tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028643425691313983.post4164842474051275852..comments2024-03-27T02:22:05.365+00:00Comments on Geoff's Shorts: In Defence of Catholics and ChoiceAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10548882212024368758noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028643425691313983.post-80329061687706570322013-02-22T10:57:38.213+00:002013-02-22T10:57:38.213+00:00Just want to say thanks for this one. The 'Ass...Just want to say thanks for this one. The 'Association of Catholic Priests' survey in particular is an invaluable nugget. Well done for digging it up.droidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06276962882532347259noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028643425691313983.post-29826606307041728482013-01-22T02:07:56.605+00:002013-01-22T02:07:56.605+00:00There has always been abortion and there always wi...<br />There has always been abortion and there always will be. This argument holds little weight with me. Just because I don't want to see women having unsafe procedures in back alleys doesn't mean I then think it's ok to then essentially sterilize the issue. When abortion becomes as standard as it is here, it loses some of it's impact. I've talked with enough women to know there is danger of the "best" solution to a real problem being the thing that haunts someone for life. <br /><br />Yes Jesus forgave Peter when he missed the mark. I believe he does the same for us whether we've had an abortion or cheated on a test or talked back to our mothers. Note though, that Jesus didn't change the mark. He is patient with us while we fail but He doesn't change his principles to suit our feeble humanness. The Catholic Church is trying to create the Kingdom of God here on earth. It only makes sense they demand we live up to that as well. <br /><br />Forgive me for this ramble and if you've made it this far, thank you for reading.Jillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13764733566802748781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028643425691313983.post-15926801950463354422013-01-22T02:07:17.406+00:002013-01-22T02:07:17.406+00:00With regards to the abortion debate specifically -...With regards to the abortion debate specifically - the Catholic Church (and many other religions) insist upon upholding a moral ideal. I personally say thank God. All we seem to do these days is rationalize away our principles. If something is right, it is always right. This does not mean that the Church, or I personally as a follower, do not understand reality or lack empathy. What this does is challenge us to find better solutions. Can't medicine do a better job in treating at risk women? Can't society do a better job at caring for women who do not feel they can afford a child, or who think their circumstances otherwise allow for it. Can't we ask men and women to take responsibility for their actions (please be fair and recognize that the vast majority of abortions are for "social" reasons). Even though all these things are hard, can't we try to do this because the alternative is to take innocent human life? I know many who are pro-choice disagree with me about the humanity of a fetus. But the Catholic Church position is clear - from conception, to natural death. This will not change no matter how many lay Catholics disagree. <br /><br />I note something I hear a lot in what Jo wrote - that while she could never personally have an abortion it might be ok for others who have essentially less fortunate circumstances. I wonder why Jo would never have an abortion? Is it because she recognizes something fundamentally wrong with it? And if that is the case, why is it ok for others to do so? As a Catholic I feel it is my job to get off my ass and change those circumstances to the best of my ability, so that no woman is less fortunate than I and has to consider something that I personally am above doing. When you take the attitude that Jo does, you have Planned Parenthood sites overwhelmingly located in minority neighborhoods and rational people scoffing when they see women on welfare who are pregnant.<br />Jillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13764733566802748781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028643425691313983.post-1641869105734208842013-01-22T02:06:58.871+00:002013-01-22T02:06:58.871+00:00Geoff - another interesting post in light of your ...Geoff - another interesting post in light of your last one on emotion...<br /><br />I give Brigid a tremendous amount of credit for not shying away from the immense struggle of trying to align her faith with her conscience. My story does not matter, other than to say I have been there and it was far and away the most painful thing I have ever been through. She has my prayers. <br /><br />The survey you cite Geoff is interesting, although hardly surprising. I'm not sure you translated it all correctly though - there is no teaching in the Catholic Church that prohibits communion solely because someone is divorced. This doesn't change your point for including that particular fact or that indeed 87% think that remarried divorcees (without an annulment) should be allowed to receive; but it is a common misconception that gets incorrectly perpetuated and can cause a lot of unnecessary pain. <br /><br />But now I am left to point out that the Catholic Church is not a democracy. She doesn't do referendums or poling to come to her teachings (although there is more discussion and input from the laity than most probably would realize). I'm not sure I understand what's so bad about this. What is the point of a religion (note, not a faith) if there isn't some underlying principles that you choose to follow? If you want to follow your own thinking on things, you aren't interested in a religion so much as a community. Understandable and necessary, but not the same thing. I understand that some people feel culturally Catholic, but the fact remains she is a living breathing vibrant church still. The hierarchy not only has a right to determine her principles, with respect to Father Hegarty she has a right to demand her priests teach her truths.<br />Jillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13764733566802748781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028643425691313983.post-67164956357125414932013-01-21T12:07:02.263+00:002013-01-21T12:07:02.263+00:00Hi Maeve,
