Catholic bishops group denounces contraception compromise

[Tx4obama]

Last edited Sat Feb 11, 2012, 03:24 AM - Edit history (1)

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops denounced President Barack Obama's compromise over whether to require religiously affiliated institutions to provide contraception to female employees, saying the proposal raises "serious moral concerns," according to a statement posted on its website late Friday.

"Today's proposal continues to involve needless government intrusion in the internal governance of religious institutions, and to threaten government coercion of religious people and groups to violate their most deploy held convictions," the statement said.

Under the new plan announced by Obama Friday, religiously affiliated universities and hospitals will not be forced to offer contraception coverage to their employees. Insurers will be required, however, to offer complete coverage free of charge to any women who work at such institutions. Women who work at churches, though, will have no guarantee of such contraception coverage -- a continuation of current law.

News of the compromise came after days of escalating partisan and ideological rhetoric over the divisive issue. The White House originally wanted to require hospitals and schools with religious ties to offer full contraception coverage. Many Catholic leaders and other religious groups strongly oppose any requirement for contraception coverage on theological grounds.

SNIP

Full article here: http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/11/politics/contraception-controversy/index.html

Hmmm... looks like the Catholic Bishops aren't going to let the issue drop.

==================

Edited to add...

A link to the FULL statement the Bishops released Friday evening:
Here: http://www.usccb.org/news/2012/12-026.cfm

[Thor_MN]

1. Fine, PREVENT them from offering insurance if they don't have the coverage.

Do not let them offer a substandard version. Let them choose to uphold their beliefs and pay the price of not being able to offer insurance. Essentially, let the labor market decide if they want to work for a bunch of uptight mystics.

[appal_jack]

48. Plus, prevent 'faith-based' charity $$$

If the churches are so concerned about the government interfering with their health insurance $, then they will surely take the high road and declne such $ as the gov't offers in other contexts...

-app

[PassingFair]

55. The "labor market" takes what it can get right now.

Even I'd work for the mystics if there was no one else to work for.

Besides, these "mystics" run gigantic hospital complexes across
the country.

The Obama "compromise" cuts them off at the knees in this latest
snit-fit for control of women.

[CTyankee]

79. mystics aren't your enemy. The Catholic Church has burned mystics at the stake!

[Thor_MN]

86. The Catholic Church has burned competing mythologists at the stake, yes

What was your point?

[CTyankee]

94. well, not to be crabby about it, but I put mystics in a different category than what you

might call mythologists, and I would agree about that term. As long as mystics don't seek to torture and kill masses of people (or any people) in the service of their mysticism I have no problem with them at all. My point I guess is that mystics were more often victims of the established religious order than perpetrators of it...

[Thor_MN]

95. I apparently used a word for you have feeings about, substitue faith based whackadoos for mystics

[CTyankee]

97. I did a bit of study in a mysticism course in grad school.

It was kinda iffy for mystics. It seems they often tread on the toes of the established order, which appealed to me! My paper in that course was on Hildegarde of Bingen who is something of a feminist icon now. She had her visions, but she also took on her archbishop who wanted to silence her and envied her power. She told him she had a vision about what was going to happen to him for being so crappy to her and all. Sure enough, the old fart died within a year...

I always liked that story...

[sofa king]

96. Oh, they're not mythologists, though.

The "myth" part of that word assumes that the practitioner knows the belief system is bullshit.

Catholics don't.

[caseymoz]

65. A fantasy, but a good one.

The SCOTUS very clearly drew the line just a month ago (Lutheran case, 9-0) that the government can't interfere in the employment practices between a church and its ministers.

Which is just another reason to not become a minister.

