Patterico's Pontifications

4/17/2014

Something Wicked Came

Filed under: General — Dana @ 10:45 pm



[guest post by Dana]

It was a chilling scene in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk as Jews leaving a synagogue claimed masked men on the sidewalks were handing out leaflets requiring Jews to register “or else have their citizenship revoked, face deportation and see their assets confiscated”.

The denials came quickly,

The leaflets were supposedly signed by Denis Pushilin, the leader of the Donetsk People’s Republic, the newly declared and unrecognized state that claims to represent ethnic Russians in eastern Ukraine. But that group and other pro-Russian groups quickly denied they had anything to do with them.

“This has nothing to do with us; it is a provocation,” said Alexander Maltsev, a spokesman for the People’s Republic, in a telephone interview. He said he did not know who was responsible, or their motives.

The leaflets ordered Jews to register at Room 514 in the building used as the headquarters to pay $50 each, or “the guilty ones would be deprived of their citizenship and deported outside the republic and their property confiscated.”

Mr. Maltsev, the spokesman, said Mr. Pushilin had not written, signed or approved any text demanding that Jewish residents register. “How could he do such a thing?” Mr. Maltsev said. “He understands that many different kinds of people live here.”

A protester laughed about the fliers, believing they were nothing more than propaganda.

Ukrainian Jewish groups have mostly rejected the Russian government’s assertion that the new authorities in Kiev are anti-Semitic, the claim also made by militants here, while remaining on guard against the prospect that the country’s political turmoil will stir up old and dark hatreds.

That for now the anti-Semitic language and actions seem to be directed at other targets in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, rather than Jews, is little consolation.

–Dana
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60 Responses to “Something Wicked Came”

  1. when Putin takes over he should fix this right away

    like yesterday

    happyfeet (8ce051)

  2. this is why you own, and are proficient with, weapons… even if they outlaw them.

    because, once they outlaw them, 5hit like this starts to happen, and we all know what’s next after this.

    Never Again.

    redc1c4 (abd49e)

  3. President sfb has no clue what to drink with Putinesca.

    mg (31009b)

  4. I think if NATO states on the Russian border have an ‘effin clue they’d be lining the Dnieper.

    gary gulrud (e2cef3)

  5. It was chilling, but it wasn’t the regional government. Even the chief rabbi said so. Some provocateurs from one side or the other, trying to cause trouble. Pretty sick, though.

    carlitos (e7c734)

  6. Only three guys in front of a synagogue as it was letting out on Passover. Why did anyone even hear of this? The JDL seriously needs to send some “community organizers” to Ukraine.

    nk (dbc370)

  7. Ukrainian history is complicated enough, to know no one wants to be tarred with any part of this,

    narciso (3fec35)

  8. Ukrainian Jewish groups have mostly rejected the Russian government’s assertion that the new authorities in Kiev are anti-Semitic,

    So much so, that Putin couldn’t find or create any plausible Ukrainian group to sponser that, and he resorted to having a pro-Russian group be the “sponser”

    What was the purpose of this? To influence Israeli foreign policy, in the hopes Israel could hold back the United States – or more precisely really, to give some ammunition to his “allies” in Israel, like Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, who is not really a good character – so they could help scare the Israeli government into being neutral, by having them say: we need to keep on Putin’s good side.

    All of this propaganda – and there’s also the issue of Syria – did result in Israel abstaining on a United Nations vote about Crimea, unlike most or all other american allies, who voted with the United States. Their reward was more attempts to disturb them.

    Earlier, it took a week for Israel to issue a statement about the annexation of Crimea, and when it finaly did it was something about hopes that this does not lead to war.

    Sammy Finkelman (caf2ab)

  9. This should be fun.

    And by “fun” I mean – RUN! GET OUT! GET OUT NOW!

    Vivian Louise, AKA Mrs. The Everlasting Phelps (9cfa92)

  10. Comment by nk (dbc370) — 4/18/2014 @ 6:09 am

    Why did anyone even hear of this?

    Well, Putin wouldn’t have this printed without making some efforts to circulate the disinformation!

    The interesting point is that, rather than making a claim the new Ukrainian government could make trouble for Jews, Putin had to resort to making a claim Russia would, the Ukrainian angle being so implausible and dvorced from the reality of 2014.

    The idea would be that Russia might retaliate against Jews in Russia or any newly annexed portions of Ukraine if they (Israel) sided with the Kiev government. An ever so slight hint.

