Legislative Attack on Catholic Church in Connecticut

3/7/2009

On Thursday, March 5, a bill was introduced in the Connecticut state legislature, and immediately referred to the Joint Committee on the Judiciary.  It targets one – and only one – church in the state, the Catholic Church, and would strip the bishops and priests of the state of any power to exercise administrative authority over their parishes.

Raised Bill No. 1098  is a committee bill and does not bear the names of any individual sponsors. Both co-chairmen of the committee, State Sen. Andrew McDonald and State Rep. Michael Lawlor, are outspoken proponents of same-sex marriage in Connecticut and have been critical of the Catholic Church’s opposition to both civil unions and same-sex marriage.

The stated purpose of the bill is to “provide for the investigation of the misappropriation of funds by religious corporations,” but it deals only with the corporate structure of the Catholic Church. No other church is mentioned, or would be subject to the bill’s requirements. 

The measure has been put on a legislative fast track, with hearings scheduled for Wednesday, March 11, less than a week after its introduction. Knights of Columbus, and all concerned Connecticut Catholics, are encouraged to attend the hearing that day and express their opposition to the bill. They may also call or write the committee co-chairmen, State Sen. Andrew McDonald (800-842-1420 or McDonald@senatedems.ct.gov), and State Rep. Michael Lawlor (800-842-8267 or MLawlor99@juno.com.

Source: Free Public

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What in the name of God is going on in this country?  What right does any government have to interfere in the business affairs of a church?  And why are they singling out the Catholic Church other than for political reasons?

This is abuse of power at its very worst.  It’s time we all took a stand against this kind of tyranny!

Don't link Islam to terror, Islamic chief urges

Fri Dec 19, 2008 1:07pm EST

By Robert Evans

GENEVA (Reuters) - The world's top diplomat for Islam called on Friday for an end to what he termed efforts to equate the religion with terrorism and said the 'demonization' of Muslims around the world must be fought.

But speaking soon after the U.N. General Assembly passed an Islamic-sponsored resolution condemning "defamation of religion" for the fourth year in a row, Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu said his group was committed to respecting freedom of expression.

There was a "rising tide of incitement to religious hatred and discrimination and intolerance targeting Muslims," he told a meeting called by the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) at the United Nations in Geneva. The 57-nation OIC, based in Saudi Arabia, represents 1.5 billion Muslims.

"Attempts to equate Islam with terrorism should be stopped. Stereotyping and demonization of Muslims should be combated," said Ihsanoglu, a Turkish history professor who became OIC Secretary-General in 2005.

In a statement on Ihsanoglu's remarks, Geneva spokesman for the International Humanist and Ethical Union Roy Brown argued that Islam was often linked to terror because perpetrators of many terrorist acts identify themselves as Muslims.

Critics of the OIC -- including countries who voted against the "defamation" motion at U.N. headquarters in New York on Thursday -- say many Islamic states use defamation or "blasphemy" laws against minorities and free-thinkers.

Referring to the U.N. vote, in which for the first time since the OIC introduced a "defamation" motion in 2005 more countries voted against or abstained than voted for, Ihsanoglu said the motives of the Islamic grouping were misunderstood.

FREEDOM OF SPEECH

The aim of the OIC, he declared, "is not to protect religion against critics based on objective and rational interrogation." The body, he added, "is firmly committed to respect for freedom of expression, which is a fundamental human right."

In a statement issued earlier this week, watchdogs on freedom of expression for the U.N.'s Human Rights Council and for key regional inter-state organizations in Africa, Europe and Latin America called for an end to "defamation" resolutions.

The four, three of them prominent developing country human rights lawyers, said that where "blasphemy" laws existed they had often been used "to prevent legitimate criticism of powerful religious leaders and to suppress the views of minorities, dissenting believers and non-believers."

In an echo of their comments, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay told Friday's meeting that when criticism of religion became incitement to hatred "urgent but proportionate" action should be taken.

