This weekend, President Obama will again visit our area. This time, he will be the speaker at Notre Dame’s commencement ceremony, a move that has stirred up some pretty major controversy in this area. Most Catholics are pro-life. So since Father Jenkins and the prestigious Catholic university, Notre Dame, invited President Obama to speak, this has people infuriated. Demonstrations have been going onthere for the past week or so, and several have been arrested, including Randy Terry and former Presidential candidate Alan Keyes. They are focusing on the issue of abortion because of the President’s pro-choice stance on the issue. Mr. Keyes posted the following on his blog:
“I will go to South Bend. I will step foot on the Notre Dame campus to lift up the standard that protects the life of the innocent children of this and every generation. I will do it all day and every day until, if it be God’s will, shame and the love of Christ overcome the university administration’s vain craving for iniquitous “honor”. I will do it though it means I shall be housed every day in the prison house of lies and injustice that Obama, Jenkins and their minions now mean to construct for those who will never be still and silent in the face of their mockery of God and justice, their celebration of evil.
If this be trespass, then forgive us our trespasses and join us in trespassing until the South Bend jail is filled to overflowing with witnesses to truth; filled beyond capacity; filled until we break the most onerous shackles of all- the ones that bind the heart and mind to evil and our nation to the path of its moral and spiritual destruction.”
This is an issue that will not go away. Ever since I was a young child, I have watched my church take a proactive stance in helping women make the choice to choose life. I saw my mom on the phone for hours and hours every week, counseling girls who needed advice or who were scared and pregnant. I heard her give words of hope and because of that many of those girls carried their child to term, and either kept it or gave it to another family who so desperately longed for one. I saw the shocking videos and literature, and even then I realized that little “thing” inside is not just a random mass of tissue that could be clinically removed with a knife or a vacuum, but it was a life… a human being. We can not explain it away as meaningless. There was a movie out recently – Horton Hears a Who – that is one of the most amazing examples of this whole concept. The point of the movie is simply this – A person is a person, no matter how small. Here’s a very interesting speech by a 12 year old girl (who sounds like Hermione Granger) who nails it down pretty well.
To play devil’s advocate a little….Joshy, what is your response to this question, which has been asked of me many times in a legitimate question, not to be sarcastic?
In normal day to day conceptions, in humans as well as animals, in the 1st Trimester it is been verified that as high as 60% (usually there is a range that is between 30% and 50%, depending on the goal of the study)of these “pregnancies” are NATURALLY aborted due to a variety of reasons (such as chromosomal abnormalities, diabetes…etc).
With that said, assuming you believe a baby is a baby at conception, what was God’s purpose with all these NATURALLY aborted babies and how do you deal with these high numbers of NATURAL abortion, as it pertains to the debate of abortion?
I really am curious and asking out of a wondering heart.
It’s no different when Notre Dame had President Reagan and Bush speak when both supported the Death Penalty which the Catholic Church does not.
I just saw this post and wanted to join the conversation. Hello all!
Casey, I think it’s a shame and unfortunate that natural abortions of life occur in the womb because of sickness or frailty. Guessing God’s purposes is a trick question that we’re not really equipped to answer. If His ways are truly higher than our ways — meaning He’s a lot smarter and wiser than me, then it would be foolish to conjure what His reasons may be. How do you contend wisdom with someone who is omniscient?
As far as the abortion debate goes, the difficulty to bring a baby from conception to birth has always been an issue. Men and women would try to have children only to lose the child and mother during birth. It’s never been easy. But I wouldn’t use the natural cases of abortion or infant mortality as a support to intentional abortion. This logic sides with death and is designed to alleviate the conscience of murder.
Kevin, I’d say two wrongs don’t make a right. If the Catholic church does not support the death penalty, then it’d be very dumb to invite speakers that support the contrary. It’s one thing to have a debate and discuss the issues. I can see that. It’s another thing to give up your platform to someone who directly conflicts with your core beliefs. I agree with you.
It seems what the president said at Notre Dame that even tho we don’t all agree on topics we should all be able to search for common grounds. As citizens of a vibrant and varied democracy, how do we engage in vigorous debate?” he asked. “How does each of us remain firm in our principles, and fight for what we consider right, without demonizing those with just as strongly held convictions on the other side?” He urged supporters and opponents of abortion rights to “work together to reduce the number of women seeking abortions by reducing unintended pregnancies, and making adoption more available, and providing care and support for women who do carry their child to term.” I think he gave a great speech.