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| Let's hope the next four garner some cross aisle cooperation, which may be easier now that certain Tea Party candidates will be home rethinking their ideas about rape, and one congressman may re evaluate his attachment to Ayn Rand. As for Mitt, well he's not exactly going to have to get in a soup line. |
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| As for these guys, they may just have to caucus on how to deal with the IRS. Bummer. |
Colleen, from your blog to God's ears!
ReplyDeleteThey need to pay taxes to help bring down the deficit (+:
ReplyDeletecoolmom
So the deficit is 1.3 trillion per year, and the Democrat plan to legally plunder (tax) the wealthy will amount to 120 billion. That still leaves us with a deficit of more than 1.1 trillion per year. Does it ever sink in that we need to actually cut spending? Socialism is what is killing the economy; liberalism is killing the nation's soul. Wake up!!
DeleteGreat blog, Colleen - straight to the point. However, before the IRS can challenge any 501(c)(3)relgious organization's tax exempt status, they are going to have to require those orgs to prepare and file financial reports. Imagine our bishops and the other 40,000 organizations listed in the Official Catholic Directory having to disclose the names of their donors and show where every penny goes? It would probably hurt more than having to pay taxes. Betty Clermont
ReplyDeleteMore than likely, they may not be able to account for the cash. Perhaps we should demand parish and diocesan audits?
DeleteUSCCB, Biggest Loser
DeleteWhite Catholics supported Romney at a rate lower than the general white public. Latinos? Ha! They certainly did not follow the bishops' advice, er threats.
Michael Binder has some good analysis:
www.dailykos.com/story/2012/11/07/1158116/-Election-post-mortem-for-the-Catholic-bishops-an-open-letter
p2p
p2p,
DeleteWhile the whole of the Binder article is really excellent, the idea that life begins at gastrulation is fallacious. Much better to confess that we as humans have no idea as to when a fetus has a soul. What about twinning Mr. Binder does not mention that then there would need to be 2 souls because identical twinning may well take place after gastrulation. The next point that I was always taught is that soul is composed of mind. We know that the brain does not even develop a sensual brain until a rudimentary olfactory system is developed at 12 weeks. Now olfaction is not at all mind. We further know that even less than term infants are fully mindful. Many scientific studies back this up. So the idea of gastrulation and ensoulment is weak. R. Dennis Porch, MD, Neuro-anestheseiologist, retired.
Hi Dennis,
DeleteI've studied embryology too and agree with you completely. Binder is, I believe very much mistaken to point to gastrulation as the start point of life. There's so much more that needs to happen before viability. I should have made that clear.
As you know, since I began participating in this blog discussion about 2 years ago, I have taken the position that to reduce abortion rates society needs to provide more respect for women, more opportunities for women and girls, more education, sexual education and, yes, opportunity for contraception.
The Republican/USCCB appeal to less contraception, less health care opportunity, less respect for women, less concern about the consequences of rape, legitimate or not, was an absolute loser.
p2p
As they certainly found out. Now maybe the real discussions can begin.
DeleteYes, your comment is right on p2p. It has been great seeing so many of your comments the last 2 years. I was suffering from a bad cancer when you first came on board and used this board and NCR to express what is my truth about what is going on in our Catholicism. It is not pretty and I wanted badly to let people know how ugly things are. Still want those things but am much busier now in my profession and have less time for comments as I seem to be in a very good remission or perhaps, I will even out live this disease only to have something else do me in. I remain very committed to telling fellow catholics, although I am no longer a weekly attendant at RCC Mass. I often go to an independent Catholic group or to a very good Episcopal group 40 miles away. When visiting one daughter, I go to an excellent Methodist group and the other daughter to RCC mass headed by a married former Episcopalian priest. But Catholicism belongs to all of us. I was taught by the Sisters of Charity for 8 Years, The Benedictines for for yrs and the Jesuits for 6 yrs.. It is interesting how one man on this blog and several on NCR have thought that my training in the catechism was weak. It is because my training is so strong that I feel the need to critique my own extremely faulty organization. Dennis
DeleteDennis,
DeleteI feel we're somewhat kindred spirits. My Japanese friend, upon learning I had a chronic disease said "Ichiban sokusai" an idiomatic phrase that means roughly "The first illness makes one careful and may extend one's life." Doesn't sound as comforting as when he said it. We carry on! I am pleased to hear you are having a good remission.
Funny how those of an authoritarian mindset can use so many reasons to dismiss those with whom they disagree. My father and his father before him were not exactly anti-clerical, more cautious about deferring to authority. I'm a bit iconoclastic. I don't understand why anyone would object to cleaning up this mess in the church, and doing so quickly. It seems a crime to look the other way.
Paul (p2p)
Dennis, I'm really glad to hear you are doing so much better and that you are back at work. I have to admit when I wouldn't see a comment of yours for awhile I would worry and then pray and then hope.
