[Dionysiusdecordealcis]

The belief that Rome claimed that kind of authority over Catholics is precisely the reason Protestant countries were not prepared to have Catholics in public office, and the basis for much of the anti-Catholic discrimination in the United States and England since the Glorious Revolution.

Nice try, but, sorry, this was the pretext used by absolutist rulers to deny religious liberty to their Catholic subjects. Abortion, gay marriage etc. defy natural law and no one can be compelled to obey "laws" that violate natural law. For the state to claim that power is for the state to play God. What Benedict XVI is doing in Spain is consistent with what John Paul II did in Evangelium Vitae The difference is that in 1995 it was largely hypothetical: abortion was "legal" but rarely was anyone being forced by law to cooperate in it. Since 1995, the pro-aborts, the sodomy lovers have upped the ante: they are using the courts to compel Christians to aid and abet their crimes against nature. The efforts to force pharmacists to sell abortifacients, the efforts to force Catholic hospitals to give out the morning-after-pill, the efforts to force justices of the peace to officiate at sodomite marriages etc.--these are all efforts (like taxpayer-funded abortions would also be) to force people against their will to cooperate in what they believe is evil. The Culture of Death people realize they are losing the battle for the hearts and minds of the populace so they are turning to coercive means via the courts. The showdown is beginning because no longer is it merely a matter of someone else getting an abortion--increasingly it's a matter of trying to force all of us to cooperate in it. The pressure will only increase and pseudo-Catholic and liberal Protestestant judges and legislators will actually create and enforce the laws by which other Christians are persecuted. Heads-up before it's too late.

[littlelilac]

so in other words if you want to be true to God and your faith AND the US Constitution you shouldn't be a politician because you have to make that choice - to uphold the law you swore you would uphold upon taking office or putting God's law above it in which case you are breaching your oath of office

and you could extrapolate this as well, maybe you shouldn't be a cop or a judge or a soldier

however it would be very unfortunate not to have people of faith serving as politicians because they do represent a majority of people out there......

[CatoRenasci]

Nice try, but, sorry, this was the pretext used by absolutist rulers to deny religious liberty to their Catholic subjects.

As an historian whose major field was Modern Europe, I read the historical record far differently than you do. It's not worth arguing about.

[sitetest]

Excellent analysis.