The Pope versus Amnesty. Whose side are you on?

Question

Apparently the Pope tells R. Catholics NOT to support that brilliant humanitarian organisation Amnesty because they have not opposed abortion in the case of rape or incest. Yet Amnesty has helped to save hundreds of lives of people imprisoned ,tortured , threatened with death penalty etc. If I were raped by the soldier who had just butchered my father would I want to bear his child? Abortion should always be last resort, but so is taking any life. So speak up you guys who have the death penalty in your state and STOP IT! And keep on supporting Amnesty and the Medical Association for the Victims of Torture. And for pity's sake, do not condone torture of suspected "terrorists" or you will sink as low as they.

Answer 1

Dictators spin, politicians spin, but people such as Amnesty stand firm.

Yes, it is a difficult moral debate concerning the rights of children, including unborn and the Catholic Church has its own strong opinions on this.

But let us look at the facts rather than the spin of Catholic apologists, pr merchants and "spin"doctors:

+ Millions of people have died in Africa because of AIDS and in part because the Catholic Church not only does not support contraception but has actively undermined community programs to promote "safe sex";

+ Millions more girls are raped and sodomized in many Catholic countries where women are considered "less" than men, yet the Catholic Church still refuses to recognize women as equal in all aspects, esepcially spiritually and refuses priests to marry.

+ All species of nature show from time to time the choice to abort or bring to full term their babies- human beings should be no different- it should be a choice- a serious and planned choice, not a moral battlefield.

+ Of course, there is 2000 years of evil by the Vatican in which they are singularly responsible for the worse cases of genocide, murder, slavery and crimes against humanity
See:
http://one-faith-of-god.org/final_testament/end_of_darkness/evil/evil_0200.htm

Answer 2

No, you're not the only one. You are just left of center. You weigh both sides, which is what we all should do. I've been a Democrat for a long time, born into it. But, there are many things of which I do not agree and do not vote "Democrat" all across the board as my father told me to when I first became of age to register, if I didn't understand what was what. But as I got older, I got wiser too. I take the time to understand who and on what I am to vote on. I understand people who say that America was built by immigrants so it's hypocritical to not let them in. Though, that is not the point, nor the facts, really. America was first colonized, which is almost always not a good thing. Next, America was benefited by slave labor, without which we would not be the country we are today. The slaves were not illegal immigrants, but were illegally stolen from their countries and taken here against their will (I know that's another issue and not in play here at this day and age, though it still has repercussions - but I direst, again. sorry) Ok, enough of that, I could go on, but then it would be my story and not an answer. I think times change, and there comes a time when we have to say "enough". We have laws, and Americans must abide by them. Illegal is illegal. America needs to take care of its own people right now because we are in a crisis. Allowing illegals in and giving them benefits are taking away from the Americans who are here LEGALLY and hurting too. We have to draw the line (pun intended) sometime, and the time is now. Again, times have changed, and because slavery was outlawed, as it should have been, America needed workers, so immigrants were allowed in to help do the work were there was no longer slave labor to do it for them. But, they were naturalized, LEGAL, immigrants. We do not need more drain Government funds, and we have too many legal Americans out of work, so there is no need for mass immigration again. I hope we've learned some lessons, and move on from here to a better state of affairs. Even though I may say I am a Democrat, I do not always vote that way. All the ads on the TV at the moment are just talking points, blaming the other side without offering real solutions, so it's going to be very difficult to vote this election and everyone should listen, research, and demand of candidates on which ever side, HOW are they going to do what they say, rather than say what the other party didn't do nor want do. Tell me HOW are you going to do whatever you say the other side is not doing, and I'll vote for whatever I believe is the right thing, and the right person, no matter the party. Vote on issues, learn them, then vote that way, no matter the party affiliation. Will. stop. here.

Answer 3

Both.

As long as Amnesty International (AI) supports human rights for all humans, including the unborn.

Amnesty International claims to uphold the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted and proclaimed by United Nations General Assembly Resolution 217 A (III) of 10 December 1948 (http://web.amnesty.org/pages/aboutai-udhr-eng) which states:

Article 2.1 Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, BIRTH OR OTHER STATUS.

Article 3: Everyone has the right to LIFE, liberty and security of person.

Catholics believe that life is a sacred gift from God and needs to be treated with all human dignity from the moment of conception to the point of natural death.

The Catholic Church is not just against torture, capital punishment, and abortion; it is pro-life in the widest sense. This is often called a "Consistent Ethic of Life."

This pro-life stance stresses the highest regard for dignity of human life including that of:
+ All people in objecting to unjust war and nuclear arms.
+ The unborn in objecting to abortion, in vitro fertilization, frozen embryos, embryonic stem cell research, and cloning
+ The elderly, sick and dying in objecting to assisted suicide and euthanasia
+ Prisoners in objecting to torture and the death penalty
+ The poor and minorities in supporting social justice issues.

+ Abortion and Rape +

Rape is a horrible crime against a woman.

The victim needs to heal, physically, mentally, and spiritually.

Any new human life is a miracle of God even when the miracle happens when connected with the crime of rape.

The murder of this innocent and defenseless person created in the image and likeness of the Creator will do nothing but increase the rape victim's physical, mental, and spiritual pain and suffering.

The rape victim also implicates everyone involved in the murder. This includes the health care workers and possibly even her family and friends.

While bringing the baby to term and giving him or her up for adoption will make the victim into a hero in the eyes of the child, the adoptive parents, the community, and God and go a long way towards her physical, mental, and spiritual health.

With love in Christ.

Answer 4

I'm on the side of the Pope. You can't kill anyone, not a baby nor the elderly. So you might have been raped, the baby didn't do anything to you, why kill it? You might say it reminds you of the rapist, okay, so put it up for adoption. Women who have abortions are guilty of murder and will be treated as such. Jesus didn't preach and eye for an eye, a rape for a murder, and neither should we.

Answer 5

The Pope has the privileged position of not having to live in the Real World so he doesn't have to face up to the reality of decisions faced every day by women in the kind of circumstances you describe. Amnesty for the most part provide practical solutions to real problems rather than just making bland statements about things they have no real first-hand knowledge or experience of.

Answer 6

The Church must oppose abortion and organizations that support it. It cannot support something that it teaches is wrong.

"Rape is terrible. Rape is awful. Is it made any better by killing an innocent child? Does it solve the problem for the woman that's been raped?" -Sam Brownback

Answer 7

Amnesty!

Answer 8

Well, Rome has a history of lagging behind the laity on issues. It took what, 500 years to forgive Galaleo? So in the year 2507 maybe they'll firmly stand against inhumane treatment.

Answer 9

none cuz dk what youre talking about....abortion is never ok
girls can give the baby up for adoption if theyre wusses

Answer 10

The current pope was a nazi youth. That should answer your q.