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Subscribe to RSSThe Anti-Defamation League wants an apology from Peoria's bishop following a recent homily comparing President Barack Obama's policies to those of despots Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin.
During the message at St. Mary's Cathedral in Peoria, Roman Catholic Bishop Daniel Jenky contended social services for Catholics could be eliminated if Obama's directive to include contraceptives in health insurance continues. Jenky went on to compare the actions to past cultural wars against the Catholic Church.
“Remember that in past history other governments have tried to force Christians to huddle and hide only within the confines of their churches like the first disciples locked up in the Upper Room,” Jenky said.
Read the original story, hear audio at NBChicago.com
In comparison, he pointed to Otto von Bismarck's "culture war against the Roman Catholic Church, closing down every Catholic school and hospital, convent and monastery in Imperial Germany."
“Clemenceau, nicknamed ‘the priest eater,’ tried the same thing in France in the first decade of the 20th Century," Jenky said. "Hitler and Stalin, at their better moments, would just barely tolerate some churches remaining open, but would not tolerate any competition with the state in education, social services and health care."
"In clear violation of our First Amendment rights, Barack Obama, with his radical, pro-abortion and extreme secularist agenda, now seems intent on following a similar path,” he said.
Chicago’s Anti-Defamation League calls the comments "outrageous." League Regional Director Lonnie Nasatir told the Chicago Tribune Jenky "needs a history lesson."
Nasatir said the bishop's homily trivialized the deaths of six million Jews and others during the Holocaust. He said there are few if any historic parallels to "the religious intolerance and anti-Semitism fostered in society by Stalin, and especially Hitler."
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There has been no entity more bloodthirsty and violent than the Catholic Church of the past. Don't forget as well, their priests have molested hundreds of children while the church looked the other way and just transported them to another part of the world so they could have a new batch to choose from.
Yeah, there HAS been an entity -- it's called International Communism. What planet have you been living on??? Mao and his goons killed up to 75 million people. Stalin and his henchmen slaughtered up to 40 million. Then there were "lesser" mass-murderers whose victims run from the hundreds of thousands to the multiple-millions -- like Lenin, Tito, Ho Chi Minh, Pol Pot, Castro, Kim Il-Sung and the East European leaders who were puppets of the USSR. And you DARE villify the Catholic Church, instead of condemning the Communist butchers of history????
Another pedophile dabbling into politics. If this Bishop wants to change the political scene, the separation of church and state is no longer valid. The government should revoke the tax exempt status of the Catholic church. The Bishop should also be educated in all of the atrocities the church has done to mankind over the centuries. He probably still thinks the universe revolves around the earth.
You should be educated on libel laws -- calling this priest a pedophile without any facts? When even MSNBC isn't reporting any such thing?
Also, you need to learn that International Communism has butchered over 100 million people in the 20th Century -- not the Catholic Church!
Sounds like the outlook of the Opus Dei fanatics. You know, the ones who believe God loves them more than he loves everybody else. And why does God love them so much?
Because they flog themselves bloody every night. And wear those metal torture devices on their legs, called a cilice, which they tighten progressively till it bleeds and disfigures the flesh.
They remind me of snake handlers. But with the RC church it's all about the sins of the flesh and original sin. Original sin is where mom and pop got foreclosed by the landlord, who preferred to be addressed as God. God is pretty insistent that everybody "obey" him. He is really into this Obedience thing. So when they have a party, he says "I'm kicking you out for disobeying Me!"
And I wouldn't even mind these idiots hurting themselves all the time, imagining that it makes them virtuous; but they won't keep it to themselves. Why can't they keep their perversions to themselves?
Like this Bishop, he's so full of hatred he lashes out at the POTUS who never said a bad word about him. The Bishop has no problem demanding that everybody obey him and not use contraception and over run the planet with little perverts just like him. Seems like he'd foreclose on the world if he could, just like you know who.
