For several years now I’ve been wondering when moderate Christians would crank up the nerve to stand up against the Bush propaganda machine. There have been few cracks in the massive wall of conservative Christianity that the Bush machine has erected, hand-molded and hammered into a formidable political machine, primarily in the red states, and more specifically the south.
Since its’ inception, this administration has molded and re-defined Christianity in the United States to revolve around two basic premises; dislike, if not actual hatred of gay people, and elimination of women’s reproductive choices. The Pat Robertsons, Jerry Falwells, Franklin Grahams and James Dobsons have hijacked religion in this country, hand-fitting it to achieve their sometimes-anything-but-Christian political ambitions, with the implicit help of the Bush administration, primarily through the machinations of Karl Rove.
I sense things are a-changin,’ and it’s way past time that they did.
At the end of February, 55 Catholic Democratic members of the House of Representatives finally had enough. In a Statement of Principles, signed by all of these members, they stated:
"We are committed to making real the basic principals that are at the heart of Catholic social teaching: helping the poor and disadvantaged, protecting the most venerable amongst us, and ensuring that all Americans of every faith are given meaningful opportunities to share in the blessings of this great country…(which) includes reducing the rising rates of poverty; increasing access to education for all; pressing for increased access to health care; and taking serious the decision to go to war.”
Back in 1960, while running for the presidency in a sea of anti-Catholic bigotry, John F. Kennedy told a group of protestant ministers in Houston, “I do not speak for my church on public matters---and the church does not speak for me.” Kennedy kept his word, and kept separation of church and state as a basic tenet of his foreshortened life.
Our current president has done anything but that, and has continually attempted to, and often succeeded in blurring this long-respected separation, certainly to the advantage of his political career, and in opposition to the opinions of a majority of constitutional experts.
Congresswoman Rose DeLauro of Connecticut, one of the signers of the new statement, was quoted as saying, “People…were angry that ideologues were using the church for their own purpose.”
In addition, the signees succinctly and clearly addressed the most difficult issue, by stating that:
“Each of us is committed to reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies and creating an environment with policies that encourage pregnancies to be carried to term. We believe this includes promoting alternatives to abortion, such as adoption, and improving access to children’s healthcare and child care…”
Most significantly, Catholics from both side of the debate regarding choice signed the statement of principle. By doing so, they made a statement that they worry this one principle is crowding out all other principles of Catholic social teaching.
The importance of this statement cannot be overemphasized. These people are saying that, while they certainly respect the teaching of their own faith, they recognize that there must be, there has to be room for primacy of conscience, as well as the freedom to use their intellect in dealing with subjects such as this.
I could not agree more with their statement. While I happen to share their faith, I will always be unwilling to surrender my intellect to hard, inflexible dogma.
It is crucial for a group of reasonable, moderate Catholic politicians to offset the extremity of such organizations as the Family Research Council, who recently commented, through FRC Vice-President Tom McClusky that, “Issues such as helping the poor, the death penalty, views on war…aren’t tenets of the Catholic Church.”
McClusky’s comments were expressed in a Washington Post article on Ash Wednesday, March 1st. They seem particularly odd, in view of the fact that on the same day, Pope Benedict XVI, in his Lenten message, stated that:
“It is quite impossible to separate the response to people’s material and social needs from the fulfillment of the profound desires of their hearts. This has to be emphasized all the more in today’s rapidly changing world, in which our responsibility towards the poor emerges with ever greater clarity and urgency.”
Father Jim Hug, SJ, Director of the Center of Concern and a participant in the Catholic Alliance for the Common Good, said, “The Church’s present leadership has been unequivocal in its condemnation of the death penalty in the U.S., and has repeatedly expressed grave moral concerns over the Iraq war…It’s disappointing that Mr. McCluskey would use his position to suggest otherwise.”
The writer graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1962 with a B.A. in Journalism/Communications.
After serving a stint in the United States Marine Corps, he embarked on a successful 36-year sales/sales management career with 3M Company and Lanier Worldwide, culminating in retirement and relocation in 1999 from Southern California to Driggs, Idaho, in the Teton Valley.
Walsh and his wife Wynne Ann work in the wintertime as alpine ski instructors at Grand Targhee Resort, west of Jackson Hole, Wyoming. He writes for several magazines, as well as a regular column in the Idaho Falls Post Register, the second largest paper in Idaho.
In my view, this administration has gone too far for too long with the blurring of the separation of church and state.
The political agenda has done nothing to 'Unite', but has greatly succeded in dividing this nation..... all in the name of God.
The difference is that this adminstration uses words of fear and hate while the Islamic insurgence uses IED's and suicide bombers. Both are immoral and should be prosecuted. In the end they serve no purpose other than (try) to gain power and dominance. It is the innocent bystander that gets hurt in the end.
I was baptised a Catholic, but have distanced myself long ago as far as I could from the corporate basis of the church, and their archaic and political views.
This world needs people of all faiths to come together and unite, to stand against any radical government, including our own. This will be the only way to achieve truth, equality and freedom across the globe.
by
Tom B. (0 articles, 1 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 14 comments)
on Friday, March 3, 2006 at 7:39:51 AM
"Don't Speak For Me!'
I am so tired of people presuming, that the paid off preachers, represent me! I don't believe in the "Feed A Drunk" Bush supported, programs by area churches.
I do believe in giving a helping hand to working people, single Mothers, and children!
I don't like non-profit electric companies, that clap their hands in a hooray, when someone can't afford an electric bill; turn it off, then charge $60.00 to have the electric turned back on, plus hundreds more for a deposit, and look you square in the eye and tell you it cost each person $60.00 to run the truck back out to the neighborhood, to re-turn on all the poor suckers that were turned Off!
Don't include me with, these so called Christians!
Psalms 41 says happy is the person who considers the poor! God will save him when trouble comes!
Don't include me with people who don't want the Gov. to spend money to help Katrina victims.
They don't have to worry , because Bush will only promise, not fulfill his promises!
Don't confuse me with the Sunday crowd, who go to church each Sunday to be re-duped by a preacher, who is being paid by Bush, to feed a drunk, or some other useless, unbiblical program!
I am from the old school that believes, love your neighbor, do good to your enemies, pray, keep the ten commandments, love God, and don't judge your fellow man.
I am a Christian! I don't condone Lying, torturing, nation take-over, killing innocent people, killing innocent animals; even by depth charges, or not trying to live peacefully with your fellow person!
by (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 41 comments)
on Friday, March 3, 2006 at 9:52:45 AM
If only it were true that some measurable portion of the Christian population is starting to reject the vicious, corporatized christian leaders like Dobson. There are just so many ignorant people in this country who feel empowered by the politicization of christianity. Dobson is taking millions in tax dollars from Bush, he tells his "network" to preach that christians must vote for Republicans, and the preachers tell congregants vote Republican or you're going to hell. The big question is, how did we get so many stupid people in this country? Maybe we need to re-visit education and immigration issues.
by
terri Kionka (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 83 comments)
on Friday, March 3, 2006 at 10:53:23 AM
3 comments
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