Abortion
The following information was obtained after reading and talking to folks about the issue of abortion. We found that the catholic church has historically opposed abortion, and in 1974 the Church issued a new encyclical on the issue of procured abortion. The new encyclical declared that an unborn fertilized human egg is a human being upon the moment of fertilization. The Catholic Church encyclical made it clear that this declaration is separate and distinct from biological science. A human being is defined as a person as a matter of biological science.
Some Catholics found it impossible to believe that a fertilized human egg is a person as a matter of their religious faith at the same time they know that a fertilized human egg a not a person as a matter of biological science. Other Catholics who could not in good conscious believe a human egg becomes a person upon the moment of fertilization, but non the less opposed abortion on the theory that the same human egg would likely have become a person had it not been for the intervention of an abortion. However this position is not supported by Christian Doctrine. Christian teaching as given to us by Christ himself contains no such provisions. In the months and years after the 1974 encyclical was issued some Christians began to understand the encyclical to declared that an unborn fertilized human egg was a person as a matter of biological science as well as religious doctrine. Good and well meaning Christians sought the enactment of civil legislation prohibiting abortion at all stages of pregnancy. They also sought penalties appropriate for the crime of murder.
This was a misunderstanding of catholic doctrine. The 1974 encyclical is a declaration of religious faith, and can have no biological effect upon an unborn human embryo.
More recently some Christians have made the argument that the United States is a predominantly Christian nation and therefore all citizens and residences should be required to follow the Christian faith. These folks have succeeded in obtaining passage of legislation in several states prohibiting abortion during all stages of pregnancy, and providing severe penalties appropriate for the crime of murder.
Such penalties are clearly not supported by Christian Doctrine. We found that the Christian church was established by Christ himself for the purpose of continuing his teaching here on earth after his ascension into heaven. You will remember Christ appointed Apostle Peter to head up his church and declared that Peter was the rock upon which he would build his church. The entire body of Christian teaching can be found in the Holy Bible, and it should be noted that the Bible does not condemn abortion. The Bible does not say that abortion is sinful or morally wrong. The Bible does not tell us that a fertilized human egg is a person upon the moment of fertilization.
A passage from the Old Testament, Book of Numbers provides that if a husband so much as suspects his wife became pregnant as a result of out of wedlock intercourse, he should bring her to the priest and the priest will give her a solution to drink called "bitter water" which will cause her abdomen to painfully swell, her womb to miscarry and bring a curse upon her if she has in fact become pregnant as a result of out of wedlock intercourse. If the woman has not made herself impure she will be cleared of guilt and will be able to have children. - Old Testament, Numbers 5, New International Version.
There are other versions of this same passage which vary widely, but non of them condemn abortion. This passage gives us insight into the Old Testaments attitude toward abortion. The passage leaves the determination as to whether the woman was unfaithful to her husband up to the Lord, but leaves no doubt as to whether inducing a miscarriage is a proper and morally acceptable way of resolving the problem of a unwanted pregnancy. No thought what-so-ever is given to the possibility that destroying a human embryo might be considered murder. It is impossible to conclude that Christian doctrine calls for imposing civil penalties for procuring or performing abortion.
Catholic Church doctrine on the issue of abortion in existence at the time of publication of the 1974 encyclical provides that a human soul enters the body of an unborn human embryo at the time of quickening. Quickening generally occurs during the 4th or 5th month of pregnancy. Procuring an abortion prior to quickening is considered to be a less serious offense calling for a lesser penance. The 1974 encyclical makes no declaration as to when a human soul enters the body of an unborn embryo due to uncertainty among the theologians on this issues.
We found no evidence that Catholic doctrine calls for the imposition of civil penalties for procuring an abortion or for performing an abortion during the first five months of pregnancy. This is confirmed by the fact that every time a Catholic bishop initiates action to sanction a Catholic political leaders for his pro abortion position, such as the actions taken against senator Kennedy and President Biden, these actions are promptly dismissed by the church.
To resolve this question should Your Christian Neighbor ask catholic clergy the following questions?
Does the Catholic Church call for civil penalties for procuring or for performing an abortion after the first 5 months of pregnancy?