[Dawson Leery]

2. Tax them!

[Bozita]

13. Amen!

[The Magistrate]

3. Pimps, Ma'am, Have More Moral Stature Than Catholic Bishops By Now

If the RICO statutes were applied properly and honestly, just about the entire roster of this body would be in stir as part of a racketeering enterprise dedicated to the abuse of minors, and the obstruction of justice in furtherance of the abuse of minors. It should, put bluntly, be impossible for them to make any public pronouncement without being reminded of this fact, and then showered with the abuse they so well deserve.

[Brettongarcia]

17. Cardinal Law is in the Vatican - to avoid going to jail in the US

He was about to go to jail for RICO in Boston ... before he was suddenly transferred to the Varican. Which has no real extradition treaty with the US

[happyslug]

41. Law committed no Crime, According to the Massachusetts Attorney General.

See the Massachusetts Attorney General Report:
http://www.bishop-accountability.org/resources/resource-files/reports/ReillyExecSum.pdf

The Report clearly states the Diocese's failure to report the crimes, but then points out the law did NOT require religious leaders to report such crime till after 2002 thus no State criminal liability.

Now RICO is a federal law, but only comes into play if can be shown that an organization committed at least two of the following crimes:
Any violation of state statutes against gambling, murder, kidnapping, extortion, arson, robbery, bribery, dealing in obscene matter, or dealing in a controlled substance or listed chemical (as defined in the Controlled Substances Act);

Any act of bribery, counterfeiting, theft, embezzlement, fraud, dealing in obscene matter, obstruction of justice, slavery, racketeering, gambling, money laundering, commission of murder-for-hire, and several other offenses covered under the Federal criminal code (Title 18);

Embezzlement of union funds;

Bankruptcy fraud or securities fraud;

Drug trafficking; long-term and elaborate drug networks can also be prosecuted using the

Continuing Criminal Enterprise Statute (only applies to narcotics organizations see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continuing_Criminal_Enterprise);

Criminal copyright infringement;

Money laundering and related offenses;

Bringing in, aiding or assisting aliens in illegally entering the country (if the action was for financial gain);

Acts of terrorism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racketeer_Influenced_and_Corrupt_Organizations_Act

Given that the Catholic Church has not even been ACCUSED of these crimes, let alone Charged, NO RICO violation.

You can attack the Catholic Church and its leadership over how they handle the pedophile cases (As the Massachusetts Attorney General did in the Massachusetts Attorney General's report) but no crime was committed by the Church Leadership when they covered up the pedophile cases (Priest's who DID the actual attacks were convicted but we are talking about how the LEADERSHIP of those allegations not the Actual assaults themselves). No crime, no charges, thus Law could leave the US.

Please note the Law has been changed, Religious leaders MUST report such crimes today but unless you are "mandatory" reporter (Teachers, Doctors, Now Religious Clergy) you do NOT have to report it. Under the English Common Law which still the law in the US, they has never been a duty to report any crime to anyone unless you are a participate in planning or doing the crime. In none of the Pedophile cases has the Catholic Church been accused of being involved in planning or doing the actual crime thus no criminal liability (Please note this rule applies to Criminal activities, the Catholic church is still liable under Civil law for any cover up. Civil litigation has broader reach but only can award money damages).

I have heard the allegation that Bishop Law had run away from Criminal Charges in regards to the Pedophile cases, but every time I look into those stories I found them to have no basis in law or fact. Unless you are a mandatory reporter, and those are restricted in numbers, you have no duty to report ANY CRIME you know of UNLESS you are a party to the Crime or knew of it BEFORE the crime occurred (The later is the crime of "misprision" see Wikipedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misprision_of_felony for more details of that crime).

