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Reproductive Justice and Gender

Men of the Cloth: The Vatican Isn't So Far From Fundamentalist Mormonism

By Katha Pollitt, The Nation. Posted April 26, 2008.


When it comes to keeping women in their place, polygamous Mormon fundamentalists and the Pope have a lot in common.
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Child abuse. Sexual abuse. Women raised to be baby machines controlled by powerful older men in the name of God. These shockers -- and many more -- are flagrantly on offer in the spectacle unfolding around the 139 women and 437 children removed by Texas authorities from the Yearning for Zion Ranch in Eldorado. The YFZ is an outpost of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS), a breakaway Mormon cult presided over by Warren Jeffs, convicted in Utah as an accomplice to rape and awaiting trial in Arizona for incest and conspiracy. The visuals are riveting: women in pastel prairie dresses and identical pompadour-cum-french-braid hairstyles weeping for their children in state custody; skinny-necked middle-aged men insisting they had no idea it was illegal to marry and impregnate multiple 15-year-olds. There's a feminist angle, a child-protection angle and a civil liberties angle -- it isn't clear that the children were in immediate danger, and this drastic and clumsy sweep might well cause cultists to isolate themselves even more. The original impetus for the raid -- a desperate phone call from someone claiming to be a 16-year-old girl raped and abused by her 50-year-old "spiritual husband" -- is looking more and more like a hoax.

I've written before about the evils of fundamentalist Mormon polygyny, which is thought to have some 10,000 followers in closed communities in Utah, Arizona, Nevada, South Dakota and Texas. I will never understand why the people who attack Islam as oppressive to women have nothing to say about the FLDS. The cultural relativist arguments they reject when applied to foreign countries are even less applicable here: Everyone in the story is American, supposedly living under American law. Yet for decades state and local authorities have looked the other way when girls are pulled out of school to be "home-schooled," i.e., prepared for marriage to their uncles, and teenage boys are kicked out of the community so as not to compete with the elder men. Indeed, in areas near FLDS communities, public services have been infiltrated by their members: the public schools teach their religious doctrines; the police are on the lookout for girls and women who try to escape.

Still, appalling as is FLDS's extreme male dominance, there was another news story unfolding at the same time that had certain affinities but got a very different slant: Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the United States. What a lovefest! We heard endlessly about Benedict's intellect, charm and elegant red shoes. "Cat Lovers Appreciate Soul Mate in Vatican" made the New York Times most e-mailed list. How little the Pope had to do to win applause as a wise conciliator: Having begun his reign trying to suppress the priestly pedophilia scandal, he met with the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests (SNAP) and reminded Catholics that homosexuals and pedophiles, while both bad, are not the same. Having kept in the liturgy a prayer "for the Jews" so that God might "enlighten their hearts," he visited New York's Park East synagogue, where the rabbi did not similarly call on Catholics to give up their worship of Christ.


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See more stories tagged with: feminism, catholic, reproductive rights, catholic church, birth control, catholicism, pope, polygamy, reproductive justice, flds, mormon fundamentalism

Katha Pollitt is a columnist for The Nation.

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rn
Posted by: mnatra on Apr 26, 2008 6:11 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Americans love the likes of this mid evil figure
coming around. His church blends well with the oppression of woman in this country and our sexist mentality. It all seems to come back to power and control mainly of woman and children as chattel while the church gets richer and richer sort of like our military ind. complex.

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» RE: rn Posted by: Fencerider
Catholicism, Mormonism and absurdities
Posted by: arthur_ide on Apr 26, 2008 6:32 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Organized patriarchal religion has always denied women's equality, and trumpted that the reason there are two sexes is because the purpose of women is to have babies. At the same time all organized patriarchial religions praise the absurdity of a virgin birth, and extol celibacy that is both unnatural and not normal, but a wart on the face of sanity. Until all religions are destroyed and their vistages obliverated from history no mortal will be free. The Vatican--the old man's club--with Pope Benny being the worse of all popes in modern times, ignores realities of AIDS (condoms do stop the spread of the virus), the need for birth control (food is becoming more expensive and less easily obtained) and adequate housing (more and more people are living in smaller quarters or on the streets). Sex is for the purpose of pleasure--not babies. Food is to be enjoyed in a variety of forms not only to substain the body, and until the birth rate drops dramatically there will be wars, plagues and famines as first noted by Thomas Malthus. Mormonism, and fundamentalist mormonism as seen in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, and other western states not only provide beds for old men to have nonconsentual intercourse with underage girls as occured in ancient Babylon and other nations of bygone eras, and the result has always been the ruination of empires. Until the Mormon and Catholic church expire along with the absurdities of fundamentalist Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, and other preying, predatorial religions are extinguished there will be no freedom. Religion is the spawn of evil--it is pure bunk.

