Joe Biden Makes It Easier for Catholics to Oppose Pro-Abortion Barack Obama

Life News ^ | 8/23/08 | Steven Ertelt

[wagglebee]

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A pro-life Catholic group says it will be easier for Catholic voters to reject Barack Obama as president now that he has strong abortion advocate Joe Biden on board. Although some pundits say Biden is an Irish Catholic who will help Obama in states like Pennsylvania, Brian Burch says he will turn off voters.

Burch, the head of the pro-life organization Fidelis, tells LifeNews.com that Biden's pro-abortion views, like Obama's, pose a major challenge for American Catholics.

Fidelis warned late last month that a pro-abortion Catholic choice as a vice presidential candidate would offend many Catholics who have struggled with the scandal of prominent pro-abortion Catholic politicians like Senator Biden.

“Barack Obama has re-opened a wound among American Catholics by picking a pro-abortion Catholic politician," Burch said.

"The American bishops have made clear that Catholic political leaders must defend the dignity of every human person, including the unborn. Sadly, Joe Biden’s tenure in the United States Senate has been marked by steadfast support for legal abortion," he added.

Burch pointed to history to support his contention.

In 2004, John Kerry’s support for abortion sparked a nationwide controversy over whether Catholics who support legal abortion can receive communion. The debate was re-activated in 2007 when several bishops criticized Rudy Giuliani, also a pro-abortion Catholic.

“Now everywhere Biden campaigns, we'll have this question of whether a pro-abortion Catholic can receive communion," he told LifeNews.com.

"Senator Biden is an unrepentant supporter of abortion in direct opposition to the Church he claims as his own. Selecting a pro-abortion Catholic is a slap in the face to Catholic voters,” he said.

Biden's own bishop, Bishop Michael Saltarelli of Wilmington, Delaware, has said that the issues pertaining to the sanctity of human life are the "great civil rights issues of this generation.”

Bishop Saltarelli denounced the notion that politicians like Biden can 'personally oppose' abortion, but refuse to pass laws protecting the unborn.

"No one today would accept this statement from any public servant: 'I am personally opposed to human slavery and racism but will not impose my personal conviction in the legislative arena.' Likewise, none of us should accept this statement from any public servant: 'I am personally opposed to abortion but will not impose my personal conviction in the legislative arena,'” said Bishop Saltarelli.

In fact, Bishop Saltarelli made clear that pro-abortion Catholic politicians should refrain from receiving the Eucharist.

"The promotion of abortion by any Catholic is a grave and serious matter. Objectively, according to the constant teaching of the Scriptures and the Church, it would be more spiritually beneficial for such a person to refrain from receiving the Body and Blood of Christ. I ask Catholics in this position to have the integrity to respect the Eucharist, Catholic teaching and the Catholic faithful," he said.

"Burch concluded: “The American bishops have instructed Catholic voters to consider many issues, but have characterized the defense of human life as ‘foundational’ and have explained that the issue has a special claim on the conscience of the Catholic voter."

"This means that a political candidate like Biden, because of his strong support for abortion rights, forfeits any claim for support despite his views on other issues like health care and the economy.”

[wagglebee]

“Now everywhere Biden campaigns, we'll have this question of whether a pro-abortion Catholic can receive communion," he told LifeNews.com.

This reality hadn't even occurred to me.

[wagglebee]

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[wagglebee]

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[library user]

You didn’t get Joe Biden’s text this morning at 3:12AM saying he’s now Methodist?

[Rome2000]

Obama is demonstrating why he is completely unfit to be POTUS.

Picking Biden was a shockingly bad decision.

Baby killing Catholic politicians like Biden and Pelosi are the scourge of the nation, this will be a huge issue in the campaign.

[ex-snook]

There must be a strong pro-life Catholic on McCain’s short list. Anyone know which Catholic has the best shot of those floated? Giuliani?

[A.A. Cunningham]

It was already easy to oppose CINO Plagiarist Biden.

"The next Republican that tells me I'm not religious I'm going to shove my rosary beads down their throat."

[darkangel82]

Giuliani hasn’t been Catholic for an extremely long time.

[gov_bean_ counter]

CNN still spinning themselves into the ground attempting to convince themselves this is a good pick.

[Titus-Maximus]

Maybe Biden and Obama can do some church shopping together - they are both without a home, let’s see, Rev Wright is out, Farrakhan, probably not, Moonies - Nah, maybe the Whackos from Waco....No..something Californian, feel good, non judgmental sought of like buddhism but allowing you to eat meat and arugula and smoke crack on weekends, and infanticide is okay if you are not in the mood for raising a kid.

[gov_bean_ counter]

CNN idiots...

Interviewing Dem big shots as if they would go on record with criticisms of this selection.

[tflabo]

Rudy G. is mildly in favor of pro-abortion...

[big'ol_freeper]

The truth of the matter is that Biden’s selection will not change how Catholics vote anymore than nObama’s nomination did. No Catholic, nay, no Christian should vote for pro-abort politicians regardless of party. But many will.

[wagglebee]

There must be a strong pro-life Catholic on McCain’s short list. Anyone know which Catholic has the best shot of those floated? Giuliani?

Rooty would be a disaster.

Of the conservative names being floated, Bobby Jindal is Catholic and Tim Pawlenty is an Evangelical; Romney is Mormon, but I don't really consider him a conservative.

[freespirited]

Wagglebee, do you think it would be a problem in any way that Pawlenty was Catholic but drifted away to become an evangelical?

I used to think he was our best choice but now cant make up my mind.

[wagglebee]

Rudy G. is mildly in favor of pro-abortion...

Rooty is only "mild" when compared to a militant abortionist like Obama.

“I’m pro-choice. I’m pro-gay rights,” Giuliani said. He was then asked whether he supports a ban on what critics call partial-birth abortions. “No, I have not supported that, and I don’t see my position on that changing,” he responded.
- CNN.com, “Inside Politics” Dec 2, 1999

"Ultimately I believe it's an individual right and a woman should make that choice."
- Apr 4, 2007

"Where I stand on abortion is, I oppose it. I don't like it. I hate it. I think abortion is something that, as a personal matter, I would advise somebody against.

"However, I believe in a woman's right to choose."
- Hannity & Colmes, Feb 5, 2007

"But if the ultimate choice of the woman - my daughter or any other woman - would be that in this particular circumstance [if she had] to have an abortion, I'd support that. I'd give my daughter the money for it."
- Phil Donahue Show, 1989

[Uri’el-2012]

The RC clergy needs to read and understand this about Democrats:

NAsbU Matthew 7:23 "And then I will declare to them,
'I never knew you;
DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'

shalom b'SHEM Yah'shua HaMashiach Adonai

[wagglebee]

Wagglebee, do you think it would be a problem in any way that Pawlenty was Catholic but drifted away to become an evangelical?

I don't think that would be an issue at all.

I used to think he was our best choice but now cant make up my mind.

I would be fine with Pawlenty, but I think the Sarah Palin, Bobby Jindal or Eric Cantor would be better.

[wagglebee]

Archbishop Raymond Burke who is an American has been appointed to a very high post in the Vatican and he is adamant about this issue, so I think we will see a lot more about this than we have in other elections.

Head of Vatican's Highest Court: "Obligation to Deny Communion to Pro-Abortion" Politicians

[Radl]

Giuliani is one of those IAAAB Catholics.....