Posted on 07/13/2008 1:24:13 PM PDT by library user
In his column of June 24, Wall Street Journal writer William McGurn looked at the mostly NARAL-friendly Catholics named to the Obama campaign’s National Catholic Advisory Council. Noting that Obama enjoys a NARAL approval rating of 100%, and that — while in the Illinois State Senate — he voted against a measure similar in intent to the unanimously approved 2002 Federal Born Alive Act, McGurn wonders how the council and other Catholics for Obama can rationalize support for a candidate who stands in such profound contrast to the church’s firm teaching that abortion is “an intrinsic evil.”
The…line of argument is the They’re-Just-As-Bad-As-We-Are defense. Thus the Web sites that go on and on about Catholic social teaching on war and poverty and greed and the death penalty…the implication being, of course, that…simply by enumerating all these concerns, you can somehow balance out the Democratic Party’s singular commitment to abortion on demand. [link and emphasis mine]
On the surface, that argument seems reasonable — so reasonable, in fact, that the ardently pro-life Archbishop Charles Chaput, of Denver, writes of forming his own conscience in just such a way in 1976:
I knew Carter was wrong in his views about Roe and soft toward permissive abortion. But even as a priest, I justified working for him because…he was right on so many more of the “Catholic” issues than his opponent seemed to be. The moral calculus looked easy.
The moral calculus does look easy until one considers that war, torture, the death penalty, poverty, racism, and even the excesses of capitalism — those evils so well defined in Catholic social teaching, and of concern to Catholics of all political persuasions — are fully present in the act of abortion.
Consider:
War is a struggle between two evolving powers over who will have dominance; whether just or unjust, it involves the murder of the innocent and the disruption of families. War introduces pain, fire, violence, savagery and torture into societies.
Abortion is a struggle between two evolving powers over who will have dominance; whether “justified” or not, it involves the murder of the innocent and the disruption of families. A vacuum abortion, saline abortion or a D&C introduces pain, fire, and a limb-shredding, relentless violence deep into the very being of a woman’s body, within her very womb. A partial birth abortion, which involves inserting a scissor into the base of the skull of a partially delivered fetus, then suctioning out its brain before fully withdrawing the fetus from the birth canal, embodies the sort of savagery and real torture which is the most abhorrent part of any war.
The death penalty is a legal execution of an individual judged guilty of heinous acts against the larger society; convicts are sometimes discovered to have been innocent of the charges made against them only after their lives have been taken. Many consider even the most “humane” means of execution to be cruel and inhuman, and even when the convict is guilty beyond a shadow of a doubt, it may be well-argued that killing a murderer does not bring back the victim and that “two wrongs do not make a right.”
In an abortion, the fetus is as subject to the death penalty as anyone ever so ordered by a jury; the fetus is always innocent. Even the most “humane” means of abortion — whatever that might be — involves cruel and inhuman measures. And even if the fetus — in its innocence — is the product of a violent and “guilty” conception, it may be well-argued that one merciless violation cannot be healed by a second — equally merciless — violation and that “two wrongs do not make a right.”
Poverty steals hope, exposes the helpless to political, sexual, and economic exploitation (from friend and foe) and defers dreams. It breaks rather than builds and reduces human beings to the status of mere “votes” or “workers” or “things.”
Abortion destroys a hopeful life, exposes the mother and fetus to political, sexual, and economic exploitation (from friend and foe) and defers dreams. It destroys what is being built and reduces a thriving being, species human, to the status of mere “products of conception” and “blobs of tissue.”
Racism is the superficial and unjust rejection and/or exploitation of another human being or group of people based on race. Racism works to suppress; it denies opportunity and feeds stereotypes (”your kind are not good enough!”) Racism has inspired exclusionary rhetoric and genocidal movements, as may be found in the supremacist literature of the KKK. Racism exists to diminish another human.
Abortion providers such as Planned Parenthood have been observed agreeing to a superficial and unjust request to apply donated money toward the destruction of fetuses of a specified race. Abortion works to suppress; it denies opportunity and feeds stereotypes (”your kind are too good/too poor/too promising to be “punished” with a baby!). Abortion has inspired exclusionary rhetoric and genocidal movements as may be found in the elitist literature of Margaret Sanger. Abortion exists to diminish another human.
