WNYC News Blog
Cardinal Timothy Dolan Says Faith Has a Place in Politics
Sunday, April 08, 2012 - 04:37 PM
By The Associated Press
Comment from K Webster:
What exactly was Sen. Santorum's "good point" on Kennedy's speech? Kennedy, faced with tremendous anti-Catholic bias, chose to uphold the best of what the US tries to be: a place of religious tolerance where no one religion holds sway over any other -while never ever disavowing his own faith.
As to Dolan's views on contraception, it never fails to amaze how the Catholic Church feels no hesitation to find comfort in US law when it suits. Like filing for bankruptcy to avoid paying settlements to children who were sexually abused by their priests and subpoenaing those victims' organizations. But claims it's a violation of religious freedom to provide equal treatment to women for health care -as our laws would stipulate or claims it's a violation of "sovereign immunity" to be required to report the crimes of pedophiles to the authorities -as our laws would stipulate.
The Church hierarchy, dominated by men and male culture, has clearly demonstrated they have no ability to think outside of their own self-interests. They would willingly risk women's lives, health and ability to determine their own futures as mothers, they exploit the labor of nuns, lie for and protect victimizers, harass organizations who defend the victims of their priest's abuse and shield themselves from any responsibility. All to hold onto earthly power and prestige.
Far from washing the feet the survivors of abuse as did the Dublin Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Ireland, Dolan and his brethren instead attack U.S. elected officials who intend to insure women have equal access to health care and uphold our laws that would have criminals brought to justice.
Dolan says: "U.S government is engaged in a "dramatic, radical intrusion of a government bureaucracy into the internal life of the church" ...
Your own base has been calling out loud and clear -perhaps you are in need some dramatic radical intrusion?
1 comment:
Mr. Dolan claims that "Nor can we argue purely from revelation: why should other citizens respect our opinions if we do not present them as applicable to all people regardless of religion?" That's precisely the problem: hiding under your tax-exempt mantle of “revealed” holiness, you want to tell the rest of us what to do, and how to live. The bottom line is that absolutely NO ONE is coming into our Churches or places of worship and telling believers what to believe.....or forcing them to use contraception. BUT If the Bishops (and other denominations) want to continue running businesses outside of their places of worship...businesses that employ millions of people of varying faiths -or no "faith" at all- THEN they must play by the same rules and rights that other workers live by and enjoy (especially if their businesses use our tax dollars, and skip paying taxes, in the process). If the Jehovah's Witnesses church hires me, can they alter my health insurance to exclude blood transfusions? Even worse- what if they operated a hospital by their “rules”? This is not a “war on religion”. Never was. However, it IS a war BY some religions... on women and men who simply want to plan their families, to control their futures, to keep their jobs, and to have health insurance that allows them to do that. Likewise It is a war -not on religion- but on gays and others who the church deems to be second class citizens, and targets of its venom. The churches (or the IRS) need to decide whether these churches are going to be political organizations proclaiming and practicing partisan politics from the pulpit...or....tax-exempt places of WORSHIP. Not both. Not in America.
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