Pope Benedict XVI, on his first papal trip to Latin America yesterday, suggested Catholic politicians in Mexico had excommunicated themselves by legalizing abortion in that nation’s capital.
“Do you agree with the excommunications given to legislators in Mexico City on the question?” a reporter asked.
“Yes … based simply on the principle that the killing of an innocent human child is incompatible with going in Communion with the body of Christ,” the pope replied.
Mexican politicians who supported the measure shrugged off Pope Benedict’s comments. “I’m going to continue being Catholic even if the church excommunicates me,” said leftist Mexico City lawmaker Leticia Quezada. “My conscience is clean.”
If you don’t know your history, we went through this separation debate before electing John F. Kennedy. Rule by constitution rather than by religious edict is the acceptable definition in all but the most backwards of theocracies and dictatorships.
Hopefully, it will be maintained in the land where I get to vote.
Good for Leticia Quezada.
Pedophile priests are not the Catholic church’s only problem.
That pope is one funny guy— an old know-nothing.
The Mexicans have only started to deal with that heretofore unmentionable problem they have: overpopulation. Probably too late though. Will probably ruin everything for them & us.
It’s clear to see the way this pope differs from Pope John Paul … the last pope was a lot more open to new ideas and far less strict.
He was the first pope to go into a mosque, and was very peaceful. What a great man and a great Pole….I think he might be the last Polish pope though :-\
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Wow … what a shock … the Dope is against legalized abortion. Note that he is not against inflicting the will of the church on non-Catholics.
You do understand the church and state thing applies to us and our government? He can apply any church laws or opinions he wants, he has no other power.
Basically, politicians can act in any way they want, according to the constitution and not with church law. Of course, you don’t get to call yourself a Catholic in the process as far as the Pope is concerned. You need to know your history and government better.
Hell, I wish you more concerned about what our politicians are supposed to be honoring, the Constitution. They ought to be excommunicated from government for the violations there.
Wow, a Pope that actually stands up for the church’s beliefs? This is surprising. If he thinks the politicians are participating in a grave sin, then it’s the priest’s responsibility to try and correct that behavior.
Those guys from the Hitler Youth say the funniest things.
If the Church’s stand against abortion violates separation of Church and state, so did the abolitionists’ stand against slavery and so did Martin Luther King’s stand for civil rights legislation. It is beyond obvious that the establishment clause of the First Amendment does not bar opposition to abortion, slavery or civil rights. The Church has a right and a duty to speak out on all these issues yet liberals denounce it when it does so. It seems liberals want freedom speech only for themselves.
“I’m going to continue being Catholic even if the church excommunicates me,” said leftist Mexico City lawmaker Leticia Quezada. “My conscience is clean.”
Hmmm… isn’t that like continuing to be alive even though you are dead?
lol #10
“Hopefully, it will be maintained in the land where I get to vote.”
Not a chance, if you haven’t noticed there is no single speech done by a politician that doesn’t God in it.
Funny how you can be a Pro-War Catholic politician but not a Pro-Choice Catholic politician.
Respect for life evidently ends at birth.
Nawh, respect for life ends when you don’t vote Republican – nyuck nyuck!
Actually this only causes problems for Catholics wanting to be in politics. Do you actively persue pro-Church stands on issue, or is it OK to slide on contrary issues (don’t vote on, say, stem cell research funding as opposed to voting for or against? Or could a Catholic running for president say he won’t seek to overturn Roe v Wade, and still be in good standing with the Church? Tough questions. Pope Benedict is basically saying “No cafeteria Catholics in politics”. This is fine. And this is probably why there is such a group as Episcopalians.
I have to agree with Dan in #9. The left definitely has problems with free speech if they can pin down the basis of the oppositions arguments being tied to religion or tradition. This is ashame because I believe we could use more progressive thinking in politics today, and that progressive thinking should not be equated with abandoning religion nor tradition. (It should be about throwing out things that aren’t working anymore like corporate welfare, legislation associated with Orin Hatch, Southern politicians, and Al Gore.) But I have yet to see a progressive running for, say, President that has any good ideas. I don;t see any good conservatives either.
#4…bryan k……uh….maybe you need to read up a bit more on the late great Pope John Paul II.
He was a conservastive, reactionary Pope when it came to Gays, and abortion. His main man for cleansing the church was the present Pontiff Benedict XVI(Cardinal Ratzinger). Ratzinger was theologian in residence and the go to guy for John Paul in his reactionary policies.
And couldn’t you find a picture of the Pope, Ed? That guy isn’t it anymore….lol
This pope doesn’t know what he’s saying. He wants to have power above fighting poverty.
People have to have the right to choose whether to have a child or not. What If I’m not catholic? Do i still have to follow their rules because my State is Catholic? Government should be one thing and church another.
Ahh, and by the way, this picture isn’t Benedict, but Pope John Paul II. Just to clarify !! lol