Maybe God is on Bush's side...

DENVER - Catholics who vote for politicians in favor of abortion rights, stem-cell research, euthanasia or gay marriage may not receive Communion until they recant and repent in the confessional, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Colorado Springs said.

Bishop Michael Sheridan's pronouncement was the strongest yet from a U.S. bishop in the debate over how faith should influence Catholics in this election year.

Read more at news.yahoo.com.../ap/20040514/ap_on_re_us/catholic_bishops_politics_2

I know...the initial statement was a stretch...just needed a catchy title.

In perhaps one of the most important election years, the church seems like it is gonna throw it's huge friggin' pope hat in the ring. And this isn't just a small event, this letter was sent to 125,000 people.

The potential impact of this could be interesting. One, like the article says, it could drive people away from the church. However, I doubt that seriously. From my experience, Catholics tend to serve the church without question. (I live in a state that has Parishes instead of counties.) After all, this is a pretty big thing to the Catholics. They can be denied Communion. I don't know if these people would even question it, but rather just obey and vote whoever the church is against.

The other question this article raises how would the church enforce this? For those who cannot vote, you have no vote with a name on it. Noone escorts and watches over your shoulder when you go in your booth. How would they know? Would you have to make an oath before God that you didn't? Would you be pressed while in the confessional booth? I don't know how the bishop could enforce this other than by punish those who volunteer this type of information.

If the pope was truly concerned with abortion etc, he wouldn't just deny them the eucharist - he'd threaten them with excommunication. Now that would scare the # out any devout Catholic.

You know, I didn't even think of that. I wonder if it would ever come to that.

Could the pope actually do that? Excommunication is rather stiff though. Do you think the church is that serious? I haven't been Catholic in a long time...I don't know.

Politics and religion...

Well whats so bad about politics and religion? Religion is something people have practiced for thousands of years. Politics is talking about most of the things the government is doing wrong and some thing they do right.

I should say.. when they are both mixed....

Originally posted by Pisky
If the pope was truly concerned with abortion etc, he wouldn't just deny them the eucharist - he'd threaten them with excommunication. Now that would scare the # out any devout Catholic.

Underlining mine.

Take this from someone technically excommunicated from the Catholic Church:

Hmmm... Pisky, I have the greatest respect for you, but I think perhaps you are using the word "excommunication" without knowing what it means. The Eucharist is (to many Christians) the most important part of church... everything else is window dressing. Plus, the "ordinary" kind of excommunication is exactly that - preventing someone from receiving Eucharist. I quote from Webster's dictionary via www.dictionary.com.

excommunication

\Ex`com*mu`ni*ca"tion\, n. [L. excommunicatio: cf. F. excommunication.] The act of communicating or ejecting; esp., an ecclesiastical censure whereby the person against whom it is pronounced is, for the time, cast out of the communication of the church; exclusion from fellowship in things spiritual.

Note: excommunication is of two kinds, the lesser and the greater; the lesser excommunication is a separation or suspension from partaking of the Eucharist; the greater is an absolute execution of the offender from the church and all its rights and advantages, even from social intercourse with the faithful.

The pope has no real authority in this world! : He is only a "big man" in the eyes of the religious followers... I could care less what he thinks of abortion.

It is time to focus on what is good for the world as a whole... not what is good for religion

I don't know about "sides". God is perfectly just.

God does say about Israel though that:

Genesis 12:3:
I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse

With the amount of political, financial and military support the USA gives to Israel you can be sure that God is blessing America.

Mind you I would predict financial collapse for the USA as soon as they stop backing Israel. Is Kerry pro or anti-Israel ? Anyone know ?

Originally posted by RedOctober90
The pope has no real authority in this world!

[deletia]

The Pope himself and many Catholics would disagree with you. Let me ask you why the Papal Ensign has three crowns on it? What three domains does the pope have control of? Try looking at this link.

I'll quote something from that link:

The Triregnum (the Papal Tiara formed by three crowns symbolizing the triple power of the Pope: father of kings, governor of the world and Vicar of Christ)

Power over people is obtained by the consent of those people, except in cases of coercion. Since the "orthodox" Catholic faith implies the temporal power of the Pope, those who believe in that faith are under the power of the Pope, de facto.

Now, if you mean to say that the power of the Pope is illegitemate, well, that's for the individual to decide, isn't it? But make no mistake, the Pope is a powerful man.

He only has authority to them because the religious believe he has some sort of authority.

He has no authority over me at all, I do not follow the irrational belief systems out there. He can kiss my behind as far as I am concerned. I do not appreciate those who begin forcing religion and using it for policies which can affect me and the good people.

I believe in the advancement of society, not the death and destruction that religion brings.

[Edited on 14-5-2004 by RedOctober90]

[Edited on 14-5-2004 by RedOctober90]

www.bushislord.com...

Originally posted by OXmanK
Could the pope actually do that? Excommunication is rather stiff though. Do you think the church is that serious? I haven't been Catholic in a long time...I don't know.

As far as I am aware, Bishops have the power to excommunicate. Popes have been known to perform excommunications in the past, so there are precedents. I believe King John was threatened with it, and as far as I know all Freemasons are still under edict (although that may have been lifted).

I don't know if JPII has ever excommunicated anyone though.


[Edited on 14-5-2004 by Pisky]

Originally posted by RedOctober90
He only has authority to them because the religious believe he has some sort of authority.

He has no authority over me at all, I do not follow the irrational belief systems out there. He can kiss my behind as far as I am concerned.

[Edited on 14-5-2004 by RedOctober90]

[Edited on 14-5-2004 by RedOctober90]

Omigod I would hate to be you - you are gonna burn forever and for eternity!

However, you can be saved if you will only donate a bunch of money to the church.

Originally posted by jsobecky

However, you can be saved if you will only donate a bunch of money to the church.

Since one of my cousins is a Catholic priest, you can send me a couple of thousand dollars and I'll make sure he forgives your sins

[Edited on 15-5-2004 by Pisky]

Plus, the church is nothing more than a corporation.

Red,
I'm sorry you feel this way about the Church.

jsobecky,
Unfortunately this was common in some areas where the Church was in the middle ages. It has been deemed inappropriate by the Church and isn't practised today.