Gutless, Thy Name Is The California Catholic Conference
Or would "hypocrisy" work better?

WARNING!! Graphic descriptions in this posting. Use discretion.

Here's an interesting little article from The California Catholic Daily. I for one, find it somewhat amazing that they treat baby-butchers with kid gloves, but attack the death penalty with such vigor. And yes, as we all know, the DP in cases of extreme gravity and used rarely, is authorized by The Church.

But don't tell that to the California Catholic Conference. Here's some of the article;

You can’t call them “anti-life”
California bishops issue political action guide to pastors and parishes

Pastors and parishes may participate in some political action but may not use phrases such as “anti-life” to describe a candidate or a party, says a document released last month by the California Catholic Conference, the public policy arm of the state’s Catholic bishops.

In its specific “Guidelines for Advocacy and Political Action,” the document says that “individual citizens are free to fully engage in partisan politics.” It advises that “religious leaders … should avoid taking positions on candidates or participating in political party matters even when acting in their individual capacity,” since they might find it “difficult to separate their personal activity from their public role as a Church leader.”

Lest they jeopardize their IRS tax exempt status, churches may not in any way “engage in partisan politics such as supporting or opposing individual political candidates for office,” says the document...

But no diocesan or parish “entity or organization may endorse, oppose or evaluate any political party or candidate for public office,” says the bishops’ document. Neither may they contribute in any way to candidates, campaigns, or political action committees. Examples of such prohibited activities, says the document, include “labeling a candidate or party as ‘pro-school aid’ or ‘anti-life,’” for “such a practice removes objectivity by not allowing readers to evaluate a candidate’s position themselves.”

The California Catholic Conference itself “reviews all of the statewide ballot initiatives and referenda,” and the bishops either together or individually choose “to support, oppose or take no position on each measure,” says the document. This being the case, it continues, "when neither the California Catholic Conference nor the (arch)diocese has taken a public position on a specific measure, a parish or Catholic organization should not do so without previous consultation with the bishop.” [Emphasis in original.]

Using church facilities for groups supporting or opposing legislation “should rarely be allowed,” says the document. And, “only with the specific permission of the diocesan bishop and the local pastor should Church facilities be used for signature gathering to place an initiative on the ballot.” [Emphasis in original.]From the CCC "Reverence For Life" page; (By the way, look how they tap dance around all the other "life issues".)

"Respect for all human life and opposition to the violence in our society are at the root of our long-standing position against the death penalty. We see the death penalty as perpetuating a cycle of violence and promoting a sense of vengeance in our culture."Wow... "cycle of violence"... "sense of vengeance". I wonder why they don't speak that strongly against those who hacksaw babies to death? Interesting.

But the indignation from the California Catholic Conference is reserved for those who dispense the JUST punishment on those who have had minor lapses in judgment... you know, like sexually torturing women to death by inserting hunting knives into their vaginas and gutting them like fish... or carving off their breasts. All the while, videotaping their acts so they could masturbate to them later.

More children die in one hour in any given abortuary than all of the executions that take place in the United States in an entire year. Methinks the CCC has their priorities just a liiiiiiitle off.