Shades of Richard Mourdock…..This is simply horrendous.
Stories like this remind us that too many behaviors cloaked in language of self-righteous religious “piety” are simply an exercise in power, meant to protect ancient privilege, and utterly devoid of humanity or compassion.
Why the Catholic church wields so much power – and so many headlines worldwide – has always been beyond my understanding. Unless it is because they have more money than God. They spend more on outlandish trappings in their dress and in their huge churches than they do to help their congregants. Their dozens of old men leaders have no concept of family life and needs at any level than they do of the lifelong damage done to their molest by priest victims. They have the power because they have the money and they will protect this retired Pope from any and all responsibility of the church’s failure to protect its trusting child victims and their families. I believe they fight against abortion and birth control on all levels to protect possible future Catholic church members – and contributors.
JoAnn, have you ever considered that the Catholic Church might actually be against abortion because of the tenets of the church that human life is sacred and should be protected? I can understand you disagree with that view, but questioning the sincerity of it seems to go over the line. As far as this just being the view of “old men” who don’t understand “family life,” polls show women are every bit as pro life as men. So much for that theory. I guess political correctness, while forbidding cheap shots at Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, still permits bigotry when it is aimed at the Catholic Church.
Mourdock said he would have an exception for the mother’s life being at stake, which was clearly the case in this story you posted. I’m wondering why you felt the need for intellectual dishonesty. This is not a “shade” of Richard Mourdock in any sense except when facts are simply overlooked.
As an American Catholic woman who opted to allow my doctor and my spouse to help me direct my own reproductive decisions, I have disregarded the Church’s opinion as irrelevant. Some may call me a cafeteria Catholic, picking and choosing. My faith is not dictated by the corrupt hierarchy, but my own conscience. I, however, do not believe that I can force my values and belief on others through political office.
@ John: Whether the life of the 9 year was at stake is up for debate. That she was raped is not. Sheila’s point stands.
As a former catholic, that Pope is not resigning because of his health; he’s resigning to hide in the “Country of the Vatican” because the international courts are going to slap him with crimes against children and humanity. That Pope and his administration are being sued and will lose for not protecting children (not just in America and Ireland) but around the world. As the previous Pope’s right-hand-man (so to speak), this Pope played a significant role in the cover up. Staying at the Vatican commune is going to protect him from prosecution and extradition or so they hope.
Don’t believe me? Just google it. There are many journalists actually doing their jobs and reporting the events.
I had the same thought as Aging Little Girl. I thought it was a case of CYA. The cops are starting to circle. They MIGHT get prosecuted somewhere. Better to hide. My mom always said the American Catholics should break away and start their own branch. PLENTY of money. Maybe the loss of those funds would prompt some new thought in Rome. Most of the church thought around marriage and family is really about money and power.
@ Alphons, did you read the article? If so, then are you saying other parts of the article could be lying too? If you didn’t, then perhaps you should give it a quick read and see that is points out the mother’s life was in danger.
I grew up as a protestant in rural Indiana and “believed” until about age 14, then my being moved to deism then agnosticism during high school, and then to atheism in college – due in no small part to two semesters of comparative religion courses. And now, 50 plus years later, I am astonished that those selfish old white men are running a a church from a sovereign nation rather than from a jail cell.
@ John: “(The girl’s immature hips would have made labor dangerous; the Catholic opinion was that she could have had a cesarean section.)” Looks like a debate to me.