[The Magistrate]

46. You Leave Out Quite A Bit, Sir

Here is the full text:

"As used in this chapter--
(1) ``racketeering activity'' means (A) any act or threat
involving murder, kidnapping, gambling, arson, robbery, bribery,
extortion, dealing in obscene matter, or dealing in a controlled
substance or listed chemical (as defined in section 102 of the
Controlled Substances Act), which is chargeable under State law and
punishable by imprisonment for more than one year; (B) any act which
is indictable under any of the following provisions of title 18,
United States Code: Section 201 (relating to bribery), section 224
(relating to sports bribery), sections 471, 472, and 473 (relating
to counterfeiting), section 659 (relating to theft from interstate
shipment) if the act indictable under section 659 is felonious,
section 664 (relating to embezzlement from pension and welfare
funds), sections 891-894 (relating to extortionate credit
transactions), section 1029 (relating to fraud and related activity
in connection with access devices), section 1084 (relating to the
transmission of gambling information), section 1341 (relating to
mail fraud), section 1343 (relating to wire fraud), section 1344
(relating to financial institution fraud), sections 1461-1465
(relating to obscene matter), section 1503 (relating to obstruction
of justice), section 1510 (relating to obstruction of criminal
investigations), section 1511 (relating to the obstruction of State
or local law enforcement), section 1512 (relating to tampering with
a witness, victim, or an informant), section 1513 (relating to
retaliating against a witness, victim, or an informant), section
1951 (relating to interference with commerce, robbery, or
extortion), section 1952 (relating to racketeering), section 1953
(relating to interstate transportation of wagering paraphernalia),
section 1954 (relating to unlawful welfare fund payments), section
1955 (relating to the prohibition of illegal gambling businesses),
section 1956 (relating to the laundering of monetary instruments),
section 1957 (relating to engaging in monetary transactions in
property derived from specified unlawful activity), section 1958
(relating to use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission
of murder-for-hire), sections 2251, 2251A, 2252, and 2258 (relating
to sexual exploitation of children), sections 2312 and 2313
(relating to interstate transportation of stolen motor vehicles),
sections 2314 and 2315 (relating to interstate transportation of
stolen property), section 2321 (relating to trafficking in certain
motor vehicles or motor vehicle parts), sections 2341-2346 (relating
to trafficking in contraband cigarettes), sections 2421-24 (relating
to white slave traffic), (C) any act which is indictable under title
29, United States Code, section 186 (dealing with restrictions on
payments and loans to labor organizations) or section 501(c)
(relating to embezzlement from union funds), (D) any offense
involving fraud connected with a case under title 11 (except a case
under section 157 of that \1\ title), fraud in the sale of
securities, or the felonious manufacture, importation, receiving,
concealment, buying, selling, or otherwise dealing in a controlled
substance or listed chemical (as defined in section 102 of the
Controlled Substances Act), punishable under any law of the United
States, or (E) any act which is indictable under the Currency and
Foreign Transactions Reporting Act.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(2) ``State'' means any State of the United States, the District
of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, any territory or
possession of the United States, any political subdivision, or any
department, agency, or instrumentality thereof;
(3) ``person'' includes any individual or entity capable of
holding a legal or beneficial interest in property;
(4) ``enterprise'' includes any individual, partnership,
corporation, association, or other legal entity, and any union or
group of individuals associated in fact although not a legal entity;
(5) ``pattern of racketeering activity'' requires at least two
acts of racketeering activity, one of which occurred after the
effective date of this chapter and the last of which occurred within
ten years (excluding any period of imprisonment) after the
commission of a prior act of racketeering activity;
(6) ``unlawful debt'' means a debt (A) incurred or contracted in
gambling activity which was in violation of the law of the United
States, a State or political subdivision thereof, or which is
unenforceable under State or Federal law in whole or in part as to
principal or interest because of the laws relating to usury, and (B)
which was incurred in connection with the business of gambling in
violation of the law of the United States, a State or political
subdivision thereof, or the business of lending money or a thing of
value at a rate usurious under State or Federal law, where the
usurious rate is at least twice the enforceable rate;
(7) ``racketeering investigator'' means any attorney or
investigator so designated by the Attorney General and charged with
the duty of enforcing or carrying into effect this chapter;
(8) ``racketeering investigation'' means any inquiry conducted
by any racketeering investigator for the purpose of ascertaining
whether any person has been involved in any violation of this
chapter or of any final order, judgment, or decree of any court of
the United States, duly entered in any case or proceeding arising
under this chapter;
(9) ``documentary material'' includes any book, paper, document,
record, recording, or other material; and
(10) ``Attorney General'' includes the Attorney General of the
United States, the Deputy Attorney General of the United States, the
Associate Attorney General of the United States, any Assistant
Attorney General of the United States, or any employee of the
Department of Justice or any employee of any department or agency of
the United States so designated by the Attorney General to carry out
the powers conferred on the Attorney General by this chapter. Any
department or agency so designated may use in investigations
authorized by this chapter either the investigative provisions of
this chapter or the investigative power of such department or agency
otherwise conferred by law."

