Pope Francis will forgive women for abortion, while Mother Teresa is spinning in her grave

[rsexaminer]

Pope Francis announced today that Catholic women who have had an abortion will be given the chance to be forgiven. While this is a welcomed step in the right direction to many, not all are pleased about, especially those who share the same views of the late Mother Teresa.

http://www.examiner.com/article/why-pope-francis-latest-abortion-180-has-mother-teresa-spinning-her-grave

[WDIM]

1. The Jubilee year is a year of forgiveness.

I believe even Mother Teresa believed in forgiveness.

[msongs]

2. man forgives a wo-man. catholic church is anti women. frames women as evil sinners who must beg

forgiveness from a man pope and a man jesus and a man god.

[PeaceNikki]

3. It's still at the discretion of priests. I predict a great many US priests opt out of this

"jubilee"

[Trajan]

4. Maybe, perhaps ...

Mother Theresa might have been more forgiving during her 'agnostic/atheistic' phase ...

Maybe not ...

[DonCoquixote]

5. Teresa can keep spinning

Her policies increased the suffering of many, policies that Francis is still defending. The fact that she and JP2 are saints now is disgusting.

[REP]

7. Damn straight.

[SidDithers]

11. +a whole bunch...nt

Sid

[demmiblue]

16. Yep. n/t

[REP]

6. Fuck him. I don't need or want his forgiveness.

It is presumptious of the celibate old asshole to think women need "forgiving" for having undergone a simple medical procedure. He can kiss my ass.

[daredtowork]

8. Important news for the Philippines

and other largely Catholic countries that have made great strides in placing women's health at the forefront of family planning policies.

US demographics are changing, and its a lot of hubris to go around dissing other people's religious beliefs and hoping ones own beliefs will prevail out of sheer posturing. Before anyone piles on me, I've been a NOW member since my early 20s. This is the same position I take regarding the ham-handed approach to anti-vaxxers, even though I personally support vaccination. IMHO, bullying is counter-productive and bound to create reaction. We probably wouldn't even have the Red State problem we do today if a certain segment of the Democratic party weren't constantly reinforcing the divide between Urban Educated Superior Blue and Rural Red Stupid people. I wonder how many votes have been lost to retaliation?

You don't have to compromise your principles to have dignified debates, organize to change policy, or pursue your goals through the courts. The Supreme Court is currently dominated by Catholics. When you dis someone else's culture and belief system, it might make you feel the thrill of shouting everyone else down, but if that results in those othe people doubling down on their original vote, you've sabotaged your own cause.

I think it's fantastic that a Pope with such broad popular support has taken this step. Perhaps this is only the first step and will open the door for future Popes and priests of the next generation to keep revisiting the matter. You can't ask him to rewrite theology all at once: I'd like to see Obama raise Capital Gains taxes by fiat, but that's not going to happen as long as we have a Constitution and other parts of government. Allowing forgiveness at the level of the Priest puts the matter at the individual level and is a move toward normalization of putting the woman's decision first. On the male side, "onanism" (which wastes seed) is also a sin. Where is that now on the list of things Catholic men feel they must confess? Perhaps people should focus on where confession is in the daily lives of Catholics to see how revolutionary this could be.

*for the record, I don't adhere to any particular religion - I look at this as an issue of multiculturism.

[REP]

9. What the pope forgets to mention is there are 10 exceptions already

In canon law, there are 10 exceptions to automatic excommunication (latae sententiae) for having an abortion:

Can. 1324 §1. The perpetrator of a violation is not exempt from a penalty, but the penalty established by law or precept must be tempered or a penance employed in its place if the delict was committed:

1/ by a person who had only the imperfect use of reason;

2/ by a person who lacked the use of reason because of drunkenness or another similar culpable disturbance of mind;

3/ from grave heat of passion which did not precede and hinder all deliberation of mind and consent of will and provided that the passion itself had not been stimulated or fostered voluntarily;

4/ by a minor who has completed the age of sixteen years;

5/ by a person who was coerced by grave fear, even if only relatively grave, or due to necessity or grave inconvenience if the delict is intrinsically evil or tends to the harm of souls;

6/ by a person who acted without due moderation against an unjust aggressor for the sake of legitimate self defense or defense of another;

7/ against someone who gravely and unjustly provokes the person;

8/ by a person who thought in culpable error that one of the circumstances mentioned in ⇒ can. 1323, nn. 4 or 5 was present;

9/ by a person who without negligence did not know that a penalty was attached to a law or precept;

10/ by a person who acted without full imputability provided that the imputability was grave.

§2. A judge can act in the same manner if another circumstance is present which diminishes the gravity of a delict.

§3. In the circumstances mentioned in §1, the accused is not bound by a latae sententiae penalty.

[SidDithers]

13. Hehe...

Sooooo, a drunken abortion wont get you kicked out?



Sid

[REP]

14. Or "grave inconvenience"

And yes, that does include embarrassment to the woman if she's of a certain social status.

[WinkyDink]

10. Read Christopher Hitchens on her.

[SidDithers]

15. The Missionary Position was a great read...nt

Sid

[JI7]

12. why does it need to be forgiven ?

[Starry Messenger]

17. Ex-Catholic here, has had an abortion, don't want forgiveness.

I won't forgive Magdalene Laundries and thousands of other horrors.