A letter of support to Prof. Douglas W. Kmiec

Dear Prof. Kmiec,

Thank you for the courage that you have shown to support Barack Obama. Even though many of his policies violate the message of Jesus Christ, there are other aspects in which he has a superior claim of doing the Lord's work. Your decision has proved at least this much: No party in America has a monopoly on Jesus.

I hail from a predominantly Catholic community. The Church that I knew and its message contrasts a lot from what I have seen and heard in the Catholic church in the United States. Out there, the Church prominently preaches social morality. The one about being the keeper of your brother. The message in which God helps anyone who helps, not himself, but his neighbor. We hear the story about Jesus telling us on the judgment day that he came to us as a poor man and we neglected him.

However, the Catholic Church in the United States appears to be on a war for personal morality, even though not all aspects of it. The right of a woman to choose or gay rights are personal choices, that we do not have to judge. Nobody forces anyone to be gay. Nobody can force me to have an abortion at my family. Such laws or Supreme Court judgments do not really affect my life or do not make me sin. Let the Lord be the one who judge them.

My uncle, Arch Bishop of Guwahati, has remarked on many occasions during his visits to the United States that the Church in the US has lost its direction fighting against abortion and gay rights. The debate sadly pushes aside the real issues that face the society; the real action that needs to be taken by us as fellow Christians. The inequality and poverty should be the primary issues that we need to care about as a society. Abortion and gay rights, which are cases of individual morality should be left to each person.

So I'd love to see the Church giving Social morality, at least the same importance that it gives to individual morality. Also, looking at the Republican policies in the past decade has made me wonder how I can justify those actions. Cutting health-care to children in different states is definitely not pro-life. Waging an unnecessary war that results in thousands of deaths and trillions of tax payer money is not a Christian way of doing things. The so called conservatives, at least the neocons do not stand for my values as a Christian.

But, there is always a word of caution in all these issues when it comes to liberals. As much as I applauded your decision to support Obama, you and I, as Catholics, should hold him accountable for having our religious rights unscathed. The story about Boston Catholic charities not being able to exorcise our religious beliefs in case of adoption should be a dire warning. Even from a totally agnostic point of view, the end result, that is those charities closed down does not benefit the nation or the people.

In the same vein, I am delighted at Obama's decision to make use of religious groups in making progress with the society. However, like the case of Catholic Adoption agencies, there is a trap hidden in his own words. While it is acceptable that these religious groups do not discriminate against their benefactors, he has asked the groups not to discriminate in hiring processes too. How would a Catholic charity be Catholic if its workers are Jewish or Atheists? Inasmuch as a Pro-Choice organization would want to hire someone who shares their ideas, even a Catholic organization, or any religious bodies for that matter, would want to hire people that share its values. We should fight to keep Obama accountable in this aspect.

Keeping in mind all these, I am appalled to hear that you were denied communion by a priest for endorsing Obama. Such bigotry is not part of Jesus Christ's message. Such hate is not professed by bible as I know it.

So, I wish to congratulate you for your stance and would love to see you continue to champion the Catholic values, be it demanding for government policies with an emphasis on social morality or fighting for religious freedom in the public square.

Thank You,

Politics Avalanche

Update: Prof. Kmiec actually responded with a message of agreement. He alerted us that the love of our homosexual neighbors in California ought not be turned around as a discrimination against the church. I applaud that. As much as they have the right for unions, it should not be held against a judge or a clerk or a priest who would not want to perform ceremony due to religious beliefs.

Coach in New Jersey Cannot Pray With Players

Folks, this is how the totalitarian left operates. He did not force anybody to pray. All he did was to bow his head and kneel in respect when his players are having a prayer.

This is the most blatant assault against the Constitution of the United states which stands for the freedom of speech and religion.This is the tool that they use against the very soul of America: Political Correctness.

Since when is it the citizens forbidden from wishing anyone Happy Christmas? When it is Hanukkah, I'd wish Happy Hanukkah too. Political correctness is forcing a whole country forget its roots and make its citizens live in a make believe worlds in which one has to wish everyone happy holidays. That is a bull! If that is the case, we have the weekends off and everyone should be wishing Happy Holidays on weekends too. So that is really clear that it is special on those days because it is Christmas. Learn to live with it. Or try to rebuild USSR and flee to that place. Or go to Cuba. I hear even in Cuba one is allowed to wish anyone Happy Christmas.

Coming back to the main issue, this kind of oppressive policies are lurking all around. Take the issue of abortion. All these Pro-Abortion liberals, if they get what they want, would make it mandatory that everyone go through abortion. For the record, Politics Avalanche (that's me) is pro-choice. And my choice is LIFE! Anyway, I would not mind legislation allowing the freedom of choice, but I know they are going to turn the tables and hit that freedom out and invade the freedom to choose life, one of the last territories of religious freedoms left in this country.

People, all you good stalwarts of morality, please forward this story and the NY Times story. I know their story makes it looks like the coach is a criminal or something. But that is the point. How being a reasonable, caring, god fearing individual is a bad thing in America.






http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/16/sports/16prayer.html?ref=sports