Anyway, I still hold it’s racism. The minorities vote for who they think will help the minorities the most. The whites vote for who they think will help everybody. Which side is racist? Also, what if 90-95% of white voters voted for the Republican candidate? Would that not be considered racism?

Bear in mind, I am NOT saying that whites are no longer racist-of course there are racist whites. But I do believe there’s a double standard; contrary to popular belief, minorites can be and often are racist too.

I’m curious to see this verse in the Bible about public readers-where is it?

Anyway, while we shouldn’t panic because of faith in God just because Obama’s President, we also shouldn’t act as if we approve of his views or actions if we don’t-and Catholics don’t.

It’s complicated. Like so many other things. I’m not very good at explaining The Trinity either.

One meaning is a good meaning – that this is a very positive mark on our history for African Americans – for blacks in our country. And I noted the positive things that go along with that in this post. But that ultimately, Barack will end up truly being a black mark – as in a negative mark – on our history because of his strong support for the killing of unborn babies.

Anyone who takes that the wrong way didn’t read the post. But I appreciate your feedback and giving me the benefit of the doubt!

If a Catholic lived in a state such as Texas (where I am) that was going to give its electoral votes for McCain by an overwhelming majority, and if that Catholic did not care for McCain or the Republican candidates down-ballot, it would only be necesssry to not vote for any Democrat running for state or national legislative offices in order to comply with the bishops’ guidelines. (In Texas, all candidates on the Democratic ticket must take an oath to support ALL elements of the Democratic Party platform, regardless of their personal convictions, meaning they all had to swear to support the Pro-Choice position. It’s a sad situation — you didn’t see many, if any, Catholics on the Democratic Party ticket for any office because of this.)

Now that the election is settled, we need to get busy praying, and writing letters, making phone calls, etc., to get our elected Democratic (and some Republican) representatives to experience a conversion of heart on the issue of abortion, and to have the courage to vote in accordance with that conversion.

Have faith! Divine Providence will provide, as long as we do our part.

Also, I’m not sure how you can say that abortion is more “safe” legal than illegal. How can an abortion be deemed “safe” at all when it ends the life of a human being? Now YOU are putting one person’s life as more valuable than another’s.

The unborn lives saved by making this practice illegal would far outweigh in moral gravity any increase in risk for the mother in obtaining an illegal abortion. It’s sad that some women may attempt illegal abortions and put themselves at further risk. But that is no justification for legalizing the killing of more babies.

It is comments like these that really sadden me. It’s one thing for a non-Catholic to be confused on the pro-life issue. It’s another when it’s Catholics saying these things.

Unfortunately, there are Catholics out there that think this type of thinking is consistent with their Catholic faith. When in reality it directly opposes it. As already stated, we desperately need to do a better job teaching Catholics what their Church teaches on these matters. The Church teaching is very clear. And many Bishops spoke out and clarified it very well. If a Catholic still doesn’t get it it’s because they aren’t listening or they simply don’t want to listen to their Church.

First, as a (nominal) practicing Christian, President-elect Obama already hears at least some of what God says to him. Pray that he hears all of it. How much more glory will it give to God when he changes his behavior to fully support Life by vetoing attempts to codify Roe v. Wade, than it would had the country elected someone who was (nominally) pro-Life but not necessarily willing to step up to the plate to protect Life? Not naming any names here, but you know it’s true.

Second, President-elect Obama is far more likely to make this change than any of the other potential Democratic nominees would have been. Be grateful to God for that. Not naming any names here, either, but you know this is true too. Be grateful that he also brings a more balanced sense of social justice than the other potential Democratic nominees had. Make no mistake about it — there was no way the American people were going to choose a Republican, no matter who the Republican nominee had been. God knows this, and so He gave us a President who just might be able to rightly form his conscience. Given prayer and urging from the rest of us.

Third, as you have said, it was high time (past high time) that the process of healing the racial divide in this country actually began. This may not rank at the same level as eliminating the practice of abortion, but it has been and continues to be a huge barrier to bringing about the Kingdom of Jesus.

