By way of Spiritual Politics, God-o-Meter learns that the US Conference of Catholic Bishops has released a statement criticizing Joe Biden for his comments around abortion on Sunday’s Meet the Press, when he said that the question of when life begins is a “personal and private matter” and that, for him, it began at conception.
The Bishops criticized the “personal and private matter” part.
However, the Senator’s claim that the beginning of human life is a “personal and private” matter of religious faith, one which cannot be “imposed” on others, does not reflect the truth of the matter. The Church recognizes that the obligation to protect unborn human life rests on the answer to two questions, neither of which is private or specifically religious.
Click here for the rest.
Could this be a significant turning point in the role of Catholic Bishops in the presidential contest on the abortion issue? Untils now, it’s been outspoken Denver archbishop Charles Chaput who’s been beating the drum against Biden and other Democrats over his abortion stance. Catholic Obama supporters have suggested that Chaput was freelancing.
A rebuke from the US Council of Catholic Bishops is a different story, throwing much more of the weight of the Catholic church behind the Obama/Biden abortion critique.
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posted September 10, 2008 at 11:33 am
lol. The Council of bishops is ignoring doctrine — specificly the Double Standard Doctrine. Which allows a senator to do his job with out fear of whether or not it opposes church values as long as he himself doesn’t do it. His job is to represent Delaware which last time I checked was pretty divided on abortion with leaning towards pro-choice.
Plus I think the catholic church does state that you cannot impose your position on another without committing a mortal sin.
They are really stretching the doctrine on abortion. It is written as you must protect the life of an unborn baby by not aborting it. It was clearified to be at conception(used to be at first kick). Then that wasn’t enough so you had to not only not condone it but you had to tell others not to. And after that they changed it again to you cannot belong to any group that doesn’t demonize abortion.
Fortunatly there is a small faction of priests and bishops that stick to what the encyclicals say: you must protect the life of the baby(no abortion, also cant preform one). The extra stuff to them is a material sin(not intentional thus free pass).
Its really sad that the same argument on why we can support the Chinese Oympics is thrown out for abortion because the Church doesn’t want free thought. IMO if the Church is going to continue on this then they should start saying that we cannot use or condone any product made at the expense of people in China,Mexico,India,Mayalsa,etc.
You cant have it both ways.
For those that don’t know I was going to be a Priest I went through the first part of the process. Thats how I know the church doesn’t follow its own rules — thats why I quit the process.
posted September 10, 2008 at 1:18 pm
The Roman Catholic Church’s stance on birth control. contraceptives and abortion is the same. You can not interfere with the construction of life. The purpose of marriage is to create life and you are obligated to attempt to create life when ever you preform a sexual act. The only exception is the “rhythm method” and that applies to those who have already have children.
At least that is what was taught to me in High School by well meaning nuns. While most Catholics ignore this teaching and use birth control pills and condoms to prevent unwanted pregnancies, the Church teaches that it is still a sin to do so.
As a rule, abortion is the same sin as birth control. The only safe sex to a Catholic is no sex. That is what is not taught in the schools today but it is also not taught at home either. Governor Palin discovered that for herself with her daughter. I don’t condemn her or her daughter, I just what to point out that even the best of families, the ideal is not practical. Abstinence works only if you agree to let it work, otherwise, take precautions.
posted September 10, 2008 at 9:52 pm
According to a publication called “Catholics for Free Choice”, in the Autumn 1996 issue, an article, “The History of Abortion in the Catholic Church”, it is stated: “Catholic theology tells individuals to follow their own personal conscience in moral matters, even when their conscience is in conflict with hierarchial views.” This leads me to believe that the bishops need to keep their views OUT of Biden’s political life. Biden, to his credit, doesn’t feel it is his business to impose his religious beliefs on women on abortion. He is not mixing church and state…very simple.
NO threat of withholding communion should be coming out of the bishops mouths. Taking communion is up to the person and their conscience, not for the RCC to decide when a person should or should not take partake of the holy food.
posted September 11, 2008 at 8:16 am
You yourself wrote it!