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You could, though; couldn't you?
Posted by: Beck on Apr 26, 2008 6:58 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
She held off from saying that the Catholic church is just like the FLDS church because she obviously does not think they ARE "just like" each other, but instead are similar.

She wasn't making a case to prove, instead a comparison.

It is clear to many of us why anyone would be bothered at warm acceptance of the Pope at, say, a synagogue. She gave one good reason of many.

Many of us are bothered by the church's "teaching" on abortion because the church strenuously attempts to impose their teaching upon those of us who are not Catholic (and won't be) through laws. They are not only attempting to compel us to practice church law, but to enforce church law legally. "Nobody's compelling you to practice it"? You are beyond naive, to the point of being deliberately blind.

Here's how the church is different from NARAL et al: NARAL attempts to preserve freedom, the church is attempting to limit it, even among those who do not share the church's beliefs.

The Pope just visited. A writer wrote about it comparing it to another religious incident. Yes, she didn't write about Buddhism, or Quakerism, or atheists, etc.; the Pope was here and she commented. Yes, the Catholic Church is retrograde. Yes, she objects, as do many of us. It's only a smear if you consider Catholics off-limits to begin with. Perhaps your next commment should be about Buddhism or Orthodox Judaism, even if the article is about the Pope's visit. That would make as much sense.

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RE: Couldn't quite pull the trigger, could you?
Posted by: VZEQICVA on Apr 26, 2008 7:06 AM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
About Catholic Hospitals: They are many more times more likely to treat people who have no health insurance that any other hospitals. Not likely to turn people away. The Catholic Church is routinely bashed by anyone with a column to write or a comment to make. The other religions are 'off limits'. The Pope did not visit the U.S. to meet with Ms. Pollitt's approval. He certainly got a good turnout. Religion is a choice. Anna

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RE: Couldn't quite pull the trigger, could you?
Posted by: mainspark on Apr 26, 2008 7:47 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
"Being Catholic is a choice; there's no compulsion in it."

Ha! Try telling that to the children of Catholic parents! Or, for that matter, the children of any religious parents. We just gotta keep 'em in the fold.

"There is no Inquisition burning people for heresy."

I think it would be more accurate to say that there is no longer an Inquisition burning people for heresy. Why, that would be unseemly!

"If you don't like the Church's teaching on birth control or abortion, nobody's compelling you to practice it."

The problem, as the author pointed out, is that the Catholic Church's position and influence on the subject does compel others (i.e., non-Catholics) to practice it. Ironically enough, the Catholic Church has had, and continues to have, a hell of a rough time getting Catholics to conform to its teaching on birth control.

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Because sometimes the only hospital in a rural area is the Catholic hospital
Posted by: dudelette on Apr 26, 2008 1:48 PM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
That's why it's a real problem. The Catholic hospitals will take over hospitals in less profitable areas, forcing women to either travel large distances to obtain the care they need or do without it.

They are forcing people to do without birth control or abortions or the morning after pill, even in the event of a rape.

Legislators are trying to pass laws to force these hospitals to either provide this care, all care, or not be allowed to operate hospitals at all.

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RE: Choice? Don't make me laugh.
Posted by: Freticat on Apr 26, 2008 3:39 PM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
"Being Catholic is a choice;" - tell that to anyone who, like me, was baptized on the way home from the hospital. Far more Catholics are born into the church than convert by choice, then get told, even before they can understand the issues, that they will roast in hell forever if they leave. (Even so, many conversions were imposed on people who wanted to marry a Catholic.) I had to wait until I was away from my family to openly complete a severance I had been ready to make since my age entered double digits.

I agree with the posters who maintain that the pope has no authority to dictate to non-Catholics what their opinions regarding contraception and other moral issues should be. If a non-Catholic agrees with him, and chooses to do so, that's a real choice.