Have some faith. God is still in charge. Be patient. This didn’t happen without Divine Providence playing a role in it.

In talking with my own teenage daughter about this issue, she says the same thing many do “Well, what about rape?”. I told her that IF you accept that it’s a life, then the answer is simple. You can’t argue that a baby who’s the product of rape is any less a life than one conceived within the bonds of marriage (or even out of wedlock, as is the case too often today).

She agreed with this, thankfully. At least I did something right – she understands how to argue a point and recognize logical conclusions.

1) If children are not getting food and housing, perhaps it’s not because the government isn’t doing its job – it’s because WE’RE not doing ours. In other words, there are many different solutions to helping those in need OTHER than expecting the government to do it. Many of us believe that in the long-run our country is better served if the people are as little dependent on an inefficient, corrupt government as possible. See this post for more: http://www.fallibleblogma.com/index.php/2008/10/22/the-freedom-to-freely-practice/

On the other hand, it is a fundamental responsibility of the federal government to protect our basic right to life. And especially to strike down laws that threaten that and to allow states to pass laws to protect that. Right now our federal government is not doing that. It is allowing well over a million innocent babies to be killed each year and striking down laws that try to protect that in the name of a really bad supreme court decision made 35 years ago. If you want more on why this issue far outweighs the other issues you mentioned, here’s a good video of some good thoughts (especially for Catholics): http://www.fallibleblogma.com/index.php/2008/10/30/in-case-it-wasnt-already-clear/

2) There is no doubt that abortions would be GREATLY reduced if it were made illegal.

3) In regard to your question about in-vitro and also to Phil’s question about “abortion in the case of rape” – the answer is related.

Catholic teaching on all of these life issues is consistent. A new human life and soul is created at the moment of conception.

Rape: While I can’t imagine the trauma and suffering involved with being a victim of rape, the fact is that a new, individual, human life may have been created. The reason the Church is still against abortion in the case of rape is because it doesn’t believe that a baby should have to die because of some other person’s immense suffering. NO matter how bad the situation is, there is no justification to kill another baby. it is inconsistent to be pro-life and against abortion but then allow it in cases of rape. It undermines ones entire position, too.

In vitro: In this process many eggs of a woman are fertilized (conception occurs). Then some of these fertilized eggs (i.e. new human people with souls and a right to live) are implanted into the mother – the others are killed. If more than one actually implants, often times the extras are removed and killed. This is not pro-life and innocent human life is destroyed as part of the process. That is why it is not good. Further, because the act of bringing this new life into the world is separated from an act of love BY the two parents – it is also against Church teaching for that reason. Instead, a new life is created in a petri dish in a lab by a scientist. This does not respect the way God gave us and intends us to bring about new human life.

Further reading on this from the Church here.

Your question begins with the assumption that Republicans want to throw poor people out into the street.

The problem that Republicans have with the welfare state is that it perpetuates poverty, not that it helps to end it.

The claim that Republicans hate the poor, while repeated enough to become doctrine, has little to do with reality. The only scale back in entitlement programs we’ve seen is the Welfare Reform Act that was passed back in the late 90′s. It got people off the rolls who *should* have been off the rolls.
Just as a for instance, in my extended family, we have FOUR different families who are getting public assistance of one kind or another. In every instance, knowing their circumstances, there’s NO WAY they should be getting that assistance. In every household, they have luxuries that would make you say “Well, what do they need welfare for?” They have cable television, cell phones, big screen TV’s, etc. etc. This is the kind of “assistance” that Republicans think shouldn’t be allowed.

Back to abortion:
Yes, as you say, making something illegal doesn’t stop it from happening, but it’s one thing to keep something illegal. It’s quite another to make something “allowable” in the legal sense. Men slap their wives around, and no law will ever completely stop it, but would you argue that since we can’t eradicate wife beating that maybe we should remove the illegality of it? Of course not, because then it gives the impression that society affords wives no respect.

Our laws are an indication of what values we as a society hold.