re: #80 lostlakehiker

Yes and no. They have the right to freedom of association and reject the child but we have the right to explain and voice our decent to those actions they take. This goes beyond mere freedom of religion issues because the Archdiocese of Denver and more particularly, the Archbishop Charles Chaput, is engaged in public dialogue that will effect public policy. They and he do not exist in a vacuum outside of the public sphere and Chaput’s primary purpose if to sway public opinion “through his flock” in order to change public policy.

These matters go well beyond this child being rejected. It includes Chaput’s very public stance regarding Roe vs. Wade; gay marriage; health care reform; his signing of the Manhattan Declaration and so on. It is no surprise then to find that Chaput is also author of the book, Render Unto Ceaser which is described as:

“Using arguments from history as well as the wisdom of the world’s greatest thinkers, Archbishop Chaput urges Catholics to live our faith without compromise and to use our faith as the foundation for renewing American society in the twenty-first century. His tone is one of ‘now or never,’ and his presentation is crisp, intelligent, and accessible to a wide audience. This is an important book for Catholics to read and consider if we are truly to make a difference in the public square. Archbishop Chaput has made a unique and significant contribution to the Church and the nation at a time when voices like his are needed to be raised and heard.”

Yes, they have a right to their voice and so do we on the other side. To suggest that we “play along” and allow them to speak and act unopposed would only lead to the capitulation of American society to, in this case, a Catholic theocracy.