organizations in America, sent a letter to Congress officially opposing the proposed health care bill:
In a March 15th statement, Cardinal Francis George, OMI, of Chicago, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, spoke on behalf of the United States Bishops in opposition to the Senate's version of the health care legislation under consideration because of its expansion of abortion funding and its lack of adequate provision for conscience protection.... Protection of life and freedom of conscience are central to morally responsible judgment. We join the bishops in seeking ethically sound legislation.
No action has been taken by the Vatican to discipline the sixty rogue nuns who chose to openly and defiantly misrepresent the Catholic Church's position on abortion to Congress, to U.S. citizens, to the world.
Pope Paul VI was equally clear that it is a violation of the Catholic Church's basic tenets to support and/or vote for abortion:
It must in any case be clearly understood that whatever may be laid down by civil law in this matter, man can never obey a law which is in itself immoral, and such is the case of a law which would admit in principle the liceity of abortion. Nor can he take part in a propaganda campaign in favor of such a law, or vote for it.
Nancy Pelosi, purportedly Catholic, has long been an open proponent for abortion and today is the leading champion for nationally funded abortion. Pelosi was granted an audience with the sitting Pope. The Pope merely criticized Pelosi for her position and failed to take any disciplinary action for Pelosi's open "propaganda campaign in favor" of abortion. Meanwhile, Pelosi's local priest in San Francisco continues to give her communion -- even though the Pope has stated that those who support abortion should not take part in the Catholic sacrament.
The official position of the LDS (Mormon) Church on abortion closely mirrors that of the Catholic Church. The LDS Presidency has emphatically stated the position of their church, likening abortion to murder:
Abortion must be considered one of the most revolting and sinful practices in this day, when we are witnessing the frightening evidence of permissiveness leading to sexual immorality.
Members of the Church guilty of being parties to the sin of abortion must be subjected to the disciplinary action of the councils of the Church as circumstances warrant. In dealing with this serious matter, it would be well to keep in mind the word of the Lord stated in the 59th section of the Doctrine and Covenants, verse 6, "Thou shalt not steal; neither commit adultery, nor kill, nor do anything like unto it." [Emphasis added.]
But the Mormon Church has taken no "disciplinary action" against Harry Reid. According to the Salt Lake Tribune:
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid keeps a copy of the Book of Mormon in his office just off the chamber floor. There's a second copy handy to give away to someone in need of spiritual guidance.
The Temple-recommend-carrying Reid is very active in his church, say fellow members in the Washington area.
Only the most obedient of Mormons are given "temple recommends." These recommends allow faithful members access to the Church's sacred temple ceremonies. Harry Reid, despite his vocal and public support for legislation that provides federal funds for abortion, is known to have such a "temple recommend."
Abortion is murder unless one is the Senate Majority Leader or Speaker of the House, just as advocating abortion is a sin unless one is the Senate Majority Leader or Speaker of the House.
In the ultimate slap in the face to the Catholic Pope and the Mormon President, Pelosi and Reid have joined in the demand that the congressional health care vote be set for Sunday. Under both Catholic and Mormon doctrines, Sunday is a day of rest, a day set aside for the worship of God. Yet on this Sunday, in the middle of Lent, America's most powerful Catholic and Mormon are abandoning God in favor of nationally funded abortion on demand.
Eileen McDevitt is a retired attorney. Larrey Anderson is a writer, a philosopher, and submissions editor for American Thinker. He is the author of The Order of the Beloved, and the memoir Underground: Life and Survival in the Russian Black Market.
From the commentary: The LDS Presidency has emphatically stated the position of their church, likening abortion to murder: Members of the Church guilty of being parties to the sin of abortion must be subjected to the disciplinary action of the councils of the Church as circumstances warrant. In dealing with this serious matter, it would be well to keep in mind the word of the Lord stated in the 59th section of the Doctrine and Covenants, verse 6, "Thou shalt not steal; neither commit adultery, nor kill, nor do anything like unto it." [Emphasis added.]
From the commentary: But the Mormon Church has taken no "disciplinary action" against Harry Reid. According to the Salt Lake Tribune: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid keeps a copy of the Book of Mormon in his office just off the chamber floor. There's a second copy handy to give away to someone in need of spiritual guidance. The Temple-recommend-carrying Reid is very active in his church, say fellow members in the Washington area. Only the most obedient of Mormons are given "temple recommends." These recommends allow faithful members access to the Church's sacred temple ceremonies. Harry Reid, despite his vocal and public support for legislation that provides federal funds for abortion, is known to have such a "temple recommend."
From the commentary: In the ultimate slap in the face to the Catholic Pope and the Mormon President, Pelosi and Reid have joined in the demand that the congressional health care vote be set for Sunday. Under both Catholic and Mormon doctrines, Sunday is a day of rest, a day set aside for the worship of God. Yet on this Sunday, in the middle of Lent, America's most powerful Catholic and Mormon are abandoning God in favor of nationally funded abortion on demand.
Sad that their churches have been mute about this.
