More Voices: Denying Communion

Should Communion be denied to Catholic politicians who disagree with Church teachings?

No. If priests denied Communion to everyone who disagreed with some of the Church's teaching, there would be almost no one at the Communion rail.

-- Marylou Thompson,Rosslyn

The Catholic Church needs to look hard and deep at itself before it starts "throwing stones" at people for their beliefs. Denying anyone Communion based on their beliefs wrongly reinforces the belief that the Church is outdated in its thinking. They let pedophile priests take Communion, continue as priests and say mass, yet they want to stop a church member from receiving Communion because of his beliefs. Get a grip. My beliefs are my beliefs, and it is not up to the Church to take punitive action against me because of them. What will the Church do when we all stop giving money because we don't agree with some of their beliefs? No wonder no one wants to be a priest and people are leaving the Church in droves.

Charlie Breck,Leonardtown, Md.

For any church to sanction a policitian because of legitimate political actions or beliefs that go against the teachings of that church is not only hypocritical, it is downright stupid. The separation of church and state principle is a part of our historical, legal, political and social heritage, and that principle preserves and protects our religious liberty. A church that attacks that political process is gnawing at its own foundation. If a church truly believes in the existence of an Almighty, then perhaps it should direct it clergy to study the meaning of the words "In God We Trust" and leave the judging to someone else...

Chip Moore, Indian Head, Md.

Catholics (and other believers) who favor abortion want to "have their cake and eat it too." My idea is that politicians who favor social policies that offend the tenets of their faith should refrain from Communion as a recognition that they advocate sinful, even if legal, social policies. Abortion should be stigmatized by all Christian denominations, in my view. That would have the aded benefit of helping to make it more rare.

Emily Volz, Silver Spring

Absolutely not. God created us to think for ourselves. If he wanted us to be perfect and be all-believing, he would have made us that way. We have to earn God's love and forgiveness. We also have to learn from our errors in judgment. Church and state and politics need to be kept separate. How many Catholics believe in abortion? I'll bet there are a few, but the Church doesn't know how they feel -- just like divorce. Your decisions and way of thinking are between you and God, not you and the Church. All the Church can do is continue to reach out and teach its message and hope that its congregation can and will acknowledge that it is the best way. "You can lead a horse to water but..."

It is not up to the Church to sit in judgment.

Nancy Benson, Ellicott City

Given its long history of being on the wrong side of politics, I find it hypocritical for the Catholic Church to consider such a policy. The Church should take a hard look at itself. Need we forget its silence during World War II and its own history with the Inquisition? Should it spend its political capital on acts against freethinking politicians? Given its own recent history with protecting the molesters of our children, the Church has few moral assets to spare these days. Let it clean its own house and leave America's democracy to its religious diversity, free speech and open politics.

Tom Allen, Oviedo, Fla.