Now the Republicans can only be expected to keep exploiting the mantle of faith as long as it appears a potent strategy. But it's time for the media to wisen up and broaden its sense of what construes Catholic politics. It's time for the Church to levy the kind of pressure it has on behalf of what it calls "unborn children" towards fighting the poverty faced by children born in this country every day. And it's time for the Democrats, religious or not, to stop shrinking from hypocritical attacks from Republicans.

Good find, Nathan.

The church can be sure to follow the only strategy that makes sense to it: Show me the money. Why does the catholic church go out of its way to pressure its members not to vote for a pro-choice democrat (Kerry) but remains quiet on pro-choice republicans (schwarznegger)? Money. The republicans under Bush will throw tens of millions to religious institutions to cure the ills of society. Don't expect the church elders to change their definition of a 'good catholic' anytime soon.

Too bad we don't have a similar kind of score-card for RC Representatives. There are some really good ones like Jim Oberstar -- pro-worker, pro-development, AND pro-life.

The pope has made it very clear that war is
the greater sin here. I personally would
deny communion to GW for encouraging my fellow
Christians to embrace the evils of vengeance and
retribution, which Jesus preached against.
And considering his role in the cold war, I would
hope GW would pay more attention to the pope,
who has seen an evil empire fall under peaceful
means before. Too bad peaceful means don't
involve fat checks for Halliburton/KBR.
As for abortion, I believe of course that it is
a sin to even have sex for purposes other than
reproduction anyway, so naturally the abortion
that follows is a sin as well. However, it's a
womans' sin; the choice should be hers, as well
as the guilt.

Joe D's commentary on the Church's selective pressure tactics with regard to abortion missed the mark. The reason the Church criticized Kerry was because he is a practicing Catholic. Further, any responsible "elder" preaches not against the party or even the individual, but the sin itself. Granted, not all of our Catholic priests are as reponsible or, as some have rightly noted, as consistent!

Joe D's commentary on the Church's selective pressure tactics with regard to abortion missed the mark. The reason the Church criticized Kerry was because he is a practicing Catholic. Further, any responsible "elder" preaches not against the party or even the individual, but the sin itself. Granted, not all of our Catholic priests are as reponsible or, as some have rightly noted, as consistent!