……….When it might benefit the left, politics becomes a huge bone of contention with them. The left never interferes nor does it threaten black church leaders with revocation of their tax exemption. However, the treatment of the white Christian Church is often threatened with revocation for some of its perceived behaviors. With the debate that exists with respect to publicly funded abortion, the Catholic Church has taken more than its share of politically based attacks. The underlying theology of the Catholic Church is based on a certain set of religious tenets. As a life long Catholic and the graduate of a Catholic University, I might say that with a little bit of effort one can easily discover what it means to be an upstanding Catholic.

……….A lot of Catholics have difficulty understanding the difference between the Church’s positions on abortion and capital punishment. One, abortion, is binding, the other is not. Abortion and capital punishment are not comparable, regardless what twits like Lawrence O’Donnell might say on MSNBC. The differences between the two issues are rather serious, unless you are just a simple twit with a bone to pick. When the Rhode Island Bishop went after Patrick Kennedy, he was well within his rights. Communion is not a sacrament where one can just come in off the street and receive it because that is their wish. In the Catholic Church we have the sacraments; Baptism, First Communion, Penance, Confirmation, Matrimony, Holy Orders and Last Rights. Usually, a member is eligible for six of the seven sacraments. In unusual instances, they will be eligible for all seven.

……….A few of the sacraments are available on a regular basis; Communion and Penance. The other five sacraments are available, usually, one time in your life, with a few exceptions, guided by circumstances. Things that a number of Catholic Politicians say and do, might actually put them at odds with their religion. In those instances they need to be very careful and walk a tight line. A number of Catholics in both the United States Senate and House of Representatives have obviously no clue what the teachings of the Catholic Church actually involve. Nancy Pelosi, Patrick Kennedy, Edward M. Kennedy and Dick Durbin are examples of left leaning Catholic politicians, past and present. Each of these politicians has to some extent pushed the religious envelope in terms of church teachings. Some of them, at times, have done a much better job of walking the tight line.

……….Politicians like Nancy Pelosi have just plain missed the mark. For all of Pelosi’s Hubris, she is clueless when it comes to understanding the teachings of her church. It may be acceptable to represent your constituents on certain ticklish matters like abortion but it is not acceptable, as a Catholic, to openly support the practice as part of your lifestyle. The Federal Government has no business interfering with Church Doctrine. This should hold true on all matters unless a recognized church is attempting some clandestine action directed at overthrowing the government. When the Church disciplines its members because of political and / or personal failings, then the government should butt out. In some instances these powerful politicians have attempted to bully Church leaders by using threats. In the case of health insurance reform, if the Church was speaking out in favor of left leaning initiatives then nothing was said. However, if the Catholic Church was attempting to spell out its position on abortion funding, they were quickly and harshly criticized, followed by threats.

……….I take exception when uppity politicians, acting as interlopers, move to attempt to silence my Church and direct them as to the sanctions that they are entitled to mete out publicly and / or privately. As I have said previously, the overlap with many black pastors and their churches, involving the mixing of politics and / or religion has reached frightening proportions at times. It is not uncommon to attend a black religious service and not have the pastor engaging in some sort of political rhetoric. The law is quite cloudy in matters such as this. The left is so confused as to the meaning of separation of Church and State, that they should be more careful as they attempt to bully some religions while completely ignoring others. The last thing that I want is any purported politician to direct me in prayer. I don’t trust either their secular or religious side in most instances.