Please don’t hurt my feelings by calling me liberal, Anonymous.

For the record I have voted for more than eighteen years and have not voted for a candidate from either party, ever. (except local elections where the choices are limited). I guess I could just stay anonymous and never back up what I believe but I actually enjoy discussion even with people who can’t get beyond labels.

2) Individual Catholic bishops went to Capitol Hill to lobby. They did so as private citizens. Yes, the USCCB lobbied, but it’s not against the law.

3) You distorted Catholic doctrine (perhaps not deliberately). I simply corrected you. I don’t know if you’re religious or not (if you’re not, why are concerned over the denial of what is for you a cookie to a politician?), and you’re under no obligation to agree with what the Church teaches unless you were Catholic and wished to remain so in good standing.

4) If the death penalty (with due process) is murder, then taxation must be extortion and theft, and law enforcement arresting people would be kidnapping. The state has rights that the private citizen does not and can never have.

4) In your response, you failed to address my point about what IRS guidelines actually say about 501 c 3 nonprofits. The IRS distinguishes between electioneering (officially supporting or opposing candidates) and lobbying. It also recognizes that the heads of these nonprofits can support candidates or lobby as private citizens.

5) Since 1990, the IRS has revoked the tax exempt status of exactly one church. So the probability that the Church’s tax exemptions (you do know every diocese has one?) will be revoked is ZERO.

6) Enjoy your evening.

Any religous org that supports a candidate should have their exemption pulled. Is that clear enough?

I generally try and be civil and respectful in my comments but people who obviously haven’t read the post, completely and just have some thoughtless agenda to push annoy me.

Also I didn’t realize I was Anglican.

On the health care issues the bishops commented as a group not as individuals about there individual beliefs.

Have a wonderful day, Anonymous.

2) IRS guidelines simply prohibit 501 c 3 nonprofits (houses of worship, etc.) from actively or opposing candidates. Criticizing or saying nice things about them is something else. 501 c 3’s can lobby for or against legislation, but it cannot be a “substantial” part of their activities. It’s up to you to prove that the Church crossed the “substantial” line. Also, bishops may speak or lobby as private citizens. Gay Anglican Bishop Eugene Robinson endorsed Obama in 2007. Do you want his tax exempt status taken away, or is he an exception because he’s on your side? You’re also forgetting the other parts of the First Amendment–the free exercise of religion, the right to petition government for a redress of grievances, freedom of speech, and freedom of press. These give the bishops or any citizens the right to comment on legislation.

3) You also forget there are pro-abortion religions, many of whom also lobbied.

4)Do your homework.

I have stopped going to church for that reason and other ones. I feel the church has no business in mass telling me what I should believe outside of my faith. In mass mind you. I have sat through sermons that has had nothing to do with the gospel story but with politics!

It’s frustrating and makes me sad that my church tells me I should not take Communion. I wish they could keep it more seperate.

The selectivity of the bishops as when communion is served to people who have contrary views is rather inconsistent and appears to be a slippery slope. Isn’t the logical extreme that if a politician does not push for the teachings of the church as law of the United States, he or she could be denied communion, regardless of their personal beliefs?

This is a poor choice by the bishop.