Texas Catholic Bishops Make It Clear: Abortion The Number One Election Issue

[Dos Equis]

Haven't heard much about the "Catholic vote" this election. 

Texas Catholic Bishops Make It Clear: Abortion The Number One Election Issue

by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
October 14, 2008

Dallas, TX (LifeNews.com) -- Two Catholic bishops in Texas have released what pro-life advocates there are saying is one of the most direct statements about the upcoming elections. The bishop make it clear that voters should make abortion the number one issue in the elections because it has destroyed and injured tens of millions of lives.

Dallas Bishop Kevin Farrell and Fort Worth Bishop Kevin Vann issued a joint statement to "provide clear guidance on the proper formation of conscience concerning voting as faithful Catholics and to articulate."

They hope to clear up some of the misconception surrounding the Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship that backers of pro-abortion presidential candidate Barack Obama have used to justify voting for him.

"Not all issues have the same moral equivalence," the bishops state -- singling out abortion and destructive practices like euthanasia and embryonic stem cell research. “We cannot make more clear the seriousness of the overriding issue of abortion – while not the 'only issue' – it is the defining moral issue, not only today, but of the last 35 years.”

The bishops call those practices "intrinsic evils" and say, "They must always be rejected and opposed and must never be supported or condoned."

While some pro-life advocates who back Obama cite other political issues or claim that Obama will somehow reduce abortions despite opposing every law that limits abortions, the bishops say otherwise.

"It is impossible to further the common good without acknowledging and defending the right to life, upon which all the other inalienable rights of individuals are founded and from which they develop," they write.

"There are no ‘truly grave moral’ or ‘proportionate’ reasons, singularly or combined, that could outweigh the millions of innocent human lives that are directly killed by legal abortion each year," they write to rebuke those who find such reasons to support Obama.

“To vote for a candidate who supports the intrinsic evil of abortion or ‘abortion rights’ when there is a morally acceptable alternative would be to cooperate in the evil – and, therefore, morally impermissible," they added.

The bishops conclude: "As Catholics, we must treat our political choices with appropriate moral gravity and in doing so, realize our continuing and unavoidable obligation to be a voice for the voiceless unborn, whose destruction by legal abortion is the preeminent intrinsic evil of our day."

"With knowledge of the Church's teaching on these grave matters, it is incumbent upon each of us as Catholics to educate ourselves on where the candidates running for office stand on these issues, particularly those involving intrinsic evils."

[Straw Man]

maybe for him but not for most people

[Eyeball Chambers]

War in Iraq,

Erosion of our Freedom,

Economy,

Yep Abortion should be the number one issue... haha

[Hugo Chavez]

Haven't heard much about the "Catholic vote" this election. 

55 percent to 35 percent for Obama...
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2008289848_opin21dionne.html?syndication=rss

[Dos Equis]

55 percent to 35 percent for Obama...
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2008289848_opin21dionne.html?syndication=rss

From another portion of the link:

"Washington Post surveys over the same period have found more modest Catholic gains for Obama. A Post tracking poll released Monday showed Obama and McCain splitting the Catholic vote at 48 percent each. Obama's Catholic share probably stands somewhere between the Pew and Post numbers. But even a split among Catholics could mark a sufficient improvement over Kerry's performance to tip key states the Democrat's way."

[Neurotoxin]

Haven't heard much about the "Catholic vote" this election. 

Texas Catholic Bishops Make It Clear: Abortion The Number One Election Issue

does fvcking little boys make the top 10 ?


NT

[Hugo Chavez]

From another portion of the link:

"Washington Post surveys over the same period have found more modest Catholic gains for Obama. A Post tracking poll released Monday showed Obama and McCain splitting the Catholic vote at 48 percent each. Obama's Catholic share probably stands somewhere between the Pew and Post numbers. But even a split among Catholics could mark a sufficient improvement over Kerry's performance to tip key states the Democrat's way."

didn't see that.

[liberalismo]

Abortion is a non-issue.

Sort of like gay marriage. It's a waste of time to debate it.


The only issue concerning abortion is WHERE we should draw the line on how late into the pregnancy women can have abortions. Anytime before the 2nd trimester seems fine to me, unless the woman's life is at risk.

There is no such thing as a soul and nothing but a cell begins at conception.

[Dos Equis]

Abortion is a non-issue.

Sort of like gay marriage. It's a waste of time to debate it.


