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At Doug Kmiec's Swearing-In, Strange Religious/Political Bedfellows

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To hear someone who claims to be Catholic describe opposition to abortion as "a spirit of narrow-mindedness," makes me doubt his understanding of Catholicism. Not his faith, mind you, that is between Mr. Kmiec and the Almighty, but his grasp of the religion's tenets. There is evil in the world, and when people reject evil and are chided for not being accepting of the validity of the viewpoint that permits this evil, perhaps Mr. Kmiec has enlightened himself in ways that others choose not to. How very nice, in any case. The President needed a "surrogate" to give him some street cred with the praying masses, and so he trades an ambassadorship for some kind words. I'm not sure how this makes Kmiec's support for the President look like anything more than the quid pro quo that it clearly is. The good news is that as the ambassador to Malta, at least Kmiec will not be much of a position to do further damage to our Country or to Catholicism.

Tommy Paine of NJ 3:05PM September 21, 2009

Dear Catholics:
When it is time to promote/support/vote, we have a moral and ethical responsibility as Catholics to promote/support/vote against any evil. “VOTING/SUPPORTING/PROMOTING IS A MORAL ACT.” It involves duties and responsibilities. Our duty is to promote/support/vote in keeping with a conscience properly formed by fundamental moral principles (from "Moral Principles for Catholic Voters" issued by Kansas Catholic bishops). It is important to remember, however, that it is possible for our conscience to be certain and at the same time incorrect about what is good and evil. For this reason, we have an equally serious duty to properly form or teach our conscience so that it can correctly judge what is good and evil. We are obliged to seek the truth and then to abide by it (from "Moral Principles for Catholic Voters").
There are specific actions that are intrinsically evil by their very nature or their essence and must never be promoted/supported/voted into law because they directly violate the very life and dignity of the human person. At the top of this list are the five intrinsic moral evils: “Abortion, Euthanasia, Embryonic Stem Cell Research, Human Cloning, and Homosexual Marriage.”
Making Your Decision
1.) For each office, first determine how each candidate/politician with a real—even if unlikely—chance of winning stands on each issue that will come before him and involves nonnegotiable moral principles.
2.) Rank the candidates/politicians according to how well their positions align with these nonnegotiable moral principles.
3.) Even if these candidates/politicians support the poor and health care, give preference to candidates/politicians who do not endorse and support/promote/vote for the five intrinsic moral evils.
4.) Where every candidate/politician endorses positions contrary to non-negotiable principles, choose the candidate/politician likely to do the least harm.
When there is no choice of a candidate(s)/politician(s) that avoids supporting/promoting/voting intrinsically evil actions which include “Abortion, Euthanasia, Embryonic Stem Cell Research, Human Cloning, and Homosexual Marriage,” we, as Catholics, are morally obligated not to support/promote/vote that candidate/politician. “Concerning choices that are intrinsically evil, Catholics may not support/promote/vote or even remain indifferent to them” ("Moral Principles for Catholic Voters”).
As we look at the political eligious landscape of our society today, President Obama, V.P. Biden, Nancy Pelosi, Ted Kennedy, cardinals, bishops, priests, nuns, and our faithful who promote/support/vote or even remain indifferent to these five intrinsic moral evils are wrong and are against GOD. We must voice our disdain for any candidates/politicians, shepherds of our church, and even our faithful who believe in promoting these evils. These are non-negotiable principles, and as Catholics, we may not promote/support/vote or even remain indifferent to them.
In this same spirit, it is a mockery of God and against our teachings to have a public Mass for candidates/politicians who promote/support/vote any or all of the five intrinsic moral evils. Where are our shepherds and/or our faithful and our disdain for the mockery of God and the Church that He built?
God, please help us to remain faithfully to your word/truth. Amen.

BFG of CA 1:01PM September 10, 2009

God’s family is divided: Majority to Obama – less to Word.
The Shepherds and the flock can tell when division exists causing diversion within the flock’s ranks with individuals being drawn to their differing desires and beliefs. This shows the worst of moral value difficulties that can occur within the (flock) family members. A great shepherd could arrive to assert and substantiate the true direction of Gods ‘truth’ for all members, gathering together total and complete acceptance within the family, whereupon they are focused to remove this occurring evil, allowing the family’s continuance unto faithful obedience to God. Does America deserve such blessings at this time? There are shepherds, yet each one of us is called to shepherd, to take a stand and commit to do the will of God. Shepherds know if their flock is acting in the right direction. If the shepherd is not directing the flock in the right direction and this must be happening now, because our shepherds are on all sides of this calamity, they are not on the same page, displaying a concerning ‘shepherd’ problem! This makes it impossible for the flock, not being properly lead, without a shepherd, demanding that each member must have his conscience, faith and moral fiber in order to commit and decide the proper Godly direction to chose. Hence shepherds and sheep are joining into this wrongful array, attempting to either show what side they support or to faithfully display their beliefs, which they feel in obedience to God, concerning these most significant moral issues. Considering the serious, evil wickedness of these events, this could be the most disastrous and destructive event in the history of America. This news offers only one view or exposure of the total calamity facing our times. This suggests the removal of morality and God, which historically occurs under such governments.