But, she added, "speech critical of religions does not necessarily constitute such incitement" and that it should always be assessed "stressing the importance of protecting the rights of both religious minorities and non-believers alike."

(Editing by Stephanie Nebehay and Ralph Boulton) Source

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Let's see - where do I begin? People associate terror with Islam because 99% of all terrorism is perpetuated by Muslims. If you want people to stop the association, then stop terrorizing people.

Discrimination against Muslims? Saudi Arabia doesn't allow any Jews in their country - none, zilch, nada. Israel has Arabs as legislators in the government. Arabs are allowed to live in Israel, but Jews aren't allowed to buy property or live in "Palestinian lands" whatever that is. Who is discriminating whom?

Free speech? Please. When the Dutch politicians Geert Wilders released his documentary film Fitna - he received death threats. Why? If free speech is so respected in Islam - why the death threats?

The rank hypocrisy is astounding. I think it's about time for Muslims to seriously examine themselves and reform their religion if they want respect among the peoples of this world.

Why Israel Should Be Concerned

In this article from AP, Gutkin states:

Eight years of unflinching support from President George W. Bush has yielded no peace. So while most Israelis appreciated Bush's backing, others wonder if a tougher approach — maybe even some arm twisting here and there — might not have been better.

Their fear stems from the demographic threat posed by Israel's occupation of Arab lands, as the size of the Arab population approaches the Jewish one and endangers Israel's existence as a Jewish and democratic state. A true friend of Israel is an American leader who will work not only to protect Israel from external enemies, but to disentangle itself from the 41-year-occupation — or so the argument goes.

For Obama, that could mean abandoning what many see as a policy of blanket support in favor of some muscular diplomacy, such as pressuring Israel to stop expanding settlements on land Palestinians claim for a future state.

Occupation? That's Orwellian double speak for "the Jews have no right to be there." Why is this never said about any Arab occupation in the Middle East? Both Jews and Arabs have been living there since time began.

There is more than enough land for a new Arab country - if they even want one - in present Arab land. But that's the thing - they don't want a country - they want Israel to cease being one. That is what will happen if Israel cedes any more land to terrorists.

And that is unacceptable to any right thinking person.

God Will Not Be Mocked!

Nancy Gibb of Time Magazine had this to say about the election of Obama:

Some princes are born in palaces. Some are born in mangers. But a few are born in the imagination, out of scraps of history and hope. Barack Obama never talks about how people see him: I'm not the one making history, he said every chance he got. You are. Yet as he looked out Tuesday night through the bulletproof glass, in a park named for a Civil War general, he had to see the truth on people's faces. We are the ones we've been waiting for, he liked to say, but people were waiting for him, waiting for someone to finish what a King began.

Comparing Barack Hussein Obama to Jesus Christ is not funny. It is blatantly offensive to every true born again Christian.

3 “You shall have no other gods before me. 4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

Exodus 20:3-6 (ESV)

It seems as though the liberals, who are so fond of attacking Christianity, have made their own religion and anointed their own messiah.

4 And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. 5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray.

Matthew 24:4-5 (ESV)

God will not be mocked!

The Next Attack

 

On November 9, 2008, the London daily Al-Quds Al-Arabi reported, citing "a source close to the Al-Qaeda leadership in Yemen," that Osama bin Laden had ordered a new attack on the U.S. which will be "far greater than the 9/11 attacks."
The paper said the source was "a former Al-Qaeda commander who is still in touch with... the organization leadership, and who asked to remain anonymous for security reasons."
According to the source, the attack is meant "to change the world [both] politically and economically," and is planned for the near future. Source

Terrorism has not gone away nor has the war on it ended.  America may have been lulled into a false sense of security because we have not been hit by a major terrorist attack since September 11, 2001.  We can thank President George Bush and his team of advisors for keeping this country safe in the last seven years.

