[SuziQ]

I keep hearing folks complain that the Church has no right telling these politicians how they should vote by threatening to deny them Holy Communion. That's not what the Church is doing. It is simply telling those politicians who publicly state that they are Catholic that they have a responsibility to live up to that designation. They can vote however they like, but they must bear the consequences of their actions. If their vote is against what their Faith teaches, and they proclaim that vote and push for their view, they are violating a tenet of their Faith and leading others to believe that what they are doing is OK with the Church, thus leading others into sin. It is because of this public rejection of Church teaching and PUBLIC sin that the Bishops are speaking out that they should not present themselves to receive the Body and Blood of Jesus until they have confessed their sin and received Absolution. By presenting themselves to receive Communion, they are essentially telling God that they don't care what HE says, that THEY know better.

Again, the politicians have to decide what's more important, the votes of some of their constituents or their immortal souls. The Bishops are simply reminding the politicians of the choice they have.

Jesus has put before them life and death, and we all know which one Jesus favored.

[Natural Law]

Kerry and other pro-abortion politicians cannot have it both ways. Choosing to be Catholic is nothing more than choosing to accept and live by the teachings of the Church. There is no right to be a Catholic and no rights to revise Church Doctrine or the Laws of God to comply with political agendas. Kerry's stance on abortion is clear evidence that he has chosen NOT to be a Catholic.

[Coleus]

Again, the politicians have to decide what's more important, the votes of some of their constituents or their immortal souls.>>

Money, power, vanity, ego, votes, etc.