Last night, Cardinal Timothy Dolan gave the closing prayer at the Democratic National Convention. Dolan unnecessarily and inappropriately politicized his remarks. He appeared more partisan than prayerful and more animated by wedge issues than worship. It was hard to tell whether he was a Republican member of the House of Representatives or a representative from a house of worship.
For example, he had to slip in the abortion issue at at a political convention:
“We ask your benediction on those waiting to be born, that they may be welcomed and protected.”
And what surely appeared to be commentary on marriage equality, Dolan had this to say:
“Show us anew that happiness is found only in respecting the laws of nature and of nature’s God. Empower us with your grace so that we might resist the temptation to replace the moral law with idols of our own making, or to remake those institutions you have given us for the nurturing of life and community.”
Dolan also got in Rome’s bogus talking point about Religious Liberty:
“Renew in all our people a profound respect for religious liberty.”
With all of the problems in the world, Dolan squandered much of his talk on Republican culture war themes. What a wasted opportunity to bring people together. Next time, can the Democrats find a faith leader who actually shares their inclusive values? Dolan’s divisive prayer was a lowlight in an otherwise stellar convention full of highlights.
Religion can’t unite people. Ever. There is always an in and out group. It couldn’t exist any other way.
You’re right Steve. That’s why I left the seminary.
I am disgusted that the Democrats allowed the monster Dolan into the convention. He fights against proposed legislation to lift the statutes of limitations for prosecution of child rape. Republicans assist him in blocking that legislation, which gets proposed by Democrats. What was the point of having this gay-bashing child rape enabler “pray” at the Democratic convention? He should be prosecuted, not invited to the party.
Dolan and his church wouldn’t know the difference between *real* morals and true idolatry if they came up and stuck a dildo up his hermetically sealed a$$. On second thought, maybe not so sealed. >:P
Steve, I’m a thorough-going atheist, and I couldn’t possible agree with you any less than I already don’t.
You’ve obviously never metany Unitarians.
What an incredible misstep. Dolan, as an ambassador for Catholicism, had an opportunity to reach out to millions of people. He instead chose to slam doors shut. What an idiot.
Dolan is an ambassador for an historically misogynistic, monarchical, repressive institution of control, that is run by a homosocial cabal of largely closeted, self-hating queens who will do anything in their power to protect their privileges and the status quo of this political entity created by Constantine.
How’s that for a long sentence?
This may actually benefit us in the long run. More people seeing how politicized the church has become. More people seeing exactly what kinds of people the republicans have allied themselves with. More people leaving both.
I actually agree with you Rainbow. The more political the churches become, the bigger the grave they dig for themselves. I see churches eventually becoming about as influential as they are in western Europe today if they keep becoming shills for the status quo.
Steve, I’m a Catholic and couldn’t agree with you more.
Who the hell invited him anyway? Don’t they know his positions? Shame on someone for not doing their homework and inviting the TOKEN cardinal.
Catholic social teaching was not formed in the last two weeks to be loaded onto a teleprompter.
Not much I can add to what has been said above except that Dolan, IMO, is a POS.
Jeez, why didn’t they just invite Rick Santorum to do the closing prayer? That way, they could have had all the same religious culture war ideology, and as a bonus, the DNC could have appeared to be making a generous bipartisan gesture.