It hasn't really been that long in terms of Catholic church history since Pope Leo XIII (reigned 1878-1903) issued the following statements:

"The death penalty is a necessary and efficacious means for the church to attain its ends when obstinate heretics disturb the ecclesiastical order."

"Humanity is destined to remain as it is."

and

"The equal toleration of all religions is the same as atheism."

There's still a ways to go.

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As A Catholic...
Posted by: bobtr900 on Apr 27, 2008 3:05 PM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
The points mentioned in this article is why I have for most of my life been and continue to become a Catholic with major reservations about Catholicism.

What pfeiffer999 fails to point out in her screed about "nobody's compelling you to practice it". is a total false and erroneous. The Pope and the Catholic Church are doing just that, they indeed are "compelling you to practice it". The Pope is using Bush and the Republican Party to force people to follow Catholic ideology. If the Pope were ONLY threatening Catholic congregants/ parishoners to eschew condoms, abortifacients, safe sex practices etc then that would not be a problem. But the Pope is forcing his version of Catholic ideology onto everyone else in America and in the entire world especially in poor countries like Africa and the Latin American countries.

The Catholic Church, my church has a two nearly a 2000yr history of forcing it's ideology onto the entire world.

Other than about the first 100yrs or so the Church has been a repressive force on the lives of all women. The Pope does not own or control the uterus/womb of every woman in the world. Each and every person owns their own soul as it was given only to them by God our Heavenly Father, the God of Abraham.

The Catholic Church has been DEATH on Jews for the fact that porbably a dozen or two dozen Jews called for the death of Jesus some 2000yrs ago. How in the name of all that is holy can the might of the Catholic Church continue to torture and kill Jews for the actions of a few that took place nearly 2000yrs ago is totally beyond appalling. Never in a million years can the Church ever make reparation and restitution to the Jewish diaspora for this endless torture death and destruction. Quite literally, one can argue that the Jews may be Gods first people. Personally, I like that idea. While in reality it is most likely that all of God's children are equal in His eyes, and that includes women.

Pope John Paul II, shortly after he was elected Pope connected with the evangelical fundamentalists(not all evangelicals; Jimmy Carter is my favorite evangelical) like Haggard, Falwell, Robertson, Hagee, Dobson etc and have since forced this entire country and a major part of the ME into the Culture of Death for oil profits because the Pope and the others endorse and support the Rethuglican Party of thugs and school-yard bullies..

Because of that Faustian pact we have a million or more dead Iraqis and millions displaced from their families and their homes. And now we have well over 4000 dead troops and well over 70,000 more who are maimed in mind and body and who will suffer for their entire lives. I call that pact with the Republican Party and Reagan, Daddy Bush and Baby Bush a pact with Satan. And all of this was and is being forced upon not only the American people and the Iraqi and Afghani peoples but the people of the entire world.

Doesn't it strike you pfiefer999(or is it 666) that the Pope has long ago lost Europe; and exactly why is that. Could it be because Europeans will never again allow the Catholic Church to have the power to force it into what the Church did when it aligned itself with Hitler and the Nazis(Reichskonkordat of 1933) and the Fascists leading into WWII and the death of six million Jews.et.al. and the death and torture of at least 60 million human beings. Is that what you call Pro-Life and Family Values.

And how about all the women dying of deadly pregnancies(Ectopic pregnancies etc) in the Latin American countries ; look up Jazmina Bojorge and read her story. Is that what you call Pro-Life and Family Values pfeifer999?

Do you know that the Knights of Columbus... Cont'd Below

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RE: Couldn't quite pull the trigger, could you?
Posted by: vsong on May 1, 2008 10:38 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I think the thread has gone far enough for a fruitful discussion... There is only a few questions that need to be asked:

Do you (pfeifer999) think that a person like me, who is a practicing Buddhist, deserves to burn in hell because I do not believe in God?

Do you think that given people's different circumstances and contexts, they should not be be given a choice to abortion unless their lives are in danger?

Do you think that any homosexual individual in this world should just die and let Satan claim his/her soul?

Do you believe that people who do not believe in the same God as you do not have a place in this world?

Do you think that your religion is the ONLY religion that could make this world a better place? That all other religions are false that tell lies?


If your answer is YES to all of the above questions then it is obvious that you would be blind to the sufferings of individuals caught in the power grid of religion and ideology. If your answer is YES to the above then it is most true to you that my words (from a Buddhist) holds no bearing and should not even be listened to.

