Catholics Who Vote for Freedom of Choice Act Could Face Automatic Excommunication ( 'bout time! )

cnsnews.com ^ | November 19, 2008 | Matt Hadro

[kellynla]

Catholic members of Congress who vote for the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) could face “automatic excommunication” if the act is determined to be “formal cooperation” in the evil of abortion.

[Patriotic1]

This excommunication is due to scandal - when one’s acts cause others to sin. By supporting such evil, it muddies the water about what is Catholic truth. We cannot truly know why someone voted for someone. Thus, we cannot judge the state of their soul (the whole ‘judge not, lest ye be judged’). But in the case of the politician, we are judging their specific unnuanced action. They are materially cooperating with evil.

Now, there are a few Catholic no-no’s: abortion, euthanasia, etc. Nearly all other positions allow for differences of opinions between Catholics (death penalty, etc).

[rbosque]

The Church has made its teaching clear many years ago. If “Catholics” do not want to conform to the Magisterial teachings then they are not Catholics to begin with. What is sad is that it is quite evident that Catholic families are not passing down the faith to their children and that the default liberal culture has permeated into the minds and hearts of what should be faithful Catholic families.

[trisham]

If Catholics can not vote to decriminalize sin, or must vote to criminalize sin, does this mean Catholics must oppose freedom of religion?

******************

Uh..what?

[Deo volente]

Cardinal Francis George of Chicago said the question would need to be discussed..

In other words, down the memory hole, and never to be found again.

[Patriotic1]

Please consider that the reporting is frequently slanted when reading the National Catholic Distorter.

It’s like looking to the DNC for news about Republicans.

[Buckeye McFrog]

I’m just waiting to see the flabbergasted looks on all of their faces down at the Bingo Hall when their golden boy Bob Casey ends up voting for this thing.

[TCH]

“Our founding fathers made seperation of church and state...”

WRONG! Show me where you find that phrase in our Constitution. That ignorant argument is taken completely out of context from a letter Thomas Jefferson wrote to the Baptists in Danbury Connecticut.

AND...

The Church has every RIGHT to disciplin its OWN... fellow Catholics are OBLIGED to PRACTICE the teachings of THEIR FAITH... Otherwise they are NOT in UNION with the Church, and therefore NOT Catholic.

Get a clue wiseguy.

Should the Church “mind its own business” if another Hitler comes to power?

Your argument is infantile.

[kellynla]

I don’t know if you are a Catholic but just in case you aren’t and/or you just don’t know any better;
our Lord Jesus Christ doesn’t need any advice from you and others about His Church and/or how to run it...
these politicians who have voted for abortion will be ultimately judged when the time comes and done so whether they were self-excommunicated or formally excommunicated by the Church
and it will done without yours or anyone else’s opinion. LOL

[CottShop]

No it doesn’t mean that DBZ- God’s orsers are for His own people- those who are not His own are free to worship any old rock or demonic entity they so choose- All you or I have to concern ourselves with is our own worship and obedience- The church also has the responsiblity however to keep the congregation free of false idols and false worships- but that is as far as their authority extends- it doesn’t extend to outside hte church- God will judge those who disobey Him.

[Patriotic1]

Separation of Church and State (as you define it) is not enshrined in the Constitution. The gov may make no law about religion. It goes ONLY in one direction.

The Church is dictating to Her Catholic members only.

The Church proposes, not dictates. Society is free to listen, but Catholics should pay heed in certain areas.

[Conservativegreatgrandma]

In many cases these Catholics new exactly who they were voting into office.

Probably many of them did but probably many of them didn't. They vote RAT out of habit. Have you seen the results of the poll done by Zogby for a man named Ziegler.

The typical Hussein voter is clueless.

How do we overcome ignorance?

[sickoflibs]

I agree with you on this. The CC also tells American catholics s to vote for more welfare spending(versus charity, which is personal choice) . But like abortion, it analogous to telling early Christians to petition Rome for higher taxes, and stricter laws. Where was the directive to petition Rome to enforce Jesus's teachings? It's anti-freedom to be directed to organize government in this way (and I know liberalism is a belief system) .

[Conservativegreatgrandma]

How does this 54% compare to past elections?

[FreedomFerret]

On the very principle alone I do NOT support this.

And my relationship with God is between myself and God alone. Old men doing political jockying in church offices making threats are insignificant and of no consiquence. They are just men, failable and weak. The have no leverage on my, or anyones, relationship with God.

[Non-Sequitur]

Excommunication is always a last drastic act against a person who has fallen away from the Church. Making it automatic means no chance at redemption exists. I agree that it should be a considered act and not an automatic one.

[ArrogantBustard]

I personally find this anti-American, anti-democracy.

I find democracy to be anti-American. We're a Republic, by God, and we'd best stay that way.

Since when can the church tell the state what to do, “or else”.

The Church can, does, and should tell its members when certain actions would cause their membership to cease. Actions have consequences. If you don't carry your principles, whatever they may be, into the voting booth with you please quit voting.

tell the church to mind it’s (sic) own business,

The Church most certainly is minding her business ... Freedom of speech applies to ALL citizens ... even those who wear the Roman Collar you appear to hate.

[ArrogantBustard]

Welcome to FR, BTW ...

You seem to have a poor understanding of "Freedom". Stick around, you might learn something.

[BallparkBoys]

The State couldn’t tell the church what to think or do, and the church couldn’t tell the State what to think or do.

Add another to the list that doesnt have a clue what "Separation of Church and State" means. You may want to go looking for it in the Constitution, Bill or Rights, and Declaration....Oh wait, its not there!!!

. The "wall of separation" was a phrase that Jefferson used when writing to a Baptist group. He wasnt saying that religion should stay out of politics, he was saying that the state shouldnt have a STATE RUN CHURCH!! The state should not be in the business of picking out a PARTICULAR SECT or denomination to be the official religion. If you read the comments of the signer of the Declaration and the Constitution, they would be sickened by how religion is given a back seat in the bus of today's culture. If you dont have values based in a religion, then why would you ever want to do anything "right"?

. What is right in your eyes, may not be right in my eyes. Why not go out and steal and murder? Because its not right? Not right says who? Me? So what! Your values are no better than mine! Our values are based on SOMETHING!!! When you figure out what that something is then you have your answer on "State and Church" ...... .

[kellynla]

“How does this 54% compare to past elections?”

don’t know...
but “yahoo” is your friend.

[nina0113]

You’re not Catholic, yet you presume to tell the Catholic Church which members should or should not be in good standing?