    Not that Putin would do it, but at least it would give some people (he paid off?) in Israel an argument.

    Maybe it could even slow down the United States.

    Sammy Finkelman (caf2ab)

  11. 3. Comment by mg (31009b) — 4/17/2014 @ 11:36 pm

    President sfb has no clue what to drink with Putinesca.

    Putin requested another telephone call with Obama on Monday, and this may have been the result, but Obama may be learning.

    Putin is really scared of something the United States might do. He is proceeding cautiously, always checking with Preident Obama before he makes a move. This is about his only source of information he can trust as to what the United States might do.

    U.S. counterintelligence is good enough to prevent him from eavesdropping or penetrating internal U.S. government deliberations, so he must call Obama every time to find out what’s in his mind.

    Sammy Finkelman (caf2ab)

  12. Not buying it, Sammy.

    mg (31009b)

  13. U.S. counterintelligence is barely capable of locating high class hookers in foreign land.

    mg (31009b)

  14. Putin had to resort to making a claim Russia would, the Ukrainian angle being so implausible and dvorced from the reality of 2014.

    Sammy,

    Most of these things are not centrally planned or caused by a controlled conspiracy. The world doesn’t really work that way.

    Here’s what really happened: some zealous and awful people decided to try to use their hatred. Either they Pushilin fans and are overpassionate and earnest in the flyers, or they are overpassionate and passing the flyers in order to smear ‘the other side’, Tawana Brawley/Al Sharpton style.

    We see this all the time. Check out some earnest people on the right. There was one American recently saying we should start slaughtering all muslims we see on the street if we find another fanatical muslim terrorist. RINOs on this blog got pretty hate speechy when I wouldn’t stop quoting their anointed RINO and his flip flops. And most readers here are keenly aware of the absolute flood of hatred towards conservatives from many nuts out there these days. Hate is real and there’s plenty on all sides.

    I guess the best way to handle things should be to just ignore them, but something tells me in Ukraine that would be a fatal error.

    Dustin (303dca)

  15. The esteemed Mr Finkelman wrote:

    Putin is really scared of something the United States might do. He is proceeding cautiously, always checking with Preident Obama before he makes a move. This is about his only source of information he can trust as to what the United States might do.

    If Vladimir Vladimirovich thinks that he can trust the word of Barack Obama, he’s a lot more naïve than the American people.

    The most reasonable explanation is that he’s just toying with our 44th President, and seeing if a few phone calls, which cost him nothing, can freeze Mr Obama in place. And even if it doesn’t freeze out American policy changes, it hobbles the democratic Europeans, who somehow think that President Obumble is still dealing with things and is actually in charge of something.

    Our foreign policy, ever since our last real President left office, is to rush to listen whenever anyone says, “OK, let’s talk.” The talks might be meaningless, and our opponents never mean for them to go anywhere, but we stop taking any real action against them while we’re still talking.

    The Dana rolling on the floor laughing his ass off (3e4784)

  16. i wouldn’t be surprised to find out that Putin has been getting Barry the Dimwitted to call him on the Russian equivalent of a 1-900 number, and that, any day now, the White House is going to get a huge phone bill for all these long winded exercises in futility.

    redc1c4 (abd49e)

  17. PS: can someone PLEASE get Sam the Sham a better grade of crack to smoke?

    his blatherings are painful to even skim read.

    redc1c4 (abd49e)

  18. There seems to be a temporary deal now about Ukraine, negotiated in Geneva, while Putin is actually making stronger claims.

    I think this may be Putin pocketing his poker winnings – he is not playing chess with Obama, but poker! – and locking in his gains.

    He got the maximum he could without triggering new sanctions or any other kind of reaction, and now he’ll wait a bit for that to become the new status quo ante.

    There is an idea around that Putin wants to prevent the May 25 Ukrainian elections. Well, there’s time for that.

    Sammy Finkelman (caf2ab)

  19. Registering Jews, registering guns, registering mutants. Ye gods, what evil lies in government registration?

    CrustyB (69f730)

  20. 19. Comment by CrustyB (69f730) — 4/18/2014 @ 11:59 am

    Registering Jews, registering guns, registering mutants. Ye gods, what evil lies in government registration?

    And think about this: REGISTERING VOTERS.

    Sammy Finkelman (d22d64)

  21. Mr Finkelman wrote:

    Registering Jews, registering guns, registering mutants. Ye gods, what evil lies in government registration?

