Check out this new election video emphasizing pro-life, anti-gay marriage positions from the conservative Catholic group Fidelis. The New York Times reports that the video, which implies support for the Republican ticket, has been posted by Catholic churches across the country on their web site. For a good example, check out the site of The Cathedral of St. Peter in Joe Biden’s hometown; the site features the video on a special welcome page that appears even before the full homepage does.
God-o-Meter noticed that this video eschews the kind of red meat messages that were prevalent among conservative pro-Bush Catholic groups in 2004. It’s a lot subtler, appealing to the bipartisan sensibility of many Catholics.
There’s a handsome shot of John F. Kennedy, for instance.
There’s another of Martin Luther King, Jr.
And one of a nuclear power plant spewing steam into the air juxtaposed with text that says “No Issue Can Be Ignored,” a nod to the environmental concerns of most Catholics.
As The Times reports, liberal Catholic groups are challenging conservatives to a much greater extent than in ’04. But conservative Catholic groups are clearly gaining better access to Catholic churches than in years past, as illustrated by the video gambit. So progressive Catholic groups may have plenty of catching up to do, tactics-wise.
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posted October 6, 2008 at 8:38 pm
super lame video.I hope the days of somber inuendo will soon come to an end.mccain are you freaking kidding me? but i suppose you think bush was an awesome president huh? god o meter my ass.the god they serve is power
peace on earth
posted October 6, 2008 at 8:40 pm
amen.
posted October 6, 2008 at 9:05 pm
Great video. Meant to be an up-yours to the Doug Kmiec “Catholic” types! Keep up the great work, Fidelis (Faithful)!
posted October 6, 2008 at 10:43 pm
The churches that are posring this video are violating Federal and Church law. The Pope has ordered that the churches stay out of the political arena and stay on the Word of God.
Besides, if the church really want to show that there are many faces in this election, let them answer the question of how come the GOP has failled the poor, hungry, sick and the elderly as well as the returning vets, home owners and the 750,000 people who have lost their jobs since Bush took office.
The truth is the best weapon we have and the Republicans have lied to us for seven years.
posted October 7, 2008 at 12:48 am
If Obama wins these folks may find that they have more to be unhappy about than bad taste in videos.
posted October 7, 2008 at 1:33 am
The issues shown in this video are real and they are a call to arms for all God fearing Americans.
It’s sad to see the posts listed here. People want to blame the Bush administration for all their woes. What so many people fail to see is that the president doesn’t make the laws, the congress does. Many liberal politicians want to blame the presidency for all that is wrong just so they can draw attention away from what is going on behind closed doors. If people would do their own research instead of following what is shown in the mainstream media then the truth would be known. The liberal media do not want you to know the truth.
I see posts here that blame Bush & the GOP for our countries current financial problems. It was the liberal democratic congress that wrote and passed the laws forcing banks to write sub-prime loans to minorities that would not otherwise receive them through the Community Reinvestment Act. If the loans were not made then the banks would be sued by the Fed for discrimination. The Carter administration started it and the Clinton administartion made it worse. Conservatives have tried many times to bring companies like Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac under regulation but were unable to because the liberals in congress blocked the Bills (like HR-90) that would do so. Now, ex-CEO’s like Raines that were once in control of these companies have been hired on as advisors to Obama. Obama received the second highest campaign contributions from Freddis & Fannie. The only one higher was Senator Barney Frank (Dem. Mass)
I have included some links that you can copy and paste for those that would like to learn more.
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2008/09/28/franks_fingerprints_are_all_over_the_financial_fiasco/
http://www.foxnews.com/printer_friendly_story/0,3566,432501,00.html
Pro-Life is what God intended. It is not man’s right to take life from innocent children that cannot be defended. Life starts at conception. When you hold your child in your arms on the day of their birth, there is a love unleashed from inside you that can only come from God. All children deserve a right to live.
By the way, people have misinterpreted the Constitution when it comes to separation of church and state. Our forefathers intended that the Constitution would keep the government out of the church, not the church out of the government. This prevented the government from being able to stop people from worshiping the way they please. This country was started by people with Christian beliefs trying to escape persecution.
posted October 7, 2008 at 10:16 am
I am offended that a site be given a name such as “God-o-Meter”. This title insinuates that God can be measured, or the amount of faith in a particular potilical perspective can be measured. I cannot think of a more simple way to state that faith SHOULD BE much more important than any political agenda. People SHOULD vote based on the moral teachings of what they hold true in their heart. Faith does not lie…men lie, throughout history men and women have perpetually lied for personal and political gain and look at where we are at now. We are blindly following the mistaken footsteps of our European friends where people are saddly replacing God with government.
Having been a Catholic all my life, I have never heard any priest or Church official offer a name to whom I should vote. This is in stark contrast to other protestant faiths – we know because we have all seen the news. Talk about your FACTS.