Prosecutors who took their duty seriously, and were un-awed by the political clout of the bishops, would have no trouble pressing charges based on 1503 and the 2251 sections.

[JDPriestly]

53. So, let's apply the rules of the Bible:

Timothy I, 3

2: A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

. . . .

4: One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;

5: (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)

http://www.searchthebible.com/new-testament/First-Timothy/first-timothy-chapter-three.htm

Are these "bishops" even qualified for their jobs according to the Bible?

[ann---]

61. Maybe not "illegal" but

certainly "immoral and unethical." No human person who cares would allow a pedophile get away with such disgusting behavior.

[secondwind]

23. I'M STEALING! you hit it on the head. :-D

[CTyankee]

80. Well put, Magistrate! I doff my cap...

[Lugnut]

4. Fug 'em.

They don't even have any control over what their own parishoners do in the privacy of their homes. This might wake up some of those who still refer to themselves as Catholic.

[crunch60]

98. funny thing about celibacy

My older brothers and I were raised strict Roman Catholic.
One of my older brothers was custodian of the church and priest's rectory.
We had a small boat and he took a few nun's from the convent for an outing on the lake a couple times a month. Our pastor went along as chaperon.
Lo and behold, one of the nun's got pregnant (immaculate conception?) no, she left the convent and married my brother.
Lo and behold, another nun found herself pregnant..(immaculate conception?) no..she left the convent and married our pastor.
And they all lived happily ever after. True story. That celibacy thing doesn't work so well..But in the end, they had obeyed the church strict rules.. They didn't use Contraception of any kind, Praise Jesus.

[Firebrand Gary]

5. This will only hurt them. Oh well...

It's not like any of us are surprised.

[TheMastersNemesis]

6. They Will Never Back Down

The bishops and the churches will never back down. They simply want a complete prohibition of ALL family planning nationwide whether you are a believer or not. The theocrats are going to replace the Constitution with their version of a faith based government. And the will ally themselves with the GOP until they are able to fix all the elections. This fight is not about democracy. It is a about taking over and ruling. In their eyes public policy must be faith based.

[Brettongarcia]

18. Even though their whole fixation on sexuality, abortion, is not traditional Catholicism at all

See my 700 page working paper, online, on that subject

[msanthrope]

33. Nice blog-flogging. Welcome to DU! nt

[The Doctor.]

45. 'Traditional' is whatever they have been in most recent memory.

So when did the Catholic church support abortion?

[LibertyLover]

54. In the Middle Ages

The RC Church had no problem with abortion prior to "quickening", i.e. when the fetus began to move. It was thought the movement indicated ensoulment, after which abortion was not permitted. A varient of this was that the Church had no problem with abortion of a male fetus up to, IIRC 40 days after conception and a female fetus up to, again IIRC 60 days. The variation was that the soul of a male fetus ensouled in the body sooner than that of a female. It was only with the Counter Reformation that you began to see a hardening of the Church's position on abortion, primarily because they needed all the people they could get.

[The Doctor.]

70. Cool, thanks.

Sounds like it's been a while since then.

