Americans United for Separation of Church and State
Barry Lynn, Executive Director
Dear Mr Lynn, you and your fine organization are to be commended for the speed and alacrity of your actions in filing suit against the Diocese of Illinois for that homily that Bishop Jenky gave last week. Why, how dare he insinuate that the Catholic must obey Catholic moral teaching in all facets of his/her life - even in the voting booth? Doesn't he realize that Catholics must leave their faith inside Church doors, according to politically-correct dictates of the present day? Why, what would the Founding Fathers say about such nonsense? Let's take a look...
- Declaration of Independence When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
- Benjamin Franklin, as he (gasp!) requests prayers before the sessions of the Constitutional Convention
- George Washington's Farewell Address, section 27 - "Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensible supports." (Section 26 should be read by the progressive statists infesting the government, but I digress!)
That list could go on and on, but I'll stop here because it's making your case look rather silly.
Mr. Lynn, your website mentions several times the "religious right". I notice there's no mention whatsoever of the "religious left". I trust that's an oversight or maybe I'm simply not perusing it at the proper times. Since your organization is "bipartisan", I'm sure you are ever vigilant for alleged violations from the "left" as you undoubtedly are from those of the "right". Correct??
On the youtube channel of Barackobamadotcom, you can watch a video of President Obama launching "African Americans for Obama" (link here) uploaded on Jan 31, where Obama talks of taking his reelection campaign into his supporters' "faith communities" (at 1:08 mark). At the 1:29 mark, he urges supporters to become "congregation captains". Clearly Obama is urging "election interference" by the churches, so no doubt AUSCS is all over this - right? Right???
During the previous presidential primary in 2008, the New York Times ran this piece about a New York City Baptist pastor endorsing Hillary Clinton over Obama. There was some disgruntlement from Obama supporters, but no where do we read that there was violation of IRS code. Mind you, the pastor was endorsing by name.
Recall that Bishop Jenky never forbade his congregation from voting for Obama by name. Instead, he said during that homily, "This fall, every practicing Catholic must vote, and must vote their Catholic consciences, or by the following fall our Catholic schools, our Catholic hospitals, our Catholic Newman Centers, all our public ministries - only excepting our church buildings – could easily be shut down." It is you who said that "No rational person could believe the bishop was doing anything but saying vote against Obama." In so saying, you make plain your own realization that Obama could very well shut down Catholic institutions if he wins a second term. Thank you, Mr. Lynn, for acknowledging that which is painfully evident to any sane person with two brain neurons firing in syncopation.
Now if you really want to see a Catholic priest engage in outrageous, up-front, in-your-face violation of IRS code by endorsing a candidate, I suggest that you set your sights on Father Micheal Pfleger of the Archdiocese of Chicago. Remember this incident of him bashing Hillary Clinton in favor of Barack Obama? And mind you - this happened inside a church! From the same pulpit at Trinity United in Chicago, we see Rev Jeremiah Wright committing the same IRS violation of which you accuse Bishop Jenky. I presume (?) that AUSCS is pursuing similar actions - but perhaps I simply missed that press release?
Being the bipartisan champions of the "wall between church and state", I'm sure you're pursuing these flagrant violations as much as you're charging after the Peoria bishop for stating Catholic teaching inside a Catholic Church. That is true, isn't it? Isn't it? (Crickets chirping)
Mr. Lynn, in all seriousness, your lawsuit is a farce. It is merely another manifestation of your organization's hatred and bigotry towards those who hold to traditional Christian beliefs and moral values. You are doing nothing more than attempting to bully us into silence. Sir, that is not going to happen. We salute Bishop Jenky and we hope and pray for many more such homilies and that said homilies be implemented by the congregations hearing them.
I advise you that this letter is open and is posted on my blog http://restore-dc-catholicism.blogspot.com as of today. Any responses (or lack thereof) will likewise be made public.
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