I'm a proud sinner!

This is why I don’t go to church any more:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081113/ap_on_re_us/obama_catholics

The AP is reporting on this Catholic priest has stated that Catholics who voted for President-Elect Obama should not receive communion until they pay an appropriate penance for their sin.

I’m not making this up! In the man’s own words:

The Rev. Jay Scott Newman said in a letter distributed Sunday to parishioners at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Greenville [South Carolina] that they are putting their souls at risk if they take Holy Communion before doing penance for their vote.
"Our nation has chosen for its chief executive the most radical pro-abortion politician ever to serve in the United States Senate or to run for president," Newman wrote, referring to Obama by his full name, including his middle name of Hussein.


"Voting for a pro-abortion politician when a plausible pro-life alternative exists constitutes material cooperation with intrinsic evil, and those Catholics who do so place themselves outside of the full communion of Christ's Church and under the judgment of divine law. Persons in this condition should not receive Holy Communion until and unless they are reconciled to God in the Sacrament of Penance, lest they eat and drink their own condemnation."

Guys like this make me sick! The right of the free and secret ballot is the very cornerstone of the United States of America. People complain about judges who “legislate from the bench” but I find “legislating from the pulpit” to be much worse. There is never any reason to feel shame about the way you vote. God gave man free will and I don’t believe that He would then create a church with the intention of removing that free will. America holds sacred the separation of church and state. Priests like Father Newman are violating the highest law in the land, the highest law we all agree on at any rate.


As for the abortion issue: GOD NEVER SAID A DAMN THING ABOUT IT! That’s even assuming you take the Bible word-for-word literally, which I don’t. I challenge anyone to find me a Bible quote (please cite chapter and verse in the comment section of this post) that mentions abortion one way or the other.


On the other hand, I can understand those who believe their place in heaven is assured wanting McCain to win the election. A McCain administration would doubtlessly directly bring about the End of Days within four years and they get to go to heaven early. Fine, that’s cool for you. But the rest of us LIKE this world and want to SAVE it. Those of you who don't, just go drink some Kool-Aid and leave the rest of us in peace.


The late Pope John Paul II stated that the abortion issue is a matter of personal faith as there is no scripture to support either side of the argument. In other words, the right to live vs. right to choose debate is NONE OF THE CHURCHES BUSINESS!! Memo to Father Newman: The Pope out ranks you . . . a lot. I’d have thought they would mention that at the seminary at some point.


So, short version, I’m not quite at the point of joining the Bill Mayer brand of atheism, but this just goes to prove that the difference between God and Religion can be as wide as the Grand Canyon.