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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsConcerned Catholic Paul Ryan Wants Priests to Shut Up About the Poor
Concerned Catholic Paul Ryan Wants Priests to Shut Up About the PoorThe congressional chaplain gets the sack.
BY CHARLES P. PIERCE APR 27, 2018
Right around 1817, after his term as president and having retired to the family homestead at Montpelier in Virginia, James Madison, who never stopped thinking about things, jotted down some further thoughts on one of his favorite subjectsthe danger of mixing religious faith and secular, godless politics. He was pretty clear about where he stood. He was opposed even to the idea of congressional chaplains.
Is the appointment of Chaplains to the two Houses of Congress consistent with the Constitution, and with the pure principle of religious freedom? In strictness, the answer on both points must be in the negative. The Constitution of the U. S. forbids everything like an establishment of a national religion. The law appointing Chaplains establishes a religious worship for the national representatives, to be performed by Ministers of religion, elected by a majority of them; and these are to be paid out of the national taxes. Does not this involve the principle of a national establishment, applicable to a provision for a religious worship for the Constituent as well as of the representative Body, approved by the majority, and conducted by Ministers of religion paid by the entire nation.
That one portion of Madisons notes is highlighted because recent events have added a third reason for not having congressional chaplains. Because, one day, a zombie-eyed granny starver might become Speaker of the House and fire a chaplain for being insufficiently devout as regards the theological basis for sacred tax cuts.
https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a20084129/paul-ryan-congress-chaplain-resign/
malthaussen
(17,216 posts)... of telling a Jesuit to stuff it. Boy went to Catholic school, it probably left a mark.
-- Mal
whathehell
(29,090 posts)He's tried to milk his Catholic cred but failed as Romney's running mate when the Bishop's Council slapped him down for his very Unchristian budget proposal.
Iliyah
(25,111 posts)Jesus if he or she walked up to them and sayeth I'm am your GOD . . . how you treat the least of us is how you treat me. . . .
Especially the so called Evangelist. They would deny, call him or her fake, and throw rocks.
workinclasszero
(28,270 posts)Matt 6:24 "No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money".
Super easy to see who the evangelical right republicans are serving, huh?
malthaussen
(17,216 posts)... must two (or more) masters inevitably come into conflict? Money and god, yeah, I can see that, but as a general principle it's suspect.
-- Mal
workinclasszero
(28,270 posts)The republican party and it's leader are the perfect example of the words of Jesus.
atreides1
(16,093 posts)Ryan is a convenient Catholic...but for the most part his belief in the writings of Ayn Rand, is his real religion!!!
workinclasszero
(28,270 posts)Yes the granny starver is devoted to Rand for sure!
MountCleaners
(1,148 posts)...more hypocrisy.
workinclasszero
(28,270 posts)Talk about a hypocrite lol