john kosci, don't be absurd. No one is attacking Pell's freedom to speak.

runner, i don't think there is any obvious inconsistency between your religious belief and my logical point. For what it's worth, I actually asked you two questions. Thank-you for answering one.

Cardinal Pell has not threatened anyone.
He is reported as saying that Catholic members of the NSW Parliament who voted for the embryonic stem cell research bill (a conscience vote) “would need to think seriously about taking Holy Communion."
That is a personal decision for those politicians.
As a long lapsed Catholic I see the Cardinal's statements as perfectly correct.
To expect to continue to fully participate in the life of the Catholic Church while at odds with its basic tenets is hypocritical - even for a politician.

Bushbasher

You don't see throwing the ICAC at me just because I express my heartfelt opinion, no matter how right or wrong it may be, as an attack on free speech?

Admiral von Schneider,

It is not as straight forward as you present. The Cardinal should not be addressing the State. If Father O'Brien the local parish priest has a word with his parishioners, say, Mr. Iemma, not the Premier, then perhaps Iemma can makes his own decision. Likewise, the Catholic Church is far too selective and hypocritic: e.g., usery and swearing one Bible. Both common place. Selectivity based on power politics!

Whether Jesus is a god or not, what he said was, "do this [communon] in rememberance of 'me' [emphasis added]'. JC didn't say you can't have the eucharist, if you don't follow the creeds of specific churches. The Pope, Pell and Co, are barstardises. Herein, Pell is applying sixeenth century creed, not twenty-first standards, nor Jesus' own first century teaching, given the latter existed,as a human or a god.

The Catholic Church is being political. Should the State tax the Church's collections, if rings three bells, instead of two at Communion? I think not. Pell should keep his trap shut.

AvS, you present an erroneous posit, I suggest

I don't mind the Catholic Church being political. I mind the Catholic Church being superstitious and obtuse.

AvS,

I would add the above that athiests should they choose take a communin meal in rememberence of Jesus'life and humanist teachings. That is to the letter of the instruction without any religious baggage. Perhaps, in rememberance of a exceptional human life?

If Jesus added a religious touch [he didn't], it would have been to knock over-observence of Jewish Law "to the Jews" in Jews meals. Nothing at all to with the Catholics, Nicaea, the Greek/Russian Churches, or, the Protestants, whom stem from Paul, not Jesus.