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Kerry's Ace: Dumbed-Down Catholics
Chron Watch ^ | September 6, 2004 | Wanda Valmora

Posted on 09/07/2004 8:13:57 AM PDT by NYer

      There is one voting bloc that very well could give John Kerry the presidency: Dumbed-down Catholics.   Columnist Barbara Kralis says that the Democrats have done a remarkable job of convincing Catholics that their party stands for the same values as the Catholic Church.
    
       They are able to do this, Kralis says, because Catholic bishops refuse to enforce the Vatican edict that requires the church to withhold communion from those politicans who support abortion.  Thus, Catholics get the impression that it is acceptable to vote for them. Because he is pro-abortion politician, no Catholic should vote for John Kerry, asserts Kralis, but many Catholics will--and enough of them may do so that Kerry wins.   Her column is reprinted below

                                                               ****

       The real title of this column, if we want to get rough (and we do) might be ''Dumbed Down Catholics Voting for Dumbed Down Kerry.'' Or, ''Welcome to Kerry's Party for Dummies.''  Allow me to explain why the dumbing down of U.S. Catholic laity is likely to win the 2004 presidential race for John Kerry.

       Catholics worldwide numbered 1.07 billion in 2002, and more than half of them are in The Americas, says the 2004 Pontifical Yearbook.  In the United States., 65 million Catholics make up 25% of the nation's population and will result in 27% of the votes in this November 2004 election.

       One survey reveals that 70% of all U.S. Catholics are still undecided how they will vote, even though their Pope has warned them that the act of abortion is an act of murder and one cannot vote for abortion.  The Kerry campaign is most aware of these statistics of wishy washy or lukewarm Catholics.  A significant part of Kerry's support in his victories in Iowa and New Hampshire came from Catholic supporters.

        Some pollsters call Catholics the ''swing vote,'' meaning that they're more diverse in their loyalties, voting less for the Democrat ''abortion'' Party than they did 50 years ago when the party was
pro-life, pro-family, pro-America.  Faithful Mass-attending Catholics agree that the party is dead and gone and no longer represents their beliefs.

       While Kerry wants Catholics to reestablish their old Democratic ties, his staffers are making every effort to keep current Catholics supporters from leaving the party.

       Statisticians also tell us that it's not the Catholic vote that determines who wins presidential races anymore, that the majority of Catholics still have loyalties to the Democrat party.  But Andrew Smith of the University of New Hampshire Survey Center said, ''Catholics don't vote as a bloc, they are as varied as Protestant voters or any other voters.''

       The obvious question one next asks is, ''How can any 'real' Christian, who truly accepted Christ as the only savior of the world and is acting accordingly, still be affiliated with the official abortion and sodomite party?''  The answer is simply that pro-abortion Democrats are successfully wooing dumbed-down Catholics into thinking their party is in line with church teachings.  How are the Democrats doing this?

       They are doing it with the help, directly or indirectly, of most of the Catholic hierarchy.  Let me explain.

       There are 71 pro-abortion ''Catholics'' legislators in U.S. Congress and 415 pro-abortion ''Catholic'' state legislators.  These legislators, week after week, continue to receive the Eucharist (sacrilegiously) in many (not all) dioceses nationwide.

Except for six courageous bishops, none of the other 189 diocesan heads have placed canonical sanctions against these pro-abortion legislators. This sends the false message to Catholics that it is possible to vote for abortion and still be a Catholic in good standing.

       Another way that Democrats will try to win--or con--Catholic voters is their preparation of a ''Catholic Voting Scorecard'' in an effort to show that Catholic Democratic lawmakers have adhered more closely to the position of the U.S. Catholic hierarchy on key issues than their Catholic Republican counterparts.  Of course, this will take much chicanery on Kerry's part.  The preliminary scorecard does not include any Republican social justice issues such as school vouchers or faith-based initiatives.  Are Catholics catechized sufficiently to see through the Democrats' theological deceptions?  I predict they are not.

       Sadly, most any Catholic, age 60 years or younger, who received a ''Catholic'' education in many of the 9,500 U.S. Catholic elementary and high schools, 235 Catholic colleges or universities, suffer the most ignorance of faith due to radically anti-Catholic, pro-sodomite curricular studies in place.  This is most prevalent at Jesuit institutions of higher education.

       In addition, most baptized and confirmed Catholics who have gone through typical parish educational courses such as RCIA, CCD programs, Marriage Preparation classes, have not been properly catechized in the Catholic faith due to dissenting teachers and programs, with some programs actually teaching heresies.

       Therefore, the church has several generations of dumbed down Catholics who are extremely vulnerable to rejecting or doubting revealed truths of the faith out of ignorance.  Incidentally, anyone guilty of the crime of teaching heresy incurs excommunication ''ipso facto'' (''by the very fact'' or automatically).

