| Topic: |
Religions > Atheism |
| User: |
"" |
| Date: |
07 Nov 2005 03:28:23 AM |
| Object: |
Opening the church's books |
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2005/11/06/opening_the_churchs_books/
[excerpt]
OAN VENNOCHI
Opening the church's books
By Joan Vennochi, Globe Columnist | November 6, 2005
FOR TOO MANY years, the Catholic Church has had its way with Massachusetts
politicians.
Finally, some politicians are showing spine. They are standing up for
churchgoers instead of the church, via a legislative proposal that calls
for unprecedented financial transparency from churches and other religious
organizations.
Six states require religious institutions to disclose some financial
information in annual or biannual reports. The proposed Bay State bill is
more comprehensive and would make the Commonwealth a national model when it
comes to financial disclosure requirements. That is one reason the Catholic
Church and other religious groups are fighting to kill it.
But the powerful institutional opposition is running up against another
force -- the anger, sadness, and frustration of average Catholics who are
watching the Boston archdiocese shut down parishes and schools with little
explanation as to why or where the financial proceeds are going.
[end excerpt]
*****************************************************************
Posting and reading from alt.politics.usa.constitution OR alt.education
You are invited to check out the following:
The Rise of the Theocratic States of America
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/theocracy.htm
American Theocrats - Past and Present
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/theocrats.htm
The Constitutional Principle: Separation of Church and State
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/index.html
[and to join the discussion group for the above site and/or Separation of
Church and State in general, listed below]
HRSepCnS · Hampton Roads [Virginia] SepChurch&State
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HRSepCnS/
[Its not just Hampton Roads folks who are members, there are members from
all over the U.S. and a couple from overseas as well]
***************************************************************
.. . . You can't understand a phrase such as "Congress shall make no law
respecting an establishment of religion" by syllogistic reasoning. Words
take their meaning from social as well as textual contexts, which is why "a
page of history is worth a volume of logic." New York Trust Co. v. Eisner,
256 U.S. 345, 349, 41 S.Ct. 506, 507, 65 L.Ed. 963 (1921) (Holmes, J.).
Sherman v. Community Consol. Dist. 21, 980 F.2d 437, 445 (7th Cir. 1992)
.. . .
****************************************************************
THE CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLE:
SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/index.html
****************************************************************
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