Vatican official attacks U.S. Democrats as “party of death”
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Vatican officials seldom single out political leaders who differ with the Church on issues like abortion rights or embryonic stem cell research. But now that the Vatican’s highest court is led by an American, the former St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke, we can expect things to get more explicit in Vatican City — at least when when it comes to U.S. politics.
Burke, who was named prefect of the Vatican’s Supreme Court of the Apostolic Signature in June, told the Italian Catholic newspaper Avvenire that the U.S. Democratic Party risked “transforming itself definitively into a party of death for its decisions on bioethical issues.” He then attacked two of the party’s most high profile Catholics — vice presidential candidate Joe Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi — for misrepresenting Church teaching on abortion.
He said Biden and Pelosi, “while presenting themselves as good Catholics, have presented Church doctrine on abortion in a false and tendentious way.”
Pelosi drew U.S. bishops’ scorn for saying in a television interview last month that the Church itself had long debated when human life begins. Biden is a practicing Catholic who also supports abortion rights and analysts have said he could help woo wavering Catholics into Obama’s fold. Both argue that they cannot impose their religious views on others.
Burke said pro-life Democrats were “rare” and that it saddened him that the party that helped “our immigrant parents and grandparents” prosper in America had changed so much over the years.
Burke made headlines as archbishop of St. Louis for his public attacks on public figures who strayed from Catholic teaching. He suggested during the 2004 presidential campaign that Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry, a Catholic, should be denied communion because of his views on abortion. Several bishops said at the time they would not give him communion and the media staked out churches where he attended Mass to see if he received it.
“Lately, I’ve noticed that other bishops are coming to this position,” Burke told Avvenire, which is owned by the Italian bishops’ conference.
Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, wrote a letter in 2004 to American bishops restating the Church position that a priest must refuse to distribute communion to a Catholic politician who supported abortion rights. But Burke lamented that the letter was never distributed.
Burke’s criticism isn’t limited to Democrats. Last year, he accused singer Sheryl Crow of being “a high profile proponent of the destruction of innocent lives” for defending a woman’s right to have an abortion and for being a proponent of stem cell research. He resigned as head of a children’s medical charity that featured the singer for a benefit concert.
Pope Benedict has been encouraging Catholic bishops to speak out more openly on public policy issues to make the Church’s voice heard. Any bets on when we’ll hear from Burke next?
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GMT, I would love it if you could explain what you feel is ignorant about Burke’s position?
It is very clear; if you are a Catholic and vote for a Democrat you are just as guilty as someone that has an abortion. Democrats are GODLESS creatures.
Hey guys! I’ve found where all the left-wing atheist nutjobs hang out. They’re over on the Reuters site.
oh and for “ITB Conservative”s comment posted earlier…Jesus didnt build the church on “Peter”…he was referring to the answer that Peter had just given him concerning who Peter said Jesus was..the Christ..That “Truth” is what Jesus built his church on…the belief that Jesus is the Messiah.
From what i understand of this article the Bishop was only referencing the fact that two of the democratic party’s leaders WHOM mentioned the fact they were Catholic.
his article mentions abortion it was not him saying this for some political race, it was the Bishop reminding those and not just the 2 mentioned that if your Catholic then live by those teachings,, now being most of the Catholics or those that proclaim to be are in the democratic party.
his words were just a reminder of the teachings of the Catholic church to which all say they belong and aspire to follow those teachings so follow the teachings, and not the teachings of the democratic party that go against the teachings of the Church , abortion which democrats are mostly in favor by party lines hence the suggestion of the “party of death” this said because it went against the teachings of the catholic church which these people listed and others love to proclaim which is wonderful if its just to let people know they belong to that church and not for political gain my take on this as for republicans in this and all others in the world the church are not without sin but they possibly do not belong to the Catholic Church so the Bishop makes broader statements on this as a church position on the other arguments that are stated within this post this becomes separation of church and state, they are views/opinions of the church. but to say i am a Catholic live by your teachings and teach from those as taught to you by that same church not by direction of a political party if you feel these teachings are not correct to your beliefs then you need to do a couple of things look elsewhere for a church, and quit calling yourself a Catholic, in life those that believe God is first and foremost before anything else and from this dictates how you go in your lives on a daily basis
Not worth spit coming from a bunch of child molesters that wear funny hats and long robes.
The only thing more pathetic than the Republican party is the Catholic Church.
