With or without mandate, American Catholicism seen headed toward political showdown
June 26, 2012
Writing for Crisis, Gerard Bradley argues that if the Obama contraceptive mandate is never imposed—either because the Supreme Court rules the health-care mandate unconstitutional, or because Obama is defeated in his bid for re-election—for Catholics “the day of reckoning…will be postponed.”
The crucial political battle will be “postponed” rather than completely avoided, Bradley argues, because of three factors pushing toward a showdown between liberal political forces and the Catholic Church: a dedication to complete sexuality license, an ideology that sees religious beliefs as irrational, and a drive to identify the benefits of religious faith exclusively in terms of social contributions.
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Posted by: unum -
Jun. 27, 2012 7:59 AM ET USA
The battle will be postponed because the leadership from most of the country's parish pulpits is silent and many of our dioceses are offering only token opposition during the "Fortnight for Freedom". Cardinal Dolan made a telling admission when he stated that most of our priests have been silent on controversial issues, particularly the issues raised by Humanae Vitae. The Church cannot be an effective force without leadership, and the commodity is in short supply in today's Church
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Posted by: bkmajer3729 -
Jun. 26, 2012 8:48 PM ET USA
rpp: That's a bit of a fatalistic view don't you think. I mean, because we live in a broken and sinful world, we can always just say "there's no escape unless the Lord comes back or it all just ends". The conditions within which we live qare certainly to be recognized and combatted. We are a people of Hope not despair. Yes of curse we want the Lord to return ...but are we prepared as a society? There is more work to do! Keep praying and fighting the good fight.
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Posted by: rpp -
Jun. 26, 2012 3:05 PM ET USA
True, true, and true. If not this year, then the next. And the next. And the next... It will never end and be without respite until either the Lord returns or we experience a complete collapse of civilization.
