Saturday, March 15, 2008
not so random thoughts
First, Douglas, my "brain scans"are fine. 9 more days. Second on the abortion front, let me weigh in. I am not sure where and when it was determined theologically or scientifically that the fetus is a human being and that abortion is, therefore, the killing of a human being. In my previous life I used to study these things and I remember that Thomistic theology said that there was no certainty about this question and ,therefore, a correct moral approach was to err on the side of safety and not approve abortion. that was the church teaching for many years and it is one that I have tried to teach to my family while at the same time understanding that others might come to different conclusions and eschewing the criminalization of those decisions by others. Contrary to the letter from the Princeton student, we know from long experience in our country and in others that the criminalization of abortion leads to many horrors affecting most of all the poorest among us who can't purchase the services of private clinics etc. I agree with the need to encourage celibacy for the unmarried,preventions of unwanted pregnancys for everyone, adoption when it is indicated and refusal of abortion by those who believe it is wrong. It is essential that we support women who are pregnant much better than we do, through paid leave from work to nutrition and free health care that doesn't carry the stigma of welfare or charity. my mother tells me that when I was in utero her physician recommended abortion{no cheap jokes here}. She went home to talk to my father about it and he told her the Church said no to that procedure. Good for me and Steve, Doug and Therese, since the reason for the recommendation was that mom already had two caesarians and could not tolerate any more.I am glad Brown[and Mom] decided to abide by the church's teachings and I hope that our family continues to do so. Criminalization of a practice when society is so deeply divided about the fundamental question of whether or not the fetus is a human being strikes me as unwise and unjust.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
This is from Brother Ken: I certainly agree that our society should be much more family supportive than it is. I note that very recently, China extended its one child policy, which undoubtedly produces many abortions. I would suggest that medical knowledge today, if it were available to Thomas then, would have him not so unsure as to when life began, Also, I question how many people who have abortions do so believing the fetus is not a human. In other words, I think many know what it is but choose to terminate anyway for a variety of reasons-hence the regret and guilt that we are told many suffer.
Post a Comment