[LibertyLover]

76. No problem

For a complete history, check out the book by John Riddle on the history of abortion and contraception from the Dark Ages to the Renassance. My copy is in storage at the present and I'm "quoting" from memory, which is always a tricky thing. By the same author is Eve's Herbs. They can give you much more information than I can.

[The Doctor.]

84. Wow... you're a fount!

Just curious, but I know many ex-Catholics that became something else quite deliberately. Not that I need to know anything personal, but were you raised Catholic and now practicing something else?

[CatholicEdHead]

58. True

This segment of Catholicism belives in the 'one true faith' in that Catholicism is the only way to get to heaven. That good ole time religion. They follow the Vatican 100%, and there is a retro movement there that sees the Chuch as the only church as during the Papal State years which ended long ago. If Rome wants to control everything, the USCCB will go right along unquestioning as there is nothing but Yes Men in charge now and all want a promotion up to Rome. This comes down to nothing but their personal ambition.

[RoninNY]

67. American Ayatollahs

The right wing is using this 'outrage' to agitate their knuckle dragging followers, but when the news cameras go away, they will be attacking Catholics for being the Whore of Babylon.
They operate under a simple motto.."business=good (leave them alone)...People=evil (build more jails, watch 'em closely!)

[JoyN62]

75. Traditionalists dragging the church backward

You are right. The whole far right agenda is about religion. They want Christianity declared the National Religion....no question about it. I am happy that Obama modified his view on this issue because any normal person would see this as a reasonable compromise. Those that don't are going to look ridiculous and controlling. The right does not want government involved in their lives but see nothing wrong in dictating their beliefs to everyone else. I hate abortion but the Churches stand is ridiculous. It is not enough to do everything possible to limit abortion...they want it against the law. PERIOD. In this they are wrong. There are so many ways to accomplish the number of abortions in this country such as doing something about the adoption laws and making sure women can AFFORD children after they are born. Obama's health care bill will go a long way towards that.

[BattyDem]

7. They didn't want to pay for it, so they don't have to ... and they're still not happy!

Gee, what a freakin' surprise!

Love this line: "Today's proposal continues to involve needless government intrusion in the internal governance of religious institutions, and to threaten government coercion of religious people and groups to violate their most deploy held convictions."

Of course, what they're REALLY saying is: "Today's proposal continues to involve needless government intrusion in the internal governance of religious institutions because it bypasses our control over our employees lives and allow them to make their own decisions."

[Lasher]

8. No surprise at their reaction.

This tax exempt conservative PAC is not going to let their wedge issue just fade away.

[global1]

9. Sounds To Me As If KKKarl Rove Wrote Their Statement........nt

[IndyJones]

10. They are not institutions of religion. They are institutions of education and hospitals.

[Drunken Irishman]

11. The USCCB can kiss my Irish-Catholic ass.

[Grassy Knoll]

12. The Catholic Church has little room to talk....

Nun abortions, raping little alter boys, What a sad disgusting religion. But hey, blame it on Obama.

[silverweb]

14. The bishops are making themselves irrelevant.

[font color="navy" face="Verdana"]"Crusty old bachelors" (as they were delightfully described by one author), with the hubris to think that they have the right to impose their doctrine and will on everyone.

Their day is fast waning and they know it. They hold little influence and no real power anymore, and they're fighting the inevitable.

Soon they and the rest of their kind will all fade away completely. May those who replace them be more enlightened.

[sybylla]

30. Exactly. I can't believe they want to take this on.

They risk having young people (and not so young) leaving the church in droves.

If they want to keep their doctrine in the 19th century, fine. But the minute they want to force it on people and hold it up as though it applies today, they lose.

[silverweb]

81. All too true.

[font color="navy" face="Verdana"]They're losing membership already and the flow will just increase.

[tanyev]

32. They're also making a very good argument for universal healthcare.

Inadvertently, of course.

