SC priest: No communion for Obama supporters

[BR_Parkway]

now that we're going to have a real government again, how much more of this crap are we going to put up with? Can you imagine the future this priest would have if the whole Catholic church lost their tax exempt status over this? Something tells me he would never make Bishop

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081113/ap_on_re_us/obama_catholics

COLUMBIA, S.C. – A South Carolina Roman Catholic priest has told his parishioners that they should refrain from receiving Holy Communion if they voted for Barack Obama because the Democratic president-elect supports abortion, and supporting him "constitutes material cooperation with intrinsic evil."

The Rev. Jay Scott Newman said in a letter distributed Sunday to parishioners at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Greenville that they are putting their souls at risk if they take Holy Communion before doing penance for their vote.

"Our nation has chosen for its chief executive the most radical pro-abortion politician ever to serve in the United States Senate or to run for president," Newman wrote, referring to Obama by his full name, including his middle name of Hussein.

"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. 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."

[Divine Discontent]

1. nothing against you for posting this, it's in regard to what happens all too often

it just brings out the darker side of some people who love to attack ANY belief/religion as being "poison" and "fairy tales" etc. I understand many people have horror stories about judgment from their past about vicious churches or bigots in the church being cruel to them - they aren't alone!

But, It amazes me how there is no tolerance for bias concerning ethnicity, sexuality, gender, and other assaulting bigotry on DU, but when it comes to Christianity (nearly exclusively) it's an invitation to a hatefest. It starts to feel how those Palin rallies appeared on TV when Obama was brought up...

[lutherj]

6. Do you see tolerance in the title of the OP? Why should I show tolerance

to an institution that means me harm?

[Divine Discontent]

8. you should be above them, and fight for them to lose their tax status

regardless of your beliefs and, also, if you're a Catholic or believer, voice disgust to them as a lot of us have. My comments are directed about people who attack those who believe, and yet, I never have said one word against people who don't believe in a god on here as being crazy, loony, and outright curses at us - it's been going on since I've been on here, but as a Gay person who has had to watch people mock Gay people on here and get banished, I'm tired now of seeing people who are believers in whatever faith get told their belief is "poison" and other hate comments. I agree with your anger about a priest who would do such a thing. Take care....

[moggie]

9. It's interesting to see where your priorities lie

A poster describes a disgusting example of priestly bigotry, and your immediate response - the first post in the thread - is to attack non-Christians? Knee-jerk much?

[Dogtown]

16. Maybe you 'War on Christmas'

whiners should wait till there's an actual attack on your beliefs.

OP is only about a priest politicking from the pulpit, did not say anything about the invalidity of his beliefs.


There's a very special place here for religious discussions and you should take your flame-bait there.

[geckosfeet]

18. Why should the bad behaviour of community religious leaders be ignored and tolerated?

It is this ass clown pastor who is sowing hate and bigotry by demonizing millions of people.

[Name removed]

20. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[hfojvt]

26. In other words "my broad brush is justified"

"and moderates suck because they take away my ability to have fun with my broad brush."

[gollygee]

23. He didn't call any religion "poison" or "fairy tales"

He mainly quoted an article than quoted the priest who did this.

[BR_Parkway]

24. That's a broad brush - I have plenty of tolerance for other's religious

beliefs - even though I don't share them. But, I was raised in church - and have taken the time to educate myself way more than most of the self professed believers (who have a curious knack for shouting to the world that their faith really isn't as strong as they'd like us all to believe)

What I have a problem with - Christian, Muslim, Buddist, Mormon or any others who don't actually act like they claim their faith tells them to believe. Or use it as a weapon against others.

Take this claim for instance - here's a priest, who, according to his religion believes that all is in God's hands and a part of some plan that they should just have faith in and all will work. So apparently 1)God wanted Obama elected or 2) their God's not really in charge of all. Pick one.

[Lucian]

2. It's about time for churches to lose their tax exempt status.

Way past time.

[RandomThoughts]

3. my thoughts on this

I love my Catholic brothers and sisters, and I love others that speak of the teachings of the love of Jesus Christ.

When a religious organization can explain to me why Jesus said he had many pens, and many flocks, From every interpretation.
When they can explain all of the mysterious and wonders of God, including those beyond men to concieve of.
When they can explain all the meanings, of all the parables from every perspective.
and a few other things.

Then I might let them tell me what the love of God means to me.
I respect the Catholic church in some ways, they tend their flocks as it is for them to do as dictated by their part in the body of Christ. But I also know Jesus taught us to love our God, and love our neighbor, I will try to live by that law, and will honor God with remembrance in communion, when I think on his sacrifice, that he gave to save all the world.

