The Right To Life is the The Foundation Of All Other Inalienable Rights

'Christians cannot ignore the crisis of faith that has overtaken society,' Pope Benedict XVI

Can America continue to exist as 'one nation under God' while, at the same time, day after day, 3000-plus innocent children are intentionally killed in abortion mills around the country? Pope Benedict XVI recently exclaimed, "Christians cannot ignore the crisis of faith that has overtaken society, . . .The idea of living 'as if God did not exist' has proved to be detrimental: rather the world needs to live 'as if God exists', even if there is not the strength to believe, otherwise it only produces an 'inhuman humanism'" 

Glade Park, CO (Catholic Online) - A Pew Forum survey published 21 August, 2008, found that 87% of U.S. voters rated the economy as their top voting concern, whereas abortion ranked eleventh on the list of voting concerns, below environmental issues, immigration, and trade policy.

The findings of the Pew Forum surveys continue to reflect the attitudes of many Americans at present. Whether we listen to popular talk radio shows, watch the news, or peruse the contents of politically charged internet sites, we consistently find that the main thrust of concern dominating the minds of Americans is of a fiscal, economic nature. This is -- to a degree -- understandable, of course, for the economy is a concern. For instance, the continuing rise in unemployment signals hard times ahead for many in our nation, especially the poor, who often rely on donations in order to supplement their physical needs.

Nevertheless, an important question every American ought to ask themselves is, "Am I focusing my energy on the really important issue?" That is, if we allow "fiscal" and "economy" to inordinately dominate our thoughts and influence our voting concerns, while we relegate the plight of the unborn to an "issue that will just have to wait until the economy gets back on track," are we thinking and acting as true Christians whose lives embody Christ's command to "love your neighbor as yourself"? (see Mk 12:31).

Perhaps we need to explore cause and effect. Many blame the present economic predicament in the U.S. on "bad politics" only; others insist that our nation has "made its own bed," and now it's going to "have to sleep in it." The former takes the view that economic issues must be given priority, both in the public square and the voting booth. "Health" is seen in terms of financial prosperity: whatever threatens this prosperity garners all the attention, and must be swiftly dealt with. For this group, "political action" is defined as the pursuit of wealth through the exercise of the democratic process: wealth outweighs moral.

The latter group, however, takes a deeper, more far-reaching view of our present maladies: one that pegs the moral decline in our nation as the underlying cause of all that is both injuring and poisoning our society; a view which holds that the present cancer of declining values sweeping across the land is the dominant factor behind the tendency to make improper and misguided choices; choices which are often played out in the voting booth, such as, for example, supporting candidates -- without the proper moral grounds for doing so -- whose views on the sanctity of life and the unborn are divorced from morality and the Natural Law.

This question arises: "Can America continue to exist as 'one nation under God' while, at the same time, day after day, 3000-plus innocent children are intentionally killed in abortion mills around the country?" It is the height of hypocrisy to claim that our nation stands for "life, liberty and happiness" while we, as people living within such a nation, continue to elect officials who openly support a law which encourages the widespread bodily destruction of our first neighbors who reside in their mothers' wombs. That dark day of Roe v. Wade is now thirty-seven years past, yet its barbaric reality continues to pervade our society, and, election cycle after election cycle, Americans continue to vote politicians into office who openly support such a blatantly anti-life law. As a result of the reality of abortion, America as a Christian nation of virtue, freedom and equality has fallen under question.

Legalized Abortion Teaches That Unspeakable Evil Is An Acceptable "Choice"

There are some who insist that since the decision to abort a child is a personal one, there is, therefore, little reason to fret over voting for politicians who support legalized abortion. The notion is that concentration on education rather than on the legality of abortion is the answer to ridding our nation of this bloodshed. True, education is vitally important. It is also true that the incorrect decision to abort a child is ultimately made by the individual; and, if such a decision were not made, there would be zero abortions. Yet it is also true that millions of abortions occur solely because abortion remains legal.

Speaking to a group of journalists invited to a conference held by the Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion & Public Life, Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver pointed out that the law does more than regulate:

"The law not only regulates, it also teaches. The current law of the United States teaches that it can be acceptable to kill an unborn child. But it isn't acceptable; it never was and never will be. And Catholics can't make peace with this kind of deeply evil law without lying to themselves, lying to the believing community and trying to fool God. It doesn't work."

