How can Nancy Pelosi be both Catholic and an abortionist?

Question

Seems the church is now even deny her the host yet she still claims to be Catholic. Don't you think that is disgusting?

Answer 1

The catholic church should keep their mouthes closed on this issue, considering a large majority of their followers are the products of unwed parents.

Answer 2

First, she's not an "abortionist". Abortionists are the doctors who perform abortions.

Second, it may be less disgusting than it is when people just believe 100% of what they've been told to believe because the Catholic Church says it is "not a smorgasbord" and you can't pick and choose - and so, instead, it expects robot-like acceptance of everything it wants people to believe.

The church has its right to think she is wrong on this matter, just as the whole world has been pretty much right to think the church has been a major and criminal screw-up when it comes to all that child-molesting. She apparently has not written off her church the way many people did, so maybe they shouldn't write her off if she thinks something they don't like.

The Catholic Church isn't a big fan of divorce, so why - when it comes to the relationship between a parishioner and the church - would it think the right thing to do is "write-off" rather than finding ways of overlooking/forgiving whatever the sin/offense is (be it thinking abortion should be legal or molestine zillions of little kids).

Finally, why does anyone care about Nancy Pelosi and her church.... That's her business. What she votes for in her political capacity is yours.

Answer 3

This is a silly Question. Nancy Pelosi is not an 'abortionist'. She is not a doctor, she does not perform abortions. And I highly doubt she has ever said, 'Those abortions are a damn good thing.' The way that she can reconcile being a pro-choice politician and a practicing catholic is between her and God. Not you. I think believing that it is disguisting that she holds a belief system is no worse than your attempt to judge her.

Answer 4

Here's the thing, the host - the Eucharist - is Christ's gift, given freely, and it is incumbent on the recipient to choose whether or not take it. Hence the admonition that one who takes the Body and Blood in an unworthy manner is guilty of the Body and Blood, but not the one who ministers it.

The Catholic Church should not withhold what is freely given - and it does not, with the exception of some very vocal bishops who have not yet withheld communion.

It's up to her. But it's quite an apparent contradiction, and I hope that she is doing significant soul-searching.

Answer 5

Unfortunately, she is a misguided Catholic who because of her influential political position on abortion may unduly direct others toward "the culture of death" instead of the "consistent ethic of life."

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' statement "Catholics in Political Life" says:

Therefore, like every Catholic generation before us, we must be guided by the words of St. Paul, “Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the Body and Blood of the Lord” (1 Cor 11:27).

And continues that it is up to each Bishop in their diocese and on a case by case basis to decide whether or not to deny Holy Communion to Catholic politicians because of their public support of abortion.

Here is the complete document: http://www.usccb.org/bishops/catholicsinpoliticallife.shtml

With love in Christ.

Answer 6

The Catholic church's position on abortion is relatively recent, until the early 19th century it was considered O.K. by the Catholic church. (It was also in the 19th century that the Pope became infalible, and the Virgin Mary was assumed directly into Heaven when she died.)

The Catholic church has a long and dishonourable history of excommunicating people who later go on to become saints, for example, Mother Mary McKillop, who will be Australia's first saint. They've certainly been busy excommunicating theologians and priests and others who step outside the line recently.

Answer 7

I think she is like many of the Catholics in this country. I call them "line item" Catholics because they use a private line item veto on those tenets of the church with which they disagree, but still attend Mass and follow the basic other tenets of the church. I know many Catholics personally who use birth control, support homosexuality and a woman's right to an abortion have been divorced etc and still call themselves Catholics. I guess just because you choose not to follow SOME of the teachings doesn't bar you from that. I, myself left the church when I realized I disagreed with more of their tenets than I agreed with. To each his/her own.

Answer 8

I think it is disgusting that in order to "be" a specific religion you have to subscribe to ALL the tenets of the religion. I doubt there are many practicing Catholics who abhor contraception and who give 10% of all earnings to the church. I doubt there are many practicing Catholics who think it is a great idea to have as many children as possible. Just because someone doesn't believe in one of the ridiculous laws set down by the pope doesn't mean they aren't still a believer.

I'd like to note that I do not like Nazi Pelosi at all... but I do respect her right to practice her religion as she sees fit. Perhaps many of you could learn from that.

Answer 9

No, it's not disgusting. Nancy Pelosi is not 'an abortionist', she is pro-choice. Do you consider yourself to be anti-choice? No of course you don't, you consider yourself to be 'pro-life'. It's all based on how you see your own actions and beliefs, not on what label you put on someone else's.

Nancy Pelosi is voting her conscience, not her Church's agenda. This is what we expect from our elected representatives.

Answer 10

The same way a person can be Catholic and tell a lie, or use birth control, or steal, or molest kids, or any other "sin." People aren't perfect - get over it.