Political Punch

I, too, am no longer Catholic primarily because of the political hypocrisy. Election after election, the insanely rich Catholic church sends out actors, wearing meager robes and feigning humility, to tell us (in thinly veiled language) that we must support "life" by voting for endless war, torture, the denial of human rights for migrant workers, tax breaks for the rich, and all sorts of other horrible things that would make Jesus spin in his grave.

I FEEL BETTER READING SOME OF THESE COMMENTS KNOWING IM NOT ALONE AND IF WE ALL STAND UP WATCH OUT AMERICAS COMIN WE THE POEPLE NOT WE THE GOVERNMENT

huh im with ya to push the minds of poeple is not religious nor is it moral if people can determin fact from fiction the world will be a better placea mvie worth watching american history x about a man that coinsides with hate realizing his beliefs pushed apon him are wrong to the beliefs of himself abraham lincoln was the start of a new america and martin luther king was a visionary to forward this john lennon was a voice to this also to coinside in peace when we can back these visionarys to the for front and keep them from getting assasinated and crush fear greed and power and get back to the fundamentals of the constitution wich should never waiver the average person or family will florish world wide signed RED WHITE BLACK AND BLUE

I find it interesting and hypocritical that the conservative right is backing John McCain after his cameo appearance in the movie, ”Wedding Crashers” which was criticized by movie critics for repeated excessive nudity. McCain made no apologies for it and actually joked about it on Jay Leno stating, “"In Washington, I work with boobs every day.”

How is it that the conservative right has turned their heads from this and pretend it never happened? They point out McCain’s values and morals and this diabolical appearance is in direct opposition to Christian values. I bet if Obama had appeared in such a raunchy movie, the conservative right would criticize him for amoral and indecent behavior. I am a Christian and I am appalled John McCain would appear in such a movie and turn around and run for the office of president.

Isn’t it interesting how the conservative right pick and choose their values, whenever it suits them best. Thanks for pretending McCain has done nothing wrong, so you can keep a tight grip on your taxes. And by the way; doesn’t it give you an out for voting for that black guy? It’s no wonder the world think we are a bunch of hypocrites because we are. I can’t in good conscience vote for either one of them.

I don't think the view that slaves were actual human beings is now in question...however, the idea that an unborn fetus that can't survive outside its mother's body is another story. It's not murder if the mother miscarries. Not even manslaughter. The idea that independent life begins at conception is a BELIEF and not a fact. Those who think that is the deal breaker will certainly not vote for Obama...but not every Catholic (surprise) thinks its a deal breaker.

I am also not a Catholic anymore because of the attitude that we should vote based on one issue: abortion.
Never mind that McCain wants to continue the Iraq debacle for another 50 years,(do the 80,000 Iraq citizens who have died and the thousands maimed count?) or keep the tax breaks for his wealthy friends (while more poor Americans go hungry as food prices rise, don't the poor need a bigger tax break more?)or not have any plan for reasonably priced health insurance available to all Americans, (how many children or their mom or dad dies because they don't get medical care or medicine soon enough, do their lives count?) It seems morally insane to care about the lives of those who aren't here more than caring for those who are here now and need our help desperately.

I was baptized a Catholic.

Ben said "if the cadidate proposes things that go against God's will, then he's not the man for the job. "

I agree and this is why I can not vote for John McCaine as he is an admits he has repeatedly engaged in adultery. This is a violation of the one of the 10 commandments.

To vote for someone engaging in this kind of behavior is to condone and advance the practice in society. I shall not cast away either my vote or my soul so carelessly.

Besides, I am near retirement and McCane promises to eliminate social security and medicaid, before I even collect my first check. I don't have any other retirement income.

He says he wants to use the money to support an extension of tax breaks for the wealth and to continue the war. Why should I vote for someone who wants to rip me off to support his lobbyist friends and his pet projects? I live on less than $20,000/year already and the price of things get more expensive every day. Why would I want to vote for a continuation of policies that will only make things even more expensive?