       Catholic author Ken C. Jones's recent book, ''Index of Leading Catholic Indicators'' shows that only 10 percent of lay religious teachers now accept church teaching on contraception.  Fifty-three percent lay religious teachers believe a Catholic can have an abortion and remain a good Catholic.  Sixty-five percent teachers believe that Catholics may divorce and remarry.  Seventy-seven percent lay religious teachers believe one can be a good Catholic without going to mass on Sundays.  By one New York Times poll, 70 percent of all Catholics in the age group 18 to 44 believe the Eucharist is merely a ''symbolic reminder'' of Jesus.  Therefore, if you and I do the math, only 25-30% of the U.S. 65 million Catholics are faithful.

       Welcome to the era of proportionalism, or Catholicism ''lite.''  Too many Catholics nationwide, and let's not exclude many of our church hierarchy, suffer the condition of a faith that purports ''if it feels good, it can't be morally wrong anymore.''  Therefore, we have the dumbing down of already lukewarm Catholics to the mental level of a Texas armadillo (not that I intend to degrade the hairy bellied armadillo's intelligence).

       Many Catholics have out-rightly rejected faith, reason, and truth, replacing it with false proportionalism preached from modernist bishops/clergy, pro-abortion politicians, wealthy sports figures, and sodomite television sitcoms.

       There is a crisis of faith because there is a crisis of truth.  Thus, John Kerry's message of a false Catholicism easily leads the dumbed down astray.

       For example, Associated Press reported recently: ''Kerry says he is personally opposed to abortion, but supports the rights of others to make that choice.  Kerry wrongly argues that church doctrine allows Catholics the freedom of conscience to choose that stance.''

       Dissenting Catholic politicians' false statements, such as John Kerry’s, seem to carry more weight with dumbed down Catholics than all of the Popes since St. Peter.



TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Extended News; Government; News/Current Events; Philosophy; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: catholicvote; kerry
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To: NYer

"There is a crisis of faith because there is a crisis of truth."

Nailed it in one.


21 posted on 09/07/2004 9:55:10 AM PDT by TEXOKIE
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To: NYer

sKerry: "I have religious faith, but don't worry as it is completely superceded by my ideological faith."


22 posted on 09/07/2004 10:15:42 AM PDT by intolerancewillNOTbetolerated (Misunderestimated Again Bush/Cheney '04)
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To: frog_jerk_2004
" Also, question to Kerry - "If you agree life begins as conception (also, a flip-flop for him), why do you advocate killing innocent children?" "

Over the past few months we have all watched Kerry's past come back to haunt him and unfold numerous claims of treachery. But his contention that life begins at conception but still agrees abortion is a right is the most murderous, sinful, sacrilegious thing anyone can do.

I'm a practicing Catholic and I'm spreading the Word.
23 posted on 09/07/2004 10:46:59 AM PDT by Raquel (It's our security - stupid)
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To: JulieRNR21

You are absolutely correct.

"Just war" is still a Catholic doctrine and even though the Pope disagrees with the IRAQ war, it is still his holy opinion and it is up to the Catholics in the world to weigh the facts and decide for themselves.

A Catholics stance on being 100% against abortion is never negotiable and this must not just be a stance, but we are called to action to defend the innocent.


24 posted on 09/07/2004 11:05:17 AM PDT by frog_jerk_2004
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To: JulieRNR21

"I am outraged & frustrated that so many pastors (including my own) are leading their flocks astray with the false impression that it is OK to 'choose' to vote for a pro-abortion activist candidate like Kerry. "

My pastor and archbishop are doing the same thing. I firmly believe that most of our bishops are liberal democrats first and Catholics second (maybe second).
I trust Putin more than I trust my archbishop.


25 posted on 09/07/2004 11:27:07 AM PDT by rogator
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To: noodler

Noodler: While it is a breath of fresh air to hear someone admit they are a "dumbed down Catholic", the difference is that you appear to be a non-practicing one also. Non-practicing Catholics aren't the ones of concern here. The sheeple dumbed-down Catholics are my concern. I am a practicing educated Catholic. A rare breed of cradle Catholic that actually studied our faith in depth and years of theology. There aren't that many of us. Most of your Catholic clergy are not Democrats, because they are not blindly following some passed-down religion of rules. They are intelligent, up-to-date and educated. Dumbed down Catholics don't know "why" they are Catholic, except that they were baptized that way, so..... These are the kinds of Catholics who also blindly listen to the alphebet media and think its all truth.


26 posted on 09/07/2004 11:33:37 AM PDT by Integrityrocks
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To: JulieRNR21; MeekOneGOP; potlatch; ntnychik; devolve; Happy2BMe; Boazo; OXENinFLA; Grampa Dave; ...
THANKS FOR THE PING


A child is a gift, not a choice

27 posted on 09/07/2004 12:24:24 PM PDT by Smartass (BUSH & CHENEY 2004 Si vis pacem, para bellum - Por el dedo de Dios se escribió)
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To: Integrityrocks

I am "dumbed down" By the fact I'm a nonparticipant.That in itself will make for a sleepless night.That doesn't, however allow me to be dum as regarding National security and the legs which tie or bind.From my falling away from the original Church I've found renewed power in the teaching and witness of many a great men and women.We all share the Christian Faith and message.I find there is hugely more in common among our Churches than any disagreement.


