NEW YORK — The attack on Chick-fil-A — in retaliation for the company’s president expressing support for traditional marriage — has outraged and alarmed the president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights.
Bill Donohue said the controversy surrounding a small fast-food chain could mark “a very important moment” for the ability of Christians to publicly defend their moral convictions.
“We have the chief executives of two American cities who want to punish the president of a private company simply because he supports traditional marriage,” Donohue told the Register. “This is beyond belief.”
Boston Mayor Thomas Menino vowed to block Chick-fil-A from opening a store in Boston after the restaurant chain’s top executive, Dan Cathy, spoke in the Baptist Press about his support for marriage.
Cathy said, in part: “We are very much supportive of the family — the biblical definition of the family unit. We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives. We give God thanks for that.”
Cathy has contributed to organizations that oppose same-sex “marriage,” and, in a recent radio interview, he explained that our generation “has such a prideful, arrogant attitude to think that we have the audacity to define what marriage is about.” His company has not been accused of discriminating against homosexuals, and Chick-fil-A officials say any form of customer discrimination violates company policies.
While mired in the controversy on July 27, Chick-fil-A’s longtime vice president for public relations died of a heart attack.
“Chick-fil-A doesn’t belong in Boston,” Menino said, as quoted in a Boston Herald article on July 20. “You can’t have a business in the city of Boston that discriminates against a population. We’re an open city; we’re a city that’s at the forefront of inclusion.”
In a letter to Cathy, Menino said, “I urge you to back out of your plans to locate in Boston.”
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel piled on next, telling Cathy, “If you’re going to be part of the Chicago community, you should reflect Chicago values.”
Emanuel helped elect President Barack Obama, and he served as his first White House chief of staff. During his 2008 campaign, Obama’s words against same-sex “marriage” were similar to Cathy’s.
“I believe that marriage is the union between a man and a woman. Now, for me as a Christian, it is also a sacred union. God’s in the mix,” Obama said in August 2008.
He recently changed his position and expressed support for same-sex “marriage,” but there was little concern expressed by homosexual activists when he opposed it.
“There was no outcry because the people who support ‘gay marriage’ all assumed he was lying in order to get elected,” said Denver University law professor David Kopel, a devout Catholic and nationally recognized constitutional scholar who teaches about the First Amendment. “He had supported ‘gay marriage’ before.”
Emanuel’s comments came after Chicago Alderman Joe Moreno suggested blocking Chick-fil-A’s plans to open a store in the city’s Logan Square neighborhood.
“If the alderman does something to block the restaurant, it is a clear violation of the Civil Rights Code, specifically Volume 42, Section 1983,” Kopel said.
The law Kopel cites establishes personal liability on the part of anyone in government who deprives any other person the rights and privileges protected by the Constitution. If a city official punishes Cathy for sharing his views about traditional marriage, Kopel explained, he interferes with the businessman’s constitutional right to free speech and free exercise of religion.
“The mayors have as much First Amendment right as anyone else to speak critically of Chick-fil-A,” said Denver lawyer David Lane, who is nationally recognized for his work on high-profile First Amendment cases. “They do not have the right to punish the business with their authority. They cannot, for example, deny a permit on a basis of the company’s philosophy.”
Donohue said he is unsettled by the attack on Chick-fil-A because he sees it as an unprecedented level of bigotry coming from radical elements of the pro-homosexual lobby.
“In the history of the world, every major religion has always regarded marriage as an institution involving a man and a woman. By contrast, same-sex ‘marriage’ is one of the most bizarre ideas ever entertained by man,” Donohue said. “In 32 of 32 states that have tried to get voters to legalize same-sex ‘marriage,’ including California, voters have said No.
It would seem that Mayors Menino and Emanuel are effectively saying that most Americans are bigots simply because they don’t support same-sex ‘marriage.’”
Donohue said he would never consider asking a mayor to retaliate against a business owner, even if the person publicly advocated abortion.