R Patrrick Gilson of CA 1:26PM September 07, 2009

With apologies to Sir Thomas More:
"Why Douglas, it profits a man nothing to give his soul for the whole world... but for Malta?

Nick of FL 4:29AM September 06, 2009

When first endorsing Obama,Kmiec claimedt Obama told him that his opposition to Roberts and Alito was simply "pre-campaign" partisanship. Kmiec promised to renounce Obama if, in the campaign, Obama indicated he would use the judicial branch for partisan politics.
Thereafter, in his campaign, Obama promised that he would use the Supreme Court to support "reproductive justice" [Orwellian for killing babies in the womb, and for Obama, partially born, and even those already born.]; he spoke of his support for the partisan Planned Parenthood and NARAL Pro-Choice America; and he pledged that he would not appoint anyone to the Supreme Court who did not support a "woman's right to choose", i.e. abortion-on-demand. He stated that the Supreme Court was a critical issue in the election, that he would never nominate judges like Roberts and Alito [or Scalia and Thomas]; and specifically characterized Justice Roberts, whom Kmiec described [along with Justice Alito] as "the very definition of impartial judge", as one who acted "on behalf of the strong in opposition to the weak." He chose as VP Biden,who stated "the Democratic party wasn't tough enough" on Roberts and Alito.
These facts were brought to Kmiec's attention but he did not keep his promise to renounce Obama.
Such scholars as Professor Robert George, Father Richard John Neuhaus, Archbishop Chaput, and Cardinals Egan, George and Rigali, pointed out how Kmiec's positions were incompatible with Catholic principles. At least two of those specifically refuted claims Kmiec had made that their writings were supportive of Kmiec's postion.
Whar price Malta?

R. M. Coleman of CA 5:17PM September 05, 2009

Doug Kimiec openly supported Barak Obama during the Presidential campaign. He also after 8AM Mass preached his form of interpreting the Catholic Church position on Abortion. He used this message to convince Parishioners at OLM to vote for Obama.Both Our Pastor and Former Pastor openly sanctioned his campaigning for Obama. The rift this has caused at Our Lady Of Malibu will hurt the Parish for some time. Kiemc is a Hypocrite.

Rober J Sutton of CA 4:32PM September 05, 2009

Douglass,
Don't worry Doug. The American Catholic Church is becoming more Orthodox day by day. You will learn to repent just like the rest of us sinners eventually. The difference between us and you is that when we sin we don't make public excuses for ourselves and our behavior. So I pray for those Catholics who give cover to the enemies of the church.
Question for you. When one receives the public credibility you have is it still possible for others with less credibility to discern the positions you have publicly taken for what they are..."Moral Relativism", which the Pope himself has railed against. OR, are your positions so nuanced as to be above the obvious to everyone and anyone?
Its just a matter of time. So enjoy your master's scraps for all the wonderous sophistry, relativism, and moral interference you have taken on his behalf in beautiful Malta...it won't last.
Tyler

tyler of ND 9:26AM September 05, 2009

This is his reward for his soul. Wonder if the spirit of any of the 50 million dead infants were in the receiving line? Malta?

Greta of OH 12:09AM September 05, 2009

Dan Gilgoff refers to Douglas Kmiec as, "Barack Obama's highest-profile Roman Catholic surrogate".
I know Roman Catholics. Many Roman Catholics are friends of mine. I have also studied Roman Catholic beliefs.
Douglas Kmiec is no Roman Catholic.

techwreck of VA 11:00PM September 04, 2009

If anyone with a scintilla of logic was subjected to the petulant explanation of his support of Candidate Obama by Kmiec they would have recoiled from his duplicitous and irrational justification. This man is a fool working for a failing Presidency who surrendered his beliefs for a shot at attention. He is vain and shallow but it will avail him nothing. The fact that this shallow dolt attack the faith who were repelled by the NARAL candidate is yet another testament to his baseness.

Rufus Choate of CT 8:58PM September 04, 2009