the basic message #E259
4/30/04
I used to really like discussions and debates about politics, but these days I find myself walking away the subject. I'm trying to focus on the most important subject of all: our relationship with God. George Bush's "Christianity" has been a hot topic since he started running for President over 4 years ago, and it's still in the news. John Kerry hasn't been as talkative about his religion, but that appears to have changed this week and I didn't even know Kerry was a Catholic until yesterday. So what is this religion controversy that Kerry is embroiled in? Taking communion in the Catholic Church. Let's pick up one news story and go from there:
"Kerry has said on several occasions that his Catholic views do not drive his public policy positions. He opposes official Catholic church views by backing embryonic stem cell research in addition to supporting abortion.
'I fully intend to practice my religion separately from what I do with respect to my public life and that's the way it ought to be in America," he told reporters in Ohio this week. "There is a separation of Church and State in America and we have prided ourselves about that all of my lifetime, all of our history.'"
I'm sorry, Mr. Kerry, but that's not the way it works. Jesus Christ himself knew that some folks would come along and try to play both sides of the fence, so he made the following statement just so everyone would know what he thought:
Luke 9:26
"If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels."
Now I don't know about you, but I'd have to think that if Jesus is ashamed of someone, that someone probably won't make it to Heaven. Why should they? Need more? Okay....
1 John 1:6
If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.
If Kerry has any trouble understanding either of these scriptures, he's in good company. George W. doesn't seem to have a clue either. But let's not stray from the central issue here today, and that's whether or not John Kerry has the right to take communion in the Catholic Church. Catholics, unlike most Christian denominations, have "rules" for their members when it comes to taking communion. If the church member knows they're not in "a state of grace", they're instructed not to partake of the body and blood of Christ. Catholic officials consider Kerry's Catholicism to be in question since he's Pro-choice. Protestants similarly believe that a person should not partake of communion in an "unworthy manner", but I don't know of anyone in the Protestant camp that has ever been refused communion. So what's the big deal?
Kerry knows his church's position on abortion regardless of what his personal views are. Another news report has suggested that Kerry's campaign people have been "shopping" for a Catholic Parish that has a hard-line priest that might refuse Kerry communion. If John Kerry is such a dog that he wants to make front page news by flaunting his sinful views, then he's not the man I thought he was. Kerry needs to either publicly abide by church doctrine or find another church. If he wants to inspire change in way the church operates, fine. But don't use it as a campaign tactic. What really frightens me the most is that Kerry has a sharp, focused campaign team, and if they believe that Kerry's defiance in his "beloved" church will win Kerry votes, then that's a sad commentary on the rebellious nature of our society.
I was a Methodist for 16 years but started going to the Catholic church about 3 years ago. Do I agree with all Catholic doctrine? Heck no, but neither am I going to cause a disruption during a worship service. Quite frankly I'm glad to see a major denomination drawing the line on sinful practices and behavior. The modern Christian movement has taken an "I'm okay, you're okay" position that suggests that we can live any way we please and still go to Heaven. That is the most abominable lie that has ever been perpetrated in the church. There are thousands of pastors and priests going to Hell with a large part of their congregation handcuffed to them. Many people mistakenly believe that if they hear false information from their religious leader they are exempt from any penalty. This is the second biggest lie in the church. Every person who is capable of reading or listening to the Bible is totally responsible for their own salvation. Rejection of man-made church rules and regulations is one thing, but telling God to take a hike is something altogether different. John Kerry is playing with fire, and if he becomes President and succeeds in forcing his hand on the Catholic church he will single-handedly start a revolution that will send millions of people to Hell.
Nader's looking better all the time. For a guy that basically has no religion, he might embrace the fundamentals better than the "holy men" that are running against him. Go figure.