AmericanPapist Comments
Thomas --
To be fair it should be noted that the Partial Birth Abortion Act, 18 U.S.C. sec. 1531, does provide for criminal prosecution of a physician who performs an abortion in the manner prohibited in the Act. The punishment includes a fine and up to two years imprisonment.
The U.S. Supreme Court upheld this statute in 2007 in Gonzales v. Carhart.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops filed a brief in support of the statute.
Although the statute provides for criminal prosecution of the physician who performs the partial birth abortion, a separate subsection specifically precludes prosecution of the woman upon whom the abortion is performed.
Also, the Texas abortion statute struck down in Roe was likewise a criminal abortion statute, which applied both to the performance and the procuring of abortions.
So advocating the overturning of Roe could justifiably be characterized as supporting the criminal prosecution of the performance and/or procuring of an abortion.
What really annoys me are Catholics who come off as so righteous that they never can be wrong. I wish this blog would take catholic moral theology more seriously. You shouldn't wade into waters that you can't swim in.
Well, that's clear as mud, James.
As I have never made a mistake, I presume I am exempt from James' comments. as for brassband and bill912, well, I can't answer them.
The waters of abortion aren't all that deep, theologically or in terms of public policy. I simply challenge Mr. Korzen, and James, to tell us to which other forms of murder they would apply their arguments.
What? James thinks I am holier than thou? Nonsense I say unto him.
I always use a flotation device when I get in deep theological waters, rather than walk on top of them like James seems to.
The status quo ante Roe in almost all states (and the Common Law)criminalized the performance of abortions, not their procurement, and, if I'm not mistaken, those oddball states that criminalized the procurement of abortion rarely if ever prosecuted the aborting mothers. The principle of the law favored the protection of life but proscribed quackery, not murder. Therefore, only doctors and other abortionists could be punished.
Let me ask this question point blank:
Is it the position of the Catholic Church in the United States that Catholics in the United States must vote for the Republican candidates for President and Vice-President?
If so, is it mandated that priests tell their parishioners to vote Republican?
Direct answer, please.
No.
James - did you have an actual argument you wanted to present?
Donald, would you be happier if the parish priest ordered them to vote
Democratic? I have never heard a Catholic priest direct a parishioner to vote for a particular party or candidate. However, you must admit that having an intrinsic evil as part of a Party Platform makes it much harder to justify voting for that Party? Direct answer, please. Tom
Donald --
Nope. And even if the day comes that the two presidential nominees were a pro-life Democrat and a pro-abortion Republican, the priest still won't tell you how to vote (though it'd be pretty obvious).
Why so SERIOUSE!!!
James, Bro, honestly, do you have a degree which you can back your moral theology up? Becuase I think Thom does, becuase his answers that I can see are all TRUTH. And he's the son of a Canon Lawyer. A pretty Damn good one at that. What can he say, truth runs in his veins. Sorry buddy, better find another blog to spew your anger at, becuase you are not gonna get any sympathy here. I'll say some prayers for your continued education though
:)
Wouldn't Biden just go to a Eucharistic minister if the bishop or priest refused. I am not trying to put down Eucharistic Ministers, but I can't imagine them being able to not give someone communion. I am not a Eucharistic minister, but if I was, I would be confused about whether to give him Communion or not. What if he repented, went to confession, and intended to reverse his position. I wouldn't have the authority to ask him, so I either sin by giving Communion to himm, or I sin by not giving Communion to him if he is already reconciled. I would think that Biden would take advantage of this sort of confusion, and go to a Eucharistic Minister, rather than a priest who could legitimately ask him if he is reconciled with the Church over abortion.
Commenting by HaloScan
