Catholic bishops push for gay marriage vote

[Ian David]

The state's four Roman Catholic bishops mailed a joint statement today to each of Massachusetts' 196 legislators urging them to allow a vote on a ballot initiative that would ban gay marriage.

The single-page letter implored lawmakers on behalf of the state's 3 million Catholics to allow the measure to come to a vote on Jan. 2, the last day of the legislative session.

"Preventing a vote on January 2nd would deny a significant number of our residents from having their voice heard on this issue," the letter reads. "The guarantee that gives citizens the right to seek voter approval for constitutional changes would become an empty promise."

The bishops, including Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley of Boston, sent the letter by e-mail today and also mailed copies though the US Postal Service, according to Edward F. Saunders, the executive director of the Massachusetts Catholic Conference, a public policy office for the church.

More:
http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2006/12/catholic-bishops-push-for-gay-marriage.html

How is this a tax-exempt organization again?

[BOSSHOG]

1. Voting to restrict constitutional liberties

based on hate. Not the way it works zealots. How bout voting to restore slavery. No doubt that has a base of support.

[bluerum]

2. This is a political issue. These bastards should lose their tax exempt

status if they are going to get vocal about endorsing political issues.

[northofdenali]

4. Amen to that!!

I am of a very firm belief that NO religious organization should have tax-exempt status unless it operates identically to a non-profit - including nondiscriminatory practices.

[xchrom]

3. sounds like someone in mass should file a complaint with the irs.

[sniffa]

5. aLL four of them can go right to heLL

same with the 170k signatures for the measure.

i want to vote the cathoLic church right out of our state - wiLL they be wiLLing to argue for that baLLot question?

they shouLd be ashamed of themseLves for so many other things, incLuding the most damning: the pedophiLia scandaL, their disgusting acts of covering up the abuse and not punishing predators of the cLoth, and then even more sickeningLy trying to bLame the entire thing on homosexuaLity; and their response to the crisis was to root out aLL the gays in the seminaries and probLem soLved.

:puke:

[HockeyMom]

6. Gays are their "whipping boys"

since they cannot control their own Catholic straight population, i.e, cohabitation, sex before marriage, birth control, abortion, divorce, etc.

No surprise to me as someone who spent 12 years in Catholic school and rejected their views as a 15 year old.

You can be sure I am NOT ALONE in my views.

[Zenlitened]

7. Crush love with an angry mob. Just as Jeebus would have wanted ya to do!

Jeebus says, "Attaboy, bishops!"

[kevinbgoode]

8. Um. .. aren't these bishops rather arrogant?

It seems to me that those 3 million people they claim to represent don't tend to agree with them. Perhaps the gay community should start circulating petitions to de-recognize the Catholic Church - after all of those sex abuse scandals which the Church covered up, they should certainly not be considered a positive influence in society.

Perhaps the public should be voting on the validity of supporting a cult which willfully covers up criminal sexual behavior behind its doors.

[Ian David]

9. The bishops represent a foreign government (The Vatican)...

... using intimidation to manipulate the political process of our country.

Why can't anyone above the rank of Priest be considered an Enemy Combatant?