“This is the politics of intimidation, and I cannot justify it for any cause, even if the cause is on my side,” Donohue said. “This is the result of a radical and tyrannical segment of the gay community that is out of control and off the rails. We don’t believe in gay-bashing or doing anything that would make life difficult for gays. But we are seeing gay extremists on the ascendancy telling us what we can and cannot believe. We have gone from ‘gays want tolerance,’ to ‘gays want affirmation,’ to some gays telling us, ‘We have to accept their entire agenda or pay a price.’”
Kopel, who operates the website MaryLinks.org, concurs with Donohue’s assessment of radical militants taking over what used to be a more innocuous effort toward acceptance and elimination of discrimination.
“There is one portion of the gay-rights movement that is all about more rights for all individuals,” Kopel said. “There is another portion of the movement that is fascistic. They believe there is only one opinion that is acceptable, which is full advocacy of the gay lifestyle, and anyone with a different opinion must be destroyed.”
Though Donohue thinks the attack on Cathy bodes poorly for free religious expression, he sees signs of hope in the conflict. He was pleased that New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, an outspoken supporter of same-sex “marriage,” defended Chick-fil-A July 27 and said he would not advocate a ban of the business.
“It’s inappropriate for a city government or a state government or the federal government to look at somebody’s political views and decide whether or not they can live in the city or operate a business in the city or work for somebody in the city,” Bloomberg said on his Friday morning radio show.
The controversy has temporarily unified evangelical Christians and the often religion-hostile American Civil Liberties Union. The organization, which supports same-sex “marriage,” came out against Emanuel and Menino for their attacks on the chain.
“The government can regulate discrimination in employment or against customers, but what the government cannot do is to punish someone for their words,” said Adam Schwartz, senior attorney for the ACLU of Illinois, as quoted by Fox News.
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, a former Republican candidate for president, has characterized criticism of Chick-fil-A as “vicious hate speech and intolerant bigotry.” He has called for “Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day” on Aug. 1 and wants Americans to step up their patronage of the business.
Former Republican candidate for president Rick Santorum has been supporting Huckabee’s efforts. The controversy, he said on a Facebook post, “highlights another issue. Do you think that elected officials/government should be allowed to ban or block a business if they have disagreement on a social or ideological issue?”
“This is a very important moment in history for free speech and religious liberty,” Donohue said. “I think they may have gone so far with this one that even a lot of prominent people on the left, such as the New York mayor, are starting to say, ‘Enough.’”
Register correspondent Wayne Laugesen writes from Colorado Springs.
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Is anyone else worried that if they are allowed to keep Chik-fil-A out of their cities just because of Mr. Cathy’s opinion, that they’ll then be able to push Catholic and other conservative Christian churches (and Mosques, and Orthodox synagogues)out as well, because we’ll NEVER allow same sex “weddings” in our churches?
Good for Gov. Huckaby.That’s my lunch destination of choice this coming Wednesday.
My family and I went way out of our way to find a Chick-fil-A restaurant to patronize this weekend. The place was packed with a very diverse crowd and the food was delicious. I only wish I could get there on Wednesday but I will be praying that many people do get to a Chick-fil-A restaurant on Wednesday August 1 and support the right to free speech and religious liberty.
I think it time to withdraw support for the federal government and any government that endorses support or non-support for a business based upon that business’ beliefs. In fact, if the Catholic Church continues to support democratic party candidates I will withdraw my support for the Church…one can be a good Christian without being Catholic, at lease that is what Vatican II states.
“Is anyone else worried that if they are allowed to keep Chik-fil-A out of their cities just because of Mr. Cathy’s opinion…” Well, not worried because we know who wins in the end. :) Of course the number of souls these guys can lead to destruction before that victory should worry us, and we should pray for wisdom to read the times. Usaully secular moonbattery plays Good Cop and tells us that heterosexual marriage won’t be affected in any way. But they also easliy switch to Bad Cop like the mayor here—just short of saying you can’t own a business unless you swear fealty to the homosexualist agenda. But don’t forget there is also Deliberately Obtuse Cop—those who say, “What homosexualist agenda?”