Does the Catholic Church call for imposing civil penalties appropriate for the crime of murder for procuring or performing an abortion after the 5th month of pregnancy?
At the present time it appears that a majority of Americans Catholics are surprised to find out that the catholic church has declared that a fertilized unborn human egg becomes a person upon the moment of fertilization in a spiritual sense separate and distinct from biological science. In a majority of American Catholics are also surprised to find out that Christians doctrine as given to us by Christ himself does not condemn abortion. It is our hope these factors will be helpful to Catholics when voting for their elective representative.
Does the Catholic church recommend candidates for public office
The answer is Yes, Catholic bishops and pastors recommend their parishioners vote for the candidates who identify themselves as prolife candidates regardless of that candidate's stand on other issues. Because of their stand on other issues these candidates after becoming public officials have brought unwarranted hardship upon law abiding immigrants and finically disadvantaged Americans. Here are a few examples.
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On the border: The unconscionable practice of taking minor children from their parents after their family has crossed the border into the United States most certainly causes irreparable phycological trauma to these children. This practice as well as the other practices listed here are not the work of 2 or 3 public officials. This could not be accomplished without the authority and support of an entire political party. The officials of this party are the same officials who identity themselves as Prolife Candidates. These officials and candidates enjoy the full support of the Catholic church. The practices listed here clearly violate the first and most important commandment of Christianity - the commandment to love God and love your neighbor as yourself. The Bible tells us this commandment is the foundation of all Christianity and no commandment is greater.
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Government officials have places razor sharp wire at specific locations along our southern border known to be crossing points for immigrants. Men, Women, and Children have received severe cuts crawling through such wire. The wire has no strategic value in protecting our border, but would seem to be deployed for the purpose of cruelty only. By recommending these officials the Catholic church is seen as supporting this cruel and inhumane practice.
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Deportation: The United States has deported immigrants with no criminal record to prisons outside of the United States where they will be incarcerated for the rest of their life's For having done nothing illegal. Government officials have intentionally selected prisons where inmates are abused and tortured. These same officials have refused to return immigrants who were transported to those prisons by mistake. These officials have sought internment camps where inmates would be exposed to attacks by alligators or sharks. Some of these practices have been temporarily stopped due to public outcry but will likely continue in the future.
For the past 20 years or more immigrants have been informally invited to enter the united states without documentation by offers of employment combined with laws which allow them to remain and work in the United States indefinitely, yet they are treated inhumanly by elected officials who claim to be Prolife. The entire mass incarceration and deportation effort is basically unnecessary at any rate, since the same goals can be accomplished by preventing employers from employing undocumented workers and imposing stiff penalties if they do. Almost all undocumented immigrants present in United States are here for the purpose of employment.
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Poverty: The same political party that identifies itself as Prolife has caused the closure of many rural hospitals and cut off life saving medical care to thousands of American citizens living in poverty.
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Revenge: All Christians know that vengeance is for the Lord and for the Lord only. This same political party has allowed its members to take revenge against other political leaders simply for being a political opponent or for criticizing official actions. Governors, Judges, Mayors, members of Congress, election officials and even School board members have had their physical safety and their political careers threatened.
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Democracy: Political leaders who have well founded knowledge in these matters tell us there is a movement taking shape in the United States to transform our democracy into a strong arm oligarchy. A military backed oligarchy would bring tremendous hardship to the lives of millions of Americans and may be impossible to break out of for generations to come. Americans will expect Churches of every denomination to do what they can to prevent such hardship from falling upon American citizens.
By encouraging its members to be single issue voters the catholic church finds itself inadvertently giving support to inhumane practices which are the opposite of the kind of work that the church wants to accomplish. Pope Francis has told Catholics not to be single issue voters. This practice leads to a violation of the greatest of all commandments. A Catholic voter is faced with a moral judgment as to whether vote for a candidate who identifies himself as a prolife candidate and thereby protect a declaration of faith made by mortal man, or to vote for different candidate who position protects a living and breathing human being made in the imagine and likeness of God thereby protecting our democratic way of life.
Should Your Christians Neighbor ask the Catholic church to discontinue its practice of recommending candidates for public office? We will ask our members.