Separation of Church and State

They have done a lot of talking but little agreeing. Throughout the entire week President Obama has called House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to the oval office with the hopes of negotiating a budget and preventing a government shutdown.

Republicans are looking for serious cuts, cuts that according to House Minority Leader, Nancy Pelosi, will leave thousands of America’s elderly hungry.

On Monday, Pelosi met with the Hunger Fast Coalition and said “When I hear you speak about this issue of course it is the gospel of Matthew which says when I was hungry you gave me to eat and the rest of it goes on.”

She argued, “In these same budgets we are talking about, they give tens of billions of dollars in subsidies to big oil to drill, when they are making a trillion dollars over ten years in profits. We are doing that as we say to seniors, home bound seniors, that you will no longer have food coming to you in your home.”

Today, Father Jonathan Morris spoke to Varney & Co. about Pelosi’s use of religion to back a political point.

“If you use the bible in this case actually saying Matthew, the gospel of Matthew says, you better be very careful when you then take the next step and say the bible tells me that my policy is the only way,” said Morris.

According to Fr. Morris, when and where Pelosi referenced the bible was not the issue.

“She is talking in the context of a religious gathering.” said Fr. Morris. “Going back to the bible as the foundation of being good to our neighbors I have no problem with.”

Instead, Fr. Morris said the problem was Pelosi suggesting the federal government is the only one that is able to give these meals to seniors.

While he believes religious values do have an influence over the actions of politicians, Fr. Morris says, “There should be a proper separation of powers between church and state.”