After the recent election where an ultra liberal Democrat won, many in the Middle East rejoiced because they see a man who will not fight back as Bush has done.  They sense and smell weakness and weakness invites attacks.

When the attack does come, will Obama fight back?  Will he raise the white flag of surrender and give this country up?  Time will tell his reaction and whether or not the American people still have the will to fight an enemy so intent on our destruction.

On this, the birthday of the United States Marine Corps, and tomorrow on Veteran's Day, let us pause to thank God Almighty for the brave men and women who serve in our armed forces.  They stand on the front lines of freedom and pay the price daily for you and I.

Technorati Tags: Terrorism,Osama bin Laden,Obama,Al-Qaeda,Veteran's Day,USMC

The Good Old Days?

In a recent blog by American Congress for Truth it is reported that

Ken Timmerman apparently was at a session of the Claremont Institute, last weekend, when Dr. William Graham and others spoke about what Iran’s recent missile tests using Scuds in the Caspian Sea was all about. It was about a sneak nuclear attack on the US via launch of a nuclear warhead ship borne Scud missile. The detonation at an altitude between 40 to 400 kilometers in lower space would create an Electronic Magnetic Pulse (EMP). The EMP would fry all of our military and industrial communications nets and virtually bring our advanced economy to a halt and back to the 18th Century. The effects would be devastating and deaths would pile up from lack of adequate medical treatment. The estimated economic costs as we have posted could range close to $800 billion.

It is unbelievable to me that the United States, as well as modern Western countries, continue to ignore the very real threat of nuclear war from Iran.  Having grown up in the 1960's and 1970's, nuclear war brings to mind the days of the Cold War and instant global annihilation.  Today, nuclear war need not be so other worldly in order to be effective.

One nuclear bomb, detonated above the surface of the earth, can have catastrophic results.  If you don't believe it, ask yourself when was the last time you milked a cow?  Do you know how to plow without a tractor?  When was the last time you made bread from wheat?

Without electricity, our economic system comes to a grinding halt.  The author later estimates a casualty rate of 90% from lack of food and medical attention.  In America today there are roughly 300 million people - that leaves us only 30 million to recover after six months or so.

Do we dare wait before protecting our national interests?  Knowing that Obama would surrender our country the day he is sworn in as president, we have a limited window of opportunity to stop this madness before it starts.  It may take sacrifice and war but so did WWII and the end result was worth it.  Mr. Bush, take out the Iranian nuclear threat now!

Surrender on the installment plan

(IsraelNN.com) "When Israel's ideology will collapse, and after we take Jerusalem, Israel's ideology will collapse altogether, and then we will proceed with our own ideology, inshallah [if Allah wills], and we will throw them out of all of Palestine."  So said Abbas Zaki, the Palestinian Authority's ambassador to Lebanon on Lebanese television last week, according to a translation by MEMRI (Middle East Media Research Institute). Source article

I have read in several different places that "appeasement (compromise) is nothing more than surrender on the installment plan."  We as humans have obviously learned nothing from the lessons of World War II.  Everyone should study what happened from 1917 to 1948 in world history.

Land for peace was the rallying cry of Chamberlain and he gave away a country he did not own (Sudentenland) to a tyrant (Hitler) who went on to take the rest of Eastern Europe in less than six months.

Today, everyone wants to carve up Israel into ever smaller and smaller pieces.  If you look at a map of the Middle East - color coded with Muslim countries vs Israel - you will see that obviously!! the Muslims have run out of land and absolutely need a few more square kilometers of Israel!  (For those of you with no intelligence - I speak in satire).

Our (Israel and the Christian United States) enemy considers our tolerance to be weakness.  They are not impressed with magnanimous gestures of goodwill.  Their goal since the 600's AD has been to annihilate their enemy.  On this, they have never wavered or faltered. 

Weak politics has failed.  Iran remains a threat to the security of all free people.  It's time for action - not talk.