June 6, 2009
Information about the religion of Scott Roeder, the man charged with killing abortionist Dr. George Tiller, has recently come to light. It turns out his was a very Old Testament type religion. One commentator thinks he was essentially looking for a theocracy. But, I doubt it; that is too simple. Roeder would not do any activity on the Sabbath, for example. He was probably a so-called Messianic Christian, which in my experience is a mix of fundamentalist Protestantism and Jewish ritual and practice. They believe in Jesus (but only to a point and largely neglect Paul), but also emphasize Old Testament laws, holidays and rituals. From a Catholic and orthodox Christian standpoint, they are essentially Judaizers.
I may be wrong of course, but a Christian keeping the Sabbath and describing his church as based on the Old Testament make me very suspicious. Oh, and I don’t think that his actions represent his group (whatever it may be) at all, just pointing out what I think he may have been involved in.
Leave a Comment » | 
Abortion | Tagged: Abortion, Dr. George Tiller, law, Messianic Christianity, murder, Old Testament, religion, Scott Roeder | 
Permalink
Posted by Jonathan B
June 1, 2009
For those who don’t check the Drudge Report every hour like I do, you may not have heard yet that heinous late-term abortionist George Tiller was gunned down, in church of all places. As a Christian I am bothered that this act may set back the legitimate pro-life movement. The Christianity-haters are all over this, claiming Christians support murdering people. However, I think Mark Shea offers some excellent thoughts on this issue that are worth reading:
George Tiller was shot to death in church this morning. He was a monster who justified what he did by the good ends he claimed he was aiming for.
In that, he was a kindred spirit with the person who murdered him.
In our present cultural climate, it is quite possible that the man who did this just murdered the pro-life movement. It won’t take much more for Caesar to decide that not all terrorists are Islamic and begin to strip prolifers of the protections of law “to keep us safe”. He would be wrong, of course, to do it. But fools who are inclined to cheer for (or, more commonly, makes excuses for) this act of evil should bear in mind the fact that it doesn’t much matter if Caesar is wrong when he owns all the guns, police, and prisons.
I sometimes fear that one of the only consolations of my old age will be sitting in a jail cell as a “suspected prolife theocratic extremist” with other innocent Christians who formerly cheered for consequentialism and saying, “Toldja so.”
“If anyone has an urge to kill someone at an abortion clinic, they should shoot me. … It’s madness. It discredits the right-to-life movement. Murder is murder. It’s madness. You cannot prevent killing by killing.” – John Cardinal O’Connor
Leave a Comment » | 
Abortion, News | Tagged: Abortion, George Tiller, murder | 
Permalink
Posted by David Bennett
April 20, 2009
I was reading through some of the Early Church Fathers volumes I own, and I came across some quotations of the Apocalypse of Peter contained in the writings of Clement of Alexandria (d. 215 AD), specifically his Eclogae ex Scripturis Propheticis. The Apocalypse of Peter is a non-canonical apocalyptic work that enjoyed some popularity in a few churches, particularly those in the Palestine area (parts of it were apparently read aloud in churches there, as late as the fifth century, during Good Friday services). While not canonical, the work gives us a glimpse into early Christian opinions and perspectives. It is quite vivid, and available online for reading (at least some of it).
According to Clement, the Apocalypse of Peter entrusts exposed infants and aborted babies to the care of special angels, who raise them to be faithful. Methodius of Olympus (d. 311), using the Apocalypse of Peter as a source, attests to the same belief. Below is an English translation of Eclogae ex Scripturis Propheticis 41, which mentions exposed infants. I don’t have a translation of chapter 48, which mentions abortion in a similar context, but if you want to read the Latin and Greek, you may do so here (pdf). I am traveling and away from my Latin resources, and I am too lazy at this moment to translate it myself using online resources…mea culpa!
The scripture says that infants that have been exposed [to the elements to die] are delivered to a care-taking angel, by whom they are educated and so grow up, and they will be, it says, as the faithful of a hundred years old are here (41).
Of note, the Apocalypse of Peter strongly condemns the act of abortion, and places those who get them in hell, being punished by the spirits of the children they aborted.
