Catholic Church Threatens To Stop D.C. Services For Needy If Gay Marriage Passes

[Me.]

“The Catholic Archdiocese of Washington said Wednesday that it will be unable to continue the social service programs it runs for the District if the city doesn't change a proposed same-sex marriage law, a threat that could affect tens of thousands of people the church helps with adoption, homelessness and health care.

Under the bill, headed for a D.C. Council vote next month, religious organizations would not be required to perform or make space available for same-sex weddings. But they would have to obey city laws prohibiting discrimination against gay men and lesbians.

Fearful that they could be forced, among other things, to extend employee benefits to same-sex married couples, church officials said they would have no choice but to abandon their contracts with the city.

"If the city requires this, we can't do it," Susan Gibbs, spokeswoman for the archdiocese, said Wednesday. "The city is saying in order to provide social services, you need to be secular. For us, that's really a problem."…cont…

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/11/AR2009111116943.html?hpid=topnews

[tekisui]

1. It is long past time for the catholic church to become obsolete.

[tsuki]

2. Will they still be able to tramp over to the Faith-Based Initiatives

office for their tax-payer funded hand-outs?

[lonestarnot]

3. So a form of blackmail then? Imagine that rights being withheld in exchange for food to the poor.

[Me.]

6. Exacrly!

Such a shameful threat. And what don't they understand about separation of church and state?

[havocmom]

88. Blackmail it is. Tax exemption on ANY church property that isn't actually a church should go

Let them pay taxes on all the property they own that aren't churches and feed the poor with the proceeds. Seems likely the poor would eat well.

[sarge43]

4. Yeah, that's what Jesus would do. n/t

[blogslut]

5. Yeah. That move will play well.

n/t

[piratefish08]

7. Well, isn't that so very christian of them? Fucking hypocrites. They make the baby jesus cry.

[polmaven]

109. They make the adult Jesus cry too.

n/t

[unhappycamper]

8. Meanwhile, the Church has done NOTHING about pedophile priests.

If you don't like the separation of church and state feel free to leave. And don't let the door hit you in the ass on your way out.

[lonestarnot]

24. Here here!

[havocmom]

89. Yes they have; they move/hide them. Then they hide assets in dioceses facing law suits

Oh, they do plenty about pedophile priests. They cover their asses(ts).

[pleah]

9. Aren't they losing members by the thousands? This will

(hopefully) end their reign of terror.

[JerseygirlCT]

10. WWJD, indeed...

An apt demonstration of where their real concerns lay.

[polmaven]

113. WWJD, in my opinion,

and those of most of my church family, (UM, not Catholic), stands for Where Would Jesus Discriminate?

[Bitwit1234]

11. And these people preach the word of GOD

Jesus forgave a criminal on the cross. What would he do. This and stuff like it, is why I left the Catholic Church. They have not done anything to support their parishioners in years. At our church, and it was against the law, they took a list of all parishioners names and addresses and gave them to the republicans running for office. Is that separation of church and state. I do not think the church should tell people what to do. They should guide you in your spiritual life and help you when needed. They should never ever mix in politics. And that's all churches not just Catholic. But I wish I had left the Catholic Church years ago.

[Zen Democrat]

12. The Catholic Archdiocese of Washington will discontinue social services for the poor?

In order to oppose same-sex marriage?

I think I know all I need to know about the Catholic Archdiocese of Washington.

This underscores to me that the mission of the Catholic Church is less about helping the helpless, and more about preserving its underlying and pervasive bigotry and hypocrisy.

[AngryOldDem]

38. It shut down its adoption services in Boston some time back over the same issue.

Now, that's a **real** "pro-life" attitude, ain't it?

:shrug: :eyes:

[Malikshah]

13. How very Innocent III of them--- assigning an interdict to the DC area

What's next? A replay of Gregory VII and the HRE?

Excommunication is sooooooo 11th century. It's been a millennium, sparkledrawers, get a grip.

[izquierdista]

29. I think you have your facts wrong

It's the Mormons that have the fancy drawers that sparkle with magic.