Judging from your previous replies, you have (un)effectively deflect many questions concerning the issue on freedom of choice. Why would you not see some of the writer's interests in her article concerning some issues modern women AND men are facing due to over-imposing legislation, ideologically-led public services and communities? Shouldn't they be given the help they need to achieve their rights to free choice?

I come from a place where the population make-up is roughly around 20% Christians (that includes Catholics), 30% Buddhists, 15% Muslims, 10% Taoists, 5% Hindus, 10% Atheists or Agnostics and 10% others (it's quite a wide range so I doubt you will be interested anyway.) I certainly see the need to live in harmony and accept (not just tolerate) one another's faiths.

I personally think that there's only 2 ways to answering those questions. either yes to all or no to all. So take your pick and know that freedom of choice is not just a liberal stand, it is a harmonious stand and YES is the only way to look at it to see all individuals as equals.

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What is Freedom, Harmony or even Peace to you?
Posted by: vsong on May 1, 2008 10:41 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I think the thread has gone far enough for a fruitful discussion... There is only a few questions that need to be asked:

Do you (pfeifer999) think that a person like me, who is a practicing Buddhist, deserves to burn in hell because I do not believe in God?

Do you think that given people's different circumstances and contexts, they should not be be given a choice to abortion unless their lives are in danger?

Do you think that any homosexual individual in this world should just die and let Satan claim his/her soul?

Do you believe that people who do not believe in the same God as you do not have a place in this world?

Do you think that your religion is the ONLY religion that could make this world a better place? That all other religions are false that tell lies?


If your answer is YES to all of the above questions then it is obvious that you would be blind to the sufferings of individuals caught in the power grid of religion and ideology. If your answer is YES to the above then it is most true to you that my words (from a Buddhist) holds no bearing and should not even be listened to.

Judging from your previous replies, you have (un)effectively deflect many questions concerning the issue on freedom of choice. Why would you not see some of the writer's interests in her article concerning some issues modern women AND men are facing due to over-imposing legislation, ideologically-led public services and communities? Shouldn't they be given the help they need to achieve their rights to free choice?

I come from a place where the population make-up is roughly around 20% Christians (that includes Catholics), 30% Buddhists, 15% Muslims, 10% Taoists, 5% Hindus, 10% Atheists or Agnostics and 10% others (it's quite a wide range so I doubt you will be interested anyway.) I certainly see the need to live in harmony and accept (not just tolerate) one another's faiths.

I personally think that there's only 2 ways to answering those questions. either yes to all or no to all. So take your pick and know that freedom of choice is not just a liberal stand, it is a harmonious stand and YES is the only way to look at it to see all individuals as equals.

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All religions are crap. Children are indoctrinated so your argument about not participating is crap
Posted by: thekidde on May 3, 2008 11:21 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
.

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ABOUT KEEPING WOMEN IN THEIR PLACE
Posted by: VZEQICVA on Apr 26, 2008 7:12 AM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
That's just about everyone and everyplace. Equal pay was voted down just the other day. Again! It's easy to single out the Catholic Church. Fact is all religions short change women. But we aren't forced to have a religion. Most women do need a job. Maybe we should stay with the important things. The Catholic Church doesn't have thousands on welfare & food stamps. The wierdos with five wives and countless kids do. Our tax dollars support these people. Thanks, ANNA

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This comment has been removed from the site due to non-compliance with AlterNet's community policies.
» what? Posted by: liberalibrarian
» I wish.... Posted by: morticia
» RE: I wish.... Posted by: yale
» RE: I wish.... Posted by: morticia
» RE: I wish.... Posted by: HeroesAll
try to understand.
Posted by: o on Apr 26, 2008 7:52 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
"I will never understand why the people who attack Islam as oppressive to women have nothing to say about the FLDS."

there are 1.2 billion muslims and 10 thousand flds.

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» RE: outstanding point Posted by: morticia
Poor resoning...
Posted by: EuroPol on Apr 26, 2008 8:06 AM   
Current rating: 2    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
It is unfortunate that the author somehow tries to make the Church seem oppresive. Although I myself disagree with certain church teachings, there are many people including catholics that disagree or ignore them anyway. The purpose of those rules is to maintain decency and morality when it comes to sexuality and procreation. Seems to me the author is unable to appreciate or understand that.