Leave a Comment » | 
Abortion, Pro-Life Issues | Tagged: Abortion, babies, clement, peter | 
Permalink
Posted by David Bennett
February 11, 2009
Lent encourages us to let the Word of God penetrate our life and thus to know the fundamental truth: who we are, where we come from, where we must go, what road to take in life. And thus, the Season of Lent offers us an ascetic and liturgical route which, while helping us to open our eyes to our weakness, opens our hearts to the merciful love of Christ. BENEDICT XVI, GENERAL AUDIENCE, 1st March 2006.
Dear Brothers and Sisters:
The liturgical season of Lent is fast approaching. The Lord is giving us yet one more opportunity to work on ourselves, on our souls. For this, I thank Him!
As you are well aware we are living in a very tumultuous time; a time of financial distress, war, and a time in which radical politicians –and presidents–boldly undermine the sanctity of life. This time in which we live demands conversion, a radical turning away from sin to God. But unless we ourselves begin this conversion process, the world will continue getting worse and worse by the minute.
I warmly encourage each and everyone reading this post to take advantage of Lent, to make it the best Lent you ever had, the most spiritually fruitful. Let us enter into this holy season with a deep desire “to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge,” so that we “may be filled with all the fullnes of God” (Ephesians 3:19).
Please realize that God has given us everything we need to experience the conversion of our own hearts and minds, if we but humbly accept His Divine Grace. Let us ask our Blessed Mother, the Virgin Mary, to plead our cause before the Lord, to teach us how to be good sons and daughters of the Most High, to protect us from all harm. Let us also ask our Brothers and Sisters who dedicated their lives to the fulfilment of the Christian vocation, and who now enjoy the Beatific Vision, to come to our aid in times of temptation so that we may be strengthened and may come off unharmed after the battle. Finally, let us be mindful that, through Baptism, we are members of the Mystical Body of Christ, and so we all have the responsibility to look out for one another, especially for the poor (Philipians 2:4; Matthew 25:40). Let us, then, pray for one another during Lent!
Lenten Resources:
Leave a Comment » | Abortion, Baptism, Benedict XVI, Pope, Catholic, General, Confession, Converts and Conversion, Culture Wars, Devotions and Spirituality, Easter, Eucharist, Growth, Holidays, Lent, Liturgical Year, Liturgy and Worship, Mary, Blessed Virgin, Prayers and Requests, Sacraments, Saints and Sainthood, Scripture | Permalink
Posted by Jorge Flores
February 3, 2009
Most of Obama’s executive orders have been fairly popular, but his decision to allow funding for overseas family planning services that provide abortion (reversing a Reagan and Bush order) is only supported by 35% of Americans.
Interesting.
2 Comments | Abortion, Pro-Life Issues | Tagged: Abortion, Obama | Permalink
Posted by David Bennett
January 26, 2009
For my Topics in the Philosophy of Religion (Philosophy 441) class, we have to write an informal, one page, reaction paper for each of the reading assignments. I would like to share it with you.
Here is my second reaction paper for you to read and critique! Read the rest of this entry »
4 Comments | Abortion, Apologetics, Books, Catholic, General, Culture Wars, Education, Morality and Moral Issues, Politics, Pro-Life Issues | Tagged: Atheism, Death, Ethics, Faith, God, Life, Medicine, Philosophy, Reason, Sam Harris, Science, stem cell | Permalink
Posted by Jorge Flores
January 18, 2009
For my Topics in the Philosophy of Religion (Philosophy 441) class, we have to write an informal, one page, reaction paper for each of the reading assignments.
Here is my first reaction paper for you to read and critique!
Read the rest of this entry »
Leave a Comment » | Abortion, Apologetics, Books, Catholic Social Teaching, Catholic, General, Converts and Conversion, Creeds, Culture Wars, Devotions and Spirituality, Education, Evangelization, Growth, Islam, Martyrs, Morality and Moral Issues, News, Persecution, Politics, Popular Culture, Pro-Life Issues, Saints and Sainthood | Tagged: Atheism, Belief, Faith, God, Philosophy, Reason, religion | Permalink
Posted by Jorge Flores
December 7, 2008
A Roman Catholic Bishop has said that he would defy the most pro-abortion legislation in history if it ever came to be an issue in his diocese.