[Malikshah]

52. True, but growing up watching all the pointy hats, hand-held fog machines

and tableware that would make Liberace blush, sparkledrawers seemed appropriate...

[Ian David]

14. Good. We shouldn't be paying a "church" with taxpayer money anyway. n/t

[KittyWampus]

15. Horrifying. The Congregation Should Consider No Longer Attending Mass. Or Tithing.

[ZombieHorde]

125. But they won't, they don't care. nt

[brendan120678]

16. Why does the District even contract with...

the Catholic Church to perform these social services?
Isn't this something that the District should be providing on their own?

[hedgehog]

22. The same thing goes on in New York State. A lot of the funding that

supports Catholic Charities comes from state contracts. I'm Catholic, and I think this is a bad situation.

[mopinko]

28. illinois also.

city of chicago has some big contracts with catholic charities, and a couple other religious organizations, too.

[GoCubsGo]

25. I'm not so sure it's a contract

The Catholic Church has its own network of social services via such organizations as Catholic Charities. Much of it is funded through private donations. They may get some government money, as well, but I don't think that's the issue here.

[AldebTX]

17. I Think Someone

is showing their true colors. I hope there are enough good people left in the Church to feel embarrassment for this threat.

[Botany]

18. Fine then D.C. can tax their property

n/t

[TheMadMonk]

62. I susspect that this might just be their real fear.

That this is the thin end of a long overdue wedge.

By making the distinction between the spirtual and secular activities of the Church clear in these matters, this opens up the posibility of that distinction being extended to other matters.

And IMNSHO fuck'em.

The ONLY church property that should be exempt from taxes is the churchyard itself, cemeteries and presbytries/convents. Schools (as fee charging institutions) should recieve only pro-rata exemption on the basis of charity placements. All other properties/business should be taxed exactly as any other proprty/business of the same nature.

[AllyCat]

19. So they are taking over for Phelps' gang?

Having one thing be completely unrelated to the other? There is a good reason I, as have many others, have left this stuck-in-the-dark-ages church.

[patrice]

20. Proof positive that "The Church" is more concerned with POWER than it is with doing what

is right. The right action of helping the poor and disadvantaged is of lower priority than forcing their OPINION (non - Dogma) that same sex couples should not marry. This IS Blasphemy.

[Orrex]

34. I concur

And it's sad that such proof is even necessary, when the fact has been obvious in itself for centuries.

[patrice]

45. Yep. Just look at the facts on the ground, All. If there were some way of

quantifying Social Benefit relative to Social Harm, I wonder how close to 50:50 that measure would be and if it IS just a wash, why do WE have to put up with it?

I'm not referring to Private Benefits:Harms, since I assume those involve individual choices. Let's just hypothetically weigh "The Church" on a macro-scale. If that were possible (i.e. valid & reliable), I wonder what we'd find and whether whatever we might find could possibly justify everything that "The Church" costs Us.

[HillbillyBob]

75. What you said.

I am so sick of kkkreestians trying to say they have some higher moral stand because they disagree (and are disagreeable).
Its all about being able to rule not truly help as Christ told them to.
Inquisition, Witch burnings, killing gay, excomunication etc are all about power.

[patrice]

114. What gets me mad is: Where in The Creed does Christianity specify Sexual Orientation.

The Creed does not specify "sex only between consenting adults" either, but the harm from adult:child sex is extremely obvious. Not so for two adults of the same sex who are honestly trying to commit to one another. In fact, the opposite would seem to be true; trying to commit to another person is a good thing, even if it fails, as long as the effort is honest and who can be the best judge of honest emotion and its behavioral consequences than those involved in the relationship?

"The Church" seems to overstep its responsibilities regarding Dogma too much, by trying to dress up Social Teaching, such as no same-sex marriage and limits on a woman's responsibility to choose her reproductive role, as "Dogma" when neither is.

on edit: to un-split an infinitive

[hedgehog]

21. Simple solution: Set up a non-profit to take over the contracts,

hire the people doing the work now, and everyone is happier because the Archbishop isn't looking over their shoulders. I have no doubt the same people willing to work for low wages now will continue to do the same. I think there is an unrecognized group of former priests and nuns working for social service agencies. Their problem with the Church is that they take the Gospel seriously!

