I seem to be having a hard time getting the idea of separation of church and state across to conservative U.S. Catholics. I tried to convince them that the Supreme Court decision on gay marriage and the Doe v. Wade decision on abortion are matters of civil law, not matters of morality. They tell me that's contrary to Catholic Church teaching and that if that's what I think, I should get out of the church I was raised in.

I try to control my temper.

Same thing, of course, goes for "Christian" employers who don't want their employees to have the choice of birth control in their health insurance plans. If the employers and churches don't think it's moral to use birth control, then they shouldn't use birth control - but they shouldn't compel their employees to do the same.

Once again, I'm told I don't belong in the Catholic Church where I got my Theology degree.

I try to control my temper.

-Joe-