SC priest: No communion for Obama supporters

Yahoo ^ | November 13, 2008 | MEG KINNARD

[Pinkbell]

COLUMBIA, S.C. – A South Carolina Roman Catholic priest has told his parishioners that they should refrain from receiving Holy Communion if they voted for Barack Obama because the Democratic president-elect supports abortion, and supporting him "constitutes material cooperation with intrinsic evil."

The Rev. Jay Scott Newman said in a letter distributed Sunday to parishioners at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Greenville that they are putting their souls at risk if they take Holy Communion before doing penance for their vote.

"Our nation has chosen for its chief executive the most radical pro-abortion politician ever to serve in the United States Senate or to run for president," Newman wrote, referring to Obama by his full name, including his middle name of Hussein.

[Pinkbell]

Many Churches do mention it beforehand, but people vote for the Democrat anyway.

[YellowRoseofTx]

The churches should have been telling their parishioners and congregants this BEFORE the election.

Many did, and it make many of their congregants very angry. Some even walked out of the churches

[Prole]

supporting Obama "constitutes material cooperation with intrinsic evil."

Man, am I glad that some of my Church Leaders are waking up.

Praise God!

And may He defend Christians everywhere against Obama and his monsters.

[SerafinQ]

Some bishops have asked pro-abortion politicians not to take communion and they have not listened, aka Pelosi and Kerry. However, the church needs to take a firm stand and not allow them to take communion.

Actually, excommunication should be on the table.

[Force of Truth]

I’m loving this. God has morals now. What a concept.

[Dr.Zoidberg]

This is good.

Everyone else who professes faith needs to understand their choices have consequences

When you choose to actively support evil, then you are the willing servant of evil. You have no place in The Church as long as you choose evil.

[Wisconsinlady]

Then maybe the people didn’t belong in those churches if they refused to listen to the Word of God.

[jackmercer]

I have been a Catholic my whole life and support the Church most of the time. But the law is the law and this priest just violated Section 501(c)(3) of US Code Title 26 when he named a specific person, namely, Obama.

It would have been ok if he said to consider abortion and vote your conscience or a more general admonishment. But being specific is a violation and he is jeopordizing the tax exempt status of that parish.

Note the lat line where it says “...any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office”:

Section 501(c)(3) of US Code Title 26

“(3) Corporations, and any community chest, fund, or foundation, organized and operated exclusively for religious, charitable, scientific, testing for public safety, literary, or educational purposes, or to foster national or international amateur sports competition (but only if no part of its activities involve the provision of athletic facilities or equipment), or for the prevention of cruelty to children or animals, no part of the net earnings of which inures to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual, no substantial part of the activities of which is carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting, to influence legislation (except as otherwise provided in subsection (h)), and which does not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distributing of statements), any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office.”

http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/uscode26/usc_sec_26_00000501——000-.html

[Palladin]

Brave priest.

How long until he is censured by his Bishop?

[avital2]

does this apply when the campaign is over though? Obama is already elected.

[metmom]

Many did, and it make many of their congregants very angry. Some even walked out of the churches

Scary thought.

[Lisa_from Buckeye Country]

I got, for lack of a better expression, reemed, for this thread. I guess I was wrong, and I’ve asked for forgiveness from the FReepers who attacked me:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2130545/posts

Perhaps it’s time for those who want to pray for obama to do so, but I’ve tried, and I can’t.

I feel like such a failure as a Christian.....I just can’t bring myself to include him in my prayer.

[JRandomFreeper]

I didn't see the part... "First Amendment nothwithstanding...."

The Constitution gives the Feral government NO power to regulate speech in churches. The Bill of Rights repeats that, just to make it clear.

/johnny

[ikka]

I have been a Catholic my whole life and support the Church most of the time. But the law is the law and this priest just violated Section 501(c)(3) of US Code Title 26 when he named a specific person, namely, Obama.

And this law is unjust, un-Constitutional, and should be repealed.

Do you know the history of this law? It was created by LBJ; before that, there was no such restriction. However did the country survive from 1776 until 1966 or so without this law?

[Campion]

It’s after the election, therefore, not a “political campaign”.

[metmom]

The Constitution does not prohibit priests, ministers, etc from mentioning political people by name. All it does is prohibit the government from meddling in churches.

The First is to keep the government out of religion, not keep religion out of the government.

[Kirkwood]

Read the law carefully and compare to what the priest said. The priest did not violate this law.

[Petronski]

I have been a Catholic my whole life and support the Church most of the time.

Morality trumps legality.

[bradthebuilder]

I pray every night.....that God will protect my family from the evils of barrack obama and the democratic party

[mewper]

Obama is not a candidate anymore. Does it still matter?