This was in today's
Washington Post:
Still reeling from the attacks on Sen. John F. Kerry's brand of Roman Catholicism during the 2004 presidential race, 55 House Democrats issued a joint statement yesterday on the central role that the Catholic faith plays in their public lives.
The signers said they were fed up with being labeled "good Catholics" or "bad Catholics" based on one issue -- abortion. They said their religion infuses their positions on many issues: poverty, war, health care and education.
<snip>
Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro (D-Conn.) said the Catholic Democrats "have decided to stop letting others define us." But Tom McClusky, a Catholic who is acting vice president for government affairs at the Family Research Council, predicted they would fail.
"What is at the core of being Catholic is the life issue, and that's something the pope has never strayed from," he said. "While other issues are important -- such as helping the poor, the death penalty, views on war -- these are things that aren't tenets of the Catholic Church."
Excuse me? What church are you talking about????
I am not a Catholic. But I feel qualified to speak on this statement because in the end, there are only 95 things the leader of my church had a real problem with the Catholic church on, and helping the poor was one of the things they happened to agree on. Because it actually IS a core tenet of Christianity, Mr. McClusky. In fact, here is my favorite and oft-repeated Bible passage:
34 Then the king will say to those at his right hand, 'Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35 for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.' 37 Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? 38 And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? 39 And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?' 40 And the king will answer them, 'Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.' 41 Then he will say to those at his left hand, 'You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; 42 for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' 44 Then they also will answer, 'Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?' 45 Then he will answer them, 'Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.'
Respectfully, sir, regardless of your view on abortion, to say that alleviating poverty is not important or not AS important is dangerously non-Christian. You see, no life is any more important than the next. As Christians we are obligated to protect all life, and help all souls to heaven. And while the Bible is ambiguous at best about abortion, it is unquestionably clear about poverty, and I'm sorry, but I'm not letting you off the hook until you explain to me how you can overlook the above passage. Or, more importantly, how it is acceptable to ignore the children starving from poverty, dying from lack of health care, and perishing in war in order to protect the children you see as threatened by abortion.
The Pope has NOT been unambiguous about war. Have you forgotten?
The most consistent and frequent promoter of peace and human rights for the last two decades has been Pope John Paul II.
From Iraqi War I to Iraqi War II, he has echoed the voice of Paul VI, crying out before the United Nations in 1965: War No More, War Never Again!
John Paul II stated before the 2003 war that this war would be a defeat for humanity which could not be morally or legally justified.
<snip>
John Paul II sent his personal representative, Cardinal Pio Laghi, a friend of the Bush family, to remonstrate with the U.S. President before the war began. Pio Laghi said such a war would be illegal and unjust. The message was clear: God is not on your side if you invade Iraq.
Ahh, but your point is not that these things aren't important, just that they take a backseat to what you call "life" issues. Well, you should know better than I that a culture of life is way more than simply zygotes and fetus issues. It's about promoting life at all costs, and that God is the only one who can take life. You cannot talk life without talking death penalty. You cannot talk life without talking about poverty. You cannot talk life without talking war, and the alleviation of suffering. It is cruel to allow people in this world and then care nothing for their suffering.
That is a very nice building you have there. Apparently it includes a three story slide for children. I must say, my inner-child is impressed. However, my inner Christian thinks that money would've been better served helping Katrina victims, and that you don't save a single life with a three story slide.
So, I suppose my main question for you is: why are you promoting Catholics to ignore large parts of their faith in exchange for focus on a niche issue? Why are you misrepresenting the fullness of life? And why are you holding it against your fellow Catholics for advocating for Catholic beliefs? Why, for that matter, did you not interfere during the primary in 2004 between pro-life Pat Toomey and pro-choice Arlen Specter???
I am glad Democratic Catholics are stepping out to be heard on this issue. It is time they were heard. It is time that people start to recognize that deteriorating life conditions are not separate entities from decisions made during pregnancy. And it was time we started thinking about the parts of the Bible with long passages devoted to them in multiple chapters.
Jesus went to the tax collecters, he went to the whores. He went to the meek, and the lepers, and the wretched, and he cared for them. And that is not a side-issue. That is what our religion is all about, regardless of your marketing phrases.
Cross Posted to VirginiaBelle.Net