Abortion issue is only a smokescreen
The ever-so-holy leaders of the Roman Catholic Church once again attempt to claim the moral high ground and impose their religious beliefs on the American masses by controlling the operation of government (“Bishops struggle…voting guidance,” Post Nov. 16th). In a recent statement from Catholic bishops, Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, warned “…President-elect Barack Obama and a majority Democratic Congress about their abortion policy.” The intended message therein, according to the Post-Dispatch article, is that our nation won’t be on a moral course “…without God’s favor, and that God’s favor cannot be gained by expanding access to abortion or codifying it into law.”
Roman Catholic leadership claiming the moral high ground! That’s laughable! They proclaim abortion to be a sin of the highest order, but secretly protect the legion of pedophile priests who routinely decimate the lives of thousands of children entrusted to them. Does protecting pedophile priests gain God‘s favor?
Realistically, the abortion topic for Catholic leadership is a convenient, smokescreen issue that often results in distracting the public from scrutiny of other issues in the church; the sexual misconduct of its priests for instance. Too, easily lead parishioners casting their vote in the political realm with a single issue in mind (I.e., abortion) serves to enhance the public’s perception of Catholic unity, thus political power. Is the quest for political power consistent with the teachings of Christ?
President Obama and those in his administration are certain to have their hands full dealing with the many debacles they will inherit from the Bush administration; eight years of the most immoral, disgraceful presidential administration in American history. Catholic bishops can act for the moral benefit of all Americans by mustering the common sense to stand aside and allow President Obama to do what he needs to do to rebuild America from the ashes left behind by an immoral and grossly inept administration.
Michael K. Broughton
Green Park
Laughable? You think it’s funny that 50 million pre-born babies have been torn to shreds in their mother’s womb? That’s laughable? No. It’s the paragon of evil, but you don’t seem to have a problem with it. You also don’t seem to have any qualms about foisting your utter LACK of morality on those of us who don’t want to be a party to the meaningless slaughter you seem to think is so funny. Wipe that smug grin off your face. Your words say more about YOU than about any person or church you write about.
Would you rather women used chemicals to have unsafe abortions? Because that’s what will happen if it is ever banned. Look at Brazil, they banned abortions and women just take a bunch of pills to force their body to abort. The same can be achieved through drinking a lot of alcohol. If a woman doesn’t want to carry an embryo to term, then she will find ways to see that doesn’t happen.
I love how the Catholics ignore the raping of children by their authority figures and the other leaders that helped to hide the rapists. All guilty and yet no Catholic is up-in-arms to get these sadistic people kicked out of the Church. I guess the Pope condoning the hiding of rapists made this okay.
Bill - You use the two typical liberal, babykiller tactics when it comes to this issue…unsafe abortions and how the Church is not an authority because of mistakes by a few. On the unsafe abortions claim, it is a FACT that prior to 1973 (i.e. prior to roe) the majority of abortions were performed by qualified, licensed physicians (albeit illegally). So your scare tactic that if abortion is outlawed that women will have back-alley abortions with a coathanger is a lie.
“No-Catholic is up in arms over the sex abuse scandal.” Really? That’s news to me and every other person with a brain. Most of us Catholics were insulted, angry and demanded some “change” (as BHO is famous for saying). The Pope was the one in the Church most troubled by this scandal and he took actions to make changes. So get your facts straight before you start slinging idiotic accusations and lies.
I do wonder how many Catholics & social conservatives that post so bitterly here against any abortions would wish to live in a theocracy, where their particular God-And-Bible-View was the law of the land?
This would require a new nation, given there are those of us neither of the Church Of Rome or willing to restrict a woman’s privacy and choice in whether or not to bring a fetus to full term.
And just think: in this brave new theocracy, you would also be allowed to
ban contraception. Yes, there are compelling reasons for this new nation, not the least of which removing those so virulent and unreasonable in their
insistence away from the rest of us. Oh, relief.
German — I’ll say it again: Given the choice between whether or not to have done to you what abortion does to an innocent human being in the womb, I’m sure you would say, “no thanks.” That’s not an infringement on your right to privacy, it’s common sense. Which brings us to a foundational principle of any civilized society: “Don’t go around doing to other people what you don’t want to have done to you.” Maybe you don’t believe a person in the womb is really a person. Take a look at a live ultrasound. That should be all the nonsectarian convincing you need.
Michael, German, Bill
Abortion for many people is the same as murder.
Would you have a problem if I lived in Germany in 1937-1944 and I was a one issue voter against the eugenics and the holocaust? or if I lived in the 1800s and was a one issue voter against slavery?
Yes Michael - it’s very “moral” to suck a baby out of a womb and then toss it in a dumpster out back. You should be very proud of your convictions and morals by supporting abortion rights. That damn Bush - how dare he try and protect humans who can’t speak for his/her self. God*amn that Bush for being concerned for human life. It’s much more important for Sally or Jenny not to be inconvenienced with a baby after having unprotected sex in the parking lot of a night club. Stand your high moral ground Mr. Broughton - you’re a renaissance man!
jvqb, unfortunately there wasn’t that ‘option’ for voting in Germany, but abortion was certainly outlawed in Hitler’s totalitarian world—the authoritarian instinct in human society always seems to also outlaw this level of personal control for women. For Hitler(a walking advertisement for repressed and twisted sexuality on many levels) women were merely wombs to produce (hopefully) Aryan servants of the Reich.
For some of you, a few cells in a dish constitute A Human Life, rather than
the potential. There will be disagreement on this viewpoint.
In the meantime, those of you who feel this way should consider the great price this nation paid to have such a hapless failure as president, one who held your support by way of sharing your view of abortion. And, are there no takers here for founding a theocracy fitted to your views, away from the rest of us who are quite able to allow women the call on this?
I’ve celebrated the births of many children, and unless ending a pregnancy was her choice, have never lobbied FOR an abortion.
By the way, WHY do you think Italy, home to the Church Of Rome, has the lowest birth-rate in Europe?? Do you actually think Italians are not availing themselves of birth control options? Ah, the irony…
Still nothing changes the fact that an embryo is NOT a human being with rights. Didn’t a recent law in CO fail in a landslide trying to claim a human being begins at fertilization?
Also, nothing changes the fact that women have the right to do what they will with their bodies. This has been upheld for how many decades now? With how many years of Republican Presidents and a Republican controlled congress to try and change this?
You cannot use your theology to force laws in this country, sorry that everyone isn’t a religious fanatic.
I believe that if I was a Catholic, I would follow the teachings of the church, if you do not like it, you can always become a free will Baptist.