The Free Press, Mankato, MN

Your View

November 3, 2012

Your View: Embrace Pope’s message: vote no

Kevin Swanson, Mankato

This summer Pope Benedict XVI traveled to Lebanon with a message of tolerance. The New York Time’s website, in a Sept. 14, 2012 article, quoted the Pope “there is always a danger of forgetting a fundamental aspect of liberty: tolerance for others and the fact that human liberty is always a shared liberty.” The Pope added, “We must do everything possible” to encourage tolerance and “reconciliation.”

I was baptized, raised, confirmed and married in the Catholic Church.

I believe the Pope’s message embodies the message Jesus Christ gave us when he said Love Your Neighbor as Yourself.

So why are my Minnesota Catholic Church Bishops pushing their agenda on the entire population of Minnesota through a government Constitutional change?

Roughly half of Minnesota voters oppose the proposed marriage limiting amendment. My Catholic Church will never have to marry same sex couples, thanks to the United States Constitution. Yet my Catholic Church is using its considerable resources and influence trying to force its opinion on all. Where is my Pope’s call for tolerance and human shared liberty?

Bishops are good people, yet human and have been wrong before.

As a Catholic, I believe in the Pope’s message of tolerance and human liberty.

As a Catholic, I believe the separation of Church and State goes both ways.

As a Catholic, I believe in our Lord’s Commandment to Love Your Neighbor as Yourself.

As a Catholic, I will be voting NO on the Marriage Limiting Constitutional Amendment on November 6th.

Do you respect Pope Benedict’s call for tolerance and liberty? If so join me and vote NO.

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