28 posted on 09/07/2004 1:34:36 PM PDT by noodler
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To: noodler

I'm missing your point.I do not know any of the type about which you speak.Perhaps in the Kerry/Kennedy fold.It is not in my power to cast credible judgement this way too much since I'm also compomised.The fact that so many are incapable or compromised to where a man of kerry's caliber is actually considered for highest office leads me to suspect a certain process, fertilized ground, on which this travesty walks.This wasn't done by the Churches.


29 posted on 09/07/2004 1:50:27 PM PDT by noodler
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To: Grampa Dave; Carl/NewsMax; Steve Malzberg; Interesting Times; Chieftain; Defender2; Travis McGee; ..


Irish Catholics do not

like being Kohned

by John "V" Kerry!









30 posted on 09/07/2004 3:29:00 PM PDT by devolve ( -- Kerry & POW`s families - http://pro.lookingat.us/POW.html --)
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To: devolve

Great music.My Dad would have loved this site for the music.Nightengail(know i got that wrong) one of his favorites.We all listened to the Clancy's in those days.Jf'n k is nothing but a appropriater.He thinks so little of any cause or culture he knows he's above he can take it into hisself and try to play off it.


31 posted on 09/07/2004 8:29:36 PM PDT by noodler
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To: NYer
Those in the pews are perplexed

I'm very perplexed.

I go to church with my RC family every week. I believe in the real presence in the Eucharist.

I can't receive because I'm not Catholic, but every outrageous heretic who was born Catholic has no problem.

Is that all it is? Say you're Catholic?

32 posted on 09/07/2004 8:36:08 PM PDT by Jim Noble (Hillary becomes the RAT candidate on October 9. You saw it here first.)
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To: noodler; MeekOneGOP; potlatch; ntnychik; PhilDragoo; Happy2BMe; onyx; dixiechick2000; Old Sarge; ...

Rush loves to mix in music and humor

John "V" Kerry is such an opportunist

Met a guy earlier tonight who said he was still "undecided"

I replied he sure was no Vet and and laughed off his list of his father, uncles, etc


I said he never really knew the and hold be ashamed of himself


Two minutes later GW had a 100% backer and voter


He gave me that "bring the troops home and guard the borders" BS


I said, sure, that helped on 911 and for the Russkies a bunch


Not all are that quickly or willingly converted or hungry to listen


I posted that whole webpage theme on several FR threads last week


Some things will draw traffic to a good thread that just needs a little boost for visitors to FR to read the topic

Glad you enjoyed it; my daughter did several Irish music concerts when she studied opera at Manes in NYC before she went to Florence to stay and study and toured Europe doing TV and concerts

She gives me ideas and feedback on my webpages and is a bigtime Conservative Republican

I plan to add more good Irish tunes to that website

For the James Bond fans I have these two alternatives:

Quicker loading, simpler graphics:


http://pro.lookingat.us/009.html


Lotsa graphics, loads slower:


http://pro.lookingat.us/007.5.html

Hopefully the new 007 flick will have a better main theme than Madonna wrote and sang

BONUS pages; page #1 has a Marilyn Monroe INTRO:

http://pro.lookingat.us/Goldfinger.html


33 posted on 09/07/2004 10:51:58 PM PDT by devolve ( -- Kerry & POW`s families - http://pro.lookingat.us/POW.html --)
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To: NYer
They are able to do this, Kralis says, because Catholic bishops refuse to enforce the Vatican edict that requires the church to withhold communion from those politicans who support abortion. Thus, Catholics get the impression that it is acceptable to vote for them. Because he is pro-abortion politician, no Catholic should vote for John Kerry, asserts Kralis, but many Catholics will--and enough of them may do so that Kerry wins. Her column is reprinted below

Yes, That is a big part of the problem. The other issue is that Catholics often choose to be intentionally ignorant. They do not take efforts to properly form their conscience. We all need to learn the faith, not just accept what one cleric or so called theologian says, we need to learn what the the Church actually teaches. If we do not, then we will have much to answer for.

34 posted on 09/08/2004 5:45:18 AM PDT by johnb2004
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To: devolve

I'm not exactly sure but if your daughter played some of the tunes/music I heard, she is very gifted.There is,however something which I hope she continues to lack.That is the blood sweat,tears which really make these the Music of the soul they are.The Clancy's may all be lefties now. I don't know."with special appearance of Tomy Makin or something.Incredible!


35 posted on 09/08/2004 8:31:00 AM PDT by noodler
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To: devolve; NYer; Smartass

This is one Polish-English-Irish Catholic who can't be kohned by Kerry, nor by a bad Priest. I would hate to depend on a New York Times poll for the whole truth.

Most Catholics know what's right and wrong, if they choose the wrong way they know the sin is on their soul. They'll be calling for a Priest to confess to when their time comes.


36 posted on 09/08/2004 7:13:06 PM PDT by potlatch (Sometimes I think I understand everything, then I regain consciousness.)
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