Biden's Catholic faith offers risks, rewards

AP ^ | 8-24-08

[Darren McCarty]

DENVER - When Joe Biden underwent brain surgery for a life-threatening aneurysm in 1988, he asked doctors whether he could tuck his rosary beads under his pillow. The six-term Democratic senator from Delaware also has offered to shove his rosary down the throat of the next Republican who tells him he isn't religious.

Biden's selection as Obama's running mate immediately touched off new scrutiny of his support for abortion rights, a position in conflict with a fundamental teaching of his church.

One outspoken prelate, Denver Catholic Archbishop Charles Chaput, said in statement to The Associated Press that Biden should refrain from taking Communion because of his stance.

........ By selecting a Pennsylvania-born Catholic as his No. 2, Obama is betting the potential rewards — including swaying elusive lunch-pail Catholics in the Midwest — outweigh the risks.

.....

Other Catholics were even more forceful in their criticism. The Catholic advocacy group Fidelis called the choice of Biden a "slap in the face" to Catholic voters and predicted the Communion question will hover over Biden at each campaign stop.

...Biden is well suited to fight back, said Mara Vanderslice, Kerry's former director of religious outreach. Biden made that clear in 2005 when, quoted in the Cincinnati Enquirer, he said: "The next Republican that tells me I'm not religious, I'm going to shove my rosary beads down their throat."

"He's this scrappy Irish Catholic and he has a long and powerful record of speaking his mind," said Vanderslice, who now heads a political action committee that has aired pro-Obama ads on Christian radio. "I don't think he's going to take any attacks sitting down."

[SuziQ]

Catholics who actually pay attention to the message of the rosary - and to the teachings of the church - are strongly pro-life.

AMEN!

[PAR35]

Since one of the marks of a true church is the right administration of church discipline, it’s pretty obvious that the Roman Catholic church doesn’t qualify as a ‘true church’.

[SuziQ]

I guess maybe Obama thought that bringing Biden on would shore up the Catholic vote for him. Clearly, he doesn't understand the 'Catholic vote'.

Biden is like many 'Cultural Catholics'. They like the trappings of Catholicism, but don't pay too much attention to the TEACHINGS of Catholicism, particularly on the sexual issues. They like to ignore the sexual morality issues in favor of the 'Social Justice' issues, because those issues are very public, and they can be seen to be doing or supporting good works.

[mbraynard]

Catholics will not vote for Biden because he is ‘Catholic’ for the same reason African Americans wouldn’t support McCain if he put on blackface.

[SuziQ]

As far as Doug Kmiec goes, what the HELL happened to him?

It's possible that he's in the anti Iraq War crowd, so that's why he doesn't like the Republicans, but favors the Democrats who say the war is wrong, and that they want the troops out.

[EnquiringMind]

How about Catholics who vote for a pro-choice candidate? Should they be excommunicated? I am curious because I have a close relative who is “very” Catholic, yet is voting for Obama.

[EnquiringMind]

Ooops, please disregard my last post....I see my answer. FR is terrific!

[proudmilitarymrs]

“Hey Joe, you’re not religious and further more, you’re not Catholic either. Contact me and I’ll give you my address so you can try and shove your rosary down my throat.”

Yep, what anoldafvet said.

mrs

[OKIEDOC]

EnquiringMind wrote:
How about Catholics who vote for a pro-choice candidate? Should they be excommunicated? I am curious because I have a close relative who is “very” Catholic, yet is voting for Obama.

Reply:

I can not answer for those who consider themselves as true Catholics but for me as a Baptist I can not and will not support Abortion in any form.

I also consider that anyone who supports Abortion as not being true followers of Christ.

Further, when on staff of a foreign country Doc was told she had to perform Abortions and she said no.

The Hospital Administrator told her she would suffer the consequences of her actions and she told him “I will not perform Abortions even if it means I have to find another line of work or profession”.