    And think about this: REGISTERING VOTERS.

    You can register ’em, but don’t you dare ask them to show a photographic identification, ’cause that would be raaaaacist!

    The registered voter Dana (3e4784)

  22. Comment by The registered voter Dana (3e4784) — 4/18/2014 @ 1:47 pm

    but don’t you dare ask them to show a photographic identification

    People are not born with photo ID, nor if they don’t drive cars, do they usually always have it with them.

    It also should be said, that registration itself – having to show up two times, one to regiser and separately to vote, goes a great deal of the way to eliminating any kind of ringers. That’s why it was instituted in the 1880s or so.

    It also needs to be said, that no photo ID is required to fill out an absentee ballot.

    You could set up a system that helps people verify who they are. It costs money though. And you could use electronically verified signatures or other motions, with some fallback ways so nobody would have to carry anything. But they are not interested.

    Republicans are now realizing that provisions like that help the Democratic Party because nothing boosts turnout more than saying your right to vote could be taken away.

    http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/12/us/politics/criticizing-gop-obama-says-the-right-to-vote-is-threatened.html

    “They want to create an issue out of nothing,” said Sean Spicer, communications director for the Republican National Committee. “The bottom line is, they know they’re on the wrong side of the issues that are important with voters, and the only way they can win is by scaring their base into voting.”
    Mr. Spicer said the new laws proposed in some states had more to do with establishing uniformity, ensuring fairness between urban and rural communities and containing costs. He argued that Georgia actually saw minority voter participation increase after a new identification law went into effect.

    Which was probably not the intention. As that article says, they are now looking for other ways to reduce turnout. A big argument going around now is that voting days and times should be equally limited in all counties.

    They are also trying to stop or minimize this business of black churches busing voters to the polls on Sundays because they know or think they know where all those votes are going. That kind of organization needs criticizing.

    Sammy Finkelman (caf2ab)

  23. —He argued that Georgia actually saw minority voter participation increase after a new identification law went into effect.

    Likely because they now know – as everyone else does – that their vote counts more because it is not diluted by voter fraud.

    As someone supporting voterID, I’m perfectly fine with the participation of living voters voting one time going up.

    red (ac28a9)

  24. It also should be said, that registration itself – having to show up two times, one to regiser and separately to vote, goes a great deal of the way to eliminating any kind of ringers. That’s why it was instituted in the 1880s or so.

    Except that you don’t need to show up anywhere to register. You can fill in a form and send it in, or just fill it in at a street voter registration drive or at any “community organising” office. And the Motor Voter law requires that registration be made dead easy for all, including ineligible people.

    It also needs to be said, that no photo ID is required to fill out an absentee ballot.

    This is true, and it’s a gaping hole that needs to be fixed. It’s not a reason not to fix other holes as well. I would require applications for an absentee ballot to be made either in person or before a notary.

    Milhouse (b95258)

  25. Scapegoating Jews never goes out of style. It’s the gift that keeps on giving to the left and Russians.

    Ag80 (eb6ffa)

  26. sadly so, it was even worse in neighboring Moldova,

    narciso (3fec35)

  27. Unrelated, but weird nonetheless.

    I’m just an old, country protestant unsure of the ways of world. My only experience with the Roman Catholic Church is through friends and what I see on the news.

    So I will ask honest questions: How can an unrepentant supporter of abortion participate in such a ritual accompanied by a Priest? Is accepting communion required? If so, how can communion be conferred to one supporting mortal sin? I may be wrong about all this, hence the questions.

    Ag80 (eb6ffa)

  28. as a former Catholic, they probably don’t see the political angle, but as an example of good works,

    narciso (3fec35)

  29. Old woman worried about dying and trying to save her soul. They’re the mainstay of every church.

    The foot washing is only a tradition, not even a sacred tradition, and certainly not a sacrament. And if done with hypocritical (Leviticus?) intent worse than meaningless.

    nk (dbc370)

  30. The hymn sung tonight at every Greek Orthodox Church. You’ll like the pictures. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oeVLIFnprc

    nk (dbc370)

  31. Ag80, it is communion that should not be taken by Pelosi. The Church asks the “faithful” to refrain from taking Communion if they are aware of being guilty of grave sin. A public figure like Pelosi causes scandal in the Church by going to Communion.