Capitalism in the imperfect enterprise system by which free markets provide jobs, goods, and services in order to stir economic growth. Its excesses often result in — among other things — unlicensed or unscrupulous practices and the exploitation of the worker, in pursuit of maximum profit.
Abortion providers are capitalist enterprises that often indulge in — among other things — unlicensed and unscrupulous practices and the exploitation of women in difficult circumstances, in pursuit of maximum profit.
A Catholic conscience is a complex thing that must rely on more than bumper stickers and impassioned rhetoric. Catholicism does not reject reason for faith but demands integration of the two, and prayerful discernment, before taking any action. It serves both prayer and reason to consider that abortion is not separate from the evils of war, torture, poverty and the rest, but of a piece with them. In fact, abortion supersedes those issues by dint of its personal nature. Government policy affects war, poverty, and the rest, while abortion is — like the casting of a vote — a personal choice. But it is a personal choice for the physical and intellectual internalization of war, and of torture, and of the death penalty, and of poverty, and of racism, and of capitalistic exploitation.
Thus weighed, the only counterbalance is life.
there has to be some latin term for this projection.
Senator McCain has a 0% rating from NARAL.
I moved to NY (from the very secular Northwest) a bit over a year ago, and I can tell you this: for many people who profess to be Catholic, it is a cultural identity, and not a set of beliefs.
I’ll tell you what.
Since you are not able to debate this issue on catholic principles and we are not getting anywhere. I propose the following.
Originally, I had wanted to vote a write-in candidate. But now, since you are shilling for McCain as prolife which he isn’t, I’ll have to consider voting for Obama just to neutralize your vote. How’s that for a catholic protest that I have some control over?
FYI, I don’t buy any of them liberal bishops’ BS anymore than I’d buy yours.
The GOP and Bush had not been prolife for quite a long time. I’d venture to say most respected catholic posters on this board is aware of that.
I’ll simply let Alan Keyes to refute you if you dared to ask him.
Again, I’ll repeat for lurkers’ benefit. McCain is NOT prolife, neither is Obama.
Describe the votes of Senator McCain that cause you to believe that he is pro-abortion.
Mr Lucky,
I said McCain is NOT prolife, according to catholic principle. So please don’t attribute wrong words to me. Just in case you didn’t know, there are plenty of prolife issues in addition to abortion.....!
Since I don’t believe you will actually get in touch with the honorable Alan Keyes to inquire his views, I’ll make it easier for you, and the rest of the lurkers.
Simply .... GOOGLE “McCain not prolife”
There is plenty to chew on. Go for it.
OK, so Barak Obama has a NARAL rating of 100% while John McCain has a rating of 0%; but; apparently because Alan Keyes doesn’t like him, you claim Senator McCain isn’t pro-life. It’s tough to argue with hard hitting analysis like that.
Pretty good description of a Catholic...
(8_(|)
It’s too bad you are not serious enough to get to the meat of the issue, which is McCain not prolife according to catholic principles.
Alan Keyes is just a reliable reference but the GOOGLE material would also suffice but obviously you are too “analytical” to even go through them.
But hey, I don’t see any reputable and honest catholics on this board challenging my stance BECAUSE it is NOT my stance, it is the teaching of the Catholic Faith on prolife that McCain is NOT compatible with.
Backtracking a bit, I didn’t even ask if you were catholic to begin with, but now I know.
How many times do you want me to repeat? McCain is NOT prolife, neither is Obama. All obeying catholics know that.
Comparing a lesser crook to a bigger crook does not negate the fact that both are crooks, so to speak.
You may go on to campaign for McCain, I don’t care. But you can NEVER convince obeying catholics that he is prolife, because he is NOT.
Fr. Pavone, of Priests for Life doesn’t know it. He’s probably less of a Catholic than you, though.
First of all, before sarcasm, would you please do the following .....
1...declare whether you are a catholic or not, that way we’ll have a benchmark to work with.