[Nikki Stone1]

79. + 10,000

:thumbsup:

[H2O Man]

23. This will backfire on them.

More and more people will see their leadership as isolated from reality, in the comfort of their bank vaults.

Recommended.

[Me.]

48. Call Their Bluff

Is what I say. I know, from a childhood held firmly in their grip, it's all about the money for them.

[H2O Man]

67. Right.

Even more than calling their bluff, identify their delusion. Refuse to participate in it. Expose it to sun light.

[Lerkfish]

26. excuse me, but WTF?

the needy suffer for the catholic church's homophobia?

ok, I gotta side with the atheists on this one and call bullshit.

[rd_kent]

108. You are not sideing with atheists....

you are siding with reason and logic. Welcome to the world.....

[Bluenorthwest]

27. Wow. That is low even for a bunch of bigots

Holding the hungry hostage, the glory of the RCC.

[TZ]

30. LOL. Blackmail now.

Is there anything the Catholic Church won't stoop to get their way. More hypocrisy from the Church. Nice morals there guys.

[barbtries]

31. so end their contracts and put in other organizations

that don't discriminate! seems easy to me. it sounds as if the church is getting paid for their good works, maybe i'm wrong about that.

[SoCalDem]

32. Christian Blackmail.. Jesus would be proud

:puke:

[NavyMom]

33. If they do, take away their non-profit status..nt

[MineralMan]

35. And Jesus spake unto the multitude, saying:

Damned are the different, for they are nasty.
Damned are those who find love as they find it, for they shall be condemned.
Damned are the poor in money, for they shall starve and be ill.
Damned are the raped and those who carry the child of their father, for they get what they deserve.

I can't seem to find this in Matthew, but the RCC seems to think it's in there. Maybe I just missed it, somehow.

[AngryOldDem]

36. I've got an idea!

Why doesn't the Church JUST GO AWAY?

I'm sick and tired of its hateful grandstanding dressed up as righteous morality. I've also had it with the blatant homophobic bullshit. With its call to equally bigoted Anglicans to come on over to where the gay hatin's fine to its willingness to compromise its mission to serve the poor because of that hate, it's become exceedingly clear where its priorities are -- and it's not that of living the message of the Gospel.

It is one institution that has more than outlived its usefulness and worth.

[LeftHander]

37. Not surprising...coming from the church that used immolation and torture for a 1000 years.

I mean that is really some loving christian values at work in that piece of work.

[Stevenmarc]

39. Fine then D.C. can pull funding from Catholic run charter schools

[Turbineguy]

40. At least they didn't

threaten to stop fondling children.

[dysfunctional press]

41. "and they'll know we are christians by our love..."

maybe they don't know that song.

btw- what does one have to do with the other...?

[sui generis]

42. weren't those the guys that burned, hung or beheaded

1.2 million "witches" and heretics in Europe a mere 250 years ago?

go figure. It's time to evict them from all things secular, STARTING WITH GOVERNMENT.

bye catholics and don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.

In fact, we should BAN the catholic archiocese of Washington from qualifying their social service programs as anything other than missionary work. In that case, we don't give a flying flipping shit - missionary away folks, to your hearts content, or not.

[LibertyLover]

64. Most recent research puts the number of witches killed

during the Middle Ages, Reformation and Counter-reformation at roughly 40,000 (cf Ronald Hutton, Triumph of the Moon). Too many to be sure, but nowhere near a million plus. However, I agree with everything else you said. I was saddened (but not particularly shocked being a recovering Catholic) to hear this story on my way to work in DC this morning. What has annoyed me more than anything is how outside interests keep coming in and trying to prevent the DC Council from voting on this. Most of the anti-marriage hoopla seems like it is being whipped up by churches and ministers from Maryland and not DC. I just think that is so wrong.

