Go, and do thou likewise.
According to Susan Tully of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), many Roman Catholics are unhappy with their church leaders who, like Mahony, advocate for illegal aliens. “I am a Catholic, and there’s a whole bunch of us who are calling for a boycott of the Catholic Church,” she says.
“In other words,” Tully explains, “we’re telling other Catholics, ‘If you want to go to church to receive communion and a service or whatever, that would be fine, but do not financially support [the church].” And as for Cardinal Mahony, she contends, it is important for church members to remember what is truly motivating him.
—“Activist Urges Boycott of Catholic Leaders Who Support Illegal Aliens,” Agape Press
And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?
And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.
And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.
But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?
—The Gospel According to Saint Luke,
chapter 10, verses 25 – 29
—cross-posted to Sisyphus Shrugs
More and more I consider myself a christian. Not because I give a rat’s ass about heaven and hell (that’s for rats to give – sacrifice of thyself not of others) but because behaving in a christian manner on a ongoing basis is a nice challenge. I suppose I’d be a better christian if I could find it in my heart to forgive more Christians. Stll working on that part. And all the rest.
I find the distinction between Christians (or christians) and Christianists to be useful.