I disagree with you. The Catholic Bishops in America have not been silent about lawmakers who claim to be Catholic but vote against their beliefs. Just because Pelosi is for abortion funded by the Feds, it does not mean the Catholic church is ok with it. Remember that the church itself has been infiltrated with traitors all throughout time. She is a traitor to the faith and to her country.
What I am missing is the hoop-la and press attention of the mormon church inspiring its members to donate money for ads, and work hard to defeat the baby-killing funding by our tax dollars in the health care bill.
Seems like there would be SOME mention of it on FR.
Crickets......
She can call herself a catholic but it doesn’t mean she is one. If you don’t follow Catholic doctrine then one isn’t a Catholic. They’ve excommunicated themselves. It’s that simple. We call them CINO’s!
Go to the religious forum. All the bishops have spoken out about this and also written letters. Because you don’t read it in the secular media doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.
ping
Then when is the Catholic church going to take a firm stand and act on their abortion stance.
How long will they keep letting it go on without exercising its spiritual authority and start denying these folks communion?
Sad that you don’t pay attention.
Yes, we could judge all evangelicals because of one... take your pick. We could judge the Presbyterian Church because of one Presbyterian... take your pick. We could judge all Baptists because of one... take your pick. We could choose positive or negative.
Your authors, who style themselves “American thinkers,” choose negative. The real agenda here is to attack the Mormon Church and the Catholic Church.
You and the pack of religious bigots on forum get your dream come true two-fer, your two hated churches targeted at once, a hate campaign you pathetic beings never tire of. How pitiful.
Please do not call nancy Pelosi a Catholic.
She has excommunicated herself.
She is no Catholic and in her case POS does not mean Person of Status.
a Catholic and a Mormon???????
Fake Catholic, Fake Mormon .............
Hate to tell you but if passed it will be signed into law by a Protestant who is just as Protestant as Reid and Pelosi are Mormon and Catholic respectively.
I;ll agree with the fake Catholic part. But Reid is ‘temple worthy’ Mormon which means he is a ‘good faithful member’ who has been determined by his religious superiors to be a ‘good Mormon’, which means he lives according to the LDS church rules.
It is a shame the don’t excommunicate him.
What’s sad is if it wasn’t for the abortion divide, the Catholic Church would be ALL FOR this socialist debacle.
The President who had 2 Muslim Daddies...
Don’t assume that everyone who speaks out against the LDS also speaks out against the Catholics. I, for one, do not. The Catholics do a lot in the pro life movement.
Harry reid, just like Romney, is a public persona for the LDS church.
If the LDS is SO against abortion, why don’t they fund more pro-life stuff?
If the LDS are SO against abortion, why aren’t’ they more vocal about this?
If the LDS are SO against abortion, why don’t they excommunicate, disfellowship, or take away Reid’s temple recommend?
Additionally, the LDS handbook of instructions states that abortion is a personal matter that should be ‘prayed about’ rather than coming out clearly against it.
Once again there is the LDS PR and there is reality and never the twain shall meet.
You don't get the point of this article. The focus of it isn't to simply point out what religious heritage they embrace; that's obvious. The point is to show the contrast -- that these are abortion liberals within what is supposedly otherwise a conservative position re: sanctity of human life.
From media reports, Obama's only been to church a few times the past year. And his last long-standing association in IL was with the United Church of Christ. Now where does the UCC stand on abortion?
How about instead of answering it directly, I simply give you this social issues clue: The UCC was the first denomination to put homosexual pastors in the pulpit. And what year did it do it? (1967...before homosexuals were even collectively clamoring for that!)
Therefore, your comment doesn't match the tenor of the story. There's absolutely ZILCHO contrast there.
It’s not in general our place to judge our fellow Christians, but in this particular case it is overwhelmingly obvious that neither Pelosi nor Reid have any attachment to their claimed faiths. Pelosi considers herself not just above the Pope but also above God Himself (in the unlikely event that she considers God more than just a convenient opiate for the masses). As for Reid, he may be the greatest embarrassment in the history of the LSD church, and I’m surprised they have not formally and publicly expelled him. I thought the Mormons had higher standards.
Well, technically, other than cut & pasting, I didn't. Although Pelosi has; apparently, her Roman Catholic priest has [otherwise, I don't think he'd be giving her communion, would he?]
(Or did you miss that part of the story: Pelosi's local priest in San Francisco continues to give her communion -- even though the Pope has stated that those who support abortion should not take part in the Catholic sacrament.)
She has excommunicated herself. She is no Catholic and in her case POS does not mean Person of Status. [Venturer]
She can call herself a catholic but it doesn’t mean she is one. If you don’t follow Catholic doctrine then one isn’t a Catholic. They’ve excommunicated themselves. It’s that simple. We call them CINO’s! [bronxville]
Tell me something, both of you: Does the Pope usually grant audience to "excommunicated Catholics"? The story says: Pelosi was granted an audience with the sitting Pope. The Pope merely criticized Pelosi for her position and failed to take any disciplinary action for Pelosi's open "propaganda campaign in favor" of abortion.
So, I guess in your minds, she is an EXCINO -- Ex-Communicated In Name Only -- eh?
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