Two mayors from the cities of Boston and Chicago say Chick-fil-A doesn’t belong there. I would hope that Chick-fil-A stays away from Sodom and from Gomorra.Who wants to be in a city that is “So Open” that anything goes?
Carl, that last statement was quite the sweeping statement. I’d be interested if you read all the documents or read a someone’s opinion of a summary. Vatican II did emphasize what unified all Christians. This was good. Very obviously, there are thousands (millions?) of good Christians who are not Catholic. However, the Church was not saying there is no difference, they’re both good so do whatever you want. Truth is at the heart of this. The Catholic church is the one, true Church. Vatican II does reiterate that. ;)
I do urge you to look in to the teaching of the church more. Your comment shows you may have an incorrect understanding of the Church. THe church cannot support any candidate or it would loose its tax exempt status. It is illegal for the church to tell anyone who to vote for, and I don’t see it ever telling anyone who to, anyway.
Gay rights has nothing, whatsoever, to do with religious freedom and has everything to do with human rights. No one is being forced into a same-sex marriage, they are being forced OUT of one by people who want to subjugate everyone to their own religious views. We have become a population of religious-lettermen who know nothing about being spiritual. If hating on people because they are a bit different is relgious freedom, then leave me out!
interesting….for the Catholic Church to silence its tongue on who to vote for because of losing its tax exempt status is the problem…the failure of the Church to throw out these heretics in the Church who vote for ANY democrat, is an outrage to the tens of millions of children murdered in the wombs of their mothers, and against the Purity and Holiness of The Holy Family…as judas betrayed Christ for his pieces of silver, so goes todays Roman Catholic Church which stays silent on who one should vote for because of the money tax exempt issue. Stop taking your tax exempt status Church of Christ and tell your people to vote for the party of life and the party of marriage of one man and one woman
Thank GOD for Chick-Fil-A!!! For standing there ground on sound biblical teachings, and not for conforming to this world we live in that has gottn so far away from what God wants for us, AMEN.. Its time we (christians) stand up for what is morally right, and what the bible stands for, enough is enough. Our prayers go out to everyone, GOD BLESS Mike, in Connecticut. Now if we could get our first Chick-Fil-A in my state that would be a BLESSING, hint, hint ha…
I agree with Mr. Donohue. The radical homosexuals not only want us to accept their lifestyle but to embrace it. I applaud Mr. Cathy for not being afraid to express his views. I plan to eat lunch and dinner at Chick FilA tomorrow. We have 2 in our town and the lines are always long.
Is it not ironic that those who proclaim or extol the virtue of ‘tolerance’ are so intolerant of those who disagree with them. Mayors Menino and Emmanuel need our prayers. They are badly misguided! I applaud Mr. Cathy for not backing down to political and cultural powers. Let us keep him in our prayers as more attacks are sure to come!
So… does this mean that Sodom and Gomorrah is really Boston and Chicago? After all they are saying that Dave Cathy is not reflecting “their” values. Their values are accept our way or hit the highway. While religiously we can support Traditional Sacramental Marriage, civilly we do have to accept the legalities of it all whether the votes are cast for it or against it. We should not discriminate and we have not been discriminating in the secular world. But, now, the roles are reversed and they encourage religious discrimination and bullying. Honestly, if Christianity were a militant religion in this day and age, they would not say anything. They know that “we are Christians by our love” and normally let things slide off our backs like water on ducks. We must stand united for our 1st Amendment rights and we must adhere to the motto “In God We Trust”!
Because the Catholic Church values Her tax exempt status and chooses to remain silent on who to vote for, does not mean that She has sold out for 30 pieces of silver. Through Her teaching, faithful and obedient Catholics know who they can and can not vote for. Candidate A supports same-sex marriage and/or the killing of unborn children, therefore, Catholics can not vote for Candidate A. The Democratic Party is about to officially adopt same-sex marriage as a plank in their Party Platform. That means that if this is adopted, then any politician that runs as a Democrat is saying that he agrees with the party platform, and therefore, we as obedient Catholics can not vote for Democrats. It is up to us, the laity, to take the lead in secular matters. There are many lay organizations and voter guides that are very helpful to us during elections.