    Faithful Priests have denied public figures, and certain people, who are not eligible to receive the Eucharist, and these Priests are almost always “crucified” by the media for “hatred”. When this happens, The local Bishop almost always caves to the media causing further scandal to the faithful. There are only a few rare Bishops who truly safeguard the Eucharist by supporting the Priests in their Diocese when these “calls” are made.

    But remember, this is Catholicism, not “the religion of peace” where there are thugs to keep the infidels at bay. No one in the Catholic church is going to tackle Pelosi or even a tutu wearing tranny in line to receive Communion. It is just how we roll.

    felipe (098e97)

  32. “how can communion be conferred to one supporting mortal sin”?

    Like a lot of things in life, this is one of those things that each individual must police themselves about. A Priest cannot possibly know the state of a stranger’s soul – that is The Lord’s domain.

    Anyone who takes Communion unworthily is “guilty of the blood of Christ”, a very serious sin! So if someone commits this grave offense, it is on them, not the Priest.

    felipe (098e97)

  33. Thank you for the responses. I suppose God sorts out the sinners. That’s also what Protestants believe.

    So, since church is just a mortal feel-good club, what’s the point?

    Ag80 (eb6ffa)

  34. Do they have Billy Clubs and New Black Panthers uniforms, with really grooooovy SHAFT-LIKE sunglasses?? What’s the big deal, the TEA PARTY types are the ones who are fascists. I mean what with all the flags and logic and such!!!!
    The organized Libbtarrd and Commie LEFT has and have sought to make the TEA PARTY, which is merely a concept, INTO the new JEWS!!! The TEA PARTY is to blame.

    Gus (70b624)

  35. Well, if the church is just a “mortal feel-good club”, then there is no point. But as you know, Christianity is much more than “feel-good” anything.

    In fact, Jesus promises us a lot of trials (let me paraphrase): “Remember, no servant is greater than the master, if they persecuted me, then they will you”. “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake”.

    Really, the Church is about Love, learning to love, to be loved, because God is love. “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

    felipe (098e97)

  36. He is risen!

    happyfeet (8ce051)

  37. Why can’t we round up all the anti-Semitic phobes and fill em up with regular.

    mg (31009b)

  38. This is Californiathlicism, I think. My mother told me about newly-installed bishops washing feet as part of the elevation ceremony. Nothing about parishioners or even priests doing it. But if the Great Wheel determined that it was Pelosi’s karma to be a Catholic who believes in abortion and washes people’s feet, then that is her karma.

    nk (dbc370)

  39. 38. Counselor, don’t recall where your recent reference was, but here you go:

    http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-04-19/next-shoe-just-dropped-court-denies-attorney-client-privelege

    gary gulrud (e2cef3)

  40. I never faced it, gary. The rule is that advice of counsel, or reliance on any legal opinion including your own, is not a defense. One exception, the highest legal officer of the state, i.e. the attorney general. His opinion letters are binding on the state. I suppose this is an administrative thing in the federal courts where good faith attempt to comply makes a difference on whether a penalty should be imposed? But notice that attorney-client privilege still was recognized and an exception had to be found around it. Congress, in its hearings, does not recognize it at all. Lois Lerner can be compelled to testify to conversations with her attorneys. (Unless the rule has changed recently.)

    nk (dbc370)

  41. 40. Thanks for the clarifications, I’d hate to be precipitous.

    gary gulrud (e2cef3)

  42. Comment by nk (dbc370) — 4/19/2014 @ 8:45 am

    The rule is that advice of counsel, or reliance on any legal opinion including your own, is not a defense. One exception, the highest legal officer of the state, i.e. the attorney general.

    Also, in Maryland, thanks to a court ruling, taping a conversation with somebody else without their knowledge, is not a crime if you don’t know it is against the law in Maryland.

    This was important to Linda Tripp.

    Sammy Finkelman (ba30b8)

  43. This is good news: (today’s main New York Time front page headline)

    http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/20/world/europe/in-cold-war-echo-obama-strategy-writes-off-putin.html

    Obama even expressed skepticism about whether the latest deal recahed last week in Geneva would be abided by (but he decided to give it a try.)

    One problem is, he thinks sanctions are symbolic acts, and he’s trying to save some sanctions for use later.

    Good relations with Russia is still, in many ways, TOO BIG to FAIL

    Sammy Finkelman (ba30b8)

  44. The New York Times reports Obama has concluded he will not be able to have a constructive relationship with Putin, and he will have to isolate him. But he still wants to “preserve whatever marginal cooperation can be saved.”

