Oct. 12, 2004 - 20:31 MDT

THE WONDERING JEW

2004 Crusades

Looks like the church and State are trying to live in each other's pockets. An article in today's Rocky Mountain News by David D. Kirkpatrick and Laurie Goodstein of The New York Times talks about one side of it. In part:

Election is clear to Chaput

Vote for candidate such as Kerry a sin

"For Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, the highest-ranking Roman Catholic prelate in Colorado, there is only one way for faithful Catholics to vote in this presidential election - for President Bush and against Sen. John Kerry."

" - - - -He did not explicitly endorse Bush but pointed out the potential impact Bush's re-election could have on Roe v. Wade. "Supreme Court cases can be overturned, right ?" he asked."

"Chaput is part of an alliance of bishops intent on throwing the weight of the Roman Catholic Church behind the election."

"Traditional church concerns about the death penalty or war are typically not mentioned."

"To Chaput, the issue on Nov. 2 is clear - to vote for a candidate such as Kerry who supports abortion rights or embryonic stem-cell research would be a sin that must be confessed before receiving Communion."

"If you vote this way,"Chaput," said in an interview in his residence here, "are you cooperating in evil ? And if you know you are cooperating in evil, should you go to confession ? The answer is yes."

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Guess I am once again a wild eyed, mouth open idealist. I am all for getting the vote out and helping folks to register and giving transport to the polls. But in my case, I just want to help folks to vote -- who they vote for is their business and none of mine. But I feel everyone should go vote.

So, Chaput said, "Supreme Court cases can be overturned, right ?" And he probably thinks a Bush adminstration will see to it that the Supreme Court will be packed to expedite that little matter ?" What would he think, I wonder, if there was a law passed that forbid the Catholic church to be in our country ?" He would be campaiging to have that little thing overturned.

The apparent moral of this story is, "Get the folks to vote, but only those who support our views. After all, this is a free country." So blow the horns, let the archbishops en masse lead the 2004 Crusades . . . . . . . . . .

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