All that can be said that needs to be said is VOTE! Save our religious freedoms, preserve and protect unborn life, and restore our countries moral fiber as it is pleasing to God the Father Almighty. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen
I love this fast food chain!!! I have never seen such a committed restairant to excellence!!!
Trying to discredit such an honorable institution is sad, but what is even more scary is to think that one can get penalize for his own beliefs and morals. I think Chick-fil-a could sue and protest because their freedom of expression is getting trampled on. So let us all eat chicken and support this restaurant.
A Christian talking about THEIR OWN COMPANY - believing in biblical marriage, being married to their first spouse (etc) is NOT ok??...
I have a solution for you - if you don’t like the fact they are a Christian based/owned business… then simply don’t walk in the doors to support them. Obviously you don’t walk thru church doors either…. So you know how to “not go thru doors”, right? Quite crying out how offended you are and put on your biggy girl/boy pants… and get over it!
Oh please! Bill Donohue is ALWAYS outraged and alarmed when ANYONE strays from the “Believe! Obey! Do Not Question!” path demanded by his bosses in the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
He’s a gas bag - he is for the catholic church as Rush Limbaugh is for the Republicans.
I do not support the Church’s or Mr Cathy’s position but I do support the idea that Mr Cathy had the courage to speak what was on his mind. An important lesson to all. We need to speak our minds even if it not a terribly popular idea.
To those comments from those worrying about whether the Cities of Boston or Chicago will ban people from worshipping at their preferred place of worship, rest assured that the First Amendment is alive and well. I feel confident in this statement in that, despite the efforts of those on both sides of the aisle, Mr Cathy, the commenters posting before me, this article are all evidence the First Amendment has not been abridged.
How did this thing all start anyway??? We have our religious freedoms,,,,,and I like Chick A FIlet,,,,but I think this is a manufactured issue and a Brilliant move by Huckabee and ChickAFilet. Who else to follow but Bill Donohue,,, The chances of this being the only one not following the same path,,,,,and being printed,,,,,are very small. It appears opinions are being filtered.
We live in a very frightening age. It’s alright to express our opinion—-unless it’s politically incorrect. The status quo has become our god. What a refreshing change to find a company that lives out the beliefs of its founders, that isn’t afraid of being politically incorrect! And the food is great too! Way to go Chick-fil-A!!!!
Starzec, we’ve already seen too many examples of how this is going to play out. We’ve seen people fired from jobs for not affirming false same-sex “marriages”; we’ve seen one state forbid parents from opting their son out an education class that taught this perversity as normal; and we’ve seen a judge award custody to a woman with no biological connection to the daughter, forcing the actual mother to flee the country with the daughter to escape her creepy former lesbian partner.
I posted on this issue at a secular news-based blog site. There were two varietes of comment: 1)virulent and highly indignant gays slandering Cathy for denying them their “rights;” and virulent and highly indignant bible-believing “christians,” throwing around scripture passages. Neither group was really right - it was just a war of words.
This is really about anti-catholic forces, who believe in contracepting the human race into submission, unleashing the attack dogs of “personal freedom” on unsuspecting Catholics like you and me. You will no longer be able to voice any opinion in support of parental rights, freedom of conscience, or the right to practice or teach your religion. The Catholic view will be censored.
You see what’s happening regarding circumcision in SF and Germany. It IS happening here.
I’m happy to see all Christians are outraged and fighting for what we believe in. Good moral values are what made our country great and will keep it on the right path. It is not about hating people, as you all know, it’s about hating the sin, but they try to say we hate people.. when in fact it seems that is what they are doing themselves. Keep up the good fight American Christians of all religions. I wish we had a Chick-fil-A here, but don’t. Someone buy an extra sandwich for those that can’t and help support Christians values. God bless American.
Today’s “Chick-Fil-A Appreciation Day.” Have you all bought your chicken sandwiches yet?
