New pope intervened against Kerry in US 2004 election campaign

[fourier jr]

I'm kind of surprised nobody has posted this yet...

New pope intervened against Kerry in US 2004 election campaign

Tue Apr 19, 6:20 PM ET

WASHINGTON (AFP) - German Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the Vatican theologian who was elected Pope Benedict XVI, intervened in the 2004 US election campaign ordering bishops to deny communion to abortion rights supporters including presidential candidate John Kerry.

In a June 2004 letter to US bishops enunciating principles of worthiness for communion recipients, Ratzinger specified that strong and open supporters of abortion should be denied the Catholic sacrament, for being guilty of a "grave sin."

He specifically mentioned "the case of a Catholic politician consistently campaigning and voting for permissive abortion and euthanasia laws," a reference widely understood to mean Democratic candidate Kerry, a Catholic who has defended abortion rights.

The letter said a priest confronted with such a person seeking communion "must refuse to distribute it."

A footnote to the letter also condemned any Catholic who votes specifically for a candidate because the candidate holds a pro-abortion position. Such a voter "would be guilty of formal cooperation in evil, and so unworthy to present himself for holy communion," the letter read.

The letter, which was revealed in the Italian magazine L'Espresso last year, was reportedly only sent to US Catholic bishops, who discussed it in their convocation in Denver, Colorado, in mid-June.

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http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1521&e=3&u=/afp/20050419/pl_afp/vaticanpopeus

 

[Pengwuino]

Im not very surprised. This forum doesn't seem to waste much of its time on politics. what REALLY surprises me is how it hasnt been posted on my warzone of a home-forum.

 

[SOS2008]

Maybe because the mixing of religion in politics was discussed extensively in the thread on separation of church and state. Also, we've discussed the Vatican's position regarding birth control, and how this has not only contributed to problems of over-population (particularly in third-world countries that are already stressed) but also the spread of STDs, most notably AIDS.

 

[Pengwuino]

Population would have spread anyways. In many nations (especially tribal societal groups), the # of children you have is a 'manhood' thing and such. When people actually bring this up, i like to remember the fact that overpopulation only became a problem in our eyes when a solution appeared to exist for a case of the problem.

And i find it funny that you speak as if there were only one "church and state" discussion. My old forum would have 1 all our brawl ... once every other week on the church and state topic. I love this place :D

 

[Dayle Record]

The thing to remember about any pope, is that the pope is the head of a totalitarian government, and therefore should have no standing in American politics, or the politics of any Democracy, or Republic. It is also my opinion that the princes of The Vatican, should be registered as foreign agents, and carefully watched. Their ability to speak within this nation, and set any kind of policy should be controlled by the government, just as any foreign minister, or foreign press agent would be. We should remember as Americans, that The Vatican is a foreign nation, with its own interests, that often run counter to the interests of many Americans.

 

[Pengwuino]

But what you also must remember is that the Vatican no longer has a military associated with it and does not have economic 'interests' as every other nation does so though they are foreign agents, they do not mean us economic harm or threaten any invasion.

 

[cronxeh]

they should give the new pope a lie detector test and after all the REAL questions, ask him if he belives in god

 

[Dayle Record]

The vatican owns a boatload of businesses. They have huge economic interests, even more reason, to put their feet in the fire. Google Altrius. Miller beer, tobacco companies, food companies, the Vatican has its fingers in many pies, and the Vatican has plenty of muscle. They have to own at least one good sized security contracting outfit.

 

[SOS2008]

The thing to remember about any pope, is that the pope is the head of a totalitarian government, and therefore should have no standing in American politics, or the politics of any Democracy, or Republic. It is also my opinion that the princes of The Vatican, should be registered as foreign agents, and carefully watched. Their ability to speak within this nation, and set any kind of policy should be controlled by the government, just as any foreign minister, or foreign press agent would be. We should remember as Americans, that The Vatican is a foreign nation, with its own interests, that often run counter to the interests of many Americans.

Or counter to interests of the entire the world.

But what you also must remember is that the Vatican no longer has a military associated with it and does not have economic 'interests' as every other nation does so though they are foreign agents, they do not mean us economic harm or threaten any invasion.

You don't need a military etc. to screw with societies/culture--in fact the emotional passion of religion is the strongest Kool-Aid people can drink.

 

[Dayle Record]

Here is a quote from an article regarding Vatican Owned Businesses.

A government report showed that the Dutch Catholic financial octopus, Robeco, owned by the Vatican, is one of the largest owners of Commonwealth Edison. A federal law forbids a foreign power [like the Vatican] to own nuclear facilities in the U.S. A Chicago researcher who complained about this had her electric shut off arbitrarily.

 

[cronxeh]

we are all just slaves of the new world order

 

[stoned]

The thing to remember about any pope, is that the pope is the head of a totalitarian government, and therefore should have no standing in American politics, or the politics of any Democracy, or Republic. It is also my opinion that the princes of The Vatican, should be registered as foreign agents, and carefully watched. Their ability to speak within this nation, and set any kind of policy should be controlled by the government, just as any foreign minister, or foreign press agent would be. We should remember as Americans, that The Vatican is a foreign nation, with its own interests, that often run counter to the interests of many Americans.

Hey ! with your Patriot Act you getting closer to your dream namely FASCIZM.
By the way, I would not worry about C.Church as much as I worry about group of people with duall citizenship so called "fifth column", infiltrating top levels of government and stealing military secrets.