A double standard in our society

Some of you may have heard that on January 21st Pope Benedict XVI lifted the excommunication impossed on 4 bishops of the Society of Pius X which is not in communion with the Catholic Church (see: http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0900355.htm). While the lifting of the excommunication has not upset Catholics, it has upset the Jewish community because of comments by one of the rehabilitated bishops, Richard Williamson. In an interview recorded last November and aired a few days prior to the lifting of the excommunication Bishop Williamson stated that the Holocaust was exaggerated and that no Jews died in Nazi gas chambers. The Vatican stated that it did not share his views and that his comments have nothing to do with the lifting of the excommunication. Many people see it differently, however, and have expressed shock and anger that the Holy Father would lift the excommunication of a person who expresses these views. What most fail to understand is that the comments of this bishop have nothing to do with his being brought back into communion with the Church. An excommunication is a spiritual act. It is not issued on a person because of their secular beliefs. I could not incur an excommunication because I believe that the Iraq was is justified or that the murder of John F. Kennedy was actually a good thing (I don't believe either of these). These beliefs are secular in nature as they do not related directly to the faith and more importantly they do not violate or contradict a dogmatic teaching of the Church.
However, there are many who disagree and believe that the Church shouldn't welcome a person back into communion with the Church because their beliefs offend a vast majority of people. Of those expressing their disapproval were 50 Catholic members of the U.S. Congress who signed a letter that was sent to the Holy Father objecting to his decree. What I find very interesting is that these "Catholic" members of Congress are the same persons who say the Church has no right to judge their beliefs on abortion and embroynic stem cell research. They state that their beliefs are separate from the Church and the Church shouldn't be sticking its nose into someone's personal beliefs. Not only is this a double standard it actually proves my point. Their actions ARE in direct conflict with the teaching of the Church and do fall under the authority of the Church to sanction these persons if it so wishes. The Church would be well within its rights if it chose to excommunicate these persons and is certainly within its rights to withhold communion who repeatedly, openly and publicly support abortion.
Their double standard, skewed judgment and incorrect assumptions regarding the excommunication are in conflict with their own beliefs that the Church should not involve itself in their private affairs. This situation again highlights why our political leaders ignore their own faith and why our society today wants God to stay within the walls of the Church. Until next time...God bless.

posted by: crossman at 12:00 | link | comments |
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