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» RE: Poor resoning... Posted by: Ocean tides
» Dear Cathyc Posted by: january37
» Good point. Posted by: thekidde
John Adams wrote:
Posted by: TJ-stars4peace on Apr 26, 2008 8:12 AM   
Current rating: 2    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
"...ever since the Reformation, when or where has existed a Protestant or dissenting sect who would tolerate A Free Inquiry?

The blackest billingsgate, the most yahooish brutality is patiently endured, countenanced, propagated and applauded. But touch a solemn truth in collision with dogma of sect, though capable of the clearest proof, and you will soon find you have disturbed a nest, and the hornets will swarm about your legs and hands and fly into your face and eyes.."

That said; I again ask and point out that for these sites which so heavily follow and support Barack Obama to repeatedly attack 60,000,000 Roman Catholics, The Pope, Catholicism and even obsessively mock and insult the Pope..largely out of ignorance and immaturity are not doing anything to contribute to Obama's winning this ridiculously close primary..

Or especially win over the 60,000,000 potential Catholic voters or 20% of the electorate, who many pundits and experts have already pointed out the fact that Obama does not seem demographically to get The Catholic vote..!

The Huffington post has ignorantly and even hatefully been the worst offender in this regard even generating their own mockery and ridicule of The Holy Father..and Roman Catholics

This obsession shows a serious lack of political insight, skill and experience..

It is becoming apparent to me that the Democrats and some in our party, my party for 40 years just about, as a loyal voter is once again committing political suicide, just as it did pushing the gay marriage issue in an election year in 2004 giving Rove and Bush the issue to dreamed and "prayed" for..

After 4,000 years or 6,000 years of prohibition they couldn't wait one more year..not one, to push that issue which has merit, but again are we doing it again is this some "collective pathology" to self destruct..

If you must hate with such zeal try hating those who are destroying our country on every level the Republicans..

I wonder if Obama is aware of all this Catholic bashing on sites that back his candidacy and advocate for him, while practicing and seeming to take delight it what is becoming ever more obvious discrimination..?

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» RE: John Adams wrote: Posted by: TJ-stars4peace
Posters missed a MAJOR point
Posted by: ReallyBearish on Apr 26, 2008 8:34 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
The Catholic Church is given tax exempt status including its church related businesses. That means that the rest of us are subsidizing this church and the crackpot fundies who also get tax exempt status.

So given churches the ability to engage in open political activity which the Catholic Church does means that we now only have to lisen to their crap, we have to subsidize it as well.

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» RE: Posters missed a MAJOR point Posted by: ReallyBearish
» But You... Posted by: bobtr900
Personal power and the power of Bad Ideas
Posted by: willymack on Apr 26, 2008 10:06 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Gerry Spence stated in his book:"How to argue and win every time", that everyone has a personal power, unique to each of us, which can't be taken away, but CAN be surrendered. The grotesque results of that surrender can be seen in the vatican and in Texas. This is an interesting concept that, in my mind, goes a long way towards explaining the obscene wealth of the church in the face of starvation of so many of us, and the manipulation of women by evil bastards in the name of an imaginary diety.

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» Well said willy. Posted by: yale
How long will it take
Posted by: hurricane hugo on Apr 26, 2008 11:29 AM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
for "Yearning For Zion" to become slang for group sex?

jdfu!

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» actually i think Posted by: goatini
Why Is obortion wrong.
Posted by: peacekeepertwo on Apr 26, 2008 12:26 PM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
That why you have all these problems, People need to a reason to Do the right thing. OK how about this, If you have an Abortion and you believe it wrong to kill another Human being, you will live With that sin for the rest you life. I have known women who have Abortions, and said they would do things differently, if they Could undo the past. Yes to give a child up for Adoption is difficult. but the pain of knowing that you have taken the life of another human being is much worse.

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» And if I don't believe as you do? Posted by: ReallyBearish
» RE: Why Is obortion wrong. Posted by: torbis5661
» RE: Why Is obortion wrong. Posted by: torbis5661
» RE: Why Is obortion wrong. Posted by: SolarSiStar
No comparison
Posted by: kewpie on Apr 26, 2008 12:31 PM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Please do not compare FLDS to real Mormons. Real Mormons or LDS members really do not like the comparison. LDS members follow the laws while FLDS does not. LDS members believe in the Bible,Book of Mormon and Docterine of Covenants while FLDS practicers like to take scriptures and twist them to their motives so the scriptures are no longer recognizible. FLDS is truly like all other fundamentalists in this regard, as to taking things a step further with polygamy,abuse,rape, and plain old stealing from the government they are in a class by themselves.

