You Can Only Follow One Messiah at a Time
November 14th, 2008South Carolina Priest Forces Choice
Here’s something to think about.
Sarah Palin was accused of believing Africa was a country. People bought this ridiculous story, even though Governor Palin is a college graduate and an accomplished governor with a high approval rating. Now the story has been proven false; a prankster made it up and presented it to the ever-gullible American media.
Barack H. Obama, on the other hand, DID say there were 57 states. And the press immediately dismissed the error, saying it was caused by fatigue.
How come the press explained the Obama gaffe away, yet assumed the Palin hoax was true?
I apologize for asking such hard questions so early in the morning. I know this will be a tough puzzle to solve. Why would the press assume a Republican was abysmally stupid, while reflexively excusing a Democrat? I just can’t imagine. Maybe if I had a six-figure grant, I could come up with the answer.
I just read another Obama-related story, linked by Drudgebart.com.tv. A South Carolina Catholic priest is refusing to give Communion to Catholics who voted for Obama, who is not only pro-abortion, but in favor of withholding medical care from babies born alive. My response: why did this take so long? I suspect that Catholics have been brainwashed with liberalism for so long, their clergymen just could not force themselves to take a moral stand against a prominent Democrat. Am I wrong? How else can you explain this?
Catholicism opposes divorce. It opposes every known type of fornication (and some things which may not actually be fornication). It preaches unselfishness, sacrifice, and compassion. How can you twist the church’s positions into a platform that supports or even tolerates convenience abortion? I guess once the seminaries filled up with gay men who engaged in sex acts in their spare time, this kind of moral erosion was inevitable. I have been told by Catholics that this kind of thing goes on in seminaries; if I’m wrong, I apologize.
Maybe it’s a crisis of confidence. Catholic churches are losing members and money. These days, no church wants to alienate members, so instead of sticking to their guns, they tell us whatever we want to hear.
I know I’m insane and nothing I say should be taken seriously, but let me tell you the nutty idea I have about churches. I actually believe…no lie…that lay people should get their moral guidance from churches, and NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND. If not, they should change the way churches are built. They should have a whole bunch of pulpits and only one single-seat pew. Then on Sundays, a preacher or priest could come and sit in the pew while the congregants yell at him from the pulpits.
This priest is a hero. A real leader. A…a maverick. Yes, I said it. You can’t buy his kind of integrity for all the money in the country of Africa, and to find it in America, you have to scour all 57 states.
November 14th, 2008 at 9:57 AM
It’s been kind of amazing, over the years, to see the bigshots of various churches basically saying “Well, the old message isn’t selling too well with a lot of people so let’s ‘tweak’ things to make ourselves fit in better.” If a church is going to change the ‘important truths’ it preaches for the sake of being more relevant(according to the weenies with no guts), then what good is the message? At all?
That attitude of ‘change to bring people back’ has probably done more to ruin churches than anything else. Look what’s happened to the Anglican Church in Britain; the Archbishop is a boob who changes the church for political reasons and attendance has been in freefall.
November 14th, 2008 at 11:55 AM
Hey would you like to write on the #dontgo Florida Website? Give me a shout at rb—-@–.com
Willie
November 14th, 2008 at 1:40 PM
Obama was also unaware that Russia has veto power in the Security Council.
November 14th, 2008 at 1:49 PM
Here you go – Edward Cardinal Egan in straightforward and unambiguous terms.
http://www.cny.org/archive/eg/eg102308.htm
November 14th, 2008 at 2:03 PM
I hope other Catholic clerics who are sick of seeing their teachings ignored will start speaking up for themselves in greater numbers. Because they are able to withhold Communion and inflict other punishments, they have powerful options a lot of clergymen don’t have.
November 14th, 2008 at 2:55 PM
Steve, this was an issue during the ’04 campaign as well. Some Catholic priests, or maybe it was bishops, said that parishioners shouldn’t support any candidate who was pro-choice, and any candidate who spoke in favor of abortion shouldn’t call themselves Catholic, or take Communion.
November 14th, 2008 at 7:09 PM
I’m not a believer, but I admire those who truly do. Go on with your bad self.
November 14th, 2008 at 7:25 PM
Maybe if I had a six-figure grant, I could come up with the answer.
I’d be happy to be your research assistant, with the attendant salary, perks and benefits.
And even if I’m a lousy Catholic, I say it’s about time the Church stood up for it’s principles, even if it does condemn politicians who violate them.
November 14th, 2008 at 9:06 PM
The funny thing is that the so-called mainstream churches – which have changed (i.e. watered down) the message the most for purposes of marketing and ‘not making anyone uncomfortable’ have lost members in droves while the unfiltered, full strength Gospel churches are growing.
Go figure.
November 15th, 2008 at 11:57 AM
It’s just the church version of the Boomerism that long ago infected the country. There is an age-band within which you do not tell people something is right or wrong – you look at yourself and what is wrong with yourself and why you feel the impulse to judge others.
–
As far as I can tell, if you weren’t around 18 or less (but still alive) at some point during a Reagan presidency, you don’t believe “Right” and “Wrong” are valid ideas. It’s a weird experience at Church, finding myself more in accord with 70+-year-olds than people in their late 40’s/early 50’s.
November 15th, 2008 at 3:02 PM
I agree with you, except I have one niggling thought — the Catholic church is against divorce, but John McCain is divorced. Is there a double standard here? Or is it a matter of degree (abortion vs. divorce, which is worse)?
You know me, I’m solidly anti-abortion and I think that the priest’s stand is admirable, I just don’t know how to think of the standard being applied to both sides, except as the lesser of two evils. But sin is sin in God’s eyes, so you see my dilemma.
November 15th, 2008 at 4:28 PM
Obama promotes abortion, and he will do everything he can to make it accessible. I don’t think you could claim McCain promotes divorce.
November 15th, 2008 at 9:51 PM
Good answer, I’ll take that.
November 15th, 2008 at 10:14 PM
Brother Sparrow,
I believe the priest addressed his remarks to his congregation. John McCain is not Catholic. It would be inappropriate for the priest to urge his parishoners to vote for any candidate. That was not the issue.
November 16th, 2008 at 1:14 PM
Thanks Cecil, except I am SISTER Sparrow!