Catholic theologians denounce Paul Ryan's budget

Oops (Jason Reed/Reuters)
 

It seems there are at least some prominent Catholics that aren't willing to put up with the hokum of Paul Ryan claiming that his screw-the-poor budget proposals are based on his "Catholic faith":

“If Rep. Ryan thinks a budget that takes food and healthcare away from millions of vulnerable people upholds Catholic values, then he also probably believes Jesus was a Tea Partier who lectured the poor to stop being so lazy and work harder,” said Gehring. “This budget turns centuries of Catholic social teaching on its head. These Catholic leaders and many Catholics in the pews are tired of faith being misused to bless an immoral agenda.”

Indeed, 59 Catholic leaders and theologians took issue with Ryan’s claims, signing a scathing letter that slammed the Ryan budget plan.

Ryan had previously said that the "social magisterium" of the church governed his own ideas, and proceeded to roundly butcher the whole notion, claiming that being Catholic meant, well, believing that crap Paul Ryan says. This has not been going over well. Here's the statement in full.

No word yet on whether Congress will be calling these Catholic leaders and theologians to hearings about the Ryan plan. I can only presume that since the Republicans are now best buddies with my old church, they'll get right on that. Or, and I suppose this is more likely, we're about to hear why Paul Ryan knows more about Catholic teachings than the people who actually teach them.

If you would like to fax Mr. Ryan a copy of the letter from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops denouncing his budget, which makes for a fine little read itself, you can do so here.