:)
I just said the other day,“I’m going to step up and speak for the TRUTH. American Christians need to call out SIN. Deep in the soul of all human beings there is knowledge of right and wrong.We were all created with a free will. There is this time when we have to stand for what is RIGHT. Even though there is a lot of noise, all Christians united can bring great PEACE to this America through the LOVE we are assured.
DLD - I doubt it. As long as you’re hoping for an “American Revival,” with some sort of resurgent Christianity taking over from sinful secularism, you’re going to be disappointed. “Gay Rights” is the logical extension of American Protestantism, and is inseparable conceptually or practically. The mutual rage between Protestants and Gays is just a function of them looking at eachother and seeing themselves in the mirror.
I went to Chick-Fil-A today for the first time in over a year. I had the chicken salad and it was delicious. I had forgotten how good the food was and plan to go more often. I support their right to keep America clean! Gays have had a fun time pushing their ways around. Now it is time for Christians and non Christians to do the same. Next year we will be battling siblings wanting the right to marry (already going on in England), freedom to wed a beast(obama aleady legalized beastiality sex), and freedom to wed muliples. Afterall, it is love and not hurting anyone! Something to think about: If men marry men, if women marry women, and people keep getting abortions, in another generation there will be no democrats…lol! For those that say the food is unhealthy at Chick Fil A stay away from the alcohol, chips, candy, mac&cheese;, it is all bad for you!!
People need to remember to vote against those against Chick-Fil-A.
Thank you Scott for the generalization. You sort of lost me at perversity. Has it dawned on you that homosexuality occurs in nearly every species? Are you aware that science has nearly pinpointed the moment where a zygote (life) goes from having no gender to either male or female and that there in that cloud of cells there is sometimes a storm and that storm causes the wiring to go a little haywire resulting in homosexuality. So if all of this is created by God (which Catholic Doctrine mandates) then how can it be a perversity? Are you suggesting God is perverse? Or did he not really create all? Perhaps you are one of those good people who believe T rexes and humans lived in the same epoch. Good on you for that..
The laws of which you speak have not been tested in the human law courts. Maybe in the Catholic Natural Law but we do not live in a society completely run by Natural Law.
I am not gay. My wife and I recently celebrated 19 years of marriage. While raised Catholic, I simply cannot identify with “American Christians” who ignore the Word of the Lord (there are only 4 books) and treat any human like second class citizens based on their belief/ or disbelief in God, their economic status, or racial ancestry. In the 21st Century there is no room for that mentality as it is truly what wars are made of.
America wiil cease to be great when America is no longer good. Marraige between homosexuals is heaping evil upon evil. To have homsexuual tendencies is not evil in itself but to practice it and pretend it is marriage is a serious disorder. For politicians to embrace for some political gain it evil and wrong.
While one stated to believe homosexualiy is creation by GOD. I disagree. If GOD supported homosexuality HE would not condemn the behavior in both old and new testament. In my opinion, we are tempted by demons. There are many demons from gambling, adultry, stealing, killing, confusion leading to homosexuality, and more. We ALL have demons to battle. It is whether we are strong enough to defeat them!
Just a thought that I am wondering about. But allow me to first of preface what I wondering by saying that I totally agree with what the Cathy family stands for and they are doing through their fast-food chain. I wondering why individuals working for the company are afraid of losing jobs, if they tell the ownership that they are gay and that they favour same-sex marriage. Secondly, I am somewhat concerned when I hear individuals put down people who are gay etc.,what is especially disconcerting is the language that is used. Here we claiming that we are Christian and that we follow the teachings of Christ. Seriously, would Christ used the same antagonistic language to put the other side down. Matters of religious belief are definitely important as is religious freedom. But of course I would be remiss if I did not point out that the left is doing the same thing as the right is doing, and of course all of this means that the fabric of American society is being torn apart. This is of course reflected from the top of government, all the way down to the lowest civil servant. Many of us living outside of America have looked upon your great nation as a beacon and as a model of how life should be lived, unfortunately, this is all changing. Not only do you have religious problems, but you also have economic and unemployment problems, where you were once the richest nation on the earth, now you are the poorest in more than one way. Not only that, but now you are transporting your desires and other problems to nations, who cannot resist your advances. The sad thing is that we cannot turn you off, like we can television or the internet.
