21 - 25 of 25 Comments

1. Marcus

   1 year ago

   The factors that affect the incidence of abortion are many. Legality is one of those factors, but it isn't the only one. But whatever factors are affecting the incidence of abortion, it is at its lowest rate right now, under President Obama, since it was legalized. That is not a recent trend, either. But you can look at President Bush who had Republican control of Congress as well and see that, while abortion rates fell under his watch, they didn't do so more than they did under Clinton or under Obama. So the question is, what do you want? The research shows that the lowest incidence of abortion are found in countries where contraception is taught not as a technical procedure but as a moral objective in order to curb the incidence of unwanted pregnancy and also, ironically, in countries where abortion is legal. There are countries where abortion is illegal but the incidence of it is still quite high.
   
   I would encourage everyone to start having conversations about how to lower the incidence of abortion. This pro-life/pro-choice debate has been going on in the background, while the numbers have been improving independently. The question is how to lower them further. Based on the research, illegality doesn't seem to be totally effective.
   
   In terms of marriage, there is no teaching in the Bible that says that principles that apply to persons who follow Christ must apply to everyone. It's rather meaningless if you think about it. It would be like a Jewish person asking a non-Jewish friend to eat kosher. It only has meaning to those who follow the religion. The Bible is a handbook for its followers, not the world. And would you want it to? You don't spread the essence of Christianity to others by giving them the dogma without the meat. Why should people outside the church have to live by the Bible's code? It's not relevant to everyone.
   
   I have one question: why do I never see Catholics rallying against Republicans who authorize and enforce the death penalty? While abortion is also against the teachings of the Catholic church, it is a decision made by an individual. The death penalty is a death caused directly by the government. It would seem more logical to hold those who cause death accountable. In the case of abortion, it isn't the government causing death. In the case of the death penalty, it is.

2. afl

   1 year ago

   Yes the time has come to let Mr. Bider know that if he is comfortable with same gender marriages,then he has crossed the line and is no longer welcome in the Church. He has openly in the public created scandal. The Bishop of Scranton should call him in and and offer him to retract or be excomnincated period.

3. Carole Quine

   1 year ago

   I agree with joeschmoe: A few well-placed excommunications seem to be in order, starting with Sebelius.

4. Emma

   1 year ago

   I have to agree with you Joe. I've only been in full communion with the Catholic Church for one year. I was confirmed at 18. This is like being in a family where you're the "good kid" while the rest of the children can do and say what they please. These people call themselves Catholic and as members of the family, they surely were also told the rules. Something as blatantly obvious as the right to life and the definition of marriage should not be open to debate. If they're going to speak in favor of these issues, they should not be calling themselves Catholic. They cloud the issue. They intermingle these issues and speak out, not as Catholics, but as Reformers. Then, where are the "parents" of this family?? Children who break the rules continuously and prosper by doing so, harm the family (which in this case is the members of the church who are following the teachings of the magisterium). This, to me, is not only harming the unborn, or the secular community, the individual family unit, but the larger family unit, aka the Body of Christ. The "good children" see these examples, they see how these people prosper and how they're praised by the larger community and NOT disciplined, NOT reprimanded or corrected, and pretty soon, they start to think, "If they can do it, why can't I?" And, soon, because of a lack of discipline within the family, the members all go their own way. There is no cohesion. And, the children who follow the family rules, feel as if they carry the burden alone, wonder why they must work so hard at it, while the ones that don't are rewarded. Someone who has the "ear of the media" needs to speak out against them. It has to be someone in a position of power with the Church itself, because those of us out here who are speaking out in support of our Church and its teachings and its clergy "are" being ridiculed! and are taking the hits! When a child is being bullied because they speak out in defense of their family, wouldn't you think the "Fathers" in the family would come out and assist their children???? It's all very confusing to me and disheartening. The ones who have the authority to speak and have the training and the extensive education, say nothing. I don't understand why.

5. joeschmoe

   1 year ago

   when will the Bishops finally take a public stand and censure these so-called 'catholic' politicians with excommunication???????

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