Dear PZS - Puhleeeze!! You left out from your list of those who shouldn’t receive communion the worst offenders: politicians and generals who send our young men and women to Iraq and Afghanistan to kill people. And also those clergy who molested thousands of kids, and also those bishops and other members of the hierarchy who gave shelter and comfort to the thousands of child molesters.

“Cracker” is pretty mild compared to the venom unleashed by religious people and organizations on each other and on infidels.

I think if Roman Catholics or Fundamentalists or Muslims want people to treat their religions respectfully, they should start to treat other people’s religions and religious beliefs, including atheism, paganism, Satanism and whatever else is out there, with the same respect they want for their own religion.  I haven’t noticed this happening yet.  Just consider the case we’re discussing—a Roman Catholic bishop has decided that Patrick Kennedy may not only not have or perform an abortion himself, but must also obey the Church’s dictates as to public policy for everybody else, Roman Catholic or not.

Religious people should be prepared to get what they dish out—often enough, hatred and violence—because that’s what they’re going to get.

I believe Catholics have the same New Testament, that I have, and Jesus did not say to his deciples, ” If you believe ” thus and so”, you make take this communion.” He, simply, said, “Take this in remembrance of me.”
What has developed is a “government”, that decides, who can do certain things, based on the “government’s policies.
As you can see, I would not make a good Catholic.
Faith is based on one’s own convictions; as a result of study and his or her own spiritual experiences.

Churches can control religions —not faith.

Affording dignity to a “eucharist,” whatever that is, if you understand an evolutionary trajectory for all of life, is just dumb.  If you accept science, why afford some made up respect for any religion?  I respect the ‘cracker’ analogy, as I was a happy little altar boy before I learned how life began.  Those clinging to religious sanctity ought to consider how hypocritical it sounds.  Beside, the “eucharist” is often referred to as a “wafer” by the “faithful” so what is the difference?  Biscuit, wafer or cracker, they all add up to the same thing:  nonsense and delusion.

I thought the catholic church folded up last year with all the announced priestly scandels and payoffs to the aggreived peoples.

Re Heather: “So you can just decide for yourself what being Catholic is?”

Believe Catholic neocons like Michael Novak, George Weigel, and Richard Neuhaus
could greatly benefit from your sermon.  As I recall, they dismissed John Paul II’s
declaration that Bush’s invasion of Iraq was an unjust war.  In fact, I believe of
most of these people continue to support these immoral policies.

As for who can and cannot receive Communion, I must say this bishop seems out
of line to me. I’m not a biblical expert, but I thought the instructions at the Last
Supper were only to “Do this in remembrance of me.” I don’t recall Jesus giving
any of his disciples either the power to judge or instructions to judge who is
worthy or unworthy to “do this in remembrance” of Jesus.

Recently, I’ve been reading about how the Roman Catholic Church has been trying to swipe members from the Anglican (Episcopal) Church who are dissatisfied with the lack of hatred shown by the latter towards certain minorities.

I think this could work both ways:  the Anglican Church should consider swiping members of the Roman Catholic Church who find they’ve become too liberal for it, like Patrick Kennedy.  The liturgies are fairly similar and you don’t even have to eat fish on Fridays any more.  A few more Italians and Irish and the Anglicans would be good to go.

One could consider it a sort of prisoner exchange.

And the Vatican wonders why the Catholic numbers are dropping around the world.
The Vatican has not just been destroying it’s adversaries for Millenia, but creating them.
Much like the Repug party of late, not just closing ranks but throwing the ‘unworthy’ out of the group. Only increasing the numbers of the Opposition.
People have not left Catholism as much as Catholism has rejected them.
Seems now under the Nazi Youth RATZ,you not only have to deny womens rights, but the Holocaust as well.At this point one wonders if membership to NAMBLA is also a requiste to being a ‘Good Catholic’.
Facinating the supposed ‘protestant’ sects calling themselves ‘Fundementalists’ or ‘Evangelical’ maintain the same Criteria as the Vatican ah?
Who’s the ‘Great Whore’ of Satan, Hagee? I see absolutely no light between the heresy of the Vatican and these Mega church snake oil dealers.

DO WE NEED THE BISHOP?

OR DOES THE BISHOP NEED US?

“The bishop says”. Is it 2009 or 1609?

Maybe Kennedy—and millions of others—will go and watch Joseph Campbell -
perhaps The Power of Myth, or Mythos on dvd. And decide that they can find
another use for their plate collection. Hasta La Vista Roma.

The people don’t need the Catholic church to find god. Nor do they need any
church. Though it takes a bit of work to find ‘that being of beings’ by listening to J
Campbell. ; ).