The Catholic Church: God's Gift Of Truth In A Fallen World

No one can deny that man is a fallen creature, damaged by the effects of Original Sin, who has a great propensity for muddling things. We find clear evidence of this fact by looking at the many evils in society -- including the grave evils of abortion. Our Lord, of course, understands this far better than we; and, as one immensely important sign of his love among nearly infinite others, he included in his sacred plan the gift of truth: the divine and human institution who, guided by the Holy Spirit, provides a safe ark of passage through the stormy seas. Let us, for a moment, explore this holy gift which Christ so wisely and lovingly gave, for this gift of truth is indeed the answer that, through and in and with Christ, will bring safety to the unborn, healing to our nation, and peace to the world:

Two thousand years ago our Savior stood inside the praetorium before the Roman governor Pilate, who questioned him: "Then you are a king?" Jesus answered: "You say I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice" (Jn 18:37). We know our Lord soon walked the path to Golgotha, one of unspeakably harsh suffering in order to give his life upon a cruel Roman cross for love of humankind. Yet even before this both astonishing and wondrous event occurred, our Lord opened his arms of Truth to future generations, calling them to listen to his voice. In order to provide for such a sacred call, our Savior founded the one, holy, Catholic and apostolic Church, and therefore gifted us with a caring Mother who, guided throughout the ages by the Holy Spirit, nourishes the faithful with the words of truth and the sacraments of life. Those who listen to the Church in obedience belong to the Truth; they listen to Christ's voice in the midst of what is often a carelessly -- or intentionally -- deaf world.

It was our Lord Jesus Christ who said, "I am the way and the truth and the life" (Jn 14:6). It is Christ who gives the Church her life, light and mission. It is the Catholic Church who dates to Christ himself, and therefore holds deed and title to the true Christian religion and the fullness of truth. The Church is God's plan for all people, in all states of life and all places, that they may be nourished with the truth about God and man, that they may understand what God himself has revealed, and that they may know the wondrous plan of God as it relates to man's existence and purpose.

The farther we distance ourselves from the fullness of truth found in the Catholic Church alone, the greater is the illness which results; for ignorance or denial of the truth introduces disorder into man's sense of purpose and direction, clouds the intellect with misunderstanding and error, and is responsible for the many atrocities found in contemporary society. For this reason, a nation which stands opposed to the Truth cannot remain a healthy nation in any real and true sense, but only falsely, as a forgery which is set upon a path of decline and collapse.

From Christ's opened side on the cross, the Church flowed forth as the sacrament of salvation. Therefore the Church was, in a sense, born at the cost of the death of our Lord's sacred humanity. The fact that Christ shed his precious blood for his Bride should fill us with awe, wonder and profound respect. As members of the Church God willed should exist, won at such great price, Catholics have been given an incomparable treasure, and, along with it, great responsibility.

The Catholic Church: The Right To Life Must Be Protected

The manner in which our nation respects or disrespects life is at the heart of its existence, for the right to life is a foundational element of society and the freedom of its members. Therefore the Church reminds the faithful that the right to life, from "conception to its natural end must be protected, for it is the condition for the existence of all other rights" (see Compendium Of The Social Doctrine Of The Church, No. 155).

Archbishop Chaput reminded the faithful that "we Catholics serve Caesar best when we serve God first, and that means living our Catholic beliefs vigorously, faithfully and without apologies at home and in the public, at work and in the voting booth. We can't ignore the sufferings of the poor or the homeless or undocumented immigrants and then claim to be good Catholics. We also can't ignore the killing of unborn children without struggling to end that daily homicide -- not just through supportive social policies, but by changing the law."

One has to ask, "Is it possible to change a law by electing public officials who openly support that same law?"

John Paul II noted in his encyclical Evangelium Vitae on The Value and Inviolability of Human Life: "It is impossible to further the common good without acknowledging and defending the right to life, upon which all the other inalienable rights of individuals are founded and from which they develop."

The real issue at hand this election cycle as well as those that follow is the moral issue. Yet we must acknowledge that among the hierarchy of moral evils which must be combated the intentional killing of the unborn presently ranks highest. We cannot further the common good or build a proper and just society while we ignore the plight of the unborn. We can no longer pretend as if politicians who support legalized abortion will somehow make good choices for the populace of our nation.  We can no longer hold to the shortsighted notion that economic concerns outweigh the premeditated, intentional deaths of 1.5 million children each year. It is only by voting for politicians of sound moral character that we will begin to heal the bloodshed and division which plagues the U.S.

On October 7, 2010, the Holy Father addressed Catholic journalists around the world, urging them of their task to help modern man orient himself to Christ, to "keep the flame of hope alive in the world," and "to live with dignity today and build a better future." Yet the Vicar of Christ's words apply not only to Catholic journalists, but to all Christians everywhere:

"Christians cannot ignore the crisis of faith that has overtaken society, . . .The idea of living 'as if God did not exist' has proved to be detrimental: rather the world needs to live 'as if God exists', even if there is not the strength to believe, otherwise it only produces an 'inhuman humanism'".

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F. K. Bartels is a Catholic writer who knows his Catholic faith is one of the greatest gifts a man could ever have. He is managing editor of catholicpathways.com, and a contributing writer for Catholic Online.

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