# Serious question
**URL:** https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/serious-question/4837
**Category:** Religion and Secularism
**Created:** [February 28, 2016, 10:31pm UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/serious-question/4837 "2016-02-28T22:31:05Z")
**Posts on this page:** 17
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@davenelson](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/davenelson)
#### Post date: [February 28, 2016, 10:31pm UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/serious-question/4837/1 "2016-02-28T22:31:05Z")
Which agency do you think has the most influence over the affairs of we the people?
The congress of the United States or the Vatican?
Dave Nelson
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### Author:  [@timb](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/timb)
#### Post date: [February 28, 2016, 10:43pm UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/serious-question/4837/2 "2016-02-28T22:43:34Z")
By far, the Congress of the US, (though mostly, these days thru obstructionism).
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### Author:  [@hazelnut](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/hazelnut)
#### Post date: [February 29, 2016, 12:03am UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/serious-question/4837/3 "2016-02-29T00:03:20Z")
Yeah, definitely congress.
What makes you think the Vatican is influential?
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### Author:  [@darrons](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/darrons)
#### Post date: [February 29, 2016, 12:29am UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/serious-question/4837/4 "2016-02-29T00:29:23Z")
I have to go with Congress too. Seems a lot of Catholics ignore papal edicts.
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### Author:  [@thevillageatheist](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/thevillageatheist)
#### Post date: [February 29, 2016, 1:50am UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/serious-question/4837/5 "2016-02-29T01:50:41Z")
As Catholics are in the minority in the Christian camp, so far, they have little influence over public policy and shouldn’t have anyway. Individuals of the Catholic faith however sometimes do, e.g. Scalia. If you poll the Congress you will find mostly mainstream Xtians, or those who give it lip service and a scattering of Evangelicals like Cruz.
Cap’t Jack
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### Author:  [@yosemitesam](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/yosemitesam)
#### Post date: [February 29, 2016, 5:17am UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/serious-question/4837/6 "2016-02-29T05:17:20Z")
Yeah but considering the Vatican’s global reach, particularly when it comes to birth-control and abortion rights and dare say homophobia - and sorta keeping women in a subservient role and such. Gotta admit they do exert a lot of power.
Don’t think it compares with US treasure and weaponry we expend on wars and disrupting civilian lives, but not to be dismissed. :-/
* * *
_guess he was talking about US, I was thinking globally. sorry_ :shut:
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### Author:  [@timb](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/timb)
#### Post date: [February 29, 2016, 6:16am UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/serious-question/4837/7 "2016-02-29T06:16:57Z")
Oh no! There is this:
[http://www.pacinst.com/antichri.htm](http://www.pacinst.com/antichri.htm)
And the forum spam detector did not screen it out, so it must be true or a miracle.
(I’m just kidding, admiral.)
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### Author:  [@loisl](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/loisl)
#### Post date: [February 29, 2016, 10:11am UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/serious-question/4837/8 "2016-02-29T10:11:16Z")
> Oh no! There is this: http://www.pacinst.com/antichri.htm And the forum spam detector did not screen it out, so it must be true or a miracle. (I'm just kidding, admiral.)
What's really a miracle is that the http:// itself didn't trigger the spam detector. It always does for me and I have to edit it out of links. Lois
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### Author:  [@finallydecided](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/finallydecided)
#### Post date: [February 29, 2016, 11:34am UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/serious-question/4837/9 "2016-02-29T11:34:13Z")
Socially, I think the Vatican is more powerful. Even if you’re not Catholic, and have been in the U.S. (born and raised here) or acculturated here, you are still subject to the influence.
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### Author:  [@hazelnut](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/hazelnut)
#### Post date: [February 29, 2016, 11:55am UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/serious-question/4837/10 "2016-02-29T11:55:22Z")
> Socially, I think the Vatican is more powerful. Even if you're not Catholic, and have been in the U.S. (born and raised here) or acculturated here, you are still subject to the influence.
:lol: You must be new to America.
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### Author:  [@davenelson](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/davenelson)
#### Post date: [February 29, 2016, 1:03pm UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/serious-question/4837/11 "2016-02-29T13:03:53Z")
I didn’t say “catholics”. I said “the Vatican”.
Dave
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### Author:  [@darrons](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/darrons)
#### Post date: [February 29, 2016, 3:00pm UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/serious-question/4837/12 "2016-02-29T15:00:59Z")
> Socially, I think the Vatican is more powerful. Even if you're not Catholic, and have been in the U.S. (born and raised here) or acculturated here, you are still subject to the influence.
:lol: You must be new to America. Your reading comprehension is getting worse, MA. Your recent posts have degenerated to the point that you're not even a troll, you're just posting idiotic stuff and no one takes you seriously.
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### Author:  [@yosemitesam](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/yosemitesam)
#### Post date: [February 29, 2016, 3:39pm UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/serious-question/4837/13 "2016-02-29T15:39:05Z")
> Oh no! There is this: http://www.pacinst.com/antichri.htm And the forum spam detector did not screen it out, so it must be true or a miracle. (I'm just kidding, admiral.)
Wow. Heck not only has Jack gotten a promotion, but the Pope's been promoted to the anti-christ. Gonna be a day of wonders I can feeel it already.
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### Author:  [@yosemitesam](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/yosemitesam)
#### Post date: [February 29, 2016, 3:44pm UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/serious-question/4837/14 "2016-02-29T15:44:46Z")
> I didn't say "catholics". I said "the Vatican". Dave
Come on Dave, but a little more flesh on this puppy. Or this thread could really degenerate… :cheese: _Why you ask'n?_
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### Author:  [@write4u](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/write4u)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2016, 2:52am UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/serious-question/4837/15 "2016-03-02T02:52:49Z")
IMO, in the US the question poses a false dichotomy. Only in a theocracy would this question be valid.
Government has an _administrational function_, whereas the Church has an _instructional function_.
While we have feedom of worship, the Constitution has limited the influence of worship on the administrative functions. This is why the _Establishment Clause_.
p.s. The Vatican is a city/state. The Holy See (located inside the Vatican) is the seat of “spiritual knowledge”
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### Author:  [@thevillageatheist](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/thevillageatheist)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2016, 4:46am UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/serious-question/4837/16 "2016-03-02T04:46:43Z")
> guess he was talking about US, I was thinking globally. sorry
I was CC, but that balance may eventually be upset as more Immigrants come in from the Latin American countries. When that happens Catholicism may indeed eclipse mainstream Protestantism and the results would be obvious. Cap't Jack
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### Author:  [@darrons](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/darrons)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2016, 5:15am UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/serious-question/4837/17 "2016-03-02T05:15:55Z")
> ...that balance may eventually be upset as more Immigrants come in from the Latin American countries. When that happens Catholicism may indeed eclipse mainstream Protestantism and the results would be obvious.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fdcDN4LbYQ