Government and religion should be separate; however, that does not mean that faith should be removed from how a person chooses to vote. I have faith in a heaven and I also have faith that we will all have to answer for our decisions. When that time comes for me, I am choosing NOT to have to explain why I voted for a man that warrants or allows (Libs – go ahead and put whatever spin on this you want) the death of the most indefensible beings – an unborn child.
What is happening to our society? What has happened to our moral compass? What has happened to our faith? Why are we sooner to believe agnostic, or even athiestic hollywood nuts before we listen to our pastors – or more importantly our hearts where God does live?
God bless this country…PLEASE!
posted October 7, 2008 at 10:29 am
Dan Gilgoff goes beyond subtle innuendo here, leaving many scratching heads, wondering “what did he just say, what is his point?”
I love the many websites providing faith, hope and love to Christians, reaching beyond traditional denominational boundaries, exhibiting that TRUTH has a strong power all its own, drawing all true Christians together as we yield to the power of the one true God living within us.
There also exists a wide assortment of websites providing and promoting alternative religious or spiritual viewpoints, from the ultra-narrow-minded “Only our sect understands truth/everyone else is wrong/everyone else is going to hell/etc. to the the wide-open-minded “can’t-we-all-just-get-along/anything goes/’tolerance’ must reign/all faiths are okay” side of the spectrum.
Any true believer who has God’s spirit residing in them who spends some time on BeliefNet.com will quickly come to the conclusion that this is another site that has thrown out Christian TRUTH in the name of “can’t-we-all-just-get-along/all faiths are okay.”
No, all faiths are not okay! Yes, everyone has a right to their own beliefs, right or wrong. TRUTH is TRUTH, unswayed by personal beliefs.
It is written: “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness….” 2 Cor 11:13-15
God bless y’all,
Eric Thiemann
Eric@4Jes.us
posted October 7, 2008 at 11:26 am
Belief.net or Unbelief.net?
I thought the video was excellent and accurately reflects the unchanging teaching of the Catholic Church from 2,000 years, which the bishops have spelled out in the Faithful Citizenship voting guide–it doesn’t tell you who to vote for but how to form your conscience, and there is no issue more important than the 3,000 babies legally aborted everyday in our great country.
A pro-life, pro-marriage video tastefully and truthfully done–why such hatred from Sen. Obama’s supporters about it?
posted October 7, 2008 at 12:06 pm
I’ll let others speak to Church law, but Scruffy’s assertion that a parish posting this video violates federal law is completely false. The remaining portion of his screed demonstrates that this is not surprising insomuch as he is perfectly keen with yapping about stuff he knows nothing about.
posted October 7, 2008 at 1:02 pm
Scruffy writes:
What? When did he order that?
A Reuters story from last summer reports that the Pope said the church cannot be a substitute for government, but he didn’t go nearly so far as to order churches to eschew politics:
posted October 7, 2008 at 1:04 pm
I am Catholic and WILL be voting my conscience. I can work on a personal level against abortion. I hope committed gay couples get the same rights as I have. The Church will still be able to bestow the Sacrament of Marriage on only the couples we deem “eligible” (for lack of a better word).
I cannot and will not vote for McCain after voting for Bush in 2000.
posted October 9, 2008 at 6:53 am
All well and good – if there was not a sub-message in there seemingly telling people to vote against the pro-choice candidate and also biological research -
One of the problems with the evangelical vote – is that it is being used to pursue the interest of Big Oil and wars for oil.
They claim life is important – but what they mean is that some lives are more important – because if you can justify going to Iraq and fighting a war for oil – 4000 US troops die – and not forgetting those troops in the coalition – to secure oil contracts from a more manageable and democratic Iraq. We are looking at conflicting ideas.
In addition Sarah Palin would have an abortion if her life was endangered – so much for the sanctity of life here. In all Sarah Palin would use her right to choose in accordance with her own conscience – and this is where when it comes to a women’s body choosing according to one’s own conscience has to remain paramount.
posted October 9, 2008 at 12:11 pm
I am Pro-Choice and will be voting for Obama, but that is one of the best videos from the “other side” I have ever seen. It is not just one of those Bible-bashing, holier-than-thou Pro-Life videos that we are all so tired of from the ultra-right, hyper-religious evangelicals. I am a man of faith and I found a deep and very profound message here about individual responsibility to search one’s conscience. And even more profound, the video left the result of that search to the individual. I was very moved. My applause go to the makers of this video. Although I will not be voting for the same candidate that they will, I will, as they urge, be voting in the manner. And that is what will make us stronger–respect for those on the other side of the aisle. Too bad the Karl Roves and Rush Limbaughs of the world don’t know how much stronger we are for respecting those who disagree.