[sui generis]

77. the thing is that they're involved in a legislative and political ploy

which should technically make them a political organization. Otherwise any of the services they claim to provide should be considered "missionary" work, which would make the point moot.

[LibertyLover]

90. Of course they are a political organization

The Roman Catholic church has always been about politics. It got it's start as a political entity intended to permit Constantine to control the Empire better. If I had my way, they would have to register as a political organization and pay taxes or otherwise not be involved in politics to the extent they are. I have no problem if the Church hierarchy instruct their priests to sermonize on Sunday that marriage equality is against Catholic tenets - after all that's what I expect a religion to do. I do have a problem with the hierarchy and priests going down to city hall on Monday and telling the council to forget about extending marriage equality to its GLBT citizens because the Catholic Church doesn't like them.

[april]

43. the Catholic church need to look in their own back yard

with all of the sexual abuse from the priests. This makes me sick ...I was raised Catholic

[bullwinkle428]

44. Fucking disgraceful. "THEY WON'T LET US HATE ANYMORE!"

:puke:

[RetroLounge]

46. Blackmail is very Xtian of them.

Tax the shit outta them. Period.

RL

[Le Taz Hot]

47. Are you fucking kidding me?

These are truly some sick, sick sons a bitches. These MEN hate gays so much, they're willing to let people go hungry. Now that takes a SPECIAL kind of hate. I'm sure their gawd will be so proud of them.

[RainDog]

49. because obviously gay people make god mad at hungry children

the church should sell off some of its assets.

it could house and feed THE WORLD with the money it has.

but if won't because, honestly, it doesn't really give a fuck about people's well being unless it can have power over them.

[Neecy]

50. Salvation Army did this in SF a decade ago

They objected to a law that didn't allow them to discriminate against GLBT employees, so they pulled up stakes and stopped their programs that fed and housed the homeless. Their hatred and bigotry came first.

To this day, I walk by their bell-ringers at Christmas. I refuse to give this hate organization a single dime.

[sorrowspath]

55. Social service sabotage today,

next it's gonna be economic sabotage just like what they taught the Mafia.Why are we giving this hate group such power in our country?
Btw please put this on the front page admins and merge this with the other thread of the same title.

Let those good people that remain in that hate group read this to see how their organization is getting back at gays by holding the needy hostage

[ZombieHorde]

51. Why do liberals continue to support this hate group?

Why would they want to be a member of a hate group?

[Toasterlad]

82. Laziness and Inertia

Their parents raised them catholic, it's been a part of their lives since birth, and they're too intellectually lazy to sit and truly think about what it means to be a catholic, and believe what a catholic is supposed to believe.

The vast majority of catholics don't know half of what the church truly stands for, and they don't care. They treat the church like it's a democracy: like they can disagree with their leaders and still call themselves a good catholic. Explain to them that they don't get a vote; that the catholic church is NOT a democracy, but a theocracy, and that if you call yourself a catholic, you are bound to OBEY what the church tells you, and they will tell you to fuck off, that they'll believe whatever they want to believe. That, essentially, the Pope isn't the boss of them.

And yet, they still continue to hand over the money by the fistfuls, the distribution of which they have NO say in. The money that is used to fund hate all over the world. Hate like anti-gay referendums, anti-abortion groups and protests, abstinence-only missionaries who are responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands through their preaching against condoms and their dissemination of disinformation regarding AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.

There is NO SUCH THING as a "good" catholic. They ALL feed the hate and ignorance.

[ZombieHorde]

84. Your explanation sounds reasonable to me. Thanks for the reply. nt

[Brigid]

91. Thank you for tarring all of us with the same brush.

:eyes:

[Toasterlad]

92. Thank You For Your Financial Contributions To Hate.

Care to explain that away? I didn't think so.

[Brigid]

93. I contribute to a church that does much good in the world.

And has from the beginning, despite sins and mistakes along the way and reactionary idiots like the ones in DC. Every time something like this happens, the intolerant anti-religion cohort comes out of the woodwork. So long as there are plenty of good people in the church, and there are plenty whether they agree with you and me or not, I'm staying.