Get a grip people. The Church is against the willful decision to take life by medical abortion. They are also against taking human life via weapons of mass destruction, genocide, terrorism, etc. There is an established Judeo-Christian concept of a “just war” and active resistance rationale for combating I.E. Nazi Germany, Imperial Japan, Soviet Russia, Communist China, and militant Islam for starters. If we chose to die rather than actively resist violence that is also an acceptable alternative. Putting your liberal heads in the sand is not an option though. As people of faith evil must be confronted either actively (just war) or passively ( Ghandi). If you cannot descern the difference between a just war and murder you are simply blind. The West is full of the “usefull idiots” as V.I. Lenin was so fond of. Get a grip, hooray that the Catholic Church is standing up for absolute truth-bravo!
-Russ Ramey Lima, Ohio
and that is your opinion to which your entitled to and this whole conversation, this blog this article was about an opinion from the teachings of a church reminding them that belong to teach correctly if you say you are one of us teach how you were taught not how a political party mandates
if they can not teach by their own church which the publicly say they belong why say i am Catholic
Any group formed has laws and bylaws which the members are required to follow in order to remain members of said group to which you freely confess , agree enter into contract and agree to uphold these people did just that they agreed to uphold the catholic church and their teachings in their lives, and the Bishop just reminded them of this agreement they have with the church they freely belong to and are members of
Those who are pro-life, but against an “unjust war”, and voting Obama/Biden, are voting for one infanticide-promoter and for one pro-war candidate who supports abortion (Biden voted for the war), so you are voting FOR everything you are against!
Having an abortion without being given the facts, and then finding out years later what you’ve done, kills, maims and destroys a lot of women too. The babies are not the only victims.
i am sure that if the president, vp, or any other person holding a political office were a member of the Catholic Church i am sure the Bishop would have said the same things to them i am not sure so i can not state that, but don’t cut off the nose to spite the face there were some bad apples in the Catholic churches and i for one HOPE that all of those have been dealt with.to the highest extent of the law but i for one can not sit back and condemn the whole Catholic church based on a few misguided unchecked priests.
Very interesting reading and thanks for the indepth look into the democratic thinking
If life does not begin at conception, then when does it begin? This is the unanswered question which indicts the “wisdom” of abortion advocates.
Conception is the creation of life from the contribution of a living woman and a man. Life begets life. It is the very essence of life and the procreation of mankind.
It is difficult to understand how interfering with this life giving biological process through which a baby is delivered — absent only the interference — could be construed in any manner other than tampering with a natural process that inalterably leads to life. This is how we all got here, isn’t it?
The Catholic church states the obvious — men tamper with God’s creation at their own peril. The church speaks with clarity, wisdom and sound logic in defending its dogma but more importantly it speaks truth!
I pray for those who believe that man can or should tamper with the creation of life with no consequences.
If an American politician wants to portray himself as a “Catholic” then the basis for that characterization is fair game to be explored. No different than if an American politician wants to present himself as a Veteran.
The Church should excommunicate any politician who supports abortion while portraying himself as a Catholic.
For a Church to say such nonsense is terrible. There is evidence that the church cooperated with the Nazis in their party of death (the Holocaust)…the Democrats were in charge when America won WWI and WWII…Had they failed, there would today be no Vatican, no Church. Mind your own business and stay out of American politics.
It matters not what religion or none- it’s all personal responsibility! EVERY single problem in this country would be fixed if we were held accountable for our actions. Simple. You choose to have sex-you could very well have a baby or a disease. You choose by taking off your trousers. TAKE CARE OF YOURSELVES PEOPLE! I believe as the REPUBLICANS- KILL TAXES and RAISE BABIES.
I find it very ironic that there are many “liberals” who are so anti-war (even necessary wars) that they take every chance they can to call the troops “baby killers”, when these EXACT SAME PEOPLE actually support legalized infanticide and encourage women to kill their babies even over adoption (when was the last time Planned Parenthood actually encouraged a woman to give her baby up for adoption instead of killing him?)
Sick. But it makes sense.
