Faith-based blackmail by John Shelby Spong

[Are_grits_groceries]

Q: U.S. Catholic Bishops are defending their direct involvement in congressional deliberations over health-care reform, saying that church leaders have a duty to raise moral concerns on any issue, including abortion rights and health care for the poor. Do you agree? What role should religious leaders have - or not have - in government policymaking?

The United States Roman Catholic Bishops always have a hidden agenda, which is to impose their faith and value systems on the rest of the nation. They also operate out of a conviction that they possess the only true faith. I am not impressed by either of those principles.

I think Roman Catholic theology abuses women and denigrates them. That is a moral concern. Roman Catholic theology represents a patriarchal, bachelor view of human life and it is quite irrelevant to most of the issues with which 50 percent of the human race is dealing. Roman Catholic theology also operates out of a dated and ignorant definition of homosexuality and in the process violates the full humanity of gay and lesbian people. I am amazed that an institution that has so many homosexual men serving in the ranks of the ordained can be so overtly homophobic and so wrong in its public proclamations.

I look at the history of the Roman Catholic Church and see the Crusades, which defined Muslims as infidels. I see the Inquisition, which defined those who thought outside traditional Catholic boxes as heretics worthy of execution. I look at the traditional Roman Catholic definition of left-handed children throughout history as abnormal and their attempt to change nature's "mistake" in their parochial schools until well into the 20th century. I note the Vatican's paper of December 1991 about four hundred years after they condemned Galileo, in which they finally admitted that Galileo was correct. That kind of track record does not inspire confidence in their embrace of knowledge. I look at their priestly abuse scandal and the way they sought to cover it up and that behavior does not inspire me to respect their claim to be moral guardians.

Women had to fight the Roman Catholic lobby to seek equality. Gay and lesbian people had to fight the Roman Catholic lobby to gain justice. We are now told that if certain provisions of the health care bill are passed, the Roman Catholic Church will withdraw from its social service ministry. That sounds like blackmail to me. Do it my way or we will not cooperate. If this means that this nation will have to fight the Roman Catholic lobby to gain health care for all then let the battle begin.

http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/panelists/john_shelby_spong/2009/11/roman_catholic_bishops_and_health_care.html

JSS has always been ready to battle fundamentalists and whoever else. As you can see, he minces no words. I wish he was in DC having a word with Congress.
(Former Bishop, Episcopal Diocese of Newark John Shelby SpongHis best-selling books include "Rescuing the Bible from Fundamentalism," "A New Christianity for a New World," "Why Christianity Must Change or Die," and "Here I Stand.")

[Zenlitened]

1. K&R (n/t)

[jkshaw]

2. He's my favorite bishop

I've read the last two books you mention.

[Are_grits_groceries]

3. From reading this answer,

I think he is beyond fed up with some of the religious shenanigans he sees from a lot of groups.