Bishop Paul S. Loverde of Arlington, Va., spoke this week at a diocesan event for young adults, outlining his hypothetical reaction to the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA), a bill that would establish abortion as a universal right if passed. Despite the fact that the Arlington Diocese does not have any Catholic hospitals, Bishop Loverde said he knows exactly what he would say if FOCA were enforced against hospitals in his care.
“I would say, ‘Yeah, I’m not going to close the hospital, you’re going to arrest me, go right ahead,” he said. “‘You’ll have to drag me out, go right ahead. I’m not closing this hospital, we will not perform abortions, and you can go take a flying leap.’” (from here)
I have not researched FOCA to the degree that I should, but according to the article:
“FOCA establishes abortion as a ‘fundamental right’ throughout the nine months of pregnancy, and forbids any law or policy that could ‘interfere’ with that right or ‘discriminate’ against it in public funding and programs,” wrote Cardinal Justin Rigali of Philadelphia in October.
Of course, just because Congress says so, does not make a right “fundamental.” Many governments over the years have made declarations about what is right, and what is wrong. So now will every hospital be required to perform abortions? So much for Freedom of choice. Catholic and other religious hospitals do a lot of good. Liberals in Congress (and we are really talking about upper-class elites here, not common folk) are going to threaten the health care and well-being of the poor just to push an agenda rooted in 1960s and 1970s activism.
From the elites that run this country (on both sides of the political spectrum), Good Lord Deliver Us.
4 Comments | Abortion, Pro-Life Issues | Tagged: Abortion, bishops | Permalink
Posted by David Bennett
October 31, 2008
Advent Film Group has produced a pro-life movie, in which a young man who wants to become a lawyer has to defend the right of parental notification at an academic court. At the same time, his feminist mother attorney is arguing before the Supreme Court. Today is the last day of the free preview of the movie.
The acting is not quite to Hollywood standards (although it is good), and it is evangelical in outlook, but it raises a lot of good arguments related to Roe V. Wade.
Leave a Comment » | Abortion, Pro-Life Issues | Tagged: Abortion, Pro-Life | Permalink
Posted by Jennifer
October 23, 2008
Bishop Martin D. Holley, an African-American and auxiliary Bishop of Washington, expressed sadness that black women have abortion at five times the rate of white women. Bishop Holley is standing up for a concern that you probably won’t hear discussed very often in mainstream media circles: the abortion industry targets African-Americans. Bp. Holley’s words (from here):
As an African American, I am saddened by evidence that Black women continue to be targeted by the abortion industry. The loss of any child from abortion is a tragedy, but we must ask: Why are minority children being aborted at such disproportionate rates?
Many African Americans are not aware that since the Roe v. Wade decision legalized abortion throughout all 9 months of pregnancy, the number one cause of death in the African American community has been abortion. We have lost over 13 million lives. To put that in perspective, it is one third of our present Black population. Since 1973, twice as many Black Americans have died from abortion than from AIDS, accidents, violent crimes, cancer, and heart disease combined.
As I noted in my recent Respect Life Program article, “A Reflection on the African American Family and the Culture of Life” (www.usccb.org/prolife/programs/rlp/holley.pdf), our legitimate commitment to other social concerns must not push the primary moral issue of abortion onto the back burner. It clearly must be at the heart and center of our discussion of the survival of African American people.
The Guttmacher Institute called on policy makers to “redouble their efforts to improve access to subsidized contraceptive services for these women.” Yet studies have shown that increased access to contraceptives, especially among teens, does not reduce unintended pregnancy and abortion. On the contrary, several studies link increased access to contraceptives to an increase in STDs, with no decrease in abortion rates.
As the research arm of Planned Parenthood, the Guttmacher Institute is shamelessly trying to build a case for receiving more of our taxpayer dollars. Every year the federal government gives over $300 million to Planned Parenthood. Last year for the first time, Planned Parenthood took in over one billion dollars and reported a profit of $51 million. I join my voice with others in the Black community who have called for the defunding of the abortion industry.