    Whatever can be saved probably would happen almost regardless, or maybe Putin can be pushed by worries.

    You can wonder who Obama is taking advice from.

    The New York Times says officials are divided.

    While Mr. Obama’s long-term approach takes shape, though, a quiet debate has roiled his administration over how far to go in the short term. So far, economic advisers and White House aides urging a measured approach have won out, prevailing upon a cautious president to take one incremental step at a time out of fear of getting too far ahead of skittish Europeans and risking damage to still-fragile economies on both sides of the Atlantic.

    But spring has sprung, in spite of the global cooling.

    The White House has prepared another list of Russian figures and institutions to sanction in the next few days if Moscow does not follow through on an agreement sealed in Geneva on Thursday to defuse the crisis, as Obama aides anticipate. But the president will not extend the punitive measures to whole sectors of the Russian economy, as some administration officials prefer, absent a dramatic escalation.

    Latest news:
    http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/21/world/europe/deadly-shootout-underscores-fragile-truce-in-eastern-ukraine.html

    This was at a checkpoint. Pro-Russian militants claim four cars approached, did not stop, but fired on them.

    (Apparently, the shooting came from agent provocateurs – Ukrainian extremists whom Putin controls, or people pretending to be Ukrainian extremists.

    Three insigificant (to Putin) not in the know pro-Russia people manning the checkpoint were killed.

    Sammy Finkelman (ba30b8)

  45. And the Syria deal is coming apart even more than you think.

    The Wall Street Journal editorialized Saturday/Sunday that chemical weapons have been used again in Syria – once three weeks ago, and another time one week ago, although in this case (or the latest case, on April 11, at least, in an attack on the village of Kfar Zeita) it seems to have been chlorine, not sarin, and the dead and injured toll is 3 dead, 150 injured.

    Sammy Finkelman (ba30b8)

  46. The Syrian government is stretching out the handover as much as possible without causing the U.S. to give up, and maybe do something.

    Following Obama’s usual policy, some anti-tank weapons are being sent to some rebels. This is being interpreted bythem as a test to see if they can use it.

    This is a newly set up group, composed partially of units of what was the Free Syrian army.

    The United states reached agreement with Saudi Arabia as to who to sponser. The biggest concern the Saudis are said to have taken into consideration is that they should not harm Christians and other minorities.

    After this, the rebels might get the Manpads that are presently being stored in Jordan and Turkey.

    (They may have left Libya but the U.S. did prevent them from being trasnferred into Syria.)

    I think Prince Bandar is out of the picture, for now at least. He was running the Saudi response to the Arab spring, and the Saudi policy with Syria, and had become head of intelligence.

    He was officially relieved of that post last Tuesday, April 15 “at his own request” and steps had been taken earlier to keep him away from the throne, by appointed a second Crown Prince.

    Sammy Finkelman (ba30b8)

  47. From the New York Times article about Obama writing off Putin:

    Obama seems intent on not letting Russia dominate his presidency. While Mr. Obama spends a lot of time on the Ukraine crisis, it does not seem to absorb him. Speaking privately with visitors, he is more likely to bring up topics like health care and the Republicans in Congress than Mr. Putin.

    Ukraine, he tells people, is not a major concern for most Americans, who are focused on the economy and other issues closer to home.

    Since returning from a trip to Europe last month, Mr. Obama has concentrated his public schedule around issues like job training and the minimum wage. Even after his diplomatic team reached the Geneva agreement to de-escalate the crisis last week, Mr. Obama headed to the White House briefing room not to talk about that but to hail new enrollment numbers he said validated his health care program.

    Reporters asked about Ukraine anyway, as he knew they would, and he expressed skepticism about the prospects of the Geneva accord that his secretary of state, John Kerry, had just brokered. But when a reporter turned the subject back to health care, Mr. Obama happily exclaimed, “Yeah, let’s talk about that.”

    Sammy Finkelman (ba30b8)

  48. It is reasonable to suppose that Obama is somewhat changing his policy. No man wants to be played as the fool, especially in public.

    Sammy Finkelman (ba30b8)

  49. as usual, he’s out to lunch, but seeing as everyone of his policies are a failure, well just double down,

    narciso (3fec35)

  50. Not out to lunch. Extremely, extremely cautious, and wary of making a mistake. That’s the way he usually is about anything where politics doesn’t tell him what to do or say.

    Sometimes he is cautious about political moves.

