Kicked out of a Catholic church

[proud2BlibKansan]

How @ksuchoice & I got kicked out of a Catholic church today: a repro rights supporter from Wamego, KS responded to a Planned Parenthood email about a town hall w/ Rep Lynn Jenkins on 8/25. Thinking he was a supporter, E & I agreed to drop some PP materials re HCR & repro health on our way out to Hays. He gave us the street address of where to find him...when we pulled up, we saw it was a Catholic parish. Thinking maybe: "social justice Catholics? In Wamego?" we went in, found him, went over the talking points w him, and gave him some buttons & a t-shirt. He acted weird, but took it anyway. E went out to get more tshirts from the car. He handed the pink tshirt to one of the women in the office, & she asked "but why does it say Planned Parenthood?" Um. Because that's the organization you all responded to? Man: "Wait, so you support abortions?" "I'm pro-choice, and PP is a pro-choice organization." "I think it's time for you to leave. Take all of this. Take your buttons, too." And thus, we were kicked out of a Cathlic church. Awesome.

http://xltweet.com/show/?id=5054505D

[MrModerate]

1. Seems like they should have figured out where you were coming from . . .

in about the first 15 seconds. But hey, that's just me . . .

[Richardo]

2. Wow - what courageous rebels

So wait - PP sends out an email about a Representative's town hall and these geniuses assume he's a supporter? And when they find out it's at a Catholic Church they STILL assume he's a supporter?

You know, you don't have to agree with the Church's position on reproductive rights but you'd have to admit it's pretty damn consistent. If you drive up to a Catholic Parish hall and still bring in your PP gear you'd have to assume you'll be asked to leave. (...and that's a far cry from being 'kicked out' but not nearly as provocative.)

[geek_sabre]

3. +1

I'm a lapsed catholic, but it seems they went in looking for trouble.

[kanrok]

4. Pretty good bet

And looking for trouble that had zero chance of any repercussions.

Very brave.

Not.

[cap]

6. I am a pro-choice Catholic and I defend the right of these folks to remain

That was a town hall with their elected representative. Townhalls are meant to allow people to express all points of view. Remember Barney Frank saying that it is a tribute to the First Amendment that the idiots are allowed to express themselves. Representative Lynn is supposed to represent ALL his people. It was his fault for having his townhall in a Catholic venue. I think the folks who were turned away should write about their experience in a letter to the editor.

[rug]

8. It was the parish's fault for letting the Rep. use their property.

[cap]

9. It was the Representative's fault for choosing that venue

but once having chosen it, he should be open to all questions.

[geek_sabre]

12. The townhall was NOT at the Church

The people in the OP went to the church to hand out materials to presumed supporters of reproductive rights in preparation for today's town hall.

The townhall is at a senior center, which as far as I can find, is not affiliated with a catholic church.

[Pangolin2]

10. It seems to me it was just a -building- at the time, not a literal church.

It's not like they barged into the middle of a mass. We vote in a church but it's on Tuesday and we don't think it's the same as when it's being used for religious purposes. Some of the 'churches' around here are real estate offices 6 1/2 days a week...
:shrug:

[Toasterlad]

14. +2

Nobody despises the catholic church more than I do, but one thing you can't accuse them of is being ambiguous about their positions. Why anyone would cart armloads of Planned Parenthood t-shirts into a catholic church and be surprised to be asked to leave is beyond me.

[proud2BlibKansan]

19. I am related to a whole family of devout Catholics who are pro choice.

[Richardo]

24. Me too!

Therefore I'd be in no way shocked or amazed that I would be asked to leave Church property with a bunch of Planned PArenthood material. Pro-choice Catholics know the Church doctrine.

[Name removed]

5. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[rug]

7. I didn't know martyrdom could be so breezy.

[Ganja Ninja]

11. It might have made a difference if you had brought along some young boys with you.

:shrug:

[Richardo]

13. Because pedophilia is so hilarious

Have another hit off the bong, brah.

[Bluenorthwest]

17. I am very proud of the outright disruptions I participated in

at Roger Mahoney's house of child abuse. This Mahoney moved abusers from one safe place to another, providing them with victims and legal protection. His congregation paid for that legal support, and to move the abusers to fresh harvests.
In addition, the Catholic Church holds murderous positions against preventing HIV infection, and against a woman' right to control her own body.
So when we went in, dressed as 3 wise men and an angel, to bring him gifts of condoms and speculums, and it upset the parish by making them see the reality of their inhumanity, it was a great thing we did. Even better were all those who did a mass protest that same night, some of whom were arrested for telling the truth to the faithful. They were heros, I was just making theater, sipping 'holy water' from a straw to show my respect for those who wish others to suffer and die for their ignorance and love of ignorance.
This way many many years ago, before Mahoney built his new prison like cathedral. But even then, long before the public scandal, Mahoney was aiding and abetting child abusers, and his congregation were all accomplices to that crime, in my view. They learned the truth, and stayed to help protect the child rapists. That is the choice they made, and it will hang on them like a millstone for all time.
Jut thought my story would amuse/piss you off, so I shared it. Respect is earned, and the Catholic Church has earned no respect at all. Individual Catholics, I know some wonderful people. But they do not run around making excuses for the bad stuff, ever. Those Catholics were please that we showed up for Mahoney. Pleased as punch, and they saw it as caring for the institution better than those who were moving rapists around like chess pieces.

[BolivarianHero]

18. Trust me...

We're not all this ignorant or this callous.

[lame54]

15. Don't look back

[Tommy_Carcetti]

16. Sorry to be blunt, but what the hell were they expecting when they saw it was a church?

A Catholic Church, even one with a relatively progressive pastor (as my church in Maryland had), are not going to be interesting in disseminating Planned Parenthood info, nor would I want them to do so. Even "social justice Catholics" probably wouldn't be interested in doing any such thing--social justice Catholics, while not conservative, typically concern themselves with feeding the poor and helping the homeless, not involving themselves in abortion politics either one way or another.

[proud2BlibKansan]

21. How many social justice Catholics do you know?

I know quite a few. Some are nuns. And yes, they are pro choice.

[Echo In Light]

20. I was kicked out of class repeatedly back in Catholic grade school

Taught me valuable lessons in insubordination ;)

[me b zola]

22. Is the article written in pig latin?

I have read the article three times and have no idea what it is saying. :dunce:

[DailyGrind51]

23. In my Catholic parish, we signed pledges NOT to consider "single issues" whe voting.

Of course, my parish is located in Chicago, home of Rev. Wright and Fr. Pleger.