We must demand an end to the victimizing of African American children, women, families and communities by Planned Parenthood and others in the abortion industry. Over 80 percent of Planned Parenthood clinics are located in minority neighborhoods. Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood, began the “Negro Project” to reduce the Black population. We should be shocked and heartbroken by the findings of a recent phone investigation, that recorded a fundraiser at an Iowa Planned Parenthood clinic saying she was “very excited” about a donation specifically for aborting Black babies.
My brothers and sisters, we can overcome abortion in our nation. Let us defend our community by rededicating ourselves to family life and marriage, promoting the gift of chastity and marital fidelity, committing ourselves to prayer and service to others and defending the life and dignity of each human person. We can welcome every child as a gift and we can overcome abortion.
1 Comment | Abortion, Pro-Life Issues | Tagged: Abortion, bishop | Permalink
Posted by David Bennett
October 15, 2008
While there are certainly other issues that our faith touches upon, some issues take precedence over others. Bishops Vann and Farrell remind us of this in their Joint Statement About the Upcoming Election (.pdf file). They specifically remind Catholics that life issues, like abortion, are of greatest importance, because abortion and other crimes against life are intrinsically evil, and cannot ever be justified. Other issues are important too, but not quite at the same level of abortion.
From the letter:
Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship clearly teaches that not all issues have the same moral equivalence. Some issues involve “intrinsic evils”; that is, they can never under any circumstance or condition be morally justified. Preeminent among these intrinsic evils are legalized abortion, the promotion of same sex unions and “marriages”, repression of religious liberty, as well as public policies permitting euthanasia, racial discrimination or destructive human embryonic stem cell research…
Therefore, we cannot make more clear the seriousness of the overriding issue of abortion – while not the “only issue” – it is the defining moral issue, not only today, but of the last 35 years. Since the Roe v. Wade decision in 1973, more than 48 million innocent lives have been lost. Each year in our nation more than one million lives are lost through legalized abortion. Countless other lives are also lost through embryonic stem cell research. In the coming months our nation will once again elect our political leaders. This electoral cycle affords us an opportunity to promote the culture of life in our nation. As Catholics we are morally obligated to pray, to act, and to vote to abolish the evil of abortion in America, limiting it as much as we can until it is finally abolished…
As Catholics we are faced with a number of issues that are of concern and should be addressed, such as immigration reform, healthcare, the economy and its solvency, care and concern for the poor, and the war on terror. As Catholics we must be concerned about these issues and work to see that just solutions are brought about. There are many possible solutions to these issues and there can be reasonable debate among Catholics on how to best approach and solve them. These are matters of “prudential judgment.” But let us be clear: issues of prudential judgment are not morally equivalent to issues involving intrinsic evils. No matter how right a given candidate is on any of these issues, it does not outweigh a candidate’s unacceptable position in favor of an intrinsic evil such as abortion or the protection of “abortion rights.” (emphasis theirs)
Plain talk from some bishops of the Church! Abortion IS an important issue. Taking an innocent life should be an important issue right? I believe it was Albert Schweitzer who said something to the effect that allowing abortion lowers a nation’s level of civilization. Indeed.
Now, before you deem this partisan (well, it is), remember that Republicans should take note of this too. Most Democrats are blatantly and proudly pro-choice, but it is not as if a lot of Republicans have made life issues a real priority. If only some Republicans were as concerned with the unborn as they are with corporate welfare, tax cuts, etc. I am not opposed to tax cuts, that is for sure, but my point is that all of us have a lot to do to end abortion.
Leave a Comment » | Abortion, Pro-Life Issues | Tagged: Abortion, Election, Life Issues | Permalink
Posted by David Bennett
September 22, 2008
A new study shows that parental notification laws reduce abortion rates among minors by 13.6 percent! The study is a comprehensive analysis of abortion rates among minors from 1985-1999 from all 50 states.
So, does this mean that even those who say “I am pro-choice, but I want to see abortions decrease” will now support parental notification laws? Personally, the morality of abortion aside, as a teacher, I know that minors have to have their parents permission to do just about anything, so it makes sense that if a minor is going to undertake a major action like aborting a fetus, parental notification should be expected. I am not trying to reduce getting an abortion to a decision like getting a driver’s license, just pointing out that if a person believes a parent should give permission for their minor to take an aspirin at school, parental notification to get an abortion is a no-brainer.
