Catholic leaders press GOP to heed pope on climate, poor
ANKENY, Iowa (AP) — Roman Catholic leaders in the early voting state of Iowa implored candidates for president Thursday to take up Pope Francis’ call for “profound political courage” by focusing their campaigns as much on improving the environment and income inequality as they have on opposing gay marriage and abortion in past elections.
The vocal pivot from such traditional social issues marks the first time U.S. Catholic bishops have publicly asked those seeking the White House to heed the admonitions of Francis’ June encyclical, said Bishop Richard Pates of Des Moines. SOURCE
I’m pretty sure there are *some* that will start up with all of that BS about the *separation of church and state*, and how it’s the law of the land and how “It’s in the Constitution”.
Well, it’s NOT in the Constitution, not in any way, shape, form or fashion, and I have, in public forum, challenged atheists to show me where in the United States Constitution those words are written when they wanted our City Council to stop opening meetings with a brief invocation.
Well, I was told to *look it up for myself*, so me being as prepared with facts in public as I am on this blog, I produced a pocket copy of the United States Constitution and then again challenged these people to SHOW ME exactly where these words were written or to stand in front of that forum as the uneducated and reprehensible LIARS they were.
I was told, “It’s the First Amendment you dolt”, so I read the First Amendment to them and all in attendance.
Amendment I — Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
How about that? Not one word about church and state.
These atheist folk left the meeting telling anyone that would listen to them that I was a no-good so and so, threatened to *come to my house*, not a good plan let me assure you, yet since that time they have slithered back into a hole somewhere and have NOT shown up at my house.
Let me say this; I was born and raised in the Catholic Church, when I was 17 years old I walked away, denounced the Church and haven’t darkened the door since. I am 61 years old and see NO reason to change now.
My reasons were quite personal and were based on my utter hatred of what I call the most vile, the nastiest and most disgusting pieces of nasty filth imaginable; homosexual and pedophile priests. Like I said, it was personal, I had a priest try to put his hands on me and I hit him with a right hook and broke his jaw. Put an end to his fun for a few weeks.
Anyway, long story short; freedom of speech being what it is, the Catholic Church can say whatever it likes about politics, climate change, same-sex marriage and the like, but just because the Pope says it doesn’t mean it’s right.
When I was a kid, any time there was a storm coming, my Cajun mother and grandmother would say *Hail Mary’s*, long and loud, and as a storm got closer or more intense so did their prayers. Who knows, maybe it worked, we didn’t die, so maybe their intent was all that was needed, or maybe it wasn’t our time to go. Just sayin’.
My issues with Catholicism stem from my beliefs regarding how can you have ANY respect for idolaters that pray to Mary, statues and figurines?
“Holy Mary, mother of God…” Mary, no known last name, was NOT the mother of God, she was, if all we have been taught is correct, the mother of Jesus Christ, and was impregnated by *an Angel from heaven* in an act of something that was called *The Immaculate Conception*.
Try to convince yourself that Immaculate Conception is real when your underage daughter or granddaughter walks in and says “I’m pregnant”. Let me know how that works out.
The whole point of this rant is to express MY belief that the Church needs to stay OUT of politics, I mean, how can you trust a guy that expresses interest in chewing coca leaves in Bolivia and hosts an Anti-Capitalist Eco-Crusader named Naomi Klein at the Vatican ?
Seriously; who knew that the Pope was a *stoner*?
Separation of Church and State is NOT in the Constitution, but maybe it should be.
Please sir. Let me be the first to comment.
I’m not a Catholic. I don’t believe in the Pope. I don’t believe in any fucktard who wears a stupid hat.
I don’t believe in organized religion. I don’t believe in organized religions revolving around Man. Like the Catholic church.
What I do believe is the goodness of what various religions preach. But when religions preach one thing and do another, I have a problem. I have a problem with the Catholic church ass fucking little boys and then casting them off. I have a problem with the Catholic church taking their priests and then moving them, after having committed a sin, to other places.