Rom 1:28-32 ESV And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. (29) They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, (30) slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, (31) foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. (32) Though they know God’s decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.
and we as Americans wonder WHY in our society today people can not sit down and have a good debate on anything without it becoming political,, and why are we in the state we are in look through this blog read the differant opinions on just his one item now tell me if a handful of people can not see the forest for the trees how do we EXPECT our own leaders to do the same,, site your opinions thats freedom of speech, now if we could just get our leaders to just look at each other instead of pushing a hard edged agenda we could make this a heck of a lot better place to live , with diversification thriving because people would acknowledge others have a right to an opinion as well , but the marks of true leaders are those that stand up in the face of adversity and their opinions heard and understood ,,we elect our government to do one thing while they are in office to take care of business and i don’t think finger pointing and back stabbing is doing it, whom have you seen stand up in government and set an example never mind their party putting aside their party and saying enough we were elected to run this country not just sit here and stare at the walls if you are not willing to do the job go home . i blame every single politician in office for failing the Americans from our president down to the newest members of elected government
I am catholic and was taught that I am not supposed to kill anyone, or be part of a group of people that kills. Therefore, I, and I mean me; myself is bound by these rules. I will not have an abortion and I will not kill anyone and I will live my life according to the 10 Commandments.
However, I must forgive and must not impose my views to others unless they are willing to accept them.
So, what is the difference between having an abortion (killing a baby) and invading IRAK and killing people? Maybe, you can kill thousands and that is OK, but if you kill an unborn child is sin????
Killing is killing and both should be condemned. No religion has the right to impose it’s views on people that do not want to follow that particular religion.
I don’t see anything being forced on anyone here! This is a true statement and I doubt seriously it will cause anyone to change thier religious affiliation! The political correctness in America is literally strangling us to death! Our country’s forefathers would not have hesitated to allow this innocent statement to be viewed at a presidential race!
The real issue here is the fact that mankind is guilty of sin and it manifests itself in innumerable ways. People have defined for themselves what is right or wrong and therefore made truth relative from one individual to another. So how do we know who’s right? Well it has to come from someone that is greater than ourselves, who has already established truth that doesn’t change with the passing of time. It comes from God who made himself known through his son Jesus Christ who came and died on across for the sin that we are all guilty of and was then raised to life three days later proving that he was who he said he was. It is only through believing and placing your faith and trust in him and nothing else that God cleanses us and forgives us of our sin. God’s word ( the bible) is the standard for truth, right and wrong, not the countless opinions of others that flood these news pages. I know that some will simply say that they choose not to believe what I’m saying but it’s not what I’m saying in the first place it’s what God himself has already said. So people can choose not to believe if they want, God will not force you, but you will stand before him in judgement regardless. The bible says that apart from a relationship with Jesus, people will have to spend eternity in hell because of their refusal to believe by placing their faith in Jesus. You want to know the right view you should have in relationship to all the posts that have been put up here? You’ll only have a correct understanding if you belong to Christ.
stuart
The catholic church doesn’t want abortions and they also don’t believe in birth control. Can’t have it both ways.
This article and thread is a pretty good reason why we should be overthrowing the Vatican and turning St. Peter’s Basilica into a nightclub.
It’s the 21st century: Catholicism has no relevance to this world today.
Obviously this Michael Cecil has a problem accepting the truth. Sometimes the truth hurts Michael.
The posters here amaze me with their lack of knowledge of history or misinterpretation thereof. Europe’s wars of religion were really over who would be rulers of particular territories. The Crusades were in response to centuries of wars of aggression and ethnic cleansing on the part of Muslims. Religion was merely used as a method of propaganda to motivate the masses to become soldiers or otherwise aid in the war effort. In our day and age the only religion that wages war because of religion are Muslims. Posters misquote scripture saying ‘Thou shall not kill’ when it really says ‘Thou shall not murder.’ There is a difference though one wonders if they could ever discern it in their ignorance. Over the last 100 years nearly all of the world’s war, misery, and mass killing of innocents has been perpetrated by those who would now be labeled as ‘Progressives.’ They labor under labels like the National Socialist German Workers Party, Socialism, Marxism and Communism. Hundreds of millions of innocents were murdered by the command of people with names like Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, and Hitler. People who all had one thing in common; they were socialists. Just like the ‘Progressive’ liberal Democrats in today’s America.