Either way, it looks like parental notification laws work to reduce abortions, at least they did from 1985-1999.
H/T to Catholic Report for this!
3 Comments | Abortion, Pro-Life Issues | Tagged: Abortion, Life, News | Permalink
Posted by David Bennett
September 12, 2008
I have to laugh at how ridiculous the responses have been to Sarah Palin’s recent nomination as the Republican candidate for vice-president. I can understand disagreeing with Palin’s politics, but it seems like a lot of people seem obsessed and highly critical of Palin’s choice to have and love a large family. Why does that offend some people so? I mean, don’t most people actually like their families, or have we turned into a culture of cynical misanthropes?
And just when you think it can’t get more absurd, a Canadian doctor has recently expressed worry that Sarah Palin carrying her child with Down’s Syndrome to term may convince women to keep their own unborn children with Down’s Syndrome, rather than aborting them. How do you really respond to things like this?:
But a senior Canadian doctor is now expressing concerns that such a prominent public role model as the governor of Alaska and potential vice president of the United States completing a Down syndrome pregnancy may prompt other women to make the same decision against abortion because of that genetic abnormality. And thereby reduce the number of abortions.
Published reports in Canada say about 9 out of 10 women given a diagnosis of Down syndrome choose to terminate the pregnancy through abortion.
Dr. Andre Lalonde, executive vice president of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in Ottawa, worries that Palin’s now renowned decision may cause abortions in Canada to decline as other women there and elsewhere opt to follow suit.
So apparently for some folks who are pro-choice, there is only one “choice” that is sensible, and that is having an abortion. I think some of the comments on this article do a good job of rebutting such anti-life nonsense, but I think the best is from “thunderstorm patriot,” which reminds us all that we are talking about humans here:
I had a daughter who was born severely, multiply impaired. Neither my wife nor I regret our daughter. She was a source of great joy and had a wonderful, and loving nature. She passed away two years ago and even with all her frailties and the burdens that they brought, she is missed dearly.
Impairment is not removal of humanity. Children such as Trig Palin are wonderful and special as any life is. Trig may not become a star athlete or captain of the debate team, but he will have his one strengths that are nonetheless cherished. The idea that they are diminished in their identity as a human life strikes me as arrogant and judgmental. It is a prejudice on the same order of racism or sexism. It is deciding a diminished worth for another because they do not meet our personal standards…
Amen.
2 Comments | Abortion, Pro-Life Issues | Tagged: Abortion, Pro-Life | Permalink
Posted by David Bennett
August 26, 2008
Misrepresentin’ Catholic Teaching that is:
August 26, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 26, 2008
STATEMENT OF HIS EMINENCE, EDWARD CARDINAL EGAN CONCERNING REMARKS MADE BY THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Like many other citizens of this nation, I was shocked to learn that the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the United States of America would make the kind of statements that were made to Mr. Tom Brokaw of NBC-TV on Sunday, August 24, 2008. What the Speaker had to say about theologians and their positions regarding abortion was not only misinformed; it was also, and especially, utterly incredible in this day and age.
We are blessed in the 21st century with crystal-clear photographs and action films of the living realities within their pregnant mothers. No one with the slightest measure of integrity or honor could fail to know what these marvelous beings manifestly, clearly, and obviously are, as they smile and wave into the world outside the womb. In simplest terms, they are human beings with an inalienable right to live, a right that the Speaker of the House of Representatives is bound to defend at all costs for the most basic of ethical reasons. They are not parts of their mothers, and what they are depends not at all upon the opinions of theologians of any faith. Anyone who dares to defend that they may be legitimately killed because another human being “chooses” to do so or for any other equally ridiculous reason should not be providing leadership in a civilized democracy worthy of the name.
Edward Cardinal Egan
Archbishop of New York
August 26, 2008
H/T Catholidoxy
Leave a Comment » | Abortion, Politics | Tagged: Abortion, Nancy Pelosi, Politics | Permalink
Posted by David Bennett