    Sammy Finkelman (ba30b8)

  51. St. John Evangelist Episcopalian Church in San Francisco

    Pelosi wasn’t at a Catholic Church.

    She was rolling with the outfit that has an openly gay, non-celibate bishop, Eugene Robinson. When he was elected in 2003 that went against what the said it believed about sex. That it was only “appropriate” (a very Episcopalian way to phrase it, that) within marriage between husband and wife. They didn’t get around to changing their minds on the subject until 2009 when they voted that gays and lesbians in “committed” relationships should be ordained. So six years after they elected an openly gay, cohabiting bishop they got around to changing their doctrine to affirm somebody like Eugene Robinson should even be ordained! But then they followed a similar process when it came to ordaining women. At first some bishops defied the Church and went ahead and did it. Then years later the Church got around to approving that doctrine.

    Which tells you something about the Episcopaleans. They don’t much believe in their own Church’s cannon law and doctrine.. They don’t have a theology so much as a non-binding policy that they can ignore or vote to change whenever they want. At least, most of the remaining members of the mainline Episcopal Church. Apparently most of the Episcopalians who think that you can’t just rewrite Christian theology whenever the breeze changes direction have left (that the Episcopal church takes seriously; real estate). Leaving the ones who love the Episcopal church’s social policies but not that silly biblical stuff.

    So Nancy Pelosi should fit right in.

    Catholics are permitted to take communion in churches that the Catholic Church recognizes as having valid sacraments. The Episcopal Church is not one of them. The Catholic Church has ruled that the Episcopal (Anlican) Church does not have a valid priesthood because it does not have a valid ordination rite. They’ve relooked the issue a few times, and now that the Episcopal Church has ordained women and has openly gay cohabiting bishops there’s just no way they’re going to recognize Episcopal priests as valid clergy. Ergo, no valid Eucharist.

    So if Nancy Pelosi took communion in that church, that’s another sin.

    Steve57 (0124e7)

  52. 52. “They don’t much believe in their own Church’s cannon law and doctrine.”

    The Big Tent. Listen up thou profane, carnal Whig.

    gary gulrud (e2cef3)

  53. 50. Does Schlong ever return from lunch? He isn’t half as capable as corrupt and craven.

    gary gulrud (e2cef3)

  54. Always with perfect focus;

    https://twitter.com/robinabcarian

    narciso (3fec35)

  55. 31. …Faithful Priests have denied public figures, and certain people, who are not eligible to receive the Eucharist, and these Priests are almost always “crucified” by the media for “hatred”. When this happens, The local Bishop almost always caves to the media causing further scandal to the faithful. There are only a few rare Bishops who truly safeguard the Eucharist by supporting the Priests in their Diocese when these “calls” are made.

    But remember, this is Catholicism, not “the religion of peace” where there are thugs to keep the infidels at bay. No one in the Catholic church is going to tackle Pelosi or even a tutu wearing tranny in line to receive Communion. It is just how we roll.

    Comment by felipe (098e97) — 4/18/2014 @ 10:04 pm

    It does happen, though. Bishop Thomas Paprocki strongly backed his priest when he refused communion to Dick Durbin

    Dear Mr. [name redacted], Senator Durbin was informed several years ago by his pastor at Blessed Sacrament Parish here in Springfield that he was not permitted to receive Holy Communion per canon 915 of the Code of Canon Law. My predecessor upheld that decision and it remains in effect. It is my understanding that the senator is complying with that decision here in the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois.

    And the good Bishop makes a very important point. Canon 915 squarely places the responsibility on the minister distributing the Eucharist to deny it to anyone he knows is “obstinately persevering in manifest grave sin.” Of course first the priest (or Bishop) needs to interdict that person and counsel them on the gravity of their sin, then pronounce the penalty.

    Which is exactly what Archbishop Burke did back when he was Wisconsin to a slate of pro-abortion Catholic politicians. He asked them to meet with him, they refused, then he published his “blue book” of such people who were to be denied communion in every church in his diocese of La Crosse.

    He also got into something of a public spat with Archbishop Sean O’Malley in Boston for allowing John Kerry to receive communion. Burke pointedly stated that he could not in good conscience let that John Kerry receive communion should he have come through his diocese back when he was running for Preezy, and that “no good Bishop could stand by and let that happen.” But O’Malley proved him wrong by saying through a spokesman words to the effect that he couldn’t “go that far.” The thing is, per the Code of Canon Law it’s his obligation to go at least that far. Maybe he doesn’t have to go as far as Bishop Bruskewitz who issued a synodal law in his diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska that Catholic politicians within his diocese would suffer an automatic penalty of excommunication if they voted pro-abortion. But O’Malley was obligated to do something per Canon 915.

