Church Bars Kennedy As War between Church and State Escalates over Health Bill, Marc Rubin, Examiner, November 22, 2009

Church Bars Kennedy As War between Church and State Escalates over Health Bill

By Marc Rubin
Examiner
November 22, 2009

http://www.examiner.com/x-6572-NY-Obama-Administration-Examiner~y2009m11d22-Church-bars-Kennedy-as-war-between-church-and-state-escalates-over-health-bill

The Catholic Church, which heavily influenced and even authored language of the anti-abortion language in the health care bill in the House, in clear violation of the constitution, has escalated its war over the separation of church and state by barring Rep. Patrick Kennedy fromreceiving communion by Catholic Bishop of Rhode Island Thomas Tobin.

Tobin's barring of Kennedy was the result of Kennedy's criticism of the church for threatening to oppose health care reform unless it contained tighter restrictions on abortion.

The action by Tobin further re-enforces the wisdom of Thomas Jefferson and the Founders who wrote the establishment clause to insure that religious organizations were unable to have any official influence over the affairs of state. They specifically wanted to insure that the United States would never have anything like the Church of England which Jefferson specifically and the Founders generally wanted to keep out of the affairs of government because of their low opinion of the church.

It was Jefferson in his letters that specifically wrote that the establishment clause was designed to "build a wall" between the church and the government.

With Tobin denying Kennedy communion for his opposition to the church's stance, it reveals the power the church is willing to use against members of its own congregation, especially those in goverment, to try and break down the wall erected by the constitution.

The position of the church has long been hypocritical regarding the First amendment, invoking it when it suits their purposes and then violating it when its to their advantage.

The church claims tax exempt status based on the establishment clause not only from the donations it receives but also from its secular investments in commercial real estate and stocks. But it crosses the line into the affairs of state by filing for bankruptcy protection to avoid having to pay billions in jury awards because of the rampant child sexual abuse which went on for decades for which the church had been found guilty and liable because of its knowledge of the abuse and allowing it to continue.

The Catholic Conference of Bishops, has a large lobbying effort in Washington staffed by 350 people whose sole job is to influence legislation. It was representatives of this conference that met with Rep Bart Stupak who in turn brought them to Nancy Pelosi, herself a Catholic, who not only influenced but reportedly authored language that went into the anti-abortion amendment which caused outrage among many Democrats and women's groups. The very existance of the lobbying group raises questions of constitutionality and it was suggested here, that perhaps the church should be given a choice -- give up tax exempt status or give up lobbying.

In using its church power to bar Kennedy from receiving communion, the church again is showing its disregard and contempt for the First Amendment, by punishing Kennedy for his actions as a representative of all of the people in Rhode Island, not just Catholics. That position is obviously inot good enough for Bishop Tobin who has decided to punish Kennedy with his religion for refusing to conduct his office in accordance with church doctrine.