The only issue concerning abortion is WHERE we should draw the line on how late into the pregnancy women can have abortions. Anytime before the 2nd trimester seems fine to me, unless the woman's life is at risk.

There is no such thing as a soul and nothing but a cell begins at conception.

Is it a non-issue or do we need to draw lines?  Which is it? 

Also, abortion is the biggest issue that isn't discussed in the campaign.  It is the single most important issue when it comes to supreme court appointments.  For those who are pro life, and there are millions, few things are more important.  It's equally as important to millions of pro choice voters. 

[tu_holmes]

Is it a non-issue or do we need to draw lines?  Which is it? 

Also, abortion is the biggest issue that isn't discussed in the campaign.  It is the single most important issue when it comes to supreme court appointments.  For those who are pro life, and there are millions, few things are more important.  It's equally as important to millions of pro choice voters. 

I think it is completely a non-issue.

Just leave it the way it is... You don't want a kid?

Get rid of it.

Too many other issues that really matter.

[liberalismo]

Is it a non-issue or do we need to draw lines?  Which is it? 

Also, abortion is the biggest issue that isn't discussed in the campaign.  It is the single most important issue when it comes to supreme court appointments.  For those who are pro life, and there are millions, few things are more important.  It's equally as important to millions of pro choice voters. 

Whether or not to abolish abortion in general is a non-issue. People tend to poison the debate with religious nonsense and make it impossible to have a rational discussion about where to draw lines when it comes to abortion.

There are a lot of valid reasons to prohibit abortion late in the 3rd trimester.....The baby having a soul is NOT one of them.

There is no reason to prohibit abortion early in the 1st trimester.


I'm also pro-life. I just know that prohibiting abortion in the 1st trimester is ignorant.

[Straw Man]

Bum -where does abortion rank on your list of issues?  I assume taxes are first on the list so what comes second, third, etc..

[Dos Equis]

I think it is completely a non-issue.

Just leave it the way it is... You don't want a kid?

Get rid of it.

Too many other issues that really matter.

What about the people who believe life begins in the womb?  It can't be a non-issue to those folks. 

[Dos Equis]

Whether or not to abolish abortion in general is a non-issue. People tend to poison the debate with religious nonsense and make it impossible to have a rational discussion about where to draw lines when it comes to abortion.

There are a lot of valid reasons to prohibit abortion late in the 3rd trimester.....The baby having a soul is NOT one of them.

There is no reason to prohibit abortion early in the 1st trimester.


I'm also pro-life. I just know that prohibiting abortion in the 1st trimester is ignorant.

You can't rationally discuss religion?  You should check out the religion board.  There are rational discussions all the time.  (Some irrational ones too.   

What are the valid reasons to prohibit a third trimester abortion, but not a first or second trimester abortion? 

What is ignorant about prohibiting a first trimester abortion? 

[liberalismo]

What about the people who believe life begins in the womb?  It can't be a non-issue to those folks. 

It's a play on words. "Life" begins in the womb and "life" begins at conception, but is this the life of a human being? It doesn't make sense to define a tiny fetus that can't think or feel as a human being.

There are plenty of non-human beings that can think and can feel which are being abused and experience cruelty daily including countless animals. Why can't the people who care so much about fetuses that can't think or feel start caring about animals that can think and can feel?

They can stop acting like crazies in the street telling me that abortion is murder and can instead adopt a cat or a dog from their local pound!!!

[tu_holmes]

What about the people who believe life begins in the womb?  It can't be a non-issue to those folks. 

Those people need to worry more about things that affect THEM.

See, if someone has an abortion and it's not YOUR pregnancy... then it's none of your business.

If you believe that life begins in YOUR womb, then don't have an abortion... I won't have anything bad to say about it.

[Dos Equis]

It's a play on words. "Life" begins in the womb and "life" begins at conception, but is this the life of a human being? It doesn't make sense to define a tiny fetus that can't think or feel as a human being.

There are plenty of non-human beings that can think and can feel which are being abused and experience cruelty daily including countless animals. Why can't the people who care so much about fetuses that can't think or feel start caring about animals that can think and can feel?

They can stop acting like crazies in the street telling me that abortion is murder and can instead adopt a cat or a dog from their local pound!!!

A play on words?  I don't see it that way.  It's not difficult to determine that a baby in the womb is actually a person.  And for those pro life people who believe life begins at conception, that the unborn baby should be afforded the same rights as a baby that comes through the womb (or abs if it's a c-section), and that abortion is murder, it's a huge issue.  

