Peoria Bishop Daniel Jenky (CBS)
Posted on 04/20/2012 1:38:50 PM PDT by NYer
Peoria Bishop Daniel Jenky (CBS)
CHICAGO (CBS) – The Roman Catholic bishop of Peoria has set off a firestorm of controversy, comparing President Obama’s policies to those of Hitler and Stalin.
Bishop Daniel Jenky made the comment Sunday. As the crowds who gather round him will attest, he is a firebrand outside and inside the pulpit.
“Hitler and Stalin at their better moments would just barely tolerate some churches remaining open, but would not tolerate any competition with the state in education, social services and health care,” Jenky said over the weekend. “In clear violation of our constitutional rights, president Obama with his radical, pro-abortion and extreme secularist agenda, now seems intent on following a similar path.”
Chicago Francis Cardinal George declined to comment on the comparison but echoed some of the frustration Jenky expressed.
“This is the first time in the history of our country where our very own government has told our Catholic institutions ‘If you’re going to operate in public, you can’t operate in a Catholic way, you have to give up your Catholic identity,’” George told CBS 2’s Mike Parker on Thursday.
Also during his homily, Bishop Jenky blasted what he called “the calculated disdain of the president of the United States.”
George declined to weigh in on that statement, saying, “I’m not privy to the president’s inner life.”
The church’s anger grows out of the recent flap over contraceptives and healthcare reform known as “Obamacare.”
The head of the Chicago Anti-Defamation League is calling the bishop’s words on Hitler, Stalin and Obama way over the top. He wants the bishop to apologize.
Meanwhile, an advocate for the separation of church and state is urging the Internal Revenue Service to investigate Jenky.
United Church of Christ Minister Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, says the bishop’s comments violate the federal tax code provision that bars churches and other non-profits from intervening in political campaigns.
“If you can get away with this, you might as well tell parishioners to put money into the collection plate on Sunday morning Mass and simply turn that over to whoever is running against Barack Obama,” Lynn said.
A spokesperson for Jenky says the bishop’s comments were taken out of context and misconstrued.
Ping!
You knew this was coming as soon as the first article appeared regarding this courageous Bishop's recent homily at Peoria's annual men's march ...
Wright is Wrong.
When did he give up his First Amendment Rights?
I have to ask.....is he telling the truth or not? If he is, what will America do about it?
i imagine the heat just got turned up a notch where ted kennedy is.
Has he had his visit from the Secret Service yet?
I am not Catholic, but I support this man.
He should apologize the very day that the reverends Wright, Sharpton and Jackson and the minister Farakahn apologize for some of the much worse stuff they've said over the years.
Why is it when you bad mouth traditional values most Americans hold it's "free speech", but as soon as some leftist takes offense then it's apologies all around. Does that seem right to you?
“Under fire†from whom? From the Obama surrogates in the anti-Christian ADL and Americans United. And from the liberal media that are trying to manufacture faux outrage. On substance, the Bishop’s remarks are right on point. Totalitarian regimes always attempt to limit and eventually eliminate all competing institutions, to include religious ones. The historical examples cited by the bishop were accurate and appropriate. Obama shares the totalitarian vision of an all powerful centralized state that will rule all sectors of our lives without inconvenient mediating institutions.
IMHO his homily is very good and thought provoking. Below is a link to it.
Catholic Bishop Claims Obama Is ‘Following A Similar Path’ To Hitler
DISCLAIMER: I apologize for linking to "thinkprogress" but ignore their ramblings and listen to the bishop's own words.
SS indeed! Don’t they have some underage girls to bone in a foreign country. Hand tough Bishop.
Love. Thank you Cardinal!
So the Bush/Hitler thing is a no never mind?
Rock on, Bishop Jenky!
Truth really IRKS the lib/socialists/communist democraps....
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.