[Christian B]

In the name of tolerance the Kumbaya Christian has no real beliefs but rather adheres to a kind of mushy, feel-good Christianity. Every foul deed is all right as long as the intentions were good.

Would it surprise you that Gore won the Catholic vote outright in 2000? Also, Bush got 10% points more than Dole did in 1996. There is a major problem with the Catholic leadership in America - one in which its members don't consistently support the Christian candidates.

[Credo]

Someone posted something to the effect this would have on the South. Most "flyover" country voters would take notice. Folks like Landrieu and Cleland should be very afraid of this strategy.

[abandon]

There is a major problem with the Catholic leadership in America - one in which its members don't consistently support the Christian candidates.

You're not suggesting, are you, that we vote for whoever our religious leaders tell us to vote for?

[Mr. Thorne]

Would it surprise you that Gore won the Catholic vote outright in 2000? Also, Bush got 10% points more than Dole did in 1996. There is a major problem with the Catholic leadership in America - one in which its members don't consistently support the Christian candidates.

Overall, no.

Break it down, and it gets deeper. Basically, if I remember correctly, the stats were something like 60/40 Bush/Gore for Practicing Catholics, and vice versa for Catholics who graced a church with their presence only a couple of times per year. The numbers were similar, as I recall, for practicing vs. non-practicing Protestants.

A sidebar issue would be the amazing "I'm personally opposed, but..." statement that seems to so many people to be their 'escape hatch'.

[GenXFreedomFighter]

There is a major problem with the Catholic leadership in America - one in which its members don't consistently support the Christian candidates.

It's true there are a lot of clueless Catholic clergy, particularly in the Northeast -- Robert Bork wrote a few years ago that the Catholic Church "looks like the Democratic Party in robes." And my dad tells me that at one time if you were a Catholic you were a Democrat. Perhaps the Church's focus on Christian charity that is at the root of the problem. The term "charity" has come to mean only the giving of alms to the poor, instead of Christ's commandment that all people love one another as they are all loved by God. That was the call to charity. I think a lot of the clergy and laity has accepted the mistaken notion that "charity" is supposed to be a government function. I'd imagine a large portion of Catholic Americans have accepted that idea, but not all. Certainly not this Catholic.