[Toasterlad]

98. True. The Good DEFINITELY Outweighs the Evil. I See Your Point.

You have to take the good with the bad. I mean, it's not like there are any secular organizations out there you could give your money to that help people and DON'T preach bigotry and hate at the same time. Since your only option is to continue to fund hatred and discrimination if you want people to get fed, I guess you have no choice. If only we had some NON-bigoted organizations willing to do the few good things that the bigoted catholic church is doing! What a shame!

[Brigid]

99. I don't know where you extreme hostility comes from . . .

and don't really care. No organization anywhere, secular or religious, is perfect. Anyway, welcome to my ignore list, of which you are only the second member.

[Occulus]

100. Wow, just wow

You really don't have a clue, do you?

[Toasterlad]

101. My Extreme Hostility Comes From Being Mistreated By the Catholic Church

I understand that you'd rather not think about the filty gay people your church is vigorously fighting to keep from becoming legal, first-class citizens. Most catholics share your desire to keep us as invisible as possible. How lucky you're able to dismiss the blatant bigotry and opression of your church with a cavalier "Nobody's Perfect!" How nice for you. Sleep tight.

[AngryOldDem]

105. I acknowledge your decision to stay in the Church.

But as for me and a lot of people out there, I no longer recognize, or want to be a part of, what the Church has become. I, too, used to rationalize the rightwing buffoonery of the heirarchy and some of its followers by the same arguments you use -- the Church has done a lot of good in the world, I know a lot of fine, upstanding, liberal Catholics who don't buy in to the crap, nothing human is perfect.... But I've come to the conclusion that all of that is justification for the unjustifiable, and I cannot stay with an institution that is becoming more insular, intolerant, and reactionary by the day.

Hate and bigotry is still hate and bigotry, dressed up in the mantle of religion or not.

[ZombieHorde]

124. The Catholics in DC are not the reactionaries, they hold the same bigoted stance as the leaders of

their church, especially the Pope.

If the Catholic Church leadership was against interracial marriage, would you still be a member?

[Cleobulus]

134. What is the point of staying? That is the question...

You say that there are good people in the Church and I agree, however, that doesn't mitigate the fact that the Church itself is not a democracy, you have NO influence on how the Church spends the money you contribute to them. Indeed, it is probably not an insignificant fraction of YOUR money that ends up going to causes such as fighting marriage equality, lying about contraception, etc. Are you happy with that?

[piratefish08]

104. If you donate even one dime to this criminal organization, you are part of the problem.

[Meshuga]

53. This is a black eye for them

This is ugly because it proves that their problem with the gay community goes beyond marriage. The use of consistent discrimination and attacking the civil rights of a group of people is more important than feeding the poor. This is ugly.

[TZ]

56. They are behaving like the LDS did in California

as well. I'm sure they are funding that group of people pushing to gay marriage on the ballot so they can get their followers to vote it down.

[Moochy]

54. Liberation Theology is very very dead

Opus Dei Uber Alles!

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

57. I don't see the issue. if they decide to take a stance on something.

The diocese should be free to spend their money and spread their charity as they see fit. While I would not condone that decision, I certainly believe they have the right to make such a decision.

[sorrowspath]

61. The issue is

for an institution claiming they have been founded by Jesus,they would sacrifice the needy for their political agenda. They must have forgotten, their founder hangs out with outcasts,no discrimination.

[Moochy]

63. You dont see the rank hypocrisy?

Perhaps a corporation can be afforded this non critical set of ethical standards.

They also have the right to be called out as hypocritical, uncharitable and political fucks, using the poor as a weapon.

[pipi_k]

70. That's not a decision, it's blackmail. n/t

[NYC Liberal]

71. They can do what they want

However, they will be exposed for what they really are. So let's see them do it then.

[ehrnst]

73. They have contracts with the city. To (ahem) pull out on such short notice

would disrupt services in ways that stretch beyond simply leaving.