I really don't see a relationship between animal cruelty and abortion.  It's certainly possible for a person to care about an unborn child and abused animals.  Not adopting an animal doesn’t say anything about a person’s views on abortion.    

I adopted two cats from the Humane Society and I have lived to regret it.  But that's a subject for the pet board.    

[Dos Equis]

Those people need to worry more about things that affect THEM.

See, if someone has an abortion and it's not YOUR pregnancy... then it's none of your business.

If you believe that life begins in YOUR womb, then don't have an abortion... I won't have anything bad to say about it.

Do you have the same opinion about a person accused of a crime punishable by the death penalty?  How about people who are mentally disabled and cannot care for themselves?  We shouldn't worry about them either?  That's sort of how I see the pro life argument.  We do "worry" about those who cannot protect themselves. 

But it's a very difficult issue.  Impossible to completely segregate the unborn baby from the woman's bodily integrity. 
 

[lovemonkey]

Do you have the same opinion about a person accused of a crime punishable by the death penalty?  How about people who are mentally disabled and cannot care for themselves?  We shouldn't worry about them either?  That's sort of how I see the pro life argument.  We do "worry" about those who cannot protect themselves. 

But it's a very difficult issue.  Impossible to completely segregate the unborn baby from the woman's bodily integrity. 
 

Bum, are you willing to admit that your stance as pro-life-above-all comes from being a christian?

[tu_holmes]

Do you have the same opinion about a person accused of a crime punishable by the death penalty?  How about people who are mentally disabled and cannot care for themselves?  We shouldn't worry about them either?  That's sort of how I see the pro life argument.  We do "worry" about those who cannot protect themselves. 

But it's a very difficult issue.  Impossible to completely segregate the unborn baby from the woman's bodily integrity. 
 

I don't see it that way... Are you a Healthcare for all advocate?

If not, then why are you worried about babies being born to those who can't afford healthcare for them... or perhaps those who don't want them?

It's a statistical fact, that those who are born to parents who do not want, or are unable to take care of them, will have a much higher chance of becoming criminals.

I personally, attribute the lower crime rates of today verses the late 80s to the fact that those aborted fetuses didn't grow up to become criminals.

There's a direct 30 year correlation between Roe v. Wade and the crime drop in the 90s.

[Dos Equis]

Bum, are you willing to admit that your stance as pro-life-above-all comes from being a christian?

lol.    

[Dos Equis]

I don't see it that way... Are you a Healthcare for all advocate?

If not, then why are you worried about babies being born to those who can't afford healthcare for them... or perhaps those who don't want them?

It's a statistical fact, that those who are born to parents who do not want, or are unable to take care of them, will have a much higher chance of becoming criminals.

I personally, attribute the lower crime rates of today verses the late 80s to the fact that those aborted fetuses didn't grow up to become criminals.

There's a direct 30 year correlation between Roe v. Wade and the crime drop in the 90s.

If by “healthcare for all advocate” you mean socialized healthcare, then no I don't support that. 

We're not talking about what I'm worried about.  It's what people who place great emphasis on unborn babies are worried about. 

I'd like to see the statistics showing a direct correlation between abortion and lower crime rates.  I doubt it exists. 

How about all of the aborted babies who could have done great things?  How do we know the man or woman who could have found a cure for cancer was not aborted 30 years ago?  In any event, I don't really think that's the issue.   

[lovemonkey]

If by “healthcare for all advocate” you mean socialized healthcare, then no I don't support that. 

We're not talking about what I'm worried about.  It's what people who place great emphasis on unborn babies are worried about. 

I'd like to see the statistics showing a direct correlation between abortion and lower crime rates.  I doubt it exists. 

How about all of the aborted babies who could have done great things?  How do we know the man or woman who could have found a cure for cancer was not aborted 30 years ago?  In any event, I don't really think that's the issue.   

Haha, the man or woman who could have found the cure for cancer might have just died in Iraq. Grown up people with feelings, families and a potential productive role in society are murdering each other for a bullshit cause. But I guess it's much more important to step into other people's private life and tell them if they shall keep a unconscious underdeveloped fetus or not.

You need to set your priorities straight.

[lovemonkey]

lol.    

Do believe that a just conceived 10 cell organism has a soul then?

[Dos Equis]

Do believe that a just conceived 10 cell organism has a soul then?

What on earth are you talking about?