Boycott the Roman Catholic Church (Scranton: closing, tax, restaurant)
Northeastern PennsylvaniaScranton, Wilkes-Barre, Pocono area
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Okay, Scran, you have forced me to unleash yet another top secret from the catholic church. But only for you will I do this:
TOP SECRET #2: The people who attend the catholic church do not always do what the priest tells them to do!
OMG, I hang my head in shame over that one.
Well that's good news to hear. Unfortunately the largest voting population in our nation right now are senior citizens. The most devout amongst us tend to be senior citizens. The most trusting and easily impressionable amongst us tend to be senior citizens. When all three of these are combined and are inflamed by an inciteful (not "insightful") letter from Bishop Martino warning them as they sit in their pews to vote for Sen. McCain in order to remain in good standing, obviously the majority of them will heed the bishop's directives, if for nothing else, that they realize they are nearing the end of their mortality and do not wish to defy their religious leader.
Bishop Martino ought to be hanging his head in shame. You can espouse conservative pro-life values (as I have) WITHOUT mandating them. I don't understand why the IRS is permitting the Diocese of Scranton to get away with this. As if Scranton hasn't been in the national spotlight enough recently from last night's mega-mention on SNL, "The Office," being one of the nation's "Fastest-Dying Cities," etc., we're going to be hearing more of Scranton on CNN if I get my way and have the Diocese of Scranton's tax-exempt status investigated.
I'm going to begin researching the legal possibility of filing a law suit to have the tax-exempt status of the Roman Catholic church revoked. If you're going to potentially alter the course of a nation's presidential election, then you should forfeit that "privilege" that was bestowed upon you for being able to operate tax-free.
You just cannot help but to put people down based on education levels can you. Who are you to determine whether or not elderly people are poorly-educated? How do you know if they have a degree or not? Are you saying that elderly people that attend church are stupid?
This is the typical Paul response to an issue or person that doesn't fall into what YOU think is the right train of thought. What are you the thought police or ideal mafia?
Adults will vote the way they choose to do so, it might not be your way but who the hell says your way is the right way?
You need to come down off your high and mighty little platform of moral this and moral that. NOT everyone buys into your liberal outlook and not everyone buys into their conservative outlook.
Go waste more of your time trying to sue the church for having a view point and a moral compass that is different then yours.
I mean really Paul do you think that your that special that everyone needs to fall in behind your liberal flag and go forth fighting for what YOU deem is right and moral?
Your a 21 year old kid that constantly shoves his morals and his beliefs down the throats of the posters on this board, maybe we should sue you? What makes you think that we want to have to constantly hear about your morals? Your lovers? Your liberal view points? Any poster that doesn't agree with the direction of YOUR liberal moral compass comes under fire with 6 posts that are 10 pages long in defense of your nonsense.
You need to stop telling people what is or isn't morally correct.
I don't want to hear about me and the city....Thats politics.....I don't talk about religion and never talk about moral issues such as abortion and or the current candidates. I talk about about the state of the city and who and why it is the way it is.
EVERYONE HAS THEIR OWN MORAL BELIEFS AND I HAVE NO RIGHT NOR DO YOU TO TELL PEOPLE WHAT IS MORALLY RIGHT AND WRONG.
Paul, I know how you feel, but if anyone is familiar with the history of this church, mixing their beliefs with politics is not new! This is a highly political church in the sense of controlling a country- to the individual.
I'll digress. A long time ago, I was dating a nice catholic girl from a small town where her Mother and Father were prominent businesspeople. And her Father was in politics. We planned to marry and as soon as word got out, her parents started plans with their church. I was a divorcee and was told to see the priest for an annulment. I was not familiar with these proceedings. I was told to see the priest and I went.
The priest began talking about things foreign to me, so I paid attention to every detail and became exhausted after fifteen or twenty minutes, with no apparent "point" in sight. Finally he asked me to talk about myself. As soon as I mentioned my daughter from my previous marriage, he told me that she was illegitimate. I asked why. He said that I was not married properly. That all churches are "pseudo-churches" except for the catholic church which is the only true church!
I quickly replied that I shouldn't be here, because if I was not really married, there was nothing to annul. He stuttered and said that this was very important and that it would make me feel better! I laughed and said, NO, this is making you feel good. I added, "You have no idea who I am and what I experienced."
Paul, do a little research. For me, anything that I hear from that institution is taken with a grain of salt. Once upon a time the catholic church killed people who mentioned things, like the earth is not the center of the universe! Of course as society evolves the church has to follow to a degree and let go of some of those old ways. Not all people today follow as blindly as they may have in the past. Today the church has become more sophisticated and spends a lot of time browbeating people into submission. (I have lots of catholic friends and they've shared their stories!)
I was in Boston during the cardinal law(less) fiasco with all the sexual abuse. It was a horrible time. People who were sexually abused for decades testified and the church was stone-faced. In stead of law being incarcerated he has a nice cushy job in the old country.
If you want a good hearty laugh on this subject, I highly recommend watching Monty Python's "The Meaning of Life!"
I, for one, am not going to "Boycott the Roman Catholic Church" (thread title) based on the actions of a bishop, even if I disagree with him, or on statements or generalizations about ie the Church or voters (some of whom are senior citizens) which are presented as fact but based on personal opinion.
Every adult, whatever age or education level, will vote however they think is right, based on whatever they, themselves, choose to base it on.
