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	A Declaration of Independence from the Current Hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church By Vinnie Nauheimer Voice from the Desert July 5, 2011 http://reform-network.net/ When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for the people to dissolve the religious bonds which have connected them with Rome, and to assume among the gifts of the God, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Jesus and the church entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men and women are created equal and can serve the Lord, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, the pursuit of Happiness, Justice and Unmolested Children.-That to secure these rights, Religions are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from God and the consent of the followers, -That whenever any Form of Religion becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish the ruling hierarchy, and to institute new hierarchy, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect the practice of the Principles of their Religion and the Safety and Happiness of their Children. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Religions long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown, that mankind are more disposed to suffer at the hands of Rome, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of sexual abuses, lies, hypocrisy, denial, and blame shifting, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such a vile hierarchy, and to provide new Guards for their future security and that of their children.-Such has been the patient sufferance of the Catholic Laity; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former hierarchal structure. The history of the present hierarchy is a history of repeated injuries, deceptions and hypocrisies all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over the Catholic Laity. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world. Whereas priests and bishops of the Roman Catholic Church have been found guilty of raping, sodomizing, and molesting minors around the world. Whereas the hierarchy of the RCC has known of these criminal acts for decades and made every effort conceivable to hide these acts from the public. Whereas the hierarchy of the RCC has used every means at their disposal to silence and defame those who complained about these criminal acts against children. Whereas the hierarchy of the RCC did nothing to protect children and rid themselves of the priests responsible for these criminal acts until forced to by an enraged public. Whereas the hierarchy of the RCC by their refusal to act has brought great shame, humiliation, and scandal to the people of the Roman Catholic Church. Whereas the hierarchy of the RCC has consistently refused to take the responsibility for their failings in causing this scandal. Whereas the hierarchy has continuously foisted ludicrous excuses including but not limited to blaming psychologists and psychiatrists, Vatican II, the Sexual Revolution, etc. upon the laity. Whereas the hierarchy of the RCC has put themselves above the words of Jesus Christ. Whereas the hierarchy of the RCC has ignored the words of Scripture. Whereas the hierarchy of the RCC has ignored the precepts of Canon Law Whereas the hierarchy of the RCC has ignored the precepts of the Catechism. Whereas the hierarchy of the RCC have put themselves above Civil Law. Whereas the hierarchy of the RCC has ignored that which is the most wholesome and necessary for the good of the Eucharistic Body. Whereas the hierarchy of the RCC has silenced and ostracized religious men and women who have criticized their sinful and criminal behavior. Whereas the hierarchy of the RCC has established a double standard insofar as they have laicized offending priests, but have not laicized one offending bishop. Whereas the hierarchy of the RCC has deliberately withheld information from civil authorities and hidden from view the depository of their Records regarding sexually abusing priests and bishops. Whereas the hierarchy of the RCC, for the sole purpose of fatiguing survivors into compliance, has dragged court cases on for years with despicable measures hoping the truth would disappear. Whereas the hierarchy of the RCC has dissolved parish councils for opposing church closings and fired consultants they have hired when the answers weren't to their liking thereby flaunting their power and ignoring the rights of the faithful. Whereas the hierarchy of the RCC by both their omissions and commissions have caused untold numbers of Catholics to leave the church. In every stage of these our Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. Princes of the church whose character is thus marked by every act which may define Tyrants, are unfit to be the rulers of the church whose principles were established by Jesus Christ. Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our hierarchy. We have warned them many times of both their refusal and the refusal of Rome to extend protections to our children, families, and beliefs. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our anger and the abuse of our children. We have appealed to their sense of justice, religious conviction and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common God and Savior to disavow these transgressions, which, would inevitably interrupt our spiritual health and welfare. The local bishops too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, as told to us by Jesus Christ separate the wheat from the chafe understanding that He spoke to us in these words. "Be on your guard against false prophets; they come to you looking like sheep on the outside, but on the inside they are really like wild wolves. You will know them by what they do. Thorn bushes do not bear grapes, and briers do not bear figs. A healthy tree bears good fruit, but a poor tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a poor tree cannot bear good fruit. And any tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know the false prophets by what they do" (Matthew 7.15-20) We, therefore, the Catholics of the World, know what we have to do. Appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of the Roman Catholic Religion, solemnly publish and declare, That the laity by God's Right ought to be Free and Independent of the tyranny, sexual abuse, and oppression foisted upon them by the current hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church; that the Laity be Absolved from all Allegiance to Rome, and that all Religious connection between the Laity and current hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent thinking Catholics, we have full Power to keep our faith, our children safe, to ordain those who are deemed worthy regardless of sex or sexual persuasion, to elect our own bishops, to rescind that right when a bishop fails in his obligations and to do all other Acts and Things which independent Catholic thinkers should do in their effort to give honor and glory to God. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Souls and our sacred Honor.
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