In response to Jules Gomes on bishops, blackmail and the child benefit cap, Bruce Atkinson wrote:
I am all for the Church appealing to the consciences of the public to accumulate funds for a charity (or two or three) that helps mothers and children. Make a big noise in the media, evangelize, beg, advertise, hire expert fund raisers, etc. I am all for that. But do not coerce the taxpayers through welfare programmes; that is just wrong.