This comment from another NY Times reader sums it up nicely:

“What an absolute organizational failure. Fighting a fight they can’t win, undermining an opportunity to fulfill a goal central to their supposed purpose, and taking one more step towards irrelevance.”

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Religious dogma will almost always overwhelm the rational mind. One possible solution. Abortion should be outlawed and then every unwanted baby born should then be the responsibility of the catholic and evangelical churches.

Many evangelicals don’t want gov run health care but continue to rely on charity for those that cannot afford health insurance or have preexisting conditions. A member of their congregation has a 75,000 dollar operation and the church holds a bake sale and raises 1000 dollars and gives it to this person recovering at home with their $75,000 medical bill and everyone in the church feels so good for their effort in this charity drive.

This is what I mean that Christianity died on the cross; the Christianity that Jesus taught.  Not what I think Christianity should be but what Jesus is given credit for as truths in parables and sermons. My point being it is an invalid statement that we are a Christian nation. That is not written I hope out of hate but observation.

It is not Christianity that has too much power in our schools and gov but religion. It is a common practice for followers of any spiritual teacher to misapply his or her teachings in their lives, which affect a nation’s educational systems and governments.

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To His Eminence Cardinal Rigali

Dear Cardinal Rigali,

I am Catholic. I am writing to respectfully invite you to reflect on the consequences of your words and actions.

I am in favor of sex education in schools and the use of contraception to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Precisely because I myself, as a woman, would always try to avoid an abortion I feel a profound respect for those women who might have to go through that painful and devastating decision.

To use the possibility of assisting these women in psychological and economic need with federal funds, as the argument to paralyze the progress on health care reform in the USA is, in my view, unacceptable. There is no justification from the natural law viewpoint and much less from the faith’s standpoint. I don’t need to direct you to the Bible to justify my position.

Your Eminence, I would suggest that you walk the streets of American cities and talk to people wandering around. Please, visit your dioceses and talked to people suffering from chronic diseases; please go to Public and Private Psychiatric Hospitals and talk to patients with different types of health insurance. I am sure that, as Catholic, you would think twice about your actions and arguments.

You and the Conference of Catholic Bishops are in my thoughts.

Sincerely,

Rafaela Cañete-Soler, PhD

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Rafaela Cañete-Soler, PhD

Very well stated. The idea that many in this country is proud of the fact we make billions in profits from the sick and needy and many millions of Americans cannot afford health care insurance, have pre existing conditions or have to file for bankruptcy is a national shame. This condition is known in no other industrialized country and we rank last by the world health organization. Unbelievable.

And we call ourselves a Christian nation we are anything but a Christian nation. At least the Christianity that Jesus is given credit for teaching. Profits before people that is capitalism in action.

but hey we have trillions to spend on our wars for profits. that is the hall mark of capitalism left unchecked as Ike warned us about our industrial military complex. 1961

In this country capitalism and patriotism has become synonyms. That is the power of paradigms. Again very well stated post but I suspect to deaf ears. When you look at the history of the Catholic Church you will find much blood on their hands.

But they do know how to party.

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Hello Researcher,

I wish you did not have good reasons to “suspect to deaf ears”.

The Conference of Catholic Bishops are very well versed on the teachings of the Church and their obligation to carefully read “the signs of the times”.  They are also well aware of a rather universal statement: “You will recognize them by their deeds”.

The world is watching and is taking note on the commitments of the Church authority.

Thanks

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The Catholic church would rather a 9-year old die in child birth than have an abortion, it would rather women get cervical cancer than the HPV vaccine. So this does not surprise me in the least. American catholics need to their Bishops to sit down and shut up.

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I would like to acknowledge a correction introduced at the New York Times on the article about Catholic bishops’ criticism (see quotation below)

“Correction: September 2, 2009 
An article on Friday about Catholic bishops’ criticism of the push to overhaul the health care system this year quoted incompletely from an article that Archbishop Charles J. Chaput wrote on the subject. He said: “Fast-tracking a flawed, complex effort this fall, in the face of so many growing and serious concerns, is bad policy. It’s not only imprudent; it’s also dangerous.” He did not say the legislation itself was imprudent and dangerous.”

I think that Archbishop Chaput’ statement : “in the face of so many growing and serious concerns” is full of ambiguity. Ambiguity is also bad policy and dangerous.

What are, specifically, “the many growing and serious concerns”? Spelling them out is essential for a transparent and productive civic discourse.

Thank you

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Rafaela, don’t hold your breath waiting.  The Catholic hierarchy doesn’t have a history of “transparent and productive civic discourse.”

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