@carolyn: The Pope has come out and told catholics to vote against abortion. That's coming from the top. No Trinity Church or childish assumptions needed.

Posted by: X marks the spot | Jul 9, 2008 3:54:52 PM

The Pope has also called for stopping the war. Which candidate is more determined to end the war? Which is more setermined to continue it?

Rev Mahoney,

You're response would have more impact if you included the name of the group that printed it.

The Religious Right are neither

I am responding to your July 8 blog, Conservative Christian Group Invokes Slavery in Opposing Obama. You mention a piece of literature called, "An appeal to Catholics Regarding the 2008 Presidential Election."

The Christian Defense Coalition did not produce that piece of material. I have never read it. We did not endorse it at our news conference.

The literature was handed out after the news conference by a person who attended the news conference. I called him up to find out what had happened, and he told me he had given the material out and that the group who produced the material was on the back of the literature. It was not the Christian Defense Coalition.

@dl: As I understand the libertarians, they are for personal freedom, choice and responsibility. It sounds pretty Jesus like to me. Jesus said (something like) "give unto Caesar that which is Caesars and give unto the lord that which is the lords". Sounds like separation of church and state to me.

(dl, if I've completely missed the point of libertarians, ok. I can't say I've spent much time keeping up on them).

@carolyn: The Pope has come out and told catholics to vote against abortion. That's coming from the top. No Trinity Church or childish assumptions needed.

I'd just like to say that I agree wholeheartedly with Karela's comment about Christ's example being simple. I'm against abortion, but I'm like Obama as well as many other Christians when I stand up for Roe vs. Wade and it's protection of individualism. We cannot force our beliefs onto anyone. And, even though it's really sad to kill what I believe is "life", I'd rather something be done by a doctor than by a desperate woman who'd have an abortion with or without the legality. I also think that the Christian defense should spend their money on abstinence campaigns and/or condoms rather than really illogical ads that have an air of racism.

Also, to anyone who's still on that dumb Wright thing -- get off it! I can't believe that you've all forgotten who many other religious leaders have said equally (if not more so) stupid remarks...Jerry Falwell, Billy Graham, Franklin Graham, and I'm sure more:

We're all human and we all say dumb things. Even McCain and his pretzel policy points are dumb. So, start focusing on real issues at hand -- not stuff we've already been forgiven for.

I'm Christian, family is Catholic, and I'm voting for Obama for lots of reasons and issues at hand.

==You can't be a Christian and vote to allow babies in botched abortions who survive to sit there and die with no medical intervention.==

That legislation wasn't based on any actual science. It was voted down, not just by Obama, but by a majority in the Senate, because it was baseless posturing by people more keen to make a political point than to present a bill backed by actual science. Abortions don't result in live births, no matter how premature. You've been misinformed.

jP over 3000 people lost their lives in a matter of a few hours thanks to the middle east terrorist on 9/11.

Over 20,000 died in one day on d-day

2000 died on pearl harbor day.

what is your point for You keeping a body count

Oh may, are the "pro-birthers" at it again? Every four years like clock work. What exactly do they do between election years? Oh that's right, they wait for the war on Christmas and the next SpongeBob homosexuality movie.

yawn.....

I am Catholic, but I know that over 4,000 people lost their lives in Bush's war. American christians supported Bush in the last two elections. I am more concerned about the quality of live for those who are already born. Also, there are so many females giving birth to babys without being married now, it's almost a non-issue. The christrian people need to speak to the people who are getting these abortions. I don't like the idea of same sex marriage, but I believe that is strictly a religious conviction not a civil one. Gay people pay taxes too and have constitutional rights. I don't like or agree with many things that people do, but if the US constitution gives them that right, so be it.

I think people that are posting things about how bad the AD is are probably un-godly people that think Humans are really animals.

Its the same religious right that supports the death penalty, the war in Iraq (and seemingly any war in general).
They would have more credibility if they weren't so hypocritical. Modern day pharisees.