Extortion by the Catholic Church

by Pa Rock
Citizen Journalist

The Catholic Church is trying to make the City Council of Washington, DC, bend to its will through a heavy-handed - and very political - threat. The Archdiocese of Washington has told the City Council that if the city persists in its efforts to sanction same-sex marriages in the District of Columbia, the Church will retaliate by stopping all of its social service provisions to the nation's capital. In other words, you play the game our way, or we will take our toys and go home.

The Catholic Church manages some of the city-owned homeless shelters, helps in securing or providing health care to some of the city's citizens, and provides minimal resources in the city's adoption programs. The Church pumps some of its own money into these efforts, but it also receives payment from the city for assisting with social services - so there is some cold, hard cash to go with all of the altruism.

The Catholics have doubled-down on an issue that is an anathema to their beliefs and sensibilities. They have boldly stepped beyond the boundaries of religion and entered the political fray. This is America, and anyone who wants to be politically active certainly has that right - unless, of course, they have a tax exemption for being a religious institution.

Let the Catholic Church take its marbles and go home. Surely people and organizations with a true Christian spirit will step forward to pick up the slack. I'm not available for working in the soup kitchens or shelters, but I will send a donation to help out.

And as for the Church - tax the bastards!