No matter how anyone twists this story, it\’s about Life and following the teaching of the Catholic Church. A \”fetus\” is a human being. It\’s not a dog or a cat or any other kind of creature growing in the woman. Life begins at the moment of conception, and it\’s touched by God and given a Soul. This belief cannot be changed by the Church, it\’s non negotiable. Centuries can come and go, but the teachings of Christ will never change. An abortion for whatever reason is forgivable. All you need to do is be truly sorry and repent. You can also urge society to refrain from irresponsible behavior. When you have sex, yes, there is a chance the woman will get pregnant! Most women regret their abortions, and the main reason they have it IS because they have no choice!
since abortion was legalized. a lot of people seem to use it as a birth control. maybe men need to be more careful. i myself am catholic and we are not to believe in abortion. the soul enters the body at the moment of conception. but if you do not bleive in god then that is your choice. it is something that you will have to deal with when you leave this earth. i knew someone that had an abortion at 6 months into her pregancy. could not belive it. tried to talk her out of it. happened about 10 yers ago. i never forgot about it. all christians should not believe in it. i feel.
I hope diehard republicans don’t only vote for them on this topic.
Then again baldwin is a minister. Maybe he will get some votes from some of the republicrats over this news.
will c.
“Pro-choice” Democrats are the wolves in sheeps clothing that Jesus talked about…let’s all pray for their souls.
Fascinating discussion, I’ve learned a lot.
So how about this… war and murder are nothing bur VERY late term abortions?
John, we are talking about the article and the subject is abortion. Why bring in an other subject like war to justify one wrong with the other.
Good to see a prominent Catholic figure telling the truth about the Dems. Re: Schiavo, abortion.
Since progressives have all the answers but can’t seem to stop war, poverty, child-abuse, animal abuse, green house gasses etcetera…the Catholic church should stop reminding them of their other failures.
Be nice to the know-it-alls!
Homosexual pedifiles shouldn’t be pointing fingers at anyone.
What needs to be added here are some numbers and other facts. Abortion in America tortures and kills 3000 babies a day. We can call it whatever name people want, but that is what it does. Americans dying in Iraq used to be an average of 2.3 deaths a day, which is far lower than about 40 murders in the US and perhaps 3 to 5 murders in Chicago alone. About 7000 people die in the US per day not including the 3000 liberal abortion murders. So Iraq is a quite low percentage of American deaths while abortions are a huge percentage of that – and yet the media who hated Bush can only find stories for the 2.3 deaths and none others. Now lets add the 3 million deaths in Vietnam and Cambodia when the liberals like Jane Fonda and John Kerry asked us to pull out. Anyone smart enough to understand that no matter how you get into a war, if you leave and abandon your allies, lots of people die? Obama and the Democrats can’t figure that one out and want to repeat slaughter in Iraq by surrendering. And my internet says that communists killed more than 50 million last century, with Mao at 40 million and Khmer Rouge at 2 million and there were others. But liberal Hollywood loves the communists and seems to hate Senator McCarthy who tried to warn – hey you know? These might not be nice people.
And then there is the civil war where Democrat Stephan A Douglas was for slavery and so was the supreme court in their 1860 Dred Scott decision that said Black people aint got no rights (overturning the 1820 Missouri Compromise which began to free some slaves), and it was Republican Lincoln and many other Republicans who fought to the death against the evil Democrats to free African American slaves. Whoopi Goldberg on the View seems to imply that Republicans want to enslave her. And liberal presidents sat on their butts while some of our embassies burned and 230 Americans would die and looked the other way until Bush came along. Read the history books sports fans. Democrats are becoming the party of death.
Thank you!! It’s about time!!!!!
Q: When does human life begin?
A: After a child’s first birthday? On the day a child is born? When they are in the birth canal? One week before that? During the 8th month of pregnancy? Fourth month? If you believe the answer to that question is “above your pay grade”, then the default should fall on the side of life. If you can’t specify when life starts then you must also acknowledge that abortion could indeed be an act of murder.
“Pro-Choice” is a an oxymoron. It can only exist under the false pretense that there is only one life that affected by that “choice”. Imagine, just for a moment, what “choice” the millions of innocent murdered babies would make if were possible to give them that opportunity. If that’s too abstract, try this; imagine what YOUR “choice” would be if you wound up being on the wrong side of someone exercising their right to “pro-choice”.
The argument of “if you are ‘pro-life’ but you are not anti-war and anti-death penalty, etc., then you are a hypocrite” simply does not hold up. Wouldn’t the counter-argument be that “if you are pro-choice” you must be “pro-war”, “pro-death” penalty, etc. or else you are a hypocrite”? It is safe to say that as a general rule the opposite of aforementioned is true. Does that mean that those who are “pro-choice” are only for death when it deals with the most innocent of all human beings? Oh, that’s right; a woman’s right to choose only involves the woman…there are no innocent human beings being murdered when an abortion is performed. That false pretense must be adhered to or the whole argument comes crashing down.