Thanks for reading and taking the time ...Hi Maeve,<br /><br />Thanks for reading and taking the time to comment. Would you consider contacting the Association of Catholic Priests? I think they'd be open to you.Geoffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17925999586920385972noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028643425691313983.post-76121526207654985702013-01-21T12:03:07.578+00:002013-01-21T12:03:07.578+00:00It pains me somewhat to respond negatively to The ...It pains me somewhat to respond negatively to The Plath Diaries whose own moral code seems to be happily gaining ground upon a religious mindset so bereft of any sense of humanity, but I must say that it is not difficult to argue that Jesus was a misogynist and someone who had his followers abandon their families.<br /><br />The Jesus that you believe cares for women is not from scripture but from your own moral code that is likely to have come from an innate sense of compassion and empathy for others fed by our evolutionary past and the culture and community in which you grew <br />up. <br /><br />Do we really need Jesus to say it's all right to plead for equality?Galactorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07918879026128556588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028643425691313983.post-64213903814730939622013-01-21T11:55:01.087+00:002013-01-21T11:55:01.087+00:00Thank you for writing this article. As someone who...Thank you for writing this article. As someone who identifies as Catholic it has been a very upsetting journey to realise that the Church I once held so dear has no tolerance for Choice. <br /><br />I stopped going to mass regularly about eight years ago (I'm 27) and this Christmas I did not go because my mother told me of a homily given by a priest where he told of a local pharmacist who gave up his job rather than administer the morning after pill. Combined with the homophobia that runs ride through the church, abuse scandals, the role of women within the church... I just don't feel that there is a place for me within it.<br /><br />I keep my faith at home and pray regularly. In my heart I believe that the Jesus I read in the bible would support equality and choice. He loved women, made us in his own image, equipped us with thought and loves us no matter what. This is the Jesus I pray to. The man who spent time with the downtrodden and understood the problems of life. The man who valued woman and did not dictate to them.The Plath Diarieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04103304765202593417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028643425691313983.post-39659584957920975262013-01-21T10:34:04.885+00:002013-01-21T10:34:04.885+00:00Is this a case of religion becoming merely a badge...Is this a case of religion becoming merely a badge of association?<br /><br />We know from the recent UK census that many people identify as Christian whilst what they actually believe would not really qualify as such.<br /><br />We know that religion works very hard tugging at people's sense of community and the drive and innate desire we all have to be good, responsible and caring people. Unfortunately, religion has to make the claim that you need religion in order to be good and you can find Sophisticated Theologians even argue that even though a non-religious person might coincidentally perform good acts, these acts do not count because they are not done from a religious perspective.<br /><br />This pernicious strategy serves to paint the non-religious as immoral and it makes it difficult for some who wish to identify as say, Catholic, to actually leave religion or dissent.<br /><br />It must be hard to be amongst a community which encompasses your life but that has such backward, archaic practices and norms that go against your own sense of fairness, morality and humanity.Galactorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07918879026128556588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028643425691313983.post-50834442800017003922013-01-21T07:28:28.250+00:002013-01-21T07:28:28.250+00:00Ha! Should really do some housekeeping. Thanks for...Ha! Should really do some housekeeping. Thanks for the comment!Geoffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17925999586920385972noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028643425691313983.post-88642722279894798042013-01-20T22:20:17.784+00:002013-01-20T22:20:17.784+00:00Geoff, maybe you should consider adding more react...Geoff, maybe you should consider adding more reactions. "I fecking loved it", or the more PC "Brilliant" might help!<br />P.S. Love the the pie charts!majo rivashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05778848934955229990noreply@blogger.com