Letters: Picking politicians from a pulpit
Sound Beach Community Church, 4 Great River Dr., was founded in 1953. The Evangelical Free Church's pastor is John D' Eletto. (Sept. 7, 2012) Credit: Brittany Wait
Regarding the troubling op-ed by the Rev. Thomas W. Goodhue ["Politicking in the pulpit can backfire," Opinion, Nov. 20]:
Goodhue's assertion of the separation of church and state follows a very familiar pattern that leads to the castigation of the Catholic Church for advising its members to use their consciences when voting for political candidates.
Like most critics of the Catholic Church, he uses the most extreme example of a Catholic bishop who rightfully discouraged the flock from voting for the president, who has been the greatest proponent of abortion in the history of this country. As we speak, Cecile Richards, the chief executive of Planned Parenthood, is taking credit for President Barack Obama's re-election.
There is no greater moral responsibility for Catholic Church leadership than preaching the sanctity of human life and fighting for the least among us: the pre-born! If anything, the Catholic Church in America is guilty too long of timidity and cowardice in carrying out its greatest moral imperative.
An honest person with integrity would much rather be told the truth, even if it hurts one's feelings, than to be comforted with a lie. Quite frankly, same-sex marriage and abortion are immoral regardless of whether they are legal. No amount of theological mumbo jumbo can change that fact.
I would also admonish Goodhue for failing to point out that many ordained ministers openly used their pulpits to campaign for President Barack Obama. I doubt that the IRS will be investigating them anytime soon.
Finally, it is a distortion to claim that a majority of Catholics supported Obama. A Catholic is someone who continues to follow the teaching of the Catholic Church. That fact will probably eliminate an overwhelming number of those who still try to convince themselves and others that they are Catholic.
Robert Lawrence Olson, Westhampton Beach
The Rev. Thomas Goodhue berates the bishop of Peoria, Ill., for promoting candidate Mitt Romney. Surprisingly, he neglected to complain as churches openly endorsed Barack Obama without threat to their tax-exempt status!
Goodhue fails to give an honest appraisal of the Catholic Church's voice in politics. Catholic bishops rarely endorse candidates, but rather firmly encourage the faithful to adhere to church teaching as a guideline when voting. Those teachings profess the undeniable biblical references to life beginning at conception. We do not want our taxes used for contraception, abortion drugs or sterilization, and we are fighting the government mandate forcing us to do so.
Goodhue points to a study indicating the younger generation is moving away from Catholic and evangelical churches because they are "alienated by judgmental attitudes toward sexuality." I submit it is more because they listen to the constant droning of popular culture. If equal time were given to scriptural truth on sexuality, it would prevail.
Walter Ruzek, Mineola