[silverweb]

82. I noticed!!

[font color="navy" face="Verdana"]In fact, when the talk first started about Obama coming up with a compromise, my first thought was, "Create a public option just for this and watch the demand for overall health coverage explode."

[nanabugg]

88. Are they just trying to make us forget about the pedophiles among them? nt

[Tx4obama]

15. Here is a link to the FULL statement the Bishops released Friday evening, below

Here: http://www.usccb.org/news/2012/12-026.cfm

[HDPaulG]

16. Wish the Bishops and GOP

Would be just as passionate on the Roman Catholic's stance on : Collective Bargaining (Rerum Novarum), climate change, poverty, social justice. I can only imagine the Bishops are anti-vagina. Deflecting from 800 claims of Clergy abuse in Dolan's Milwaukee Diocese, where he was Bishop (most arrogant) which claimed bankruptcy under his reign. Only went to the "Wealthy" parishes to 'preach' aka talk about himself.

[Brettongarcia]

19. So? No compromise with the Bishops.

They asked for it; they got it.

[Brettongarcia]

20. My Protestant church allows abortions. Aren't the bishops attacking my religion?

[usrname]

21. The Catholic Church has very little

standing in regards to moral concerns.

This is the religious organization that lets pedophiles rape young boys, fergodsakes.

[truthisfreedom]

22. Do not forget the premise of this stance by the catholic church.

ALL THEY CARE ABOUT is more bodies to provide money. More babies, more bodies.

[madrchsod]

24. you can`t bargain with evil...

[safeinOhio]

25. St. John Chrysostom quote

"the road to hell is paved with the skulls of bishops"

[aquart]

26. I gotta look that guy up!

Okay, found this assault on Republicans:

He emphasised charitable giving and was concerned with the spiritual and temporal needs of the poor. He also spoke against abuse of wealth and personal property:

Do you wish to honour the body of Christ? Do not ignore him when he is naked. Do not pay him homage in the temple clad in silk, only then to neglect him outside where he is cold and ill-clad. He who said: "This is my body" is the same who said: "You saw me hungry and you gave me no food", and "Whatever you did to the least of my brothers you did also to me"... What good is it if the Eucharistic table is overloaded with golden chalices when your brother is dying of hunger? Start by satisfying his hunger and then with what is left you may adorn the altar as well.[18]

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

Is there a patron saint of class warfare?

[bowens43]

27. Who cares ?

as usual, they are on the wrong side of the argument. everyone except ricky knows it.

[fasttense]

28. I left the Catholic church when I found out the bishops were hiding men who diddled little children

They have no morals. They are too busy hiding their own mortal sins to be of any real value to society. Anyone who listens to these silly little men should have their heads examined. Thanks to the perverts in the Catholic church I am now an aitheist.

[CanonRay]

29. You cannot compromise with right wingers and religious extremists. Period.

It's either their way, or the highway. I don't care if it's Opus Dei crazy catholics, wacko Evangelicals, off the wall Shiites, or insane orthodox Jews. Take your pick.

[JJW]

31. Catholic Taliban?

No one wants the Catholic Church inserting itself between the patient and the doctor.

[Greywing]

35. And no one wants the Catholic Church

or any religious organizaion inserting itself in government.

[24601]

39. It's almost as bad as government inserting itself in faith.

I myself have a better compromise.

I don't need contraceptives. But since government has determined that we are entitled to free products, I'll take a new car instead. He can order my insurance company to pay for it on the ground that it's safer than my old one.

It's my understanding that Mercedes and Volvo make very safe products. Call me whe It's ready to be delivered - I really shouldn't be required to pick it up.

And since I have two insurances, I'll take a gas card, too.

[ann---]

59. Big difference....

contraception is related directly to women's HEALTH. It's NOT luxury. It's a necessity.

[24601]

78. I said I'd take a Volvo - give me a break.

[Ikonoklast]

62. Sure, whatever.

Explain how government is interfering, being mindful that all religions that own and run businesses of all types already must comply with all local, state, and federal laws pertaining to wages and working conditions, zoning, safety, taxes...you get the picture.



