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Priest Calls Vote for Obama a Mortal Sin
Priest Calls Vote for Obama a Mortal Sin
by David Walters | Washington Post.com
A Catholic priest in South Carolina has decided that the democratic act of casting a vote is, in some cases, a mortal sin. Therefore, he has decided that parishioners who voted for Barack Obama are not entitled to the grace of Jesus Christ through communion until they've done penance.
"Voting for a pro-abortion politician when a plausible pro-life alternative exists constitutes material cooperation with intrinsic evil, and those Catholics who do so place themselves outside of the full communion of Christ's Church and under the judgment of divine law," Rev. Jay Scott Newman wrote in a letter to parishioners at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Greenville.
"Persons in this condition should not receive Holy Communion until and unless they are reconciled to God in the Sacrament of Penance, lest they eat and drink their own condemnation."
Perhaps I'm not the best person to question any clergy person's right to deny the body and blood and grace of Christ to any Christian. I'm a Methodist and we'll serve communion to just about anyone with a pulse.
But really?
Newman is denying communion not to those who have conducted or received an abortion, and not to those who enact laws that allow for abortion, but to those who cast a vote for a candidate who supports abortion rights. In effect, he's saying that thinking is now mortal sin. He's saying that having an opinion is a mortal sin. He's saying that freedom of speech and thought is a mortal sin.
I wonder what would happen if parishioners could elect their own priests.
(Meanwhile, a Vatican official said Friday that a Kentucky priest faces excommunication for attending the priestly ordination of a nun.)
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i have had the privilege, in my long life, to have met many monks of many catholic, buddhist, and hindu sects on several continents. i always came away impressed by their measured thoughtfulness and compassion for all.
i fear that rev. newman has spent too many years under the influence of greenville and the privilege of a large parish, and has abandoned contemplation which can lead him and his followers to ruin. only a learned man can really teach others and it's apparent that newman's power of reasoning is flawed. he needs and retire to his cell and embrace poverty and humility in order to regain his sense of what his duty and place are.
there was no, i repeat, no 'pro-abortion' candidate on the ballot and no one, i repeat, no one, longs to return to the days of the catholic church's domination of government ever again.
when, in fact, she was a Virgin. Virgins in days of old are now called nuns.
EW
she told me she was a virgin!
She tells all the guys that.
Ironic that religious extremism comes in various flavors, including, apparently Islam and Christianity (I'm contrasting a couple of major belief systems here, so let's skip the "Catholicism is a cult" rap, k?)
No less ironic is how much this sounds like the 8th characteristic of fascism:
8.) Religion and Government are Intertwined: Governments in fascist nations tend to use the most common religion in the nation as a tool to manipulate public opinion. Religious rhetoric and terminology is common from government leaders, even when the major tenets of the religion are diametrically opposed to the government's policies or actions.
funny huh? this batshit crazy bullshit should not be allowed in this the 21st century... come on people-grow up... there are no gods, gobblins, ghoul, nor ghosts
This kind of foolishness gives religion a bad name, which it well deserves.
4Peace
DonP What the hell is wrong with the people of South Carolina? I have been there and I know that there are plenty of rocks and sticks available. Run these stupid prelate jackasses out of the country. The christian churches have caused more problems than devil worshippers ever could. Catholic priests, or religious?leaders of any faith who attempt to pass judjement of secular behaviors for anyone other need to be removed and required to STFU for the good of the world.
They would find they have more in common than not.
As for this priest, isn't he breaking IRS laws? Or does he get away with this intimidation because its after the vote?
IMPEACH BUSHCO & RICO PNAC/FARA AIPAC...PNAC is Bush/Cheney's "Helter Skelter" !
UNITE IN SOLIDARITY !!!
I have been advocating for years a policy change that if religious organizations insist on actively seeking to influence political and public (read PUBLIC) policies, then such religious organizations should relinquish all preferential tax treatment enjoyed by that politically active religious organization.
I suspect that such a serious financial burden being rightfully imposed on these reactionary oligarchists would have a tendency to curb their partisan rhetoric in a rather rapid fashion.
As for this South Carolina priest, I suggest that his disappointment and resultant anger stems from the statistic that Catholics nationwide neglected to swallow the Kool-Aide distributed to the "flock" the Sunday before the election. I know I was pissed when at 7:30AM Mass that day my parish pastor pointed out that the diocese had provided Catholics in the Diocese of Allentown (PA) a "voters' guide" that was inserted in the weekly parish bulletin. I reiterate that the Church and its clerics have every right to their political opinions and preferences. That right however does not extend to getting on the pulpit and browbeating parishioners into conforming with those views claiming to not so conform constitutes some sort of sin. My how far will right wing religious zealots stoop to distort truth.
Answer: As far as it takes to control the minds and souls of everyone. These monsters must be stopped and made examples of just why the "establishment clause" is essential to freedom in the United States.