My church, like most Catholic churches, has a very strong pro-life stance. Every week we listen to all the ways we can help the pro-life movement..opportunities to donate money, pray for the unborn, etc.
I believe in a woman's right to choose, does that mean I can not be a true Catholic? I am struggling with this a lot.
2007-05-15 08:07:42 · 22 answers · asked by GoldenGirl 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I sure hope none of you that say I can not be a Catholic have never used birth control..
2007-05-15 10:35:45 · update #1
Well just because your catholic does not mean you have to agree with everything that they believe.
You entitled to your own opinion, that is between God and yourself.
2007-05-15 08:11:23 · answer #1 · answered by chersa 4 · 3⤊ 8⤋
Mistress cannot serve two masters.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches:
2271 Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law:
You shall not kill the embryo by abortion and shall not cause the newborn to perish.
God, the Lord of life, has entrusted to men the noble mission of safeguarding life, and men must carry it out in a manner worthy of themselves. Life must be protected with the utmost care from the moment of conception: abortion and infanticide are abominable crimes.
2272 Formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense. The Church attaches the canonical penalty of excommunication to this crime against human life. "A person who procures a completed abortion incurs excommunication latae sententiae," "by the very commission of the offense," and subject to the conditions provided by Canon Law. The Church does not thereby intend to restrict the scope of mercy. Rather, she makes clear the gravity of the crime committed, the irreparable harm done to the innocent who is put to death, as well as to the parents and the whole of society.
2322 From its conception, the child has the right to life. Direct abortion, that is, abortion willed as an end or as a means, is a "criminal" practice (GS 27 § 3), gravely contrary to the moral law. The Church imposes the canonical penalty of excommunication for this crime against human life.
2274 Since it must be treated from conception as a person, the embryo must be defended in its integrity, cared for, and healed, as far as possible, like any other human being.
Prenatal diagnosis is morally licit, "if it respects the life and integrity of the embryo and the human fetus and is directed toward its safe guarding or healing as an individual. . . . It is gravely opposed to the moral law when this is done with the thought of possibly inducing an abortion, depending upon the results: a diagnosis must not be the equivalent of a death sentence."
There are your Church's teachings. You can take your Church's teachings, or you can leave them. Be aware: having read said teachings, you cannot plead "invincable ignorance" to our Lord.
As you see in 2322, to even be an enabler of an abortion is to incur the pentalty of automatic excommunication from the Church.
Hey, I believe in a woman's right to choose as well. You can too - so long as abortion is not among the choices available.
Please consider Church teachings over secular humanistic ideology. The Truth is, you cannot be both pro-choice and Catholic. It's one or the other.
You also said, <>
Sorry but you cannot justify your wrong by pointing to another person's wrong.
Besides, if a person, having once used artificial birth control in the past, has come to see the evil in it - who better to speak out on such matters than those who have come to the Truth via bitter experience?
2007-05-16 10:58:44 · answer #2 · answered by Daver 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Really you can't be pro-choice and Catholic. You can't decide to believe some of what the church teaches and ignore other things.
Well, you can do whatever you want, but you aren't a true Catholic though if you are pro-choice.
How can you be pro-choice and Catholic? Do you not believe that God creates life and God takes away life? He has a purpose for each of us.
2007-05-15 15:23:11 · answer #3 · answered by amber 18 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
While I don't consider myself to be pro-choice (the way the term is tossed about nowadays), I am also not in favor of making abortion illegal. I don't think that is the answer to the underlying problems surrounding unwanted pregnancies.
Are either of us not "true Catholics"? Who knows. Technically by the rules, no. But what does God have to say? *shrug*
It sounds like your church is very active in this cause, which I do understand can feel heavy-handed. Have they done a good job on explaining WHY the RCC is pro-life or what that even means to it? Since this seems to weigh on you, it might be helpful to try and see where you and official church teachings differ. Feel free to drop me an email if you want some info, assuming you aren't sick to death of the topic.
2007-05-15 15:26:36 · answer #4 · answered by Church Music Girl 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋
There are certain fundamental beliefs that you must hold to be a Catholic. I do not believe that a pro-life stance is required. However, whether you are qualified as a Catholic or not should be of little concern in comparison with you pro-choice stance and the bible. Do some research and find out why most Christians are pro-life. Life is sacred and should be cherished in all circumstance. We are always, as Christians, called to put others before ourselves. I think this goes for the unborn as well. Seek God and you will have your real answer. He's who you have to be right with, not the Catholic church.
2007-05-15 15:12:50 · answer #5 · answered by STEVEN 2 · 4⤊ 4⤋
Congrats to you for thinking for yourself!!!!
Pro-Choice does NOT = Pro-Abortion!
I am a Pro-choice Christian.
I believe the mothers and doctors will be judged for their actions, but they will not be judged by me!
How can we say the great thing about being a Christian is that God gave us free will, but then we turn around and take away the free will of others.
The aborted child is in a better place. There's no home here on this earth that is greater than that of Heaven.
I would never have an abortion, but it's not my place to take away anothers' free will.
`
2007-05-15 15:25:28 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
By definition, a "pro-choice" Catholic is not a Catholic at all. Rather, they are excommunicated by their own actions. If you say you believe in a "woman's right to choose", and you believe that the baby in the womb is the same as the baby outside the womb, then it would follow that you should have no problem with the mother of a newborn killing her child, since this would be her choice.
Obviously, that would be ridiculous. However, I think you see my point.
2007-05-15 15:14:40 · answer #7 · answered by †Lawrence R† 6 · 4⤊ 2⤋
I am always confused by people who want to identify themselves as being part of a group, but don't want to do those things that define that group. It's like saying you want to be a stamp collector, but you dont want to collect stamps.
A Church is defined by its rules and beliefs. If you don't like the rules, don't be part of that Church. There are an infinite number of ways to practive your faith; being a Catholic is not your only option, and is clearly not the option you have chosen as being right for you.
2007-05-16 08:46:52 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
When I had a tubal ligation, my doctor checked with a priest he knew who said it was okay in my case. I checked with our parish priest who said it was not okay. So, since the tubes were tied to prevent me from having another RH baby, I decided to choose the answer the first priest gave. However, if everything is normal, I don't believe in killing a baby in the womb, at any stage. I also don't believe in capital punishment. Murder is murder...seems to me, ending a life should be God's responsibility, with the only exceptions being protection or self-defense.
2007-05-15 15:22:41 · answer #9 · answered by ArRo 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't know how you can truly be pro-Abortion and also Catholic, but there are some that are, or claim to be.
I also believe in the woman's right to chose, she has that right to chose if she is going to commit adultery.
After that, I believe in the right for the baby to Chose.
Sorry to be harsh but you might check out the Parish Library, and educate yourself about all of the problems that come from a lack of respect for human life.
Being a Christian is not always easy, but it is always worth the effort.
Peace and May God Bless you in your search!
2007-05-15 15:14:07 · answer #10 · answered by C 7 · 7⤊ 2⤋
Many Catholics feel as you do. Of course, you can't really be a "true" Catholic if that's how you feel. Most Catholics use some form of birth control. Many have pre-marital sex. These things are forbidden. What you really want to be is Protestant.
I'm an atheist. Therefore, I think all of these rules are nonsense, so it's not like I'm trying to convert you or anything. I'm just trying to answer your question.
Mantazma, you were making a lot of sense until your last sentence. The MAN made a choice, too, but he pays no consequences for that choice.
2007-05-15 15:13:02 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 6⤋