Yes, they have a right, in the same way that someone who has offered to donate a kidney has a right to get up off the table just prior to surgery beginning and say they've changed their mind.

[Shallah Kali]

119. They accept Gov. charitable funding which comes with rules. Don't like the rules don't accept the $.

Currently they accept government money to help the poor & this makes up most of their budget in DC. They have the right to do what they want on their own$ and no one is trying to stop them.

It is when it comes to accepting public funds they aggreed to certain conditions which now they are whining about having to abide by.

[supernova]

58. Despicable!

:grr: :grr:

I hope DC tells them not to expect taxpayer funds anymore.

[spanone]

59. robbing peter to punish paul...fuggem

[Mari333]

60. cold hearted assholes. cold. black souls.

[Lars39]

65. Yank their funds and redistribute them asap to another agency.

[theHandpuppet]

66. Susan Gibbs has been on the local DC News a LOT lately

She's been the mouthpiece for the Archdiocese in their battle to derail equality in the District. Each time she appears before a camera she comes up with another batch of rationalizations. Last time I saw her on the tube, about two weeks ago, she was at a D.C. Council meeting leading a group of anti-gay bigots. That time she was arguing, as the representative for the Archdiocese, that marriage is reserved for the purpose of procreation.

[sarge43]

72. Oh really?

Would Ms Gibbs care to name those states which required a certificate of fertility in order to secure a marriage license?

Susan Darlin' the RCC doesn't make the rules for all of us.

[ehrnst]

68. It's all right there in the Gospels:

"For I was hungry, and you closed your doors, because your short-order cook was gay. Come into my Kingdom."

[pipi_k]

69. The Catholic Church needs to die a quiet death

Just fade away....goodbye....

Along with any other religion that thinks it can blackmail society into living by its standards.

[DireStrike]

74. Show your true colors, "church".

Unholy motherfuckers.

Get the hell out of our government. We can contract secular organizations to do what you won't.

[Toasterlad]

76. FUCK FUCK FUCK THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

If you contribute one fucking dime to this bigoted, backwards, blatantly EVIL corporation that preys on the poor, the hopeless and the stupid, you are a bad person.

End of story.

[SacredCow]

80. + 9 gazillion... Fuck them with something hard and sandpapery.

If THIS doesn't prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that the catholic church is FUBAR, then I don't know what will.

[justiceischeap]

78. It's EXTORTION not BLACKMAIL

Illegal use of one's official position or powers to obtain property, funds, or patronage.

I don't know if DC will cave or not. I hope they don't.

[redqueen]

81. Good! Glad they finally decided to show their true colors.

Now people can clearly see their priorities... hate trumps helping.

Is it really worth donating money to the church, if that money won't be going to help the needy?

[Spazito]

83. Despicable, truly despicable but what can one expect from an organization...

that protects pedophiles, hoards it's riches and blackmails it's patrons.

[opihimoimoi]

85. This church has a long history of making wrong calls...fuck it all...shut the needy out into the sno

This will teach us....

[MerryBlooms]

86. Time to cancel their tax exempt status

They're openly lobbying/blackmailing/influencing government policies.
Stick a fork in them and any other 'religious' entity that doesn't understand 'separation of church and state' ... while we're at it, also toss out legislators who don't understand the concept.

[Brigid]

87. I don't know what's going on in DC.

I only know that here in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, and in my deanery, Catholic Charities is still going strong, as it has for decades.

[Toasterlad]

96. Good Thing the Catholic Church You Belong To Is Different Than the Catholic Church In DC!

Imagine if the all the churches were part of one big organization! That would really suck, huh? To think that the money you're contributing to your oh-so-liberal (except for the not allowing women to be priests or to have an abortion if they're raped by their dad or not letting gay people love who they wish to love stuff) local church was somehow helping to fund the hate and bigotry in DC and California and Maine? What a nightmare that would be for a decent, moral person! Whew! You really dodged a bullet, having them be two completely separate entities!

[piratefish08]

102. Your Archdiocese is obviously morally superior to the one in DC. I'm sure they will be vocal

and take a stand against the one in DC?