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Birth control pills are not healthy to a woman's body.
Posted by: riotoustanpdx on Apr 26, 2008 1:03 PM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
This fact is often overlooked in the arguments for Womyns Rights.

The pill, when combined with an anti-biotic, has caused permanent chemical sensitivity in many women, my wife included. Not all women react well to the birth control pill, and despite its popularity, it has its own dangers.

Let's face it: those who object the most to organized, or disorganized, religion tend to do so for selfish reasons. Selfishness itself has brought us to this point of societal collapse, just as the greed to profit from real estate (flipping condos) has brought us to this recession. Selfishness has brought us to the brink of debt collapse that will will permeate all of our economy.

Moderation under the guidelines of the Catholic Church would have avoided these extremes of the environmental and economic disasters that we face today.

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» Unfortunately... Posted by: bobtr900
I'm surprised at Katha Pollit
Posted by: observing on Apr 26, 2008 2:20 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Her article leads me to comment, "Well, duh!"

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Another liberal religion bashing
Posted by: peacemama on Apr 26, 2008 3:12 PM   
Current rating: 2    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I don't agree with everything the pope says , but at least he has the guts to stand up to the islamification of Europe. What is your take on the Archbishop of Canterbury suggesting that the UK accept part of islamic legal code? Most religious figures try to appease, but this pope has the guts to stand up to what he believes.. What has liberalism secularism given us in the 50 years in the West?

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» Yup... Posted by: bobtr900
KIDS ARE SAFER WITH MORMONS THAN POLITICIANS?
Posted by: Malcus Garvey on Apr 26, 2008 6:51 PM   
Current rating: 2    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
This is just another Sen. Grassley vs. the televangelists envyism, and Bill O'Reilly trying to publicly lynch Sen. Obama's pastor--along with all Black pastors who speak tot the suffering of their flock. What men hate to see is other men, even if white, have fleshly worshipping from various other females.

Comparing the situation on the FLDS townships to the cities and towns of the govt. ruled sector, at least they don't have the drug & alcohol addictions, killings, shootings, domestic violence, illiteracy, health problems, obesity, and extreme poverty, and other concerns and death-traps that exist in federal designed regions.

If the govt. cares so much about these girls and women, why don't they raid the pornography camps in Hollywood? Why does the U.S. lead the world in the sex-trade of young, ultra poor, mainly Of Color boys and girls; someone high-up here is getting their share/cut/taxes? The porno industry is running a smorgasbord on pedophilia, but since some political officials probably have their children in them, they act oblivious to the fact.

When you let the media and political officials run into your home an try to play God with your lifestyle, you end-up on Reservations, "Indian" and Urban (ghettos).

Manger Borne

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» And If... Posted by: bobtr900
hysperia
Posted by: hysperia on Apr 26, 2008 8:01 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Thank you for extending your critique of the Catholic Church to the women and girls of developing countries. I accept that the Church still has considerable power in the American Church, but the consequences of Church power in other countries are horrific and will likely only get worse as the numbers of Catholics in poor countries explodes. These people don't need their religion because they're "bitter", they need it because they're vulnerable, powerless, in grave danger very often and have few institutions on which they can rely for spiritual and physical sustenance as well as health care and so on. The Church has often (by no means always)been a force for social change and economic justice in those countries while completely failing to understand and respond to the needs and vulnerabilities of women and girl-children. It makes me ill. To paraphrase a famous feminist, if the Pope could get pregnant, birth control would be the Holy Sacrament. And so on ...

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hysperia
Posted by: hysperia on Apr 26, 2008 8:06 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
And by the way, Xian guy whose wife can't take the pill, there ARE other forms of birth control. The Catholic Church permits NONE of them. Zero. The day you have your eighth baby who is HIV positive is the day I might start listening to you. But not if you think the ever distant male god constructed by Judaeo-Xianity is going to do anything about it AT ALL!