2...what exactly are you refering to wrt Fr Pavone? Please be specific, I’ll bet you are 100% mistaken. I have met with him during a prolife walk.
Did you not forget to declare whether you are a catholic or not? Did you not forget to quote Fr Pavone that you brought up? What’s the matter? Can’t live up to it?
If you intentionally failed to do so, I suspect you are NOT a catholic and therefore, you have no credibility to comment on whether McCain is compatible with the Catholic Faith on prolife issues, which he is NOT.
Don’t be a weasle. Stand up and be counted. You are catholic or not?
Seoondly, McCain not the “first choice”? Too bac, all believing catholics know that if you are chooing the “lesser of all evils”, you are still choosing EVIL. In this particular situation, McCain is still NOT prolife, neither is Obama, repeating.
It’s unfortunate that it appears the more you talk, the less credibility you have. Keep shilling for your non-prolife candidate pal.
You are preaching to the wrong crowd.
If McCain wants catholic prolife votes, then he should start being totally prolife, mean it, spit it out repeatedly and take bold stands, and act like it. And, he shouldn’t have YOU screwing it up for him here.....LOL
Claiming to have a special religiosity which only certain other can understand is an unfortunate worldview, if you don't mind mt saying, and is not one commonly shared by others in your denomination (Catholics4McCain.org, for instance)
The fact is that FR. Pavone has met with Senator McCain and has not met with Senator Obama, that Senators Obama and McCain disagree on virtually every issue which could be viewed as "pro-life" or "pro-abortion", that while Senator McCain is a sinner, as is every other Christian, he has maintained his faith when doing so was detrimental to his worldly well being while Senator Obama asserts his faith only when convenient to his wordly ambitions.
Thank you very much for declaring your religious background. It is very important to have a benchmark. Appreciate it.
I really don’t see how you came up with the conclusion that Fr Pavone meeting with McCain and not Obama would somehow make McCain prolife, which he is not, if you knew about catholic teachings on the issue.
Matter of fact, speaking of meeting, the late Pope John Paul II had met with Bill and Hillary a few times and we all know just how prolife the Clintons are. That’s really tweeking it I’d say.
While there is no need to play holier than thou here, I must conclude you have little understanding of why the Catholic Faith says McCain is NOT prolife. To go further would mean you will persue the truth of the Catholic Faith on this issue, not sure you are ready for that step which will challenge your own faith.
Anyway, good luck to you.
Well, look. We’re talking past each other. I’m unable to find a single pro-life issue where Senator McCain is on the wrong side. If you know of one, I truly would like to know of it.
Ah, fair enough.
McCain claims to be prolife, yet he allows abortion in cases of rape and incest. Catholic Faith teaches that one must be prolife at all stages of life, regardless of circumstances. Rape and incest are despicable crimes and sins, but the unborn is innocent. Two wrongs don’t make it right. Abortion under any circumstance is NOT prolife, therefore, McCain is NOT prolife.
Second, McCain has also voted for funding of embryonic stem cell research. Again, this is an act of direct destruction of human life. Not acceptable. McCain is NOT prolife.
Third, on the Terri Schiavo case, McCain was wishy-washy at best. “Nuanced” like some of our bad bishops — translation — snake oil salesman.
In order to enjoy the title of prolife, one must not take any stance against prolife positions. This applies to all, catholics and non-catholics alike.
These are major issues, but there are others. We judge them by their actions, not just words.
Now the question for you is, are you prolife? Or do you also accept abortion under certain circumstances? Do you support embryonic stem cell research? If you are on the same side of McCain on these issues, then you are also NOT prolife. If you are on the opposite side of McCain, then you too must declare he is NOT prolife.
btw, now I know you didn’t even bother to look at the Google references I gave earlier. Look there. Do your homework and come prepared.
As to facts speaking louder than words, Senator McCain has endured hideous torture from witnessing his faith and has adopted a child who would certainly not have survived to adulthood otherwise. His actions speak far louder than typing words on an internet internet forum.
Thou shalt not murder is not a suggestion nor is it subject to opinion or debate like "just wars" and "social justice".
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