Bishop is ignorant. Hitler and Stalin are on opposite sides of the spectrum. Hitler was a national Socialist (Nazi) putting him on the most extreme Right. Stalin was a communist putting him on the extreme Left. And as for killing people, much as I dislike Obamba, he doesn't hold a candle to either. My bet though is that the US is heading to be National Socialist. Remember even Hitler had a slow start and people liked what he was doing for the economy and social structure during his first years. Even liked his early European conquests. But the time they realized they were in deep doo doo from having enemies all around it was too late to get rid of him and he had total control. The US has become the most hated country in the world spreading its form of Democracy that isn't Democracy at all, but Corporatocracy and Militarocracy. While the US is undeniably the greatest military power, those countries that hate us, most of them, are bringing us down economically. The food we eat, the electronics in homes, cars and all else is usually from another country. Old saying. If you owe the bank a thousand dollars the bank owns you. If you owe the bank a Billion dollars, you own the bank. And alas, other countries now own the US, mainly China, but collectively we lost control long ago. It really began with Reagan. But the policies that brought that began with Eisenhower, though he was against it and warned of the Military industrial Complex.
In practical terms there's not a dime's worth of difference between "National Socialism" (Nazism) and International Socialism ("Communism"). Both are totalitarian states. The opposite of totalitarianism is anarchy, or no government. Our Constitutional Republic, at least until the Leftists got ahold of it, starting with Socialist Woodrow Wilson, was neither. But Obama's tendencies are definitely "authoritarian".
Someone needs to tell this Brainwashing Inc. employee that until his company starts paying taxes and stops molesting children as a past time, that the only thing political they should be allowed to say is, "Thank You!"
simple fix. Pull this catholics "not for profit" status. Obama...Hitler. LMAO. Religion is such a sin.
Not as big a sin as Socialism (ie Lefts, or Progressives)
That's not Socialism, you brain-washed Fox News loving moron. Thats called the ideals this country was established under.
Disgusting! Send this guy a copy of the Bible and suggest he read it. I am waiting to see a republican with a value. You know things like truth, honesty, respect, courtesy. They are sinking to new lows. Is this in response I bet to a Bishop criticizing Romney for not doing what it is in the Bible like helping and encouraging low income people. They reply by doing another thing not in the Bible. They are supposed to attract people to religion not drive them away. Disgusting!
Yes, sure, as you can see from the posts here - EVERYONE would pay attention to truth. Sure. No, we are a nation in love with ourself. Yes, SELF, singular, not plural. You could care less about me because you get no money from me. But if I won the Lottery, suddenly, you might at least ACT like you wre listening. That is why all the liberal LOVE obama. He promises the WORLD.
What has he delivered? ........ hello??........anyone out there????
I agree with ktlin 2021409 - what would Jesus do? Hypocrites!
The bishop's comments are outrageous! Proof positive that the Catholic Church remains in their monied, insular, perverted world. They won't be happy until they have absolute power like they did 1000 years ago. Wait a minute - they still were not happy even then until they prosecuted, imprisoned and murdered those who opposed their whim.
Nope, has nothing to do with the Catholic Church -- EVERYTHING to do with an authoritarian, would-be dictator Socialist like Obama!!!!
Let's assume for a moment that you are the actor Michael Douglas. If true, then your intellectual capabilities are in a different league than your acting capabilities. Well, proof positive that you can' have everything...
These haters need to be arrested for treason. I'm sick to death of them. And take Ted Nugent, Rush Limbaugh, Romney, and the devil himself, Dick Cheney, to jail. Whatever happened to respect for the President of the United States?!! This is no longer freedom of speech, but hate mongering and vicious attacks on the leader of our country!
The POTUS does not respect the Catholics or any other religion, but we are to respect him? Wow, that is NEWS. Amazing. I thought leaders lead by example. I guess not.
I believe the respect you refer to is due to the Office of the President; President Obama referred to George Bush, when he was the POTUS, as Mr. Bush. President Clinton, when he was running for office, consistantly referred to the sitting POTUS as Mr. Bush, rather than Mr. President. No Democratic President in the last 31 years has shown the respect the office is due.
