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4/24/06
Howard Dean Issues Ultimatum to Churches: Give Up Religion
or Stay Out of Politics
WASHINGTON, April 21 /Christian Newswire/ -- Fidelis, a national Catholic
based advocacy group, called on Howard Dean, chairman of the Democratic National
Committee, to explain himself after telling the Christian Science Monitor Wednesday
that "The religious community has to decide whether they want to be tax exempt
or involved in politics."
Fidelis President Joseph Cella responded: "Howard Dean's statement makes
it clear that he wants to muzzle America's churches and religious groups from
professing what they believe on important issues facing our society. When it comes
to debates over public policy and issues, Dean should be welcoming the voice of
America's churches, not attempting to silence them. Instead Dean has shown utter
disregard for people of faith by threatening the historical and treasured role
of religious groups and churches in American public life."
"Under Howard Dean's rules, pastors, priests, and rabbis wouldn't have
been able to mobilize people of faith to join the civil rights marches in Selma
and Montgomery," said Cella.
Dean's statement is the latest in a series of comments directed toward conservative
Christians. Just last year, Dean told the San Francisco Chronicle, "they
are not very friendly....they all behave the same, and they all look the same."
Cella continued: "Dean's blatant hostility toward any church or religious
group calls into serious question his supposed outreach to values voters following
the 2004 elections. In essence, Dean is saying that if religious groups want to
continue to speak out, then the hand of government is going to exact a penalty.
Comments such as these continue to place Howard Dean and the Democratic Party
in jeopardy of further alienating religious voters."
Fidelis is a Catholic-based advocacy organization working with people of faith
across the country to defend and promote the sanctity of life, traditional marriage,
and the right to religious liberty by electing pro-life, pro-family and pro-religious
liberty candidates, supporting the confirmation of judges, and promoting and defending
laws consistent with the Founding principles of the United States.
Christian Newswire
To: National Desk
Contact: Brian Burch, Fidelis, 734-358-3433, bburch@fidelis.org
· Fidelis
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