101 - 110 of 144 Comments

1. robert

   2 years ago

   This story is perhaps the most clear instance of catholic.org attacking obama over nothing more then semantics. Please, why don't you neoconservative Catholics stop making the rest of us look bad.

2. sandy

   2 years ago

   he studied under Marxists at University, taught classes on Saul Alinsky, has surrounded himself with Marxists, Socialist Progressives....old expression: walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, must be a ??? he addresses the old, heretical beliefs of Liberation Theology....little surprise here....it's not a war, but a " man-made disaster"....it's not "religion" constitutionally, but "worship"....remind you a bit of the definition of "is" is?

3. Jason

   2 years ago

   This is an important and valid observation. The current administration appears to be bent on changing or at least attacking most of our core values as a nation.

4. Blue Collar Todd

   2 years ago

   It does seem that there would be a necessary privatization of faith if the "freedom of worship" becomes the new standard. What would you say then to France banning the burka? I would think that it is justified since Islam is an oppressive religion that harms women at many levels, but the argument here would mean one would have to support women wearing the burka.
   
   http://www.bluecollarphilosophy.com

5. Osamas Pajamas

   2 years ago

   I am an atheist. I am also a libertarian, however. I see no basis whatever for government to dictate the terms of religious activity for any religion for any reason, as long as those religious activities do not infringe human rights.
   
   I speak of the inalienable and perfectly-natural and universally-valid human rights of life, liberty, private property, and the pursuit of personal happiness.
   
   The first article of private property is "the self" and all other rights are derivatives of and flow from these cardinal rights. These rights ----The Rights of Man ---- are the gift of nature --- or of nature's god ---- and they belong to all human beings, everywhere.
   
   The left-wing atheists who ruled the Soviet Union and those who ape them even today, have never done anything to improve the circumstances of human life on this earth. Whatever our philosophical disagreements, men of faith are right to "focus like a laser" on the words and activities of government, everywhere.
   

6. Cyns

   2 years ago

   What did he say in the election, words matter. One better believe that this is a deliberate effort to change us. Oh gosh, can we make it through the next two years of him?

7. Jewel Burgins

   2 years ago

   On the contrary, Obama has not simply narrowed the scope of religious freedom in "freedom of worship," but he has given special rights to Muslims by appointing people specifically because they are of that faith, and by dedicating our national resources and interests to pursue Muslim - specific goals (NASA: priority becomes "help Muslims feel better about their contribution to the sciences"). So we have a man who is as opposed to the principle of equality of religions before the law. But where are the left's accusations of theocracy? After all, they made those claims against Bush over Christianity.
   
   Words mean everything. Obama has twisted them with purpose and stealth for ideological purposes. "Man-made disaster" is not the same thing as "Islamic terrorist attack." "War on terrorism" is not the same thing as "overseas contingency operation."
   
   And finally, "freedom of worship" is not the same as "freedom of religion." The later would even characterize Saudi Arabia, which bans the building of churches and the entrance of non-Muslims into Mecca. As long as the religious guards don't bang on Christian's homes between the mandatory Muslim prayers, that's your "freedom of worship." The Bible burnings, public dress codes, separate roads for non-Muslims are irrelevant. All else is fair game.

8. Tabitha Miller

   2 years ago

   Taken to it's next step would be the open door for intrusion of the government into doctrine itself. What can be taught and what cannot.

9. More God, less government

   2 years ago

   The problem here is the size of our federal government. Over the last 50 years it has grown into the richest, most powerful institution on the face of the earth. Those now in power are wielding that power to have their way. Unfortunately, their way is what is good for them and the government, not what is good for the people. To have their way, they need to override the rights we are endowed with - including, but not limited to, freedom of religion. Look for a long term assault on all of our freedoms: they are getting in the way of what the government wants, which is complete control.
   
   My solution? We need to bring God back into the public sector and get government out. Put simply, more God, less government
   
   It took us a long time to this point. It will take a long struggle to undo.

10. J.A. Harnes

    2 years ago

    This seems like a tempest in a teapot. It is much more likely the wording is being used by the President not to criticize France whose lower house of parliament overwhelmingly approved a ban on wearing burqa-style Islamic veils this week, and even Syria which has banned the niqab, a face-covering veil worn by some Muslim women, in public universities.
    
    The issue has been debated across Europe, and Spain and Belgium have similar bans in the works. In France, which has Europe's largest Muslim population, about 5 million of the country's 64 million people are believed to be Muslim. While ordinary headscarves are common in France, only about 1,900 women are believed to wear face-covering veils.
    
    So the issue seems to be the President tip toeing around this issue NOT some major secret policy change on religious freedom.

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