Right?

Won't they?


It's almost like they were all part of one big club or something.........

[Ocracoker16]

123. Is Indianapolis proposing same sex marriage?

No they aren't, but I am sure that there wouldn't be a peep from Catholics in Indianapolis if the state or city were trying to pass a measure for same sex marriage there. Of course not. The Archdiocese of Indianapolis is set apart from the rest of the Catholic Church which is hateful and bigoted.

Yea right. The money you give to your church goes to fund the Catholic Church and Catholic charities in additiion to your wondeful church and diocese. Thanks for helping to finance their hateful agenda. BTW, how do you look at yourself in the mirror when your mouth tells lies about what you do with your hands.

[Cleobulus]

133. Is that supposed to be a good thing? How much discrimination do they practice? n/t

[PopSixSquish]

94. Exactly Where in the Bible Did Jesus Say Thou Shalt Blackmail Thyne Neighbors?

I don't recall that passage being taught in Sunday School nor do I recall my father the minister (now retired) preaching a sermon on this one...

:shrug:

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

95. Fuck you guys.....I'm going home.....

The Catholic Church is a fucking disgrace. Mind you, these are the same people who have no problem covering for child molesters.

[romantico]

97. Send emails

Contact Chancellor, Jane Belford and let her know what you think: [e-mail]

[Lifelong Protester]

103. These kind of things are what drove me out of the church.

I am still a believer in faith, but am one of the many 'unchurced' as I was raised a Catholic but can't take their hypocrisy and bigotry any more. The grab for the Episcopals based on "come to us, we don't like gays or women in the priesthood' is so sickening to me, and this move in DC is just another example of why I am ashamed of my (former) church.

[GreenPartyVoter]

106. Wow. There's a loving, Christlike attitude if ever I saw one.

[rd_kent]

107. NO MORE TAX FREE STATUS FOR CHURCHES!!!!!

[Skidmore]

111. K&R

[Skidmore]

112. K&R

[arthritisR_US]

110. let them and then rescind their tax exempt status and use those funds for the needy! n/t

[Me.]

117. See Below

[Echo In Light]

115. Recalls the scene in Dogma when the angels descend on the church goers & shred them limb from limb

There's also an old Harlan Ellison story from the book, Deathbird Stories, (Blood Stones?) that this makes me think of.

[Me.]

116. IRS FORM FOR TAX-EXEMPT STATUS COMPLAINT -RE: CATHOLIC CHURCH

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7000240

[arthritisR_US]

120. Wow, this is great! Thank you...I have a ton of emails in need of this :-) n/t

[Hello_Kitty]

118. Okay. Buh bye tax exemption then. eom

[mrmpa]

121. Wuerl needs outed

In the early 1990's the rumor was that Bishop Wuerl of Pittsburgh (now head of DC's diocese) was threatened with being outed if the Pittsburgh Diocese made any threat to stop Pittsburgh's passing of its gay rights ordinance. The Diocese stayed clear of the issue.

Now in 2009 he now threatens DC, didn't he learn his lesson. This is obscene.

[Confusious]

122. "The city is saying in order to provide social services,

you need to be secular. For us, that's really a problem."

No, you just have to be decent, which I guess the catholic church is not.

Besides that, isn't this messing in politics? Take away their exemption.

[madmax]

126. Yep, That's exactly what Jesus would do. n/t

[glinda]

127. That is a great way to cause more to turn away from the Church.

[mikeSchmuckabee]

128. How Christian of them!

It's the fault of the impoverished.

[bridgit]

129. Asshats!

[Liberal_in_LA]

130. Blackmail

[Lasher]

131. Separation of church and state.

This is a good time to reflect on this simple philosophy.

[Kolesar]

132. Gay Catholics commit themselves to the clergy and sisterhood

Herewith, an organization with a powerful self loathing. Gay parishoners flock to the clergy so that they don't have to alienate their parents by never marrying and having children.

Aaaah! I quit the eastern rite church over different issues. The best advice I can offer to Catholics is to find an open minded denomination.