It isn't about the person occupying the office; it is about the Office of the United States. One may, or may not, respect the man sitting in the office but respect the Office. We all should.
You are such a deluded Leftist.... We respect the Office of the President of the United States -- we DO NOT respect treasonous, seditious, Socialist would-be dictators like Obama! Let HIM respect the United States Constitution for a change!!!
My cousin, who had died a few years ago, was a Catholic Priest. Even though I'm not very pious myself, he was someone whom I always ejoyed talking to. I guess that was because my cousin was more of a scholar that a preacher. Although I'm sure my cousin could have run circles around this dude with his knowledge of religous texts, I'm also sure he would have found very few if any similarities between Obama and Hilter or Stalin. I pretty sure he would have agreed with me that this guy has some loose screws.
There is no analogy between the policies of the Obama administration and any of the actions and atrocities the good bishop may consider as parallels. Such comments are simply ignorant.
Since this cult that calls itself a church and wants to play politics.then tax them. The catholic church has done more harm through the ages than any other. If there were a "god" one would think he would shut them down.They are disgusting and vile as well as the most hypocritical of them all.
Little note to Bishop: It is Ah-dolf not Aye-dolf. Can't even pronounce it right. Adolph meant Noble Wolf in German, his true first name. Hitler was an assumed name though, his name at birth being Schienklegrupper. As for Stalin, Josef was his first name, not Joseph. Stalin was an assumed name meaning Man of Steel. I would have to look up his birth name to recall it.
We are nowhere like either Communism nor Nazi, but givew it a few more years or administrations I believe we will irreversible arrive at the latter description. So to get ahead in life you might want to that goose step lessons.
I have yet to hear a bishop say anything to the press that doesn't make him sound like a pompous, self-righteous, manipulating windbag. I swear it must be in their job description somewhere.
Hey RWING-nut, did any of your losers kill Bin Laden? No! The guy you said does nothing got him! Suck it!
Hey loser -- the troops President Bush sent into Iraq killed several THOUSAND terrorists and Islamo-Fascists!!! VIVA BUSH!!! OBAMA -- "One and done"!!!
If these churches wish to be part of the political debate, then it is time to remove their tax exemption. They need to be taxed, no more free rides. These so called "Christians" are so protective of the unborn, but where is the outrage against violence against women, killing African Americans by vigilanties or some wash up rocker threatening to kill the president. These hypocrits will kill to stop abortions and have hijacked the 2nd amendment. They say they care about these unborn children, but once the child has inhaled their first breath of air, these idiots refuse to pay for educating the child, funding parks or are against medical programs for poor children. These mental midgets are neither pro-life or are christians.
OBS - Obama Derangement Syndrome in full effect here
This is why I stopped going to mass. The Catholic church has become holier-than-thou, contrary to so much history and experience.
I wonder if this bishop was as vocal with the issue of children abuse by priests....just like the Evangelicals...all worried about what is in the womb but once they are out...too bad...so sad....if these churches (ALL OF THEM) want to continue to be political then it is time that their tax roles change..simple as that...Hitler? Stalin? And has this guy read any history?
The Catholic Church needs to change it's stance on contraception already, but I guess that's another matter.
I saw someone say that in order to remove tax exempt status it would take a Constitutional Amendment but that sounds like BS. There is no constitutional amendment giving them tax exempt status in the first place.
If you can argue that Obama is trying to limit religious freedom by mandating Catholic hospitals provide contraception coverage to their employees, then you could make the opposite argument by saying that he's trying to increase the religious freedoms of non-Catholics working at these institutions.
Given the choice of living under Stalin or Hitler rule, or having to listen to constant religious rhetoric, I'd have to think about it.
Well, you would have to think fast, given their attitude toward tolorance.
The question alone gets me shackled and burned, doesn't it.
Extreme language, like that used by the bishop, generally gets an unintended response.
In this case the bishop loses all credibility, and perhaps even causes people who may be in sympathy with the the reasons for his speech to move away from his position.