I, for one, am not going to "Boycott the Roman Catholic Church" (thread title) based on the actions of a bishop, even if I disagree with him, or on statements or generalizations about ie the Church or voters (some of whom are senior citizens) which are presented as fact but based on personal opinion.
Every adult, whatever age or education level, will vote however they think is right, based on whatever they, themselves, choose to base it on.
Great post. No one should be told to boycott any church for that matter. Everyone has their own mind and should figure things out for themselves. One bishop does not make the whole church. This shouldn't even be an issue. Liberals like to force their views down other people's throats all of the time.
Well, your headline sure was effective at getting attention, Scran.
Boycott aside, I agree with you on the tax-free status. I'm no legal scholar, doggonit, but if churches are telling their congregations to vote a specific way on one issue, that crosses the line as I understand it or for what makes sense to me. I hope someone does take up this case, esp. if it's as widespread as it sounds.
Liberals like to force their views down other people's throats all of the time.
This statement is as generalizing as lumping all Catholics into the same category of being like this bishop!!
I consider myself a "liberal", yet I do NOT force ANY of my beliefs down ANYONE'S throat!! We all have a soul & a brain & should use them both towards bringing people & issues together towards common ground as opposed to using them towards the usual dividing of people & issues!!
We all have a soul & a brain & should use them both towards bringing people & issues together towards common ground as opposed to using them towards the usual dividing of people & issues!!
In a perfect world huh??.....
We can always aim for that perfect world... at least try to get ours a little more like it.
You just cannot help but to put people down based on education levels can you. Who are you to determine whether or not elderly people are poorly-educated? How do you know if they have a degree or not? Are you saying that elderly people that attend church are stupid?
This is the typical Paul response to an issue or person that doesn't fall into what YOU think is the right train of thought. What are you the thought police or ideal mafia?
Adults will vote the way they choose to do so, it might not be your way but who the hell says your way is the right way?
You need to come down off your high and mighty little platform of moral this and moral that. NOT everyone buys into your liberal outlook and not everyone buys into their conservative outlook.
Go waste more of your time trying to sue the church for having a view point and a moral compass that is different then yours.
I mean really Paul do you think that your that special that everyone needs to fall in behind your liberal flag and go forth fighting for what YOU deem is right and moral?
Your a 21 year old kid that constantly shoves his morals and his beliefs down the throats of the posters on this board, maybe we should sue you? What makes you think that we want to have to constantly hear about your morals? Your lovers? Your liberal view points? Any poster that doesn't agree with the direction of YOUR liberal moral compass comes under fire with 6 posts that are 10 pages long in defense of your nonsense.
You need to stop telling people what is or isn't morally correct.
I don't want to hear about me and the city....Thats politics.....I don't talk about religion and never talk about moral issues such as abortion and or the current candidates. I talk about about the state of the city and who and why it is the way it is.
EVERYONE HAS THEIR OWN MORAL BELIEFS AND I HAVE NO RIGHT NOR DO YOU TO TELL PEOPLE WHAT IS MORALLY RIGHT AND WRONG.
Wow somebody wasn't happy when they wrote this.....
Let me give you a different point of view
This morning my hubby took my 7 year old to church, The priest decided to read a copy of that letter sent by Bishop Martino and then to add several more of his opinions about abortion, the death of a baby, and the burning to hell part. MY hubby a person who perfers to not have an opinion. Got upset and decided to leave in the middle of mass with my daughter in tow. He did not feel that a child of that age should be hearing those kinda things. MY little girls first question when they reached the car was Daddy what is abortion and will i burn in hell? Do you think that i as a parent i should have to answer these question. so early in my daughter life ?
One more added worry as a parent weither i can take my child to church or not. Maybe next week they can teach her how gays are bad, another great conversation to have to explain my 7 year old.
Listen maybe the title "boycott the roman catholic church" was little harsh but something has to be done about this. You can't add your political views in church, trying to chance people minds. I have a copy of the letter in my hands. This was definitly a political letter and that is wrong.
This statement is as generalizing as lumping all Catholics into the same category of being like this bishop!!
I consider myself a "liberal", yet I do NOT force ANY of my beliefs down ANYONE'S throat!! We all have a soul & a brain & should use them both towards bringing people & issues together towards common ground as opposed to using them towards the usual dividing of people & issues!!
In a perfect world huh??.....
Not saying ALL liberals, but most that I have seen. Just like ALL Catholics aren't like the bishop and do have minds of their own. See it works both ways. I don't think it's right to be told who to vote for and I don't think it's right to boycott a whole religion for the actions of one.
It's most certainly NOT a perfect world and it never will be, but we can all dream.
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Unfortunately the largest voting population in our nation right now are senior citizens. The most devout amongst us tend to be senior citizens. The most trusting and easily impressionable amongst us tend to be senior citizens. When all three of these are combined and are inflamed by an inciteful (not "insightful") letter from Bishop Martino warning them as they sit in their pews to vote for Sen. McCain in order to remain in good standing, obviously the majority of them will heed the bishop's directives, if for nothing else, that they realize they are nearing the end of their mortality and do not wish to defy their religious leader. 
As if Scranton hasn't been in the national spotlight enough recently from last night's mega-mention on SNL, "The Office," being one of the nation's "Fastest-Dying Cities," etc., we're going to be hearing more of Scranton on CNN if I get my way and have the Diocese of Scranton's tax-exempt status investigated.
Relax Paul...