THANK, THANK, THANK THE LORD WE STILL STRONG AND RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE TO SPEAK THE TRUTH!
I see most of the postings here are by ignorant and uninformed people. And like many people who have conveniently disregarded the message of someone named JESUS CHRIST. I know some of you like to bring up the story of the destruction of Sodom and Gommorah as evidence God hated homoosexuality. Remember when those gay men called out to Lot’s sons in the Bible-what was good old Lot’s reply-you can’t have my sons for sex-but you can have my daughters. Isn’t that just lovely. But that just reinforces the hate the current hierarchy of the church has for women as evidenced in how the Catholic nuns are being treated. By the way-if this bunch of ladies leave-you can pretty much kiss you American Catholic church good by. They are the ones who have always been seminal in the existence of the church and now with all the church and school closing because the male hierarchy didn’ want to give up their nice little niches and hid and protected pedophiles for years -all over the world. Remember when Sarah turned to salt (not Sarah Palin) and Lot and his daughters left Sodom -what happened. Well Lot’s daughters got him drunk and had sex with him.So since Lot is such a bit biblical hero-does that mean incest is okay-of course we know in the case of Adam and Eve -there had to be some incest involved in their being fruitful and multiplying.People are moving on-the nonsense you yokels spew doesn’t even represent the views of most Catholics in America-especially women who have been demeaned and oppressed for years. Ironically-the male dessicated fascist hierarchy of the current Catholic church don’t mind living like parasites off the largesse of what many of these nuns provide-they want to reopen the Inquisition and repress them more.Ain’t happening yokels. Like most intolerant far right religious fanatics-your time in the sun is way over.Get out of the way for the actual people who respect the teaching of Jesus-your intolerant and bigotry is soon over and when blow hards like Bill Donahue-divorced and remarried- speakmost of us just laugh. He belongs on Fox news-the news for mostly old over the hill bigots.
Hmmmm…So Boston is a city of tolerance, huh? Apparently it’s a city that can tolerate anything but Christianity. Maybe “C” is the new, revised, and updated scarlet letter?
Alex ,
Lots of anger in your post.
Jesus clearly defined what constituted marriage in the Gospels(Matthew & Mark).Chick-Fil-A ‘s simply agreeing with that definition.
You speak of “old over the hill” folk. With respect, the nuns who have not been in full obedience to the magisterium are the older, ageing sisters whose orders are shrinking.The younger, not “over-the -hill” nuns, by & large, are more orthodox & their orders are flourishing.
Demographically, traditional Catholics, Jews, Muslims, & others are having more children & are increasing in population.I think their “day in the sun” will be prolonged.
You are delusional. Sorry very few women are going to consent to produce mass litters of children to keep the white fundamenal Christian establishment going. The Church in America is now collapsing -as it has in Western Europe-outside Vatican City the Roman churches are empty Pope is now weak-he has very little power and the vultures are circling. No one including the nuns are going to heed the very group of men who hid pedophiles for years knowing they were still molesting chilren and then threatening anyone who wanted to expose it with excommunion and hellfire. Doesn’t work anymore. The nuns hold the moral highground and they know it as most Catholics do. No one is going back to some fake 50’s good old days when violence, addiction and incest was covered in families to keep the family together. Churches and schools are closing daily and the elderly left are being harrassed to give more to keep the criminal and liars comfortable. So keep denying it. Donahue is a huge joke to most people including many Catholics. He has about as much respect as the male hierarchy has these days-NONE.
Alex, what you are referring to is in the Old Testament and before the death of Christ and the NEW TESTAMENT. The Old is the history but many changes came about after the death of Christ along with many changes. What was the old law was no longer the way to live. It was obvious through law, mistakes and error what would work for the people. More than one wife, sleeping with daughters, were clearly defined and determined as a SIN in New Testament. What did remain the same from the old into the new is homosexuality and unnatural sexual acts are a abomination in both the old and NEW Testament. It is not changing the Bible. It is understanding the Bible. It is very clear the NEW TESTAMENT states a marriage is between ONE MAN and ONE WOMAN!