Like the embracing of the right-wing talking point about free stuff from the gubbamint though.

Lets everyone know where you're coming from.

[HockeyMom]

99. No one want the Catholic Church

in their bedroom, whether they are straight, gay, married, or unmarried.

[Joey Liberal]

34. Screw the Catholic Church

I'm sick of the hypocrisy from the Catholic Church. One hand, they covered up the child abuse within the church, while on the other hand, they are outraged because they have to give employees the same medical benefits as everyone else? So glad I quit the Catholic Church.

[ann---]

57. Me, too

I left a long time ago when a priest told me my son and his unborn child would "go to hell" for marrying a Jewish woman. Disgraceful, hateful people. I'll stick with Buddhism.

[JoePhilly]

36. They won't like anything that reduces their supply of little boys.

[tigntaz]

37. Catholic bishops denounce contraception compromise

If the catholic church is going to try and influence politics (or any religious group ) then their tax exempt status needs to be eliminated and they need to begin paying their fair share of taxes...income as well as property.

[Brettongarcia]

44. "Influencing legislation" is legally in fact, the big no-no: that violates Non Profit status

Yup! Looks like there might be a legal case here

[AngryOldDem]

38. Is anyone really surprised at this?

<<"Today's proposal continues to involve needless government intrusion in the internal governance of religious institutions, and to threaten government coercion of religious people and groups to violate their most deploy held convictions," the statement said. >>

But what, in the end, do the bishops want? Relgious intrusion into matters of federal governance. When you have the likes of Rick Santorum questioning the legality of any birth control, and the never-ending war against Roe, it's clear that the Catholic Church wants to have a seat at the table when it comes to making law and setting policy that intereferes with the lives of a lot of people (women) -- tax free, of course.

I knew this wouldn't be good enough for the bishops.

[olegramps]

40. What can you expect for this pack of nasty bastards that covered up sexual abuse of children?

Jesus warned to beware of those who come in sheep clothing who are ravenous wolves who will devour you. Nothing better describes these sexual perverts.

[Former_DU_Member]

42. If there were altar girls instead of altar boys.... things might go differently. nt

[alfredo]

64. If altar boys could get pregnant, birth control would be required.

[Former_DU_Member]

66. I wuz gonna say it like that.... but didn't want to rock the boat too much.... but you are probably

correct on that point. You are a daring individual to put it so bluntly.

[alfredo]

73. I am a vocal critic of organized religion. I don't care what the church thinks.

[ncteechur]

43. Catholic bishops--hatin' women and lovin' pedophiles

[The Doctor.]

47. Showing their true colors.

"How dare the government usurp our control over women!"

[Vinca]

49. How about a compromise that includes the Vatican selling its art collection

to support the children women can't afford to bear.

[davidthegnome]

50. The Catholic Church

should have lost it's tax exempt status years - even decades ago. Of course, it's not the only church that interferes in government and politics...

Frankly, the denouncements from these Bishops carry very little weight with anyone who isn't a conservative Catholic - or a Republican Presidential hopeful.

[tabasco]

51. I'm so sick & tired of witch doctors and their bullcrap

A god would be ashamed of all our stupid superstitions.

[unhappycamper]

52. 8,000 new instances of child sexual abuse alleged in Milwaukee Archdiocese

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/02/10/8000-new-instances-of-child-sexual-abuse-alleged-in-milwaukee-archdiocese/

[ann---]

56. Yeah, it's a shame

that the government didn't "intrude" when little boys were being molested by some of these hypocrites.

[muriel_volestrangler]

60. But Sister Keehan from the Catholic Health Association is "very pleased" with it

And she's got the moral force, where the bishops just haven't, these days. The far right Catholics weren't going to vote for Obama anyway; the moderate Catholics have a workable solution, and the women employees have free access to birth control.