[onager]

4. Gotta beat the competition--Bob Jones U.

I grew up about 40 miles from Greenville. The infamous Bob Jones University is located there, along with many other church-founded colleges. Current Catholic population of the city is about 25,000, which is more than I would have suspected.

When I was a kid Catholics were rare in Upstate SC. And you would have been more likely to find Martians than Jews. There were no atheists to my knowledge, but when I go back to visit, the state atheist population increases by one. :-)

Though here's an odd fact: the largest Jewish military cemetery in America is located near Charleston, SC. It was founded for Jewish veterans of the Confederacy in the Civil War.

Newman's spookery is considered the "mother church" for Catholics in Upstate South Carolina. At least according to its propaganda, which you can find here:

http://www.stmarysgvl.org/ourparish/a-brief-history-of-st-marys-church

[MrSlayer]

5. So, voting for Obama is a sin.

And if you confess and say 100 "Hail Mary" and 25 "Our Father" prayers you can once again participate in the ritualistic cannibalism. The thought process is amazing.

[SoCalDem]

7. So, no secret ballots in SC??

Sounds like that priest may be losing some money in his collection plate when those people find a new church....

[Hekate]

10. I've got one word for this yokel: Taxes. nt

[Ghost in the Machine]

11. They need to just start taxing these frauds and be done with it..

religion is a widespread fraud that keeps the sheeple in check..

[moggie]

12. And McCain supports the death penalty

(as does Obama). So, presumably this priest will deny communion to McCain voters, right? No?

[Cattledog]

13. How about no money in the collection plate!

[ProfessorGAC]

14. "Plausible, Pro-Life Alternative"

And that would be whom, Reverand Newman? Plausible is your word, Newman. McCain/Palin was not an plausible alternative, prolife or not.
The Professor

[RTFirefly]

21. Very true.

I had a semi-anti-choice Catholic friend vote for Obama. I ribbed him about his "pro-life" stance when he told me, and he said he couldn't vote a president that put air-quotes around "the health of the mother," or a vice-president that wouldn't allow exceptions for rape or incest.

He half-grinned, and said "I'm pro-life, but I'm not crazy."

So please, Republicans, move further to the right. The cliff is so close, just a few more steps.

[pampango]

15. That's one priest out of thousands. Last Sunday our priest said he had to resist the temptation

to "blow off" people that asked him if it was a sin to vote for Obama. He said it was such a ridiculous question, but one had to respond with sensitivity since the questioner was wrestling with moral issues. He made the point that the Church is active in opposing the death penalty, anti-poverty and the promotion of health care coverage (none of which are exactly Republican issues), so that even if one wants to vote with the Church's views in mind, it is not a simple as one issue like abortion.

[tom_paine]

17. These Bushies drank from a right big mug of ASSHOLLERY, didn't they?

I WISH I was a member of that Bushie's Church. I'd show him a principled opposition that would suck anyone who could rub two thoughts together from him.

LOTS of DUers could do this, could show this asshole Bushie how a Free People respond to bullies and intimidation.

I am hoping that some SC DUers will read of this and do just that...

I think I'll crosspost this in the SC State Forum.

[rucky]

19. There's more than one church in town.

[asteroid2003QQ47]

22. Tax churches now, add a surcharge for reparations due to...

every tax free year they enjoyed thus driving a wooden stake in their heart.
What a glorius day that would be!
----------------------------------------

“More people have been slaughtered in the name of religion than for any other single reason. That, my friends, that is true perversion.”
--Harvey Milk

[EmeraldCityGrl]

25. Someone needs to send this priest the following link...

http://www.zefrank.com/from52to48withlove/

[asteroid2003QQ47]

27. Intrinsic Evil

If parishioners were unwilling to materially cooperate with intrinsic evil, churches everywhere would be empty.
--------------------------------------------------

“More people have been slaughtered in the name of religion than for any other single reason. That, my friends, that is true perversion.”
--Harvey Milk

[Canuckistanian]

28. Methinks someone spiked the communion wine with RW Koolaid

And exactly what did Bush do about banning or criminalizing abortion?

So, I guess if you do NOTHING about abortion but SAY you're against it, you're fine.

But if you do NOTHING against abortion but DON'T CONDEMN it, you're doomed to Hell.

[Gman2]

29. They got a lotta fucking nerve, calling him a communist, then

refusing him and his communion.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

30. I hope more than a few people are pushed over the edge by such antics...

...and eschew religion altogether.