I don’t care if it is the New Testament-the Old Testament or whatever-get a clue-CATHOLICS WERE NEVER BIBLE LITERALISTS-besides that I don’t accept a book of faith and I don’t who’s book it is-as proof of anything. When Constantine had the Council of Niceea-he put in the Bible the books that were politically expedient to him. Just as cleverly disgused the gods and goddesses of the pagan Roman religion were reinvented as Christian saints to attract the Romans away from paganism and make Christianity which up until that time has a great deal of Jewish content -palatable to the Roman citizens. He was no saint-he boiled his wife and son in oil-he was a canny politician who merged a primarily Jewish belief with Roman paganism to make everyone happy. There were lots of books of the so called bible that were discarded, edited and added to what the Bible is today. Maybe you need to review you history a little bit better. We know what King James did to make his bible acceptable. So don’t give me this nonsense about you knowing the intent in some book that many people have never taken literally even as Christians and which has been alterd and edited through the ages. Spare me., Go read up on it and stop repeating nonsense. The problem with people like you is you just refuse to do some research and you listen to bloviators like Bill Donahue.
Alex are you saying that the 1% of the Catholic Popes with demons account for all Catholic leaders? That is like saying all gays are interested in children. According to the Bible the Churches will fall due to evil and corruption. It says children will be lovers of money and turn on their parents. People will believe what their ears want to hear. It also tells us that the Devil is hear on earth roaming and looking for someone to devour like a roaring lion. There are Angels and there are demons. When we give in to evil desires we are allowing a demon to enter. Doesn’t matter if it is the demon of lust, demon of lies, demon of cheating, demon of gambling, demon of adultry, theft, murder, homosexuality, and more! Not everyone will resist and some will give in and later repent and turn away to sin no more. I believe you Alex are the delusional one. You believe all is bad. It is on the outside, but thankfully on the inside of my world it is pretty good. God Bless!
Alex…...I am NOT and never have been a Catholic. But have studied enough of the Kings James version of the Bible with some fortunate enough to study in Greece and have a real valid understanding of the Bible. It is people like you that are always so quick to throw out Bible verses without understanding what you are saying. The problem with people like you….....well, in my opinion…..I think you are in denial or just plain crazy to believe the way you do!!
The Catholic Church did the same thing all over the world when confronted with pedophilia-they did nothing to protect the children and everything to protect their little niches of power.The people at the very top of the hierarchy let it continue and went after people who tried to expose it. I don’t believe all is bad-but this is obviously bad-it is immoral and unacceptable. This is nothing crazy about upholding basic morals and ethics. I have no idea what you are talking about -demons and the like. That is just gibberish. Understand the verses-ask 100 people and they give you 100 differents views on it. Nonsense!
You are corect about many different views. What you consider nonsense I see as realistic. I don’t believe the 1% of the known Popes involved in molesting young boys corrupts the whole catholic religion. Just like I don’t believe gave men molesting young boys makes all gay men a pedophile! I do believe in demons as hearing the many verses read in the Bible where demons entered a boy making him have seizures, a little girl with a demon making it possible for her tell fortunes, the thousands of demons that entered the pigs and went over a cliff. There are so many demons discussed in the New and Old Testament in the Bible. I am not Catholic and know little about exorcisms. Only what I have seen in the movies. I was raised up going to a non denomination local church sometimes. Like I said, I too have my own demons to battle and it is my belief that people confused on sexual orientation can be caused by a demon. I believe in God and believe he does not make mistakes. Man does! The devil knows that God detests homosexuality in both OLD and NEW Testament. The Devil was kicked out of Heaven with 1/3 of the Angels. Where do you think those Angels are today? They are servants of Satan and no longer Angels. I believe they use their ability to confuse and tempt people to do everything sinful. That includes alcohol, drugs, sexual orientation, cheating, gambling, sex with the dead like Gary Ridgeway and others have preferred, hatred, lying, stealing, turning on GOD, and so many other ways to tempt and lead into evil desires. I am not better than any one else. I am not in denial. I have my own freewill. I know what my demons are and have my own battles to fight.