Crazy stuff.
Whether you like it or not , Archbishop Burke is perfectly right. Check out the Democratic vs the Republican party platforms and the positions of the various candidates. Though not all Republicans vote completely pro-life, many do and many others support many of the pro-life positions. Definitely not so for the Dems.
Way back up the string, Dave claims that it is “unethical” to impose ones religion on another.
Were you correct and consistent, Dave, you would then be required to decriminalize murder in any form. That is a religious belief, grounded in Judeo-Christian teaching and theology as promulgated by God according to Exodus, Chapter 20.
Now, if you disagree and asert that murder should not be allowed, whether or not you accept the notion that its prohibition is based on a religious belief, then you must also accept the principle abortion (infanticide) must also be prohibited. Otherwise, you have demonstrated that you have made the choice to simply make up whatever laws suit your own personal preference and fancy, lacking any logically consistent grounding. That, of course is one of the hallmarks of political liberals, including most Democrats, today.
A protestant Christian who concurs with my Catholic Christian brothers and sisters.
I think it’s high time we remove the tax free status of churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, etc… and really, REALLY get on with being a country that embodies the separation of church and state. It’s gotten so ridiculous that I can’t stand it. Why is so much power over the decision on abortion given to Christian believers anyway? It’s not their decision to make. The fact of abortion is that it is now, in the year 2008, a legal, science-based medical procedure that we as biological human beings, regardless of faith or atheism, etc… have to deal with. The fact that the argument whether a fetus has a soul (Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, Jewish, Dianetic, etc…) or not will never, ever be resolved screams out that the only way to settle the issue is to have freedom of choice!!
SafiaJove,
Let not your heart be troubled attempting to discern why some of your fellow Catholics would take a stand against abortion while defending ANY warfare, such as in Iraq where killing does indeed take place.
You might want to read St. Augustine very thoroughly so as to understand the concept of a “just war.” After doing so, you MIGHT then want to argue that Iraq does not meet St. Augustine’s test and demonstrate why it does not.
You might also want to abandon your reading of the “ten commandments” from the King James Version of the Bible. With rare exception, language and Bible scholars now agree that Exodus 20:13 is properly translated from the original texts as “You shall not MURDER.” I hope that you would agree that the concept and meaning of “murder” is a vastly different from the concept and meaning of “kill.”
Larry B.
Yes the Demos’ are death dealers, and to the innocents that can’t defend themselves. Shame, on you Democrats! I pray God forgives you.
To correct some of you the bible says thou shalt not murder (note not kill). Those of you who think that abortion is ok because the parents dont want a child? Lets follow that line of logic… Homeless people are an annoyance they are poor and give nothing to society so lets take them all down to the homeless clinic, or old people, PETA annoys me can I kill them since I don’t want them arround? And how come if you kill a pregant women a person can be charged with two counts of murder? Is it not the same fetus? Beign wanted, being loved, being a contributor to society is not what gives is value but that God loves us all everyone equally.
All said and done, how about this inconsistency. When a doctor? cut off limbs of a living baby, sucks it brains out till it dies, is a legal unpunishable act. But when this is done outside the womb, this same act is murder! Anyone ever seeing a video of it will be an instant pro-life supporter. Pro-abortionist are fighting toot and nail to prevent any abortion film or video. They are coldblooded morons void of any respect of live but their own! Finally God can still open or close the womb, regardless of men’s procreation abilities, which is also a gift.
To those of you who belive that life begins at birth. If our laws state life begins at birth,then how can we also have laws that charge a pregnant woman with child abuse for smoking and drinking,or when a pregnant woman is killed in a automobile accident or mudered,the suspect is charged with a double murder?Double standards?
