“They don’t vote as a block anymore.” These words were recently spoken by Monsignor Joseph Rebman about Catholic voters. Once a powerful demographic, Catholics today are bitterly divided over whether it is acceptable to vote for pro-choice politicians. Many Catholics are proudly progressive, but others insist that abortion is non-negotiable. What are the spiritual implications of a Catholic vote?
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Pro-Life Means All Life
- From Chris Korzen
By Chris Korzen - Executive Director, Catholics United
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The Right to Live is Fundamental
You are correct that prolife means all life. HTe ideologies of both political parties falls woefully short in comparison to the whole of Catholic social justice teaching. And while all these issues are of great importance, the right to live is the abosolute and fundamental foundation of all Catholic socail justice teaching, and as such, must take precedence over other concerns.
The crux of Roe v. Wade is that it denies personhood to the unborn child. We can argue this way and that way about when "life" begins. But the truth is, regardless of faith or anything else, it is scientific fact that life begins at conception. We can have theological debates about how and when a soul enters the body, whether we have a soul at all, etc. But we know that all human beings begin as a single complete cell when egg and sperm unite to form a new and unique human DNA chain. We know that this cell is alive. It takes in nutrients and disposes of biological waste, and it immediately sets about reproducing itself in an attempt to form the human person its genetic instruction tells it to become. This is the beginning of human life. It is inarguable, biological fact.
The question that remains before us then, is when does it constitute a person that should have protection under the law? IF you broadly interpret the intentions of our nation's founding fahters when they wrote those opening words to the Declaration of Independence, it is the moment of conception. INdeed the Church's teachings on social justice and life issues hinges on this point: It is our humanity, not our utility or sentience, that should determine rights and protection under hte law. And if we do not have the right to live and breathe, universal health care is an absurdity, for it cannot be universal. The alleviation of poverty becomes moot, for those impoverished can simply be disposed of rather than fed at the crack of a gavel on a judicial bench. The ideals of personal freedom, the right to free speech and the practice of religion become an farce, for there are those who have not been allowed to choose. Life is the fundamental right from which all other freedoms and our dignity as human persons flows. If we do not take steps to universally guarantee it, then the only freedom we have is pure fantasy. Therfore, the protection of the right to life must take precedence over all other issues in Catholic social justice teaching, for without it, all else is meaningless.
- Debra C
October 27, 2008 12:40PM
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