I witnessed my first and last abortion in 1998 and brother no one will ever convince me that Jesus Christ would approve of the gut wrenching horrific procedure or those who support the murder of the unborn.

[jmaroneps37]

“Catholics have been a swing vote for almost 40 years. Polls show white Catholics, who account for nearly one in five U.S. voters, evenly divided between Obama and Republican John McCain. McCain is leading among Catholics in battleground states Ohio and Florida.”

As the co chair of Catholics Against Kerry I will tell you without hesitation that barack mcgovern and abortion joe will NOT break 41% with genuine Catholics. Everytime biden-biden’s Catholic faith comes up it will bring a new opportunity to talk about B-mac’s Born Alive Baby Protection Act problem and THAT is be a huge turn off not only for Cathoics but all right thinking morale Americans.

[Salvation]

Biden is more risk for Catholics that ANY rewards. God has the rewards for those who follow the faith. "Thou shalt not kill."

Our Lady's Warriors.Dissent>Speakers and Authors

Abortion and Euthanasia
Sen. Joseph Biden (D-DE)	Catholic politician who votes for abortion in contradiction to Church teachings. One of American Life League's "Deadly Dozen."

[Salvation]

That priest is correct.

1:

CCC Search Result - Paragraph # 2271  (618 bytes )  preview document matches 1 Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, URL: http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/2271.htm

97%

2:

CCC Search Result - Paragraph # 2272  (580 bytes )  preview document matches 2 Formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense. The Church attaches the canonical penalty of excommunication to this crime against human life. "A URL: http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/2272.htm

96%

3:

CCC Search Result - Paragraph # 2322  (290 bytes )  preview document matches 2 From its conception, the child has the right to life. Direct abortion, that is, abortion willed as an end or as a means, is a "criminal" practice (GS 27 § 3), URL: http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/2322.htm

96%

4:	CCC Search Result - Paragraph # 2274  (554 bytes )  preview document matches gravely opposed to the moral law when this is done with the thought of possibly inducing an abortion, depending upon the results: a diagnosis must not be the equivalent URL: http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/2274.htm

[Salvation]

[Salvation]

This issue is getting legs of its own!

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EXTRA: Archbishop Burke on Catholics who Support Abortion
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Obama's infanticide problem>
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Linda Chavez: Obama’s Catholic problem
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[yawningotter]

Thanks for the replies. That means the Dems have a murtad fitri Muslim and a Catholic who has been excommunicated latae sententiae. Isn’t it amazing what you can learn here!

[Salvation]

The four marks of the Catholic Church are

One

Holy

Catholic

Apostolic.

I have no idea where you are getting discipline??? BTW, Bishops ARE denying the Eucharist to pro-aborts.

[Condor51]

**** Okay, Catholics, help out a Protestant on this issue. Isn’t there something in Catholic doctrine that says that if you support abortion, you have excommunicated yourself? ***

Yes. And it doesn't only pertain to abortion.

Tere seems to be some misconception that to be excommunicated, in effect, you have to get a formal letter from the Pope.

[PAR35]

BTW, Bishops ARE denying the Eucharist to pro-aborts.

How many pro-abortion politicians were turned away when the Bishop of Rome led a Mass in Washington DC?

How many times has Biden been turned away at the altar? Kerry? Pelosi?

[Godwin1]

Catholic Doctrine is clear: any Catholic who materially advances the killing of pre-born innocent children excommunicates himself and cuts him/herself off from the Church and its sacraments. Until such time as that person reverses course, repents and changes his or her ways.
In this context, it may be accurate to refer to Biden as an “ex-Catholic”, a “lapsed Catholic” or as someone who was “born Catholic.” But he is not a practicing Catholic now.
Biden’s religion is only for show, in any case. Any person who believes in a Living God who takes an interest in the affairs and conduct of humans could never work to advance the industrial scale, for-profit slaughter of innocent tiny humans. He no more believes in God than Pelosi, Ted Kennedey, Obama or Barbara Boxer do.