Alex, we are all upset with the church on the pedophilia issue. They not only allowed the crimes to occur but the hierarchy protected those for the sake hiding scandal. No one questions this. BUT IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS TOPIC! Unless, the pedophiles also happen to be homosexuals and I’d be interested in finding out those statistics.
Religious Freedom needs to be protected. Marriage is a Sacrament and it was confirmed by Jesus in Matthew 19 and Mark 10 when He answered a question on divorce. Just like people were stubborn in the time of Moses, we are now hitting the stubborn of our “modern” society. Homosexuality is a sin just like the many other sins committed. Each sin is a separation from God but not all sins have a following that are trying to make it out to be acceptable to society. When people try to enbrace a sin, we need to educate the laity of our religion that just because a government accepts it, it is not morally acceptable within the Church. If you don’t want to be a part of that church, that is your perogative. If you want to tell us that we need to change to conform to your beliefs or tell us to vote to permit you to sin, then you violate our right to free speech and our right to religious freedom. Like you, we will not conform, and we will also defend our rights as GUARANTEED in the U.S. Constitution of these United States.
The problem with interpreting the Bible is that so many people are reading modern day, plitically-correct interpretations of the Bible. Everyone thinks that they can interpret what the Bible says now. Of course, those on your agenda have their “scholars” as do we. But, what cannot change is two thousand years of history. Honestly, you sound like a spoiled little child that is not getting his way and you are having your temper tantrum in public. Even if you convince the entire world to conform to your way of thinking, there is the final Judge and that Judge is always right.
There have been a good number of books both liberal and conservative pointing out the high incidence of homosexuality in the priesthood and I mean people who are actively engaged in relationships. This has been so for year-so again you see your hypocrisy. As to the pedophilia-the same people who hid these child molesters for years are the same ones who now tell you gay marrige is evil. You think they have any moral credibility to most people? Now lets talk about hpw priests can’t marry? I am sure Donahue was on TV bellowing about that stuff at some point. However-having been brought up in the Greek Rite -we always had married priests. Now with the big shortage of priests there are legions of them coming over from the Ukraine complete wiht beautful blond wife and children. Not to mention all the Orthodox and Episcopalians they are trying to lure in complete with wives and children. And of coure divorce is a no no unless you have enough influence and money to engineer an annulment. Didn’t Donahue have a wife before this one? No divorce here -we call it annulment. Disgusting hypocrisy. The nuns hold the high moral ground and they are not about to kowtow to a bunch of old women hating creeps. The churches and schools have been closing a lot -if they walk -then the pews will even be more empty and so will the collection plates.
Alex, I don’t believe everyone on here against homosexuality is Catholic. I am not. I don’t know who this Donahue is! I did hear a few years ago when you consider all the number of Priests and those that molest are about 1% of all Priests. How many is 1%? I don’t know, I would assume that is still a lot. But to say the majority are molestors is wrong! I don’t believe the guilty ones are the ones opposing homosexuality now. Most of the Priest child pediphiles are gay and have put themselves in a position to be close to children and to be a figure of respect and trust. They too will answer to their sins and it doesn’t make it okay for them to do what they are doing iust because they have a title. Bus drivers, school teachers, babysitters, that are pediphiles also put themselves in a place where there are children and trust! I remember hearing about the Bible verse that says the devil is here on earth roaming like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. So the devil is here corrupting and tempting people to sin. No one is left unchallenged! Everyone has freewill do give in to the temptation or to walk away. FEW walk away! Sin is sin! It doesn’t matter what the sin is. One sin is not less or greater than another!
This is not about Priests marrying Priests or being gay. It is about the meaning for marriage referring to a man and woman! There is no difference between a small sin or big sin! A sin is a sin! All sins will be accounted for by those that do not repent and turn from the sin they are commiting!
Groups like yours are the tools of Satan’s trade. You and your kind have done more to turn people away from Christ than all the atheists put together.
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