According to “Catholics for Free Choice”, “Catholic theology tells individuals to follow their own personal conscience in moral matters, even when their conscience is in conflict with hierarchical views.”
According to the Catholic Church, which is an institution completely different than “Catholics for Free Choice”, the Church recognizes that the obligation to protect unborn human life rests on the answer to two questions, neither of which is private or specifically religious.
But then again, it is Science (not just the Catholic Church) that states that the Human embryo is an individual of the human species.
It seems that in this case we, us scientists (the new Galileos) and them Bishops (the true Teachers of the Church), are in agreement.
America needs Leaders representing TRUE CHANGE to start addressing Abortion on demand as what is it: a gross violation of Human Rights.
posted September 11, 2008 at 4:02 pm
the catholic church need to shout up they are a disgrace to this nation
posted September 13, 2008 at 1:10 pm
And when does anyone have to hear what Catholic Bishops say about anything, anymore? The same Catholic Bishops who covered up the nastiest acts of perversion and betrayal of the youngest of us?
Were we all just required to keep producing fetuses that would grow up to be Catholic children to be raped by Catholic Priests…was that GOD’s will for our Children.
I would rather have aborted my child than subject him/her to the dubious distinction of having been sexually abused by a PRIEST.
Again, the right wingers belief in life as something inside a womb, and a complete disregard for any rights for that life after it exits the womb amaze me. YOUR GOD IS DEAD! And I believe in HIS right to life.
posted September 13, 2008 at 10:40 pm
The destruction or oppression of innocent human life is never a merely “personal and private matter.” The bishops have spoken out repeatedly against the killing of unborn children for the same reasons they have condemned capital punishment, called for more sharing of resouces with the world’s poor and years ago told Bush not to invade Iraq – because all human life is sacred.
Also, using the fact about 4% of Catholic priests (now defrocked) had sex with minors and several bishops covered up for them as a permaent all encompassing excuse to discount everything that comes from Catholic leaders is simply a cop out.
posted September 14, 2008 at 1:17 am
What a joke . . . as if catholic bishops know any more about when life begins then anyone else.
posted September 14, 2008 at 8:45 pm
They have just as much right to express their moral beliefs as
one who feels no conscience in the matter. Life is sacred and
the unfortunate aspect to abortion is if only more women knew
that their unborn children would be so loved if only they
could find it in their hearts to carry the baby full term.
Wouldn’t you feel much more joy in your life if you gave that baby
life and offered him/her to a family that wanted to cherish
family values by opening their hearts and homes.
I don’t know any women (and I know plenty) who’ve had abortions
that feel any sense of joy or peace from that decision.
So being a believer in life, simply means that we believe
love and joy and the blessings of motherhood are sacred. You as the mother, would find peace and joy in your heart and spirit much easier
if you took the time to examine your hearts before you ended your
unwanted baby’s life. We, as a Catholic family have failed in not
providing enough birthing centers for women to go to. It is time
that we as Catholics embrace what we preach and begin acting in
faith and doing what we know is right-being true to our words.
So any of you Catholic leaders out there, please push to set aside
separate offerings at Mass for the establishment of more birthing
and adoption places.
posted October 8, 2008 at 7:31 am
Why dont the Bishops prevent Ronald Reagan nomination of Chief Supreme Court Justice Scalia, who is ulta most conservative Catholic from being given communion? He came out on an interview in 60minutes saying that he would never make abortion illegal because he is an originist and believes the unborn fetus is not a living person to be covered in the constitution. That goes to show you that the Republicans will never change the abortion issue. It’s only coming from their mouths so they can take the Christian vote from a democrat’s policies to help lessen abortions, by better education,and help women with their financial needs so they can take care of their child. Why are people so dumb? It’s like Jesus said the Blind leading the blind! No catholic democrat likes abortion.Pres. Jimmy Carter was the only true pro-life president. The Catholic & christians would be more likely to change a prochoice person by prayer and be a living example for Christ by not endorsing hypocritical pro-life candidates who only say they will stop abortion. Anyway it was a Republican appointed Supreme Court Justice Blackmun who allowed abortion to be legal. So there!!!