www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall McCain Still Not Repudiating Anti-Catholic Bigot

McCAIN STANDS FAST ON HAGEE; CRITICISM MOUNTS

March 7, 2008


Mounting criticism of Sen. John McCain�s refusal to denounce Pastor John Hagee�s anti-Catholicism continued yesterday. In addition to the Catholic League, several other Catholic groups criticized the Republican presidential nominee. Joining in the criticism was House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic Party of Georgia, columnists, bloggers and religious websites. Tonight Bill Moyers will air a show on the controversy.

When asked about this issue yesterday, McCain said the following: �Pastor Hagee endorsed me. That does not mean I endorse everything Pastor Hagee said. All I can say is lots and lots of people endorse me. That means they embrace my ideas and positions. It does not mean I endorse them.�

Catholic League president Bill Donohue disagrees with this assessment:

�Ordinarily, what McCain said would be true enough. What makes the Hagee matter different is threefold: (a) McCain actively solicited the endorsement, appearing with the minister to accept it (b) Hagee is not simply guilty of a few throw-away lines�he has a long history of demonizing Catholicism, and (c) McCain blasted then presidential candidate George W. Bush in 2000 for not condemning Bob Jones University because of the school�s anti-Catholicism (Bush eventually did), thus he has already dropped anchor on this issue.

�Fortunately for McCain, he did not shut the door and say this matter is over. But time is running out. We expect to hear a more definitive statement that explicitly rejects Hagee�s anti-Catholicism. If we don�t, criticism from many quarters will only escalate. It is one thing for a candidate to disagree with the Catholic position on certain public policy issues, quite another to break bread with an anti-Catholic bigot.�

http://www.catholicleague.org/release.php?id=1403

Look's like this November we'll be looking at the worst ever slate of major party candidates for the presidency.

What is surprising to me are the exit polls that indicate the majority of Catholics are voting for Hilary Clinton. I just can't understand that ... But I can't understand why anyone would vote for a Clinton after the divisive political mess of the 90s. Who would wish that on the country again??

ACTUALLY McCain just last niht finally duid repudiute Haggee.

Although it took him some time, and largley looks like it was in respone to Critisism.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0307mccain-catholics0307-ON.html


Nevertheless, he has Repudited Hagee's view on Catholics.

Those with weak long-term memories?

"Who would wish that on the country again??"

I would!

Alexis

Why?

You must be pro-abortion?

Back when Pope John Paul II first visited the USA, a journalist lamented - in public - that he could not find "a respectable anti-Catholic" to present an alternate view of the Pope.

What, pray, could possibly make a bigot respectable? Do we search for respectable KKK reps? Or respectable holocaust deniers? Or respectable racists? Or do we consider that certain expressed views place the person expressing them and embracing them as his own beyond the pale of respectable people?

Various bigots go out of their way to seek audiences whom they proceed to shock. When I was an undergraduate, George Lincoln Rockwell, the "Fuhrer" of the American Nazi Party, wangled himself an invitation to lecture at our university. Professors of the social sciences encouraged their students to go and listen - because it was a marvelous opportunity to hear someone express anti-social pathology. No professors of the Political Science Department were of the view that what the Fuhrer was spouting was a legitimate political analysis which warrants the attention of students of politics.

Fr. Serge

AS noted, though, and before it is lost, Senator McCain has repudited the Anti-Catholic Claims of Pastor John Hagee.

I realise much of what Is said on a Message board can eaislybe overlooked, but I do think I referenced this abve, and provided a news link.

It has been in numerous Papers.

Terry Bohannon asked, "Why?"

David Letterman and Jay Leno would never run out of material, no matter how often the writers strike!

No, I am not pro-abortion! I almost think your question doesn't deserve a response, since you're accusing me of cafeteria Catholicism (and I've been accused of a lot of things, but never, until now, have I been accused of that).

I welcome the changes in embryonic stem cell research, etc. that have occurred during the Bush administration's time in power. I wasn't saying I'd want all of it back, and certainly not some parts, but millions of abortions still occur every year, it is still despicably enshrined as a woman's "right" in every state of the Union, and thousands of Americans (and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis) have lost their lives because of a misplaced, heinous war, and people are losing their livelihoods right and left.

Alexis

Dear Alexis,

I interpreted your comments to mean that you want the Clintons back in the White House, and the Clinton's are radically pro-abortion. I'm not a Bush guy by any means. I have a big problem with his war (which Hilary voted for). But, in his defense, he did appoint some justices to the Supreme Court who, if they attain a majority, will probably overturn Roe v. Wade, and he signed the Federal law outlawing Partial Birth Abortion. A Clinton White House would undo all that progress, and further advance the Culture of Death. I could never vote for a pro-Death politician, especially when the opponent is either less pro-death or pro-life. This issue is one of the "non-negotiables".

Dn. Robert

Back to the Hagee endorsement, I don't see what the big fuss was over. Pastor Hagee, as wrong as he is theologically, is NOT a bigot. He simply belives that the teachings of the Catholic Church are in error and are dangerous. Does this make him a bigot? I hope not, or else all of us who believe that other religions and Christian communities are in error are bigots!

I don't see Hagee being the same as a Farrakhan or Duke, for example. Hagee does not believe that Catholics are inferior or sub-human. He simply believes that we are in (serious and dangerous) error theologically, and he is trying (misguidedly, in my opinion) to help us see the "error" of our ways.

Furthermore, does anyone really for even a minute think that McCain agrees with Pastor Hagee on this stuff?

It's simply a non-issue, in my opinion.