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" satan" help us !
Posted by: cherylsass123 on Apr 26, 2008 10:22 PM   
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pope beni-DICK HEAD, and those mormons [ romney? ahem! ]" satan" please save our souls from the HOLY "HEAVEN" they seem hell bent on creating for all of us! enough said!

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all in the name of Jesus...
Posted by: Bearzerker on Apr 27, 2008 2:30 AM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
...all sorts of disgust is done in his name...

I just wonder how scared these hypocrites must be!
Jesus is waiting to judge according to there beliefs...
and these clowns have way to much to answer for!

on a personal note...
I say ARREST THEM, and lock em up with Bubba and his galpal hunting buddies in the hooscow

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Moronic 'Mericans!
Posted by: Cathyc on Apr 27, 2008 1:16 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
n/m

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onewhoknows
Posted by: Nemesis on Apr 27, 2008 2:55 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Simple solution:
Each male on this planet may father ONE offspring and only one. Then its vasectomy time - no exceptions!
This arangement will be in effect untill 3000. We all shall reasses then.
Think about it!!!
We women need a break and so does the planet.
Put the responsibility where it belongs for a change. Then sit back and watch everything change for the better.

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» Got anger? Posted by: Fencerider
As A Catholic... Cont'd from above
Posted by: bobtr900 on Apr 27, 2008 3:23 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Do you know that the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic mens group, has for years been collecting millions of dollars to make sure that laws get passed to stop ALL abortions no matter what the reason, even if the mother will die. Life is supposed to come first. Or is death for someone elses religious ideology the more important determinant. Are innocent women supposed to diebecause that is the Pope's personal belief.

Pfeifer999, what exactly is your conspiracy with death, the Pope, the Republican Party, Falwell, Robertson, Hagee, Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity, Tim Russert, Chris Matthews, Glenn Beck, Michelle Malkin, Peggy Noonan, Rupert Murdoch and Fox News, MSNBC, CNN, ABC etc, Santorum, Brownback, Scalia, Thomas, Roberts, Alito, the Bush/Cheney crime family and the top tier of American corporations like the oil industry and corporate profits. Are you a religious Rethuglican or a business Rethuglican or are you both. Because whatever is your motivation you are killing a lot of people. Death and profits and no taxes seem to be all you people ever care about, pfeifer999. Is the Pope a business or a religious Republican. But I thought he was a foreign power from another country. If so then why is he forcing himself into our elections.

Pfeifer999 why do you and the Pope want my life and my soul. God our Heavenly Father gave it only to me and to no one else. Or do you and the Pope think it somehow belongs to you and isn't that a perfect example of the sin of Pride which is setting oneself equal to God and making judges of yourselves. The Pope is not God nor should he ever assume the role of judge. That is a role that belongs only to God. Not only does the Pope make a judge of himself but he makes an executioner(women, Jews, Protestsants, Muslims etc) of himself. The goal is to preserve life not to end it and especially not for someone elses personal religious ideology. Exactly why is it that you people care so much about the fetus but not one bit for a living person; the living you kill without hesitation and for their oil or their religion.

Are you a Rapturist like George W. Bush because if you are I don't think Jesus is going to come back until you people stop killing everyone else who does not believe as you do. Until we make this world a hugely better place where He feels welcome we all may have a very long wait for the second coming. And why are atheists and agnostics not allowed to believe as they choose, do they not have Free Will. Do they not have a soul, or are you a hypocrite and a moral relativist like the Pope. Do all of you just believe only what you want to believe. Because that is exactly where your religious ideology falls flat on it's face and totally collapses. What you right wing religious people fail to comprehend is that all religion is man made and very full of self interpertation. But you people want to force your interpertation on me and on the other 240+ million Americans who did not vote for Bush and the Republicans. When you deny me and the other 240 million of us our God given Free Will then you are a moral relativist. Pfeifer999 you and your friends are not satisfied to live your lives and let me live mine, you want my life and my soul. And once again your motivation is killing for oil profits and the Republican Party's continued political power.

So pfeifer999 what are you going to do now, are you goiung to kill 1.5 billion Muslims. After that are you going to kill tens of millions of Russians, Chinese and Cubans because they are Communists and that is what the Pope wants done because he thinks the Virgin Mary, the Mother of Jesus told him to do at Fatima. Does your death list never end.

Sorry to all for the lack of tight editing, but people like pfeifer999 are so narrow minded that they make me crazy.

