The Catholic church is a big business, has been since the Dark Ages, when it really took root and spread. While reading a book about that time, titled "A World Lit by Fire", by William Manchester, I was struck by the similarity of the Catholic church to some big corporation like Microsoft - only the church has its own breeding program to maintain a consumer base. Imagine if the corporations these days had such a stranglehold on their customers that they could make them have big families...
So the heads of the Catholic church are running scared, trying to keep their clients reproducing and buying their products.

I don't think many of us will rise up. We're just becoming atheists.

That was one muddled-ass message. Am I supposed to identify with the blacksmith? He's the good guy, right? So why is he tossing "marriage" and "Freedom" into the fire? He's supposed to be symbolically linked to the nice white voting lady, I get that, at least, but then he starts walking forward, flames in the background, with his big ol' hammer, and then I think maybe he's the bad guy? I dunno. I don't see it as that inspiring, either way.

This is a Poe, right?

I hope this is a false flag operation, because that would be awesome. What better way to disrupt the "Christian nation" message by inciting infighting over WHICH one it is? "It's a Catholic nation!" "No, it's a Methodist nation!" "No, it's an Episcopal nation!" "No, it's a Baptist Nation!" "Original Baptist or Reformed Baptist?" "Reformation of 1879 or Reformation of 1915?" "HERETIC!"

@5:

I <3 that joke!

You're saying you know these fringers are secret branches of the institutional church? That would make a great story, with footwork and all showing the connections you made. Even if you're just Occam's-razoring, though, a fun post.

That is some weirdo Lord of The Rings shizznell. So the only way to save yourself from eternal damnation is to vote for the Mormon? Must be a tough year for the Catholics.

@7) I didn't say these two groups are staffed by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, gus. But they are still taking political campaign directives from the American Catholic Church. The connections between Catholics funders and NOM and CC2W are well documented. More to the point, they have taken the top three political dictates of the USCCB--marriage, pro-life, and religious liberty--and are running them down the field for election season. Their message is taken directly from the USSCB. This ad even quotes Cardinal Timothy Dolan, chair of the USCCB's Religious Liberty Committee. So they don't need to be staffed by the bishops; these groups take their marching orders directly from the bishops anyway.

Perhaps the Church that gave the world the Spanish Inquisition should ease off on the red-hot poker imagery.

I refuse to vote for a Presidential candidate that I believe takes orders from anyone... including imaginary higher powers.

@9, now that's what I was hoping to see! Thanks.

They need more money. That's what this is about. Get the stupid people's money.

And this doesn't undermine their tax-exempt status how, exactly?

Do whatever steps you want if
You have cleared them with the pontiff—
Ever'body say his own kyrie eléison,
Doin' the Vatican Rag!

Ah, no mention of the USCCB investigating Girl Scouts. Well, that deals with icky little girls so who cares, right? I thought the USCCB should be ridiculed for every community group it antagonizes?

I just want to get this in here--it's really misleading to say this is a message from THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. It's a particular group, Catholics Called to Witness. Go to their website, it's like 5 people espousing 3 key ideas. Not all Catholics are crazy, I promise!

The video belongs to youtube user called "Creativelab7" and not the youtube user called "Vatican"... I don't know what group made this but it is not the Catholic Church...

Catholics Called to Witness is not the Catholic church. It might be an organization of Catholics, but for all we know, it might be an organization of people pretending to be Catholics. Don't take things at face value in the midst of political campaigning. It's all manipulation to screw with your emotions in such a way as to get you to do what they want.

Catholics Called to Witness is not the Catholic church. It might be an organization of Catholics, but for all we know, it might be an organization of people pretending to be Catholics. Don't take things at face value in the midst of political campaigning. It's all manipulation to screw with your emotions in such a way as to get you to do what they want. You're reacting exactly the way they want you to.

@22: " It's all manipulation "

Hm. Manipulation as in "three sequential posts (I'll give you the DP as a freebie) from single-purpose accounts trying to claim this ad doesn't reflect the views of the Roman Catholic hierarchy"? That kind of manipulation?

I love how it says to "marriage should be reinforced, not redefined" and then it says "When the government tampers with a freedom so fundamental, one shudders to think what lies ahead"

especially since the catholic church is know for suppressing other religions

I love how it says "marriage should be reinforced, not redefined" and then it says "When the government tampers with a freedom so fundamental, one shudders to think what lies ahead"

especially since the catholic church is known for suppressing other religions throughout history.

The "freedom" to deny others freedom and equality? The stupid is powerful here. Very powerful.