US Catholic Bishops release their election advice *gag*

[RyanPsych]

The nation's Roman Catholic bishops have released a voter guide for the 2012 election that repeatedly calls abortion "evil" without making revisions that some conservatives had demanded for an even tighter focus on the issue.

The document, called "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship," is nearly identical to the bishops' guide published four years ago. It gives high priority to fighting abortion while also highlighting social concerns such as ending poverty and war. Catholics make up about one-quarter of the electorate nationwide but do not vote as a bloc. Most don't base their choice on a politician's stand on abortion.

The bishops have offered similar advice to Catholics before every presidential race since 1976, broadly applying religious teaching to policy concerns of the day. The document has become a point of contention within the church over which issues voters should consider most important: abortion or social justice. These differences have often led to bruising arguments – and an unusual public airing of differences among bishops. By releasing the document now, church leaders hope to minimize the chance for a public debate on the guide at their annual November meeting, although any bishop could ask to revisit the guide.

In an introductory note to the 2012 edition, the bishops highlighted six concerns: abortion, religious freedom, traditional marriage, immigration reform, fighting poverty and ending war. The document was released days after the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops announced they had created a new watchdog committee to challenge what they considered an "assault" on religious liberty from Obama administration policies. Among the threats the bishops cited were a plan that could require Catholic organizations to cover birth control free of charge for their employees and distribute condoms as part of HIV prevention campaigns.

continue at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/04/catholic-voter-guide-2012-election_n_994358.html

[valerief]

1. The only men in skirts I'll listen to are drag queens, baby. nt

[unionworks]

2. S.O.S

Since dopus dei overthrew Vatican 2 and put 2 former nazis in as pope. They can kiss my Irish sheleily.

[RyanPsych]

3. And yet they are still tax exempt

The rape children, then cover it up,
emotionally terrorize LGBT youth
and now are telling people how to vote

...why don't we tax them?

[unionworks]

5. there are still

Wonderful people in the Catholic church. Benedictine Nuns here in Erie organized antiwar protests during the Bush years and went to jail for it. And they are the ones who run the soup kitchens feeding the unemployed and poor. Stephen Colbert is Catholic. Don't let your bitterness blind you to the good in people.

[bengalherder]

9. They can do that without the pope and the hierarchy.

Really, they can.

They don't have to support that which causes others pain.

Jesus will love them no matter what.

[unionworks]

10. they are doing it

...in SPITE of the heirarchy. And what right do. A bunch of Facists have to run them out of their faith? A look back shows the Church has survived contoversy far worse than this. The Catholic church I grew up with was about helping the poor and downtrodden. Remember the archbishop (Romerez?) who was assasinated in El Salvador for defending the poor, by an agent of a reagan supported dictator? Some of us have long memories.

[RyanPsych]

12. My problem is with the leadership of the church and its outdated dogma

not Catholics.

[Dawson Leery]

4. This sounds like a request to be taxed.

[unionworks]

6. IMHO

..the work done by these beautiful souls (Benedictine Nuns) far outweighs the stupidity of their oppisitesin the church. Just my opinion..

[TlalocW]

7. It's funny that Catholic Bishops are doing this

The Catholic Church long ago abdicated any position to any kind of moral authority.

TlalocW

[Enthusiast]

11. Yeah, they abdicated the claim to any kind of moral authority

since the Spanish Inquisition around 1480. Lapsed Catholic here. Objective lapsed Catholic.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_Inquisition

[williesgirl]

8. Way past time to rescind their tax exempt status! rec'd

[avebury]

17. Agreed! nt

[southernyankeebelle]

Tax all the churchs for mixing religion and politics, period. By the

way ladies if you vote republican you should kiss your birth control pills bye bye. The churchs want to take the pills away.

[southernyankeebelle]

13. Tax all the churchs for mixing religion and politics, period. By the

way ladies if you vote republican you should kiss your birth control pills bye bye. The churchs want to take the pills away.

[txlibdem]

14. Separation of Church and State??? Sounds like it's time to remove their tax exempt status

If they're getting into politics then they should reorganize as a PAC. That would be true to their sole purpose anyway: to separate people from their hard earned money.

W.C. Fields: "I will never belong to any organization that would have me as a member."

[truebrit71]

15. TAX THEM!!!!! If they want to play politics they need to pay...

Oh, and FUCK the catholic church....:grr:

[benld74]

16. My own religion disgusts me at times like this,,,,,