Connecticut takes dead aim at First Amendment, Jack Fowler, National Review [1]:
The [Democrat]-controlled Judiciary Committee has introduced Raised Bill 1098, a bill aimed specifically at the Catholic Church, which would remove the authority of the bishop and pastor over individual parishes and put a board of laymen in their place. Yes, we’re asking the same questions you are (Where does the legislature have the authority to do this? Isn’t this a blatant violation of the First Amendment?), but we assure you that this is not a hoax.
Connecticut has no authority over a private associations, even if called a church, even the Catholic Church. The Declaration of Independence holds that rights flow from God to Man and not from God to King, the Connecticut legislature. The good people, all good people, need to slap down the fools in the Connecticut legislature, and slap them down hard.
No Catholic need recognize the authority any of kangaroo board which might be appointed under such a law.
Addendum: (Updated and bumped)
Apparent victory,
Following the biggest political firestorm of the 2009 legislative session, a public hearing scheduled for Wednesday on the financial and administrative management of the Catholic Church has been canceled. The bill is dead for the rest of the legislative session.
The bigots lose a round. The Declaration of Independence is not yet voided.