Pray for Peace

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» Good writing bobtr900 Posted by: yale
Polygamists are a force in the West
Posted by: january37 on Apr 27, 2008 3:36 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Read Adam Doster's article in In These Times. It extols the Udalls as environmentalists. This is all to the good. BUT it refuses to call the Udalls' grandfather, David King, a polygamist and says that the charges of "illegal cohabitation" were trumped up by the government. Wikipedia refutes this, calling polygamy by its real name and claiming that David King was indeed guilty.

Does this mean that the Udalls don't want to alienate their pro-polygamy constituency?

But the main question I have is why a progressive periodical covers up an ugly truth with a euphemism, and why the Udalls don't just admit the truth and stand against it in their campaigns.

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Mormon Sect's Polygamy Causes Most Of The World's Fumarase Deficiency Cases
Posted by: SolarSiStar on Apr 27, 2008 9:11 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I've even heard that some of the babies are coming out as plasma?? And i've s also seen this form of retardation in Nevada.

"Those stories of inbreeding and mental retardation are true. A sect of Mormons has the largest population of fumarase deficiency in the world. A rare disorder that until recently was unheard of is cropping up in Colorado City, Arizona, and Hildale, Utah."
http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/195535

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31 of 53 teen girls at FLDS ranch are pregnant or had baby
Posted by: SolarSiStar on Apr 28, 2008 4:43 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
By MICHELLE ROBERTS
Associated Press Writer
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SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- More than half the teen girls taken from a polygamist compound in west Texas have children or are pregnant, state officials said Monday.

A total of 53 girls between the ages of 14 and 17 are in state custody after a raid 3 1/2 weeks ago at the Yearning For Zion Ranch in Eldorado. Of those girls, 31 either have children or are pregnant, said Child Protective Services spokesman Darrell Azar. Two of those are pregnant now, he said; it was unclear whether either of those two already have children.
"It shows you a pretty distinct pattern, that it was pretty pervasive," he said.

State officials took custody of all 463 children at the ranch controlled by the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, saying a pattern of teen girls forced into underage "spiritual" marriages and sex with much older men created an unsafe environment for the sect's children.

Under Texas law, children under the age of 17 generally cannot consent to sex with an adult. A girl can get married with parental permission at 16, but none of these girls is believed to have a legal marriage under state law.

A call seeking comment from FLDS spokesman Rod Parker was not immediately returned. Church officials have denied that any children were abused at the ranch and say the state's actions are a form of religious persecution.

Civil-liberties groups and lawyers for the children have criticized the state for sweeping all the children, from nursing infants to teen boys, into foster care when only teen girls are alleged to have been sexually abused.

No one has been charged since the raid, which was prompted by a series of calls to a domestic abuse hotline, purportedly from a 16-year-old forced into a marriage recognized only by the sect with a man three times her age. That girl has not been found and authorities are investigating whether the call was a hoax.

On Monday, CPS also revised its total count of children in state custody to 463, up one from Friday. Azar said the change resulted from finally getting the children out of the San Angelo Coliseum and into foster facilities around the state, where they were able to get a more accurate count.

Of those 463 children, 250 are girls and 213 are boys.

The sect, which broke from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints more than a century ago, believes polygamy brings glorification in heaven. Its leader, Warren Jeffs, is revered as a prophet. Jeffs was convicted last year in Utah of forcing a 14-year-old girl into marriage with an older cousin.

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beachpoet
Posted by: beachpoet on May 3, 2008 11:55 AM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
But you have to admit the Catholics have way better costumes.

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» RE: beachpoet Posted by: Dboy
They are NOT Mormons!
Posted by: 007 on May 4, 2008 6:05 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
These fundamentalists have NOTHING to do with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Salt Lake City , Utah!

They are brainwashed idiot women of a cult of pervert men who like to have sex with children under the guise of a practice in the 1850's that was disbanded by the real Mormon Church.

I have been a member of the REAL Mormon church since I was born in 1951, and I know no better morally straight people, family oriented people, people that don't drink alcohol, don't smoke tobacco, don't use illicit drugs, that follow the teachings of the King James version of the Bible, more closely than any other religion.

So look at these fundamentalists in Texas as a horrible cult, especially for those poor children.

THEY ARE NOT OF "THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS" IN UTAH!!!!!!!!!!

GOT IT, NEWS MEDIA?????????

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