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Prelates masquerading as policy wonks The clergy should stick to issues of faith, not firearms
The Washington Times ^ | 1/13/16 | Nicholas G. Hahn III

Posted on 01/14/2016 10:03:45 AM PST by BlatherNaut

When President Obama announced executive actions that would require that all firearm sales undergo background checks, he did so with the blessing of more than 50 faith communities.

Vincent DeMarco, national coordinator of Faiths United to Prevent Gun Violence, a coalition of Baptists, Methodists, Catholics and Mennonites among others, said, "Since Congress won't do anything, he's doing the best that he can do, and we think that's wonderful." Archbishop Thomas Wenski said the nation's Catholic bishops "welcome reasonable efforts aimed at saving lives and making communities safer."

Mr. Obama's move on guns also marked the reappearance of an old friend. Many will remember Michael Pfleger as the Catholic priest who in 2008 delivered a sermon from Jeremiah Wright's pulpit that mocked Hillary Clinton, but Father Pfleger is perhaps more infamous for his outbursts on gun control. The activist priest mused at CNN's "Guns in America" town hall that "if we cut back the easy access to guns, [it would mean] less money for the gun manufacturers, less money for the gun lobby." He also wondered "why we can't title guns just like cars."

Father Pfleger's pulpit politicking normally comes with a scolding from his bishop. But Chicago's new spiritual shepherd doesn't seem to mind.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...


TOPICS: Current Events
KEYWORDS: banglist; clergy; firearms; policy

1 posted on 01/14/2016 10:03:45 AM PST by BlatherNaut
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To: BlatherNaut

Or climate change!


2 posted on 01/14/2016 10:06:52 AM PST by stocksthatgoup (How many bills has Ted Cruz passed in the Senate? 1)
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To: BlatherNaut

I promise that none of the guns in this house will ever be used to protect these Quislings from violence.


3 posted on 01/14/2016 10:15:54 AM PST by MeganC (The Republic of The United States of America: 7/4/1776 to 6/26/2015 R.I.P.)
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To: BlatherNaut

Some noted Christian minister, whose name I do not at this moment remember, true to his calling said,”I am determined to know nothing among you save Christ, and Him crucified.”

I doubt that he dabbled in partisan politics in the public square.


4 posted on 01/14/2016 10:35:21 AM PST by Elsiejay (qeustion of qualificatioin)
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To: BlatherNaut

If my Pastor, Chaplain, or Priest ever lectured me on guns I would be out the door before the benediction.


5 posted on 01/14/2016 10:37:51 AM PST by soupbone1
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To: BlatherNaut

These church officials need to read Ephesians 6:10-18. The imagery there that God Himself gave us includes the most advanced personal weapon of the day, the sword.

Firearms are a tool, nothing more. They are neither good or bad. When used for God’s work (protecting God’s people), they are good. You will never hear of a mass shooting at our church, just sayin’...


6 posted on 01/14/2016 10:42:09 AM PST by 5thGenTexan
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To: soupbone1
"If my Pastor, Chaplain, or Priest ever lectured me on guns I would be out the door before the benediction."

Even if the "lecture" was pro-gun? :-)

7 posted on 01/14/2016 11:34:25 AM PST by jackibutterfly
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To: BlatherNaut
One priest.
Why are people afraid of one big-mouthed priest?
8 posted on 01/14/2016 12:21:19 PM PST by cloudmountain
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To: 5thGenTexan
Firearms are a tool, nothing more. They are neither good or bad. When used for God’s work (protecting God’s people), they are good. You will never hear of a mass shooting at our church, just sayin’...

You got that 100% correct.

People have been murdering each other since there were people. Cain killed Abel and there was no gun involved.

ARSON might be the worst since it destroys the innocent others and destroys property. Even those who survive fires are scarred for a long time.
At least a gun gets people one at a time. That is, unless said terrorist comes in with an Uzi.
Atomic bombs are the worst. They are weapons, burning, scarring and utter destruction all in one.

My mother was DELIGHTED and RELIEVED with the final effects of Hiroshima and Nagasaki as it ended that war immediately.

9 posted on 01/14/2016 12:27:49 PM PST by cloudmountain
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To: cloudmountain
One priest. Why are people afraid of one big-mouthed priest?

Maybe it's because we have a big-mouthed pope, also.

"A sick child, starving, in a refugee camp -- and the great parties, the fine life for those who manufacture weapons".

"It makes me think of ... people, managers, businessmen who call themselves Christian and they manufacture weapons. That leads to a bit of distrust, doesn't it?" he (Bergoglio) said to applause.

10 posted on 01/14/2016 12:43:56 PM PST by ebb tide (We have a rogue curia in Rome.)
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To: BlatherNaut

The right to life includes the right to defend that life. Hence, force equalizers like guns are a moral issue.


11 posted on 01/14/2016 1:37:38 PM PST by tbw2
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To: jackibutterfly

In general, I don’t like being lectured to by those who aren’t an expert in that field. Discussing topics outside of religion with my Pastor is fine, lecturing pro or con is dangerous territory.


12 posted on 01/14/2016 2:05:27 PM PST by soupbone1
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To: cloudmountain
One priest. Why are people afraid of one big-mouthed priest?

He's got plenty of big-mouthed company.

"...The most direct statement comes in the bishops' "Responsibility, Rehabilitation and Restoration: A Catholic Perspective on Crime and Criminal Justice" from November 2000.

"As bishops, we support measures that control the sale and use of firearms and make them safer -- especially efforts that prevent their unsupervised use by children or anyone other than the owner -- and we reiterate our call for sensible regulation of handguns."

That's followed by a footnote that states: "However, we believe that in the long run and with few exceptions -- i.e. police officers, military use -- handguns should be eliminated from our society."

That in turn reiterates a line in the bishops' 1990 pastoral statement on substance abuse, which called "for effective and courageous action to control handguns, leading to their eventual elimination from our society."..."

http://www.catholicnews.com/services/englishnews/2011/gun-control-church-firmly-quietly-opposes-firearms-for-civilians.cfm

13 posted on 01/14/2016 2:45:27 PM PST by BlatherNaut
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To: BlatherNaut
" Firearms in the hands of civilians should be strictly limited and eventually completely eliminated."

Unless one nation must defend it's self for the common good of it's citizens. Then the action of placing these same firearms into the hands of the youth for a JUST WAR is proper.

14 posted on 01/14/2016 9:16:06 PM PST by TYVets
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To: TYVets
" Firearms in the hands of civilians should be strictly limited and eventually completely eliminated." Unless one nation must defend it's self for the common good of it's citizens. Then the action of placing these same firearms into the hands of the youth for a JUST WAR is proper.

The moral right to self-defense is not limited to a "JUST WAR" scenario, and only in Utopia is the potential necessity for self-defense or defense of others a non-factor.

Catechism of the Catholic Church:

2264 Love toward oneself remains a fundamental principle of morality. Therefore it is legitimate to insist on respect for one's own right to life. Someone who defends his life is not guilty of murder even if he is forced to deal his aggressor a lethal blow:

If a man in self-defense uses more than necessary violence, it will be unlawful: whereas if he repels force with moderation, his defense will be lawful.... Nor is it necessary for salvation that a man omit the act of moderate self-defense to avoid killing the other man, since one is bound to take more care of one's own life than of another's.

http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_P7Z.HTM

15 posted on 01/15/2016 9:40:45 AM PST by BlatherNaut
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