When a comment is received in response to one of my stories, I ask for permission to publish it. When that is given, I attach it to the story. However, this one was so off the wall in so many ways that it deserves a feature spot since it has a surprise twist ending that I never expected. See if you can guess who the writer is, and where he or she is coming from.

The unsigned email (below) came as a result of my story (published by Capitolhillcoffeehouse.com), "Last Roar of The Lion,"  which detailed the lavish catholic funeral given for Senator Ted Kennedy and questioned why he was given such a Christian honor considering his politics and personal conduct that violated every tenet of the catholic faith and Christianity in general. Shortly after it was published this came in:

---Original Message---
To: chaplainmiles@aol.com
Sent: Sun, Sep 6, 2009 7:31 pm
Subject: last roar of the lion

There is no amount of time that you could have waited to publish your opinions on Kennedy that would be respectful.

I thought that it was very unkind and un-Christian to write a story about anothers faults. Is it OK with you if someone you didn't even know personally writes a story about your sins and puts it on the internet so your family and loved ones can read about it ?

Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.

(UNSIGNED)

The Catholic sitting next to you in Church could be a phony. If they proceed to receive communion they may be calling sacrilege and eternal damnation on their soul. One should know no one is capable of judging what someone's eternal life may be. But with Senator Kennedy and his full Catholic funeral upon his recent death, one has to wonder.

Kennedy's urgent push to pass legislation for abortion, euthanasia, embryonic stem cell research, and same sex-marriage demonstrated his utter contempt for four of five "non-negotiables". Those are, in Catholic doctrine and teaching, intrinsic evils in every case. There are no exceptions.

The Lion of the Senate was lionized by worshipers, politicians, the legal profession and the media after his roar was silenced on August 25th. Everyone expected this as Ted Kennedy had been in a fierce battle with a brain tumor which he fought valiantly. And this writer waited until a respectable time of mourning had taken place before making a comment.  

Every life is valuable to God and there were some solid accomplishments during Ted's lifetime. One which especially stands out is the "Americans with Disabilities" act which, through his work, was made into law in 1990.  

The funeral service was spectacular and well organized in the beautiful Catholic Church in Boston even though Kennedy, in his public and personal life, violated almost every tenet of the catholic faith.  And this lack of respect for the church continued on by his family in the funeral service itself.