[sulphurdunn]

63. The Church's arguments

are dodges. This is about a resurgent conservative dogmatism in Rome, exerting political power and spiritual supremacy (as has always been its custom) in the guise of morality. It has been relatively dormant (at least publicly) for generations, but the pedophile scandals exposed the moral corruption of its hierarchy and forced it to mount a counterattack in the hope of asserting politically what it can no longer do ethically.

[pscot]

68. The Catholic church has been a force for evil in the world

for 1500 years. Why change now, when things are going so well.

[Dawson Leery]

71. +1

[Herlong]

69. This is no surprise.

Keep the dialog going long enough, women voters will understand republican men want to dictate to them how they should live their lives, and quit voting for them.

[Deep13]

72. So Obama "compromised" (caved) for nothing.

You cannot accommodate those who are not negotiating reasonably or in good faith.

[benld74]

74. GET OFF the Holier than thou Soap Boxes!!!!

Get your own houses in order gentlemen before trying to tell the remainder of the country HOW they shold live their lives. Where were you when your Catholic universities provided the SAME coverage? WHere were you when Mitt-the-sh*tt had the SAME coverage in the Massachusetts Health Plan? Where was the boston Diocese on THAT? Whare was Boston COllege on THAT?
Where was the New York Diocese when New York passed the ame law? Oh yeah, they instituted the SAME coverage 1 full year, BEFORE the state law became MANDATORY???!!!

Do you believe in states rights more than federal health coverage?

[politicasista]

77. They are desperate

anything to cover up their widespread pedophilla.

[CTyankee]

83. and what about Giordano Bruno and Marguerite de Porete? They were burned alive for

their beliefs. Let's remember THAT about his church that proclaims its "truth" about birth control even tho it wasn't until the Pill got approved in the early 1960s! THEN it's a big problem! THEN the Pope has to speak out.

The Pope and the bishops can stuff it, AFAIC. They are done. Stick a fork in them.

It's only gonna get worse for the GOP. They'll find out what I mean...

[NAO]

85. "Every Sperm Is Sacred" needs to go Susan G. Komen style viral

The bishops and their sheep are being ridiculous. #EverySpermIsSacred

Every Sperm Is Sacred

[nanabugg]

87. If they just refuse to accept anymore Fed funding or subsidies, I'm fine with that.

I think women will play a major role in the election of 2012 and I hope they all become well-informed about their Congress critters and the anti-women-rights out of office. Nothing means anything right now except to get out the vote and to help all those who need to get the proper IDs to get them. And I ope grassroots are organizing to watch at the polls in the those states we KNOW will attempt fraud and disenfranchisement activities.

[unkachuck]

89. '...the proposal raises "serious moral concerns,"...'

....they tolerate pedophiles but not birth control....they must want a fresh supply of subjects for their pedophiles....

[datadiva]

90. At the same time in Milwaukee

The archdiocese is filing bankruptcy because they have 8000 sexual abuse cases. Twisted.

[McCamy Taylor]

91. Ha ha! This issue is going to kill Santorum's chances. I love it!

Americans so love (not) being told what to do by some other Church.

[WcoastO]

92. Clueless Bishops.....

aka. pedophiles and pedophile apologists, bring on the smoke and mirrors of the contraception "issue".......they need to clean house of the serial pedophiles in their ranks. So far, not many "heads have rolled" as they continue to cover up and down-play the scandalous criminality and moral depravity of their brethren. The whole Catholic hierarchy of hypocrites are accomplices to depraved criminal behavior. How many have been arrested?

[caseymoz]

93. The Catholic heirarchy hasn't caught on to the fact

That they've lost all respectability, authority and validity. Now they're undermining the last thing they can stand on: relevance.

[truebrit71]

100. They have "serious moral concerns"....Really? When did that start?

'Cos raping thousands of children and then covering it up apparently didn't quite make it to that level of "seriousness"...