    A handful of Bishops came out in support of Burke and Bruskewitz’s policies. One noted he “literally could not” give communion to a pro-abortion politician. Which demonstrates a correct understanding of the Canon because it’s black letter law that he cannot do so.

    But unfortunately you really could count those Bishops on one hand.

    Some Catholic politicians try to rationalize away their position by saying their personally opposed to abortion but don’t want to impose their morality on others. Which is a dodge that won’t work because voting for pro-abortion laws is a mortal sin in itself because you are formally cooperating with a grave sin. Canon law deals with objective reality. It doesn’t matter what a Catholic politician can convince themselves. Catholic legislators can’t vote for pro-abortion measures.

    A priest or a Bishop who fails to advise such a person of the gravity of there sin by repeatedly and publicly voting for pro-abortion measures (or in Pelosi’s case loudly crowing about it as “sacred ground”) is failing in their pastoral duties. And as you point out felipe, when a person receives communion while conscious of grave sin is committing another serious sin. A politician who is in denial about the seriousness of their sin may try to rationalize it by citing their personal opposition to abortion, thus they had no knowledge of any grave sin. But if the person has been counseled on the church’s teachings just in case they were sincerely uninformed, then they can no longer claim to have been uninformed. They are aware of the Church’s teachings, and are publicly rejecting it by trying to participate in communion.

    And if the priest knows that the person before him publicly rejects the Church’s teachings about life then arguably that priest is committing a sin (and scandal) by distributing communion to that individual. Just as there is a very good case to be made that per Canon law that priest must be removed.

    Can. 1389 §1. A person who abuses an ecclesiastical power or function is to be punished according to the gravity of the act or omission, not excluding privation of office, unless a law or precept has already established the penalty for this abuse.

    §2. A person who through culpable negligence illegitimately places or omits an act of ecclesiastical power, ministry, or function with harm to another is to be punished with a just penalty.

    There is of course harm to another when a minister gives someone communion when that minister knows by their public acts that they are obstinately persisting in grave sin. That minister is aiding and abetting in another sin by giving that individual communion despite that knowledge. So, first there is harm to that individual. And then there’s harm to everyone who witnesses that minister give the Eucharist to that individual.

    Maybe there’s a reason why good Catholic girl Nancy Pelosi is going to an Episcopal Church. Maybe she’s been told she can’t receive communion at her old Catholic church like Dickie Durbin. I seriously doubt that though, because SF has/had Bishops more typical of the breed.

    Steve57 (0124e7)

  56. You know the history of the Episcopalians, Steve. Christ built his church on the Apostle Peter. Thomas Cromwell built the Church of England on Henry the Eighth’s peter. What else could it be expected to devolve to? Especially in a place like San Francisco.

    nk (dbc370)

  57. part and parcel of this type of thinking;

    http://americanthinker.com/2014/04/commentary_and_sarah_palin.html

    narciso (3fec35)

  58. Speaking of peters, nk.

    Wu-Tang Clan-affiliated rapper who cut off his own penis before attempting suicide will not have it reattached

    How’s that for a headline?

    A rapper who cut off his own penis before attempting suicide will not have the organ reattached, it was revealed today.

    Andre Johnson, who has performed with the Wu-Tang Clan, was rushed to hospital on Wednesday after he attempted suicide by jumping from a second-floor balcony at an apartment building in North Hollywood.

    Mr Johnson was found on the sidewalk critically injured and was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center along with his severed penis. Although Mr Johnson is in a stable condition, his penis was unable to be saved, TMZ reported today.

    Rapper friends who live in the building told TMZ today that, without warning, Mr Johnson cut his penis off and jumped from the second floor.

    The incident happened so quickly, that by the time friends made it to the ground floor, Mr Johnson was on his feet and ‘running around screaming’, the site reported.

    No hard drugs were reportedly involved but the rapper is believed to have mental health issues.

    No, you don’t say. Mental health issue? Could have something to do with the sustained “no hard drugs” useage.

    In any case I don’t really know why rapper Andre Johnson tried to kill himself before. But I do know why he’s going to try to kill himself from here on out.

    Steve57 (013200)


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