You are either a “practicing Catholic” or not! The Ten Commandments are clear and so is the Church’s teaching. Archbishop Burke is speaking specifically to abortion and the proponents of abortion (infanticide) We have literally killed in the United States alone since Roe v Wade almost 50,000,000 babies. This is murder, and our church is right to stand up and sanction those who would press for the continuation of this blatant disregard for God’s commandment “Thou shalt not kill” using the mantra of a woman’s “right to choose” Only God can give or take a life. As a Catholic we are taught that if we continue in a grave sin, then we cannot receive the sacraments, which include receiving the Holy Eucharist, which is the real presence of Our Lord, Jesus Christ, body, blood, soul & divinity. That is what is being addressed here. When a public figure blatantly continues to denegrate Our Lord by receiving Him in grave sin, our Church must speak out in order to help correct this blasphemis behavior. They continue to give public scandal to the Catholic Church, therefore they must be publicly reproached. I say, it is about time that the Church step up and speak out for life, at all stages!
all who invoke that life is a choice and every mother has the absolute right whether to abort or keep her child have warped consciences that go against the law of nature. They are damn lucky their mothers didn’t abort them ..or are you all suffering a miserable life right now that you think those fetuses are hopeless like you?
“Girl, you made me hate. And when I go to hell you can meet me at the gate.” Thank you Jackie Greene, for that line from the song Follow You on the Giving Up the Ghosts CD. Every time I hear that song I think of Nancy Pelosi.
Pelosi’s partisan hatred of all things Bush is poisonous to her and all who follow that path. Comments like these are the results of such poison. Nancy Pelosi has been changed by this poison, and so has the Democratic Party. I believe it is the acme of intellectual dishonesty to convince yourself abortion does not kill.
When people talk about choice, it’s not the choice of whether or not to have an abortion, although that’s probably what 98% of us think of first. It’s the choice we make to believe when life starts that is used to justify killing.
I support a woman’s right to kill her unborn child. If the government can force her not to have an abortion, then the government can force her to have an abortion. We cannot give this power to government, and even if women decide to kill their unborn children, it is their choice. Just stop lying to yourself and the rest of the world about the killing.
It is better that mother’s have the right to kill their unborn children, than the government having the right to kill unborn children. That’s the real choice.
Hey Linda, when you talk about the “thou shalt not kill” commandment, are you referring to the one with the subsection in fine print that says, “…unless you have to go to war to liberate a country from a tyrant”? Because otherwise, you should be out protesting the war as well as abortion rights. Otherwise, you too are denigrating Our Lord. You’re supposed to not let your left hand know what the right is doing…not preach something on one hand and practice something else with the other. I’ll let you redeem yourself; re-post and talk about your feelings on war. Thanks.
What I’ve noticed, most particularly in politics is that for the most part people don’t reach the height of indignation when lies and mischaracterizations are spread about them: they get that way when the truth is told about them. That is the case here. Abortion is an evil practice and it is as essential to the Democrat platform as wealth redistribution. These same officials (Biden and Pelosi as classic examples) that “personally oppose” abortion while showing enthusiastic support for it in the legislative process explain that they don’t want to “impose their religious beliefs” on others. However, they have no problem citing their religious ideals of “compassion” and “charity” as a justification for imposing wealth re-distribution – particularly when chastising conservatives. The Democrat’s are undeniably the party of death and taxes – and the evidence is their indignation to that label.
It`s about darn time that my church spoke up about all these liberal Catholics that support abortion rights. Why don`t all the U.S. Bishops and priests preach it from the pulpit? Also what about ‘so-called” Ctholic nuns that are voting for Obama? I am scandalized and very disappointed in the hierarchy of my beloved chirch. Joan Clancy
Abortions as they are performed today in medical clinics all over the world by doctors with accredited degrees in modern medicine have a lot less to do with anything written down in any religious text written 1000′s of years ago. It’s a different world now. Not everyone believes in and, at least for now, not everyone has to believe in the faiths born of these old texts. Because we are a nation born of the separation of church and state it’s an ethical decision and not a moral one now.
As stated above this issue will never ever be resolved one way or another so why don’t we just let it go and accept pro choice as the only resolution. Unless your religion promotes the intolerance of other points of view then one has to accept freedom of choice in this day and age. The United States is not a Christian nation!!!! It’s a secular nation with Christians in it!! Whether you are an atheist or a believer in whatever doesn’t matter concerning the issue of abortion at least as a political decision to be made by Democrats or Republican or from whatever party. It’s shameful the way politicians simply use abortion as a means of garnering votes or credit with their people. I think an honest and wonderful thing to hear from a politician on either side of the fence when asked their opinion on abortion would be, “I’m done with that debate because there is no resolution that will make everyone happy so let’s just leave it alone the way it is for ever so we can move on.” That a leader in the Catholic Church chose to make the statement about democrats in the manner he did further demonstrates the need for people to quit looking to some of these people and their ancient ways for answers to some of the modern dilemmas we face.