Archbishop Tries to Replace Morality with Legality: Politics from the Pulpit

Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann, of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, asked Governor Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas to refrain from taking communion because of her pro-choice stance. After learning that Governor Sebelius had taken communion, Naumann insisted that she not only confess her sins but also take "the necessary steps for amendment of her life which would include a public repudiation of her previous efforts and actions in support of laws and policies sanctioning abortion."

Doesn't the Church's stance on free will require that each person openly choose God's way on one's own, without coercion from secular law? Doesn't this mean that from a Christian standpoint, the government should legalize all moral issues that don't disrupt the social body? In other words, if someone takes a pro-life stance for religious reasons, that person politically should opt for pro-choice legislation, specifically in order to preserve the moral dimension of the decision. Otherwise, legality replaces morality. Instead of asking "should I," individuals will think in terms of "can I," and the moral accountability of each individual declines.

The moral dimension of this country is on the decline. Individuals fail to take responsibility for their decisions. In an era in which consumers blame McDonald's for the coffee burning when they spill it on themselves, Naumann wields his religious authority to get Governor Sebelius to replace morality with legality, and thereby further shrink the room of individual responsibility.