Quote:
Originally posted by Say_hello_for_me
Uhm, yeah. But are they still Catholics? Come on Atty, you think the Pope is gonna recommend Senator O'Kerrystein for a slot? Don't answer. I checked with a Democratic priest for you. Kerry's out.
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The entire history of the Catholic church shows quite clearly that Rome will talk a good game about kicking out people who say X or Y, but will only do it if it can seal the deal and burn them at the stake --- literally. Mother Church has learned all too painfully that if you can't silence the critic entirely, eventually he will start sounding sensible and bingo you've lost X% of your membership and 100% of your credibility.
Mark my words --- if Rome moves to excommunicate President Kerry, 40% of the Catholics in churches throughout America will vacate their pews. Good for the Lutherans and Episcopalians, I suppose, but bad for dioceses that still need to pay child abuse settlements. American bishops are
begging Rome not to push the excommunication issue, and priests are begging their bishops to communicate that message, too --- they might want to end abortion, but they don't want to end Catholicism in America to accomplish it.