Like the Sacramento archdiocese did to me when it was my job to investigate a child rape in the early 90s.
I therefore “couldn’t find” the suspect. Because he had already been moved.
Which is why I no longer believer in any form of organized religion that has Man involved in any way.
Which is why I no longer believe in any organized religion.
They exist only to cover themselves.
BZ
Couldn’t have said it any better… Excellent analogy of the RCC and it’s Princes and King…
The Pope is no more believable than the Weather Channel.
But with more elegance and millions of dollars and years behind him.
BZ
The Church of the Poor… Yeah, right… LMAO, now I REALLY know why we have been friends for SO long…
I cannot say this enough: those who believe in organized religions are dolts and clods and worse. You believe in Man. You idiots. I believe in God.
Cannot you realize the Council of Nicea?
Politics?
BZ
I left the church when I got out of high school. I went to an all boys’ Catholic school and it seemed that what the church was teaching young adults conflicted with grammar school catechism classes. Didn’t make sense to me or many of my peers. I do believe in God and I guess the church followed me after I left it. No felonies or assaults other than a few bar fights (beer mussels) but I still have faith in a higher power. As far as the first amendment goes, many atheists and free thinkers still can’t comprehend the simplicity of the amendment itself. They try to interject their own interpretation of a simple string of words that says, basically, government should keep it’s nose out of the beliefs of WE THE PEOPLE. That’s how the founders set it up in the first place. They wanted to be free of the state established religions of the European continent. As far as the Pope goes, I believe he is way out of bounds on his enciclical on climate change and our capitalist system. I was taught that he was infallible in matters of faith and Cannon Law but he seems to have gone over to the dark side. What I have in my heart, I don’t wear on my sleeve. I plan to behave as a citizen, abiding by the laws of this country until I have to defend my country from tyranny. As Tex says, keep your powder dry.
Thanks Fred, your articles are always thought provoking.
I too was born and raised Catholic. Twelve years of parochial school. Twelve years of nuns and priests trying to beat the hell out of me. It didn’t work.
I had a fourth grade nun that lined up the class and one by one we walked up to her to get a hard slap in the face for something I can’t even remember. And the high school priest that used to wing a piece of chalk at you if you were fucking around. I saw a kid knocked out cold with a chalk shot to the center of his forehead.
Man created God and his son. I figure if we follow his son’s teaching the world would be a better place.
Here’s a clip from True Detective. I am Rust Cole.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8x73UW8Hjk
I am glad to see some responses on this post, I was afraid I had written one that was too hot for most people…
Not for this RC (reformed catholic).
What we have here is a socialist pope trying to spread his form of reparations. Its all horseshit. This pope is going to cause great harm to the Catholic Church. The GOP would be fools to follow this crap.
I say AMEN to that.
The Pope is a Marxist Dupe, or just plain evil and probably the Final Pope….and I’m a reformed Catholic…AKA: Christian….the only thing this guy gets right is his response to Abortion, otherwise he is just another Obama Tool.
Fully agreed….
Have you noticed? More EX Catholics know the truth and speak the truth that practicing Catholics are afraid of… I was threatened with excommunication when I hit that priest, my folks thought I was crazy because a priest didn’t DO shit like that, and my father should have known better, he had gone to Catholic schools…
Fuck em, I mean fuck em ALL, I wouldn’t piss on their lawn if the church was on fire..
Well, it’s amazing the things you learn on Facebook…
Today I learned that I have a now EX friend that’s an atheist… He hit me with the typical atheist argument about how the 1st Amendment doesn’t *say* “separation of church and state” but that IS what it means…
I told him, “It’s not about interpretation, it’s about the words as written, exactly as they are written..”
I don’t think he liked that, hence the EX friend thing… I refuse to have a battle of wits with an unarmed man…
It’s amazing how the left can make an argument out of a non argument Fred. Brevity was the reason the Constitution was so easy to understand.