Posted on 05/08/2010 1:56:08 PM PDT by Salvation
Today's CWN headline story from Wisconsin provides an illustration of how critics of Catholicism might move to silence the public voice of the Church. It's a frightening episode.
Begin with a piece of legislation that was framed to allow more lawsuits by abuse victims-- with the Catholic Church as the primary target. Whether or not this legislation was desirable, clearly the Church would have a legitimate interest in addressing the proposal. Lobbyists for the Church spoke with state legislators. And then the Church's critics-- in this case SNAP-- went to work.
One legislator, a practicing Catholic, told a former colleague that he planned to remain a practicing Catholic, attending Mass and receiving Communion every Sunday, and his approach to the proposed legislation would reflect his loyalty to his Church. From that inoffensive statement, a former colleague leapt to the preposterous conclusion that the Church had threatened to withhold Communion from the lawmaker if he supported the bill. With that, the campaign to disenfranchise the Church (and, by the way, the Catholic legislator) was underway.
Already on the defensive as the main target of the proposed legislation, the Church was now asked to respond to a ridiculous charge. SNAP raised the suggestion that the bishops of Wisconsin were threatening ecclesiastical reprisals against lawmakers who opposed the Church's stance. Anyone who knows anything about contemporary American Catholicism-- anyone who knows how very reluctant the US bishops have been to sanction even those politicians who support the killing of the unborn-- realizes that the charge is absurd.
But if you believe the charge, then you have a good reason to say that Catholic bishops should not be allowed to influence legislators. To be safe, you might say that bishops should be barred from any public statements on political issues. To be safer still, you could point out that any practicing Catholic is subject to ecclesiastical influence, so practicing Catholics should be ineligible for public office. In short you would ban Catholics from political life.
SNAP claims to be working for simple equity: to prevent the Church from exerting undue influence in the political system. But the logic of SNAP's charge suggests the use of the political system to silence the voice of the Church.
They started with the Catholics—but they will work their way down to all Christian organizations..Muslims will be exempted.
WI ping!
First they came for the Jews
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the Communists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for me
and there was no one left
to speak out for me.
Pastor Martin Niemöller
Community and individuality are not opposites. People cannot survive on their own. When the odds are stacked against you, you must rally with the oppressed and hated.
When a growing oppressive regime is taking hold, you must act, otherwise you will soon face your enemy alone and hopeless.
Strength of community is a strength as much as individualism, as long you are willing to face weaknesses in your own community. Ignoring slacking values will mean that you will be rallied against by those you oppress.
Niemöller affirms we must rally against unhealthy organized regimes. We must also stay vigilant with those that appear to be good natured, as all organisation attracts corruption. Niemöller also warns us that if it is you who are corrupt, then you will face a stronger combined force of foe!
Vexen Crabtree
I don’t know.
Do you have your armband yet?
I always had doubts about Catholics but I never imagined they
were lacking in the ability to capitalize the first word of a sentence.
Live and learn.
It’s a phrase, not a sentence.
On that, I am infallible. :)
Humble You are a moron for a statement like that. I think the priest who abused little kids should be put away for life, but to paint a whole religion is idiotic and you suck
Take a look at the thread title.
Do you see a capital letter at the beginning? No? I thought not.
I think the priest who abused little kids should be put away for life
Good, we are in agreement.
to paint a whole religion is idiotic and you suck
Thank you very much and you suck worse.
Have a fine weekend.
‘shades of what is to come’ - it’s here NOW!
An old dear friend of mine is a priest. Last month when I inquired as to his availability to celebrate the life of my recently deceased brother, he wasn’t able to. His words, in a devastated voice: “Someone complained about me.” He has lost his parish and is stripped of his ministry.
Parishioners got a letter from the Bishop: “There was prolonged hugging involved - in public - where it was seen by many. Due to the age of the girls, we have reported this to the civil authorities.” No one thought it was wrong who SAW it! I’m sure I’ve had one of those “prolonged” hugs.
A LAWSUIT was filed and the diocese crucified him. The girls didn’t go to the police - their parents went to court!
He didn’t do anything he could be arrested for.
He has been stripped of his priesthood - just because of a lawsuit. I pray that God holds him up through all this - he is such a good priest! Supposed to celebrate 30 years of priesthood this month. This is so unjust!
You suck worser
If the Church - all denominations - had had a policy of making amends and publicly acknowledging the extent of the damage done (As required by scripture) without being forced to do so by lawsuits, then this situation would not have come to pass.
This is an entirely self inflicted wound.
Traditional Anglican ping, continued in memory of its founder Arlin Adams. You broke a 5 month posting fast to post that?
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