DeletePaul I think one of the reasons people object to cleaning up the mess is to admit their is a mess is to also admit their religious belief might not be so God given. That can be a hard step to take and a hard road to walk. Ask any ex Legionaire or Regnum Christi member.
PS The NHL has really irritated me. Why aren't you Canadians picketing Maple Leaf Gardens or something.
Colleen,
DeleteI expect to see Mr. Bettman on Monday at the HHOF induction ceremony. You want I should set him straight? Back alley style?
p2p
I think a good hip check into the podium might be sufficient.
DeleteBettman's not the sort who goes into the corners, if he did he might not have any teeth when he came out, Detroit style.
DeleteBettman eh? Let me give you a hand searching for those teeth, ahh here's one caught in the fabric of my jersy, close to the elbow. Hmmm wonder how that got there. The name's Howe, Gordie Howe.
(Years ago I was at the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame Dinner. The most honoured, and loved by all present, was Gordie Howe.) Well Colleen I could go on, as you know, but the rest of the congregation won't have a clue.
Actually I've met "Terrible Ted" Lindsay. He's a good Catholic boy from the Ottawa Valley who was a great friend of Fr. Dave Bauer. Certainly a man of principles. The NHL punished him badly for advocating on behalf of the "union" or Players' Association.
Keep your stick on the ice.
p2p
Wow, I try really hard to keep my stick on the ice. That is a wonderful and accurate admonition for me at this particular time. Thanks Paul.
DeleteI thought the world of Ted Lindsay. Gordie used to come over to our house and I played goalie against Mark and Marty. Maybe familiarity breeds contempt, but I am very partial to the number 7.
DeleteWe Catholics can demand whatever we like, but the bishops have not responded to 10 years worth of demands for financial transparency from the U.S. laity. Even when some dioceses do produce financial reports which are audited, the auditors can only attest to the the numbers they have been given and have no way of addressing hidden bank accounts and transactions not reported.
ReplyDeleteHowever, if the IRS required financial reports and filings with civil penalties attached for false and misreporting, that may do the trick. But I'm not confident that will happen either. Betty Clermont
Betty, as you know, I totally agree. My main concern has always been the collective spiritual health of the Church. We will never get any financial accountability as long as the cess pool known as the Holy See continues to take precedence. By that I mean, all other decisions are made with the primary idea of keeping the Holy See and it's tentacles viable and unassailable. A botched liturgical translation is just one of many contrived issues that keep Catholics focused on wrong issues, unable to see that the sovereign state of the Holy See is not, no where, no how the Roman Catholic Church. That has to change. That is the real JPII legacy.
DeleteWe must find a way to get financial accountability, that is key to attacking authoritarian structure from below. It is up to those that are following in The Way of Christ to attack this horrible structure and in some cases the criminals that are at the head of the leadership. dennis
ReplyDeleteYes, absolutely, and with very dogged determination.
DeleteThis has been a great day for America, a great day for freedom. Forget the fortnight of freedom of the US RC bishops which was a travesty. The US RC bishops are some of the big losers in this election. Forward!
ReplyDeleteWild, they may be the biggest losers, other than the Koch brothers. And one irony I find delicious is that Karl Rove is probably laughing all the way to the bank. He may be the best predator I have ever seen operate.
DeleteColleen, you mean the bishops are bigger losers than Mr. Rove who blew close to four hundred million dollars on a one percent return. The bishops might be able to find something Biblical in that. However, I hope, they are run out of the Temple.
Delete@wild hair,
DeleteI'm not Colleen, but I think the USCCB are the biggest losers. For the billionaires it is only money. Sure Rove lost his credibility but he's Bush's Brain, Turd Blossom and he pocketed 10%.
The bishops, on the other hand, have thrown away their political credibility, failed to live up to the teachings of the gospels, and cut off their future source of income and recruits. Losers. Big time losers.
By the way did any California, or other bishops, express their opposition to the death penalty in the referendum? Did they campaign against it vigorously? Were there excommunications threatened, or politicians denied communion?
p2p
Wild, what I meant was the Rove took his share of the Koch brothers dinero all the way to his personal off shore accounts. I don't get the feeling Rove cared if Romney won or not, he was just 'banking' on the fears of his wealthy patrons and delivering what they wanted him to deliver.
DeleteThe Bishops lost a lot, but they also let too much out from behind the Vatican curtain which means they lost even more. They weren't playing Republican politics as much as they were using the Republican party for Vatican politics.
Lesson No.1 for American Politicians: You can safely ignore the Bishops. Apparently no one is listening to them anyway.
ReplyDeleteNot enough anyway.
DeleteHere's hoping that the next four years are less bitter than the last four, and that POTUS, having been re-elected, manages (1) to unite the country, & (2) get more done.
ReplyDeleteAmen Rat.
DeleteAmen to what Kathy (and everyone else above) says in her comment.
ReplyDeleteI love your text under the photo of His Eminence, Colleen.
I hope it comes true. Bummer :)
Delete