Church raises questions on issues, doesn't endorse

Church raises questionson issues, doesn't endorse
EDITOR:
In response to the June 13 letter, & quot;Don't allow churches to get more involved in politics, & quot; the U.S. Catholic bishops write in their & quot;Faithful Citizenship: A Catholic Call to Political Responsibility & quot; that & quot;politics cannot be merely about ideological conflict, the search for partisan advantage, or political contributions. It should be about fundamental moral choices. How do we protect human life and dignity? How do we fairly share the blessings and burdens of the challenges we face? What kind of nation do we want to be? What kind of world do we want to shape. Politics in this election year and beyond should be about an old idea with new power? The common good. & quot;
The bishops further state that the & quot;Catholic community is a diverse community of faith, not an interest group. Our Church does not offer contributions or endorsements. Instead, we raise a series of questions, seeking to help lift up the moral and human dimensions of the choices facing voters and candidates. & quot;
While declaring that the church is not a partisan interest group, the Bishops remain firm that arguments about the separation of church and state cannot deny the right and obligation of the religious community to speak on moral issues. They write & quot;the Constitution protects the right of individuals and of religious bodies to speak out without governmental interference, favoritism, or discrimination. Major public issues have moral dimensions. Religious values have significant public consequences ... The Catholic community enters public life not to impose sectarian doctrine but to act on our moral convictions, to share our experience in serving the poor and vulnerable, and to participate in the dialogue over our nation's future."
BRIAN R. CORBIN
Director, Youngstown Diocese Office of Social Action
Don't quash political rightsof churches in United States
EDITOR:
I've got to thank you for printing the letter about churches and politics. I wasn't aware that the Democrats, under the ruse of the Supreme Court's separation of church and state and the First Amendment, had so blatantly abused our great Constitution by passing a law that forbids churches from endorsing candidates.
I would like to point out that the actual First Amendment states: & quot;Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. & quot;
Whereas it states unequivocally & quot;Congress shall make no law .... & quot; concerning religion, nowhere does it restrict the rights of religious leaders. So, a law restricting the rights of churches to endorse political candidates would be blatantly unconstitutional. Not only is it a law concerning religion, it is a law restricting the free speech of religious people. Priests and ministers and bishops have the freedom of speech also. Wake up people! The First Amendment is to protect us, the citizens, from CONGRESS, not the church.
Are we so afraid of church leaders? Do we think that politicians don't have religion and use it to guide their daily lives? Well, maybe not Democrats from the comments I heard and read about the Clinton debacle.
Remember, the VFW, the NRA, the NAACP, the KKK and many other fraternal organizations and social clubs have powerful leaders and large audiences, and they endorse political candidates. Why aren't we afraid of them? (The organizations mentioned were picked at random with no intention of maligning them.) Personally, I am much more concerned about who the KKK is endorsing than the Catholics or Methodists.
BILL BOLASH
Lowellville