I wanted to drop you a note about this one. These days we usually seem to be on opposite sides of political issues, which is a little sad, maybe, but not really a big thing -- if you know enough people, you're bound to disagree with many of them on a few things, and a few of them on many things. (And if you don't you need to meet more people!)
This is one of those where I didn't reach the same conclusion as you, but I did always admire the rigour with which the Catholic church tackled it. If you accept both original sin and the soul being present from conception as axioms then, really, there's no alternative [1]. I don't start from those premises, but I respect that people who do have to follow where they lead.
[1] Thought-tangent: Can you baptise before birth?
I know not everyone agrees with me on this issue. But while it was my Catholic faith that has drawn me to most of my political convictions of late, I think this issue goes beyond just my religious convictions, since one can be Pro-Life without being religious. I think it is an inherent recognition that if we refuse to protect those who are at their weakest and most vulnerable, then nobody who is weak or vulnerable has any hope of protection from the ravages of a society bent on self-indulgence. There's more to it than that, but it's one penumbra of the abortion issue as I see it.
As far as Baptism before birth, I have never heard of it being done, but I imagine that it would only come up if a woman of faith needed to have some emergency surgery that might put the child at risk, such an idea might be proposed. I don't really know whether it's ever been done, or even if its liturgically feasible. But an interesting question! Thanks for asking!
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Dominus tecum
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I wanted to drop you a note about this one. These days we usually seem to be on opposite sides of political issues, which is a little sad, maybe, but not really a big thing -- if you know enough people, you're bound to disagree with many of them on a few things, and a few of them on many things. (And if you don't you need to meet more people!)
This is one of those where I didn't reach the same conclusion as you, but I did always admire the rigour with which the Catholic church tackled it. If you accept both original sin and the soul being present from conception as axioms then, really, there's no alternative [1]. I don't start from those premises, but I respect that people who do have to follow where they lead.
[1] Thought-tangent: Can you baptise before birth?
Reply
I know not everyone agrees with me on this issue. But while it was my Catholic faith that has drawn me to most of my political convictions of late, I think this issue goes beyond just my religious convictions, since one can be Pro-Life without being religious. I think it is an inherent recognition that if we refuse to protect those who are at their weakest and most vulnerable, then nobody who is weak or vulnerable has any hope of protection from the ravages of a society bent on self-indulgence. There's more to it than that, but it's one penumbra of the abortion issue as I see it.
As far as Baptism before birth, I have never heard of it being done, but I imagine that it would only come up if a woman of faith needed to have some emergency surgery that might put the child at risk, such an idea might be proposed. I don't really know whether it's ever been done, or even if its liturgically feasible. But an interesting question! Thanks for asking!
Dominus tecum
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But of course, women are just breeding stock, right?
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