It seems, increasingly, that the media, public figures, politicians, and church leaders are using extreme language to try to get attention. It's a really bad trend.
He's not using "extremist" language. Obama is the extremist -- and extreme, Socialistic, would-be dictator! "One and done"!!!
If the Catholic Church had any balls it would "ask" this Bishop to resign.
it has plenty of balls, but unfortunately none that belong to clergy members.
Yea, verily, brethren, in regard to Roman Catholic Bishop Daniel Jenky, I offer a quote from the Holey Book, Chapter VIII, Verse XXII of the "Book of Holes": "And he knew not his hole from an ass upon the ground."
The overwhelming ignorance of voters is the only reason Obama is in the White House now. The overplayed separation of church and state is completely backwards. It is in the Constitution to prevent the State from establishing/favoring ONE religion. How ironic is it that the masses fear the church while espousing the virtues of a government infringing on the basic rights given by our wise forefathers in the Constitution. Maybe they have seen it all happen before and knew it was going to happen again. Check out History. European history is ripe with the events unfolding before our very eyes. I have never seen a president in my 65 years able to stand and lie repeatedly for so long and get away with it. Who are you going to believe? Me or your lying eyes? It sure is working on the masses with no wisdom or soul. Fools. Guns, speech, religion. HHHHMMMMM.
I will never acknowledge the right of religion to interfere with my life...I think it is for the weak minded...you do know millions have been murdered in the name of someone religion and here's a fact for you...most of them were committed by fine christians attempting to force their nonsense on an unwilling populace...screw religion
Are you speaking of the reagan/bushes?
The ignorance of voters is greatly exceeded by your own ignorance. People came to this country to escape religious persecution, not to establish a new church state. Religion has perpetrated more atrocities than any government. I certainly do not buy your lies. Or the lies of that fool of a bishop. I was raised catholic; one of my uncles is a Jesuit priest. But I no longer have any respect for the clergy that insert themselves into politics in such a divisive manner. Jesus was about healing, not dividing and hatred.
As an independent, there are many areas where I disagree with Obama. But when it comes to lies, the conservative ideology has spouted more lies in the last two years than any party has tried in the last decade. Many independents would appreciate an alternative to Obama; he has not lived up to many of his promises. However, conservative ideological attacks are so out of whack with reality that we are left with Obama as the lesser of two evils.
Posting garbage may be red meat to the far right, but only convinces rational people that Republicans are not presenting any viable options. I am still waiting for the 2010 Congress to do anything about jobs, but they are to busy trying to make contraception illegal and keep people from voting.
the Krautster, I like your post. It proves someone can live 65 years without learning anything. There is only one other time people died like they did under Hitler and Stalin and that was under the Churches Inquisistions, where millions died just to make sure nobody could challenge it. And today, that same Church is raping little boys and girls while it protects the priests doing the raping and molestation. I don't believe they can claim the moral high ground until at least a decade after the last occurance. In other words, at least ten years from today. Wait, too late. That's ten years from tomorrow.
As for insuance companies providing contraceptives (after all, that's what this is all about), not all Americans are Catholics or even religious. I'm not. So, let's agree, we will keep the government out of your religion, and you keep your religion the he-- away from our government. Why should your 2000 year old mythology have the right to usurp my right to live the way I want to without some religious person look up friom molesting a child to tell me that they don't like what I am doing and they must have a law telling me that I can no longer do it, but don't try to stop me because God told me I can do this.
As for a President lying, I t would seem to me that you lived through Unca Ronnie and 'W' who lied us into a war just so he could play soldier after going AWOL to make sure he didn't go to Vietnam, so I think you must have a very damn short memory.
They say with age come wisdom. Apparently, not in your case. And, by the way, I'm only seven years younger than you. Of course, I have the ability to learn while you must not be able to. Must be because you already know everything.
Live anyway you want just don't expect me to pay for it!
Redistribution of wealth from the rich to the poor: BAD.
Redistribution of wealth from the poor to the rich: GREAT! Just ask the Repubbies.
How long have you been walking upright?