Must the Catholic church be anti-choice?

[BurtWorm]

Is there a hope that it will alter its position? Or is it doomed to be anti-feminist? And if the latter is the case, can a feminist in good conscience remain a Catholic?

[Goblinmonger]

1. That's rhetorical, right?

I mean, that's not going to change.

[BurtWorm]

5. It's not just rhetorical.

I am truly curious about the question. If the Catholic Church is like any other entity, it will adapt or die. If it doesn't adapt, I can't see how it will not die.

[Silent3]

10. Well, it's not going to change any time soon, but...

...the intellectual masturbation that is theology can eventually take one many different places, especially if pragmatic issues like declining membership hit home. I don't think life-begins-at-conception is an inescapable conclusion of Catholic dogma -- Aquinas didn't believe in it.

[olegramps]

12. Don't bring up masturbation, that is a one way ticket to hell.

[BOSSHOG]

2. The Catholic Church chose to run me off

and they did a damn fine job of it. I respect their right to be rigid in their beliefs and I respect my right to watch cooking shows on sunday morning, and I am not putting money in their collection plates to payoff settlements for the action of their perverted priests. I would find it extremely difficult for a feminist to continue to attend mass, but the choice is theirs.

[customerserviceguy]

4. Ran me off, as well, after the divorce

but if I understand the RCC's position on this (and I disagree with them on so very many things!) they are not doing this to be anti-feminist, they already have a male-only priesthood for that, they actually believe that an unborn human being (fetus, if you prefer) is a person with a soul.

Now, they also believe that every sperm and every ovum which are brought together by human sexual behavior should have a fair shot at hooking up, which is just plain goofy.

[frebrd]

3. Must the Catholic church be?

[napi21]

6. IMO, there's NO CHANCE that the church will change it's position

on abortion or gay marriage. I can remember sitting in class in HS and hearing the nun's firmly state not only can you NEVER do anything to interfere with the process of conception (thus the only legitimate birth control is the rythem method) but that when you get married, you give yourself to your husband and there is NO REASON a wife can ever say no to sex if her husband wants it.

Any sex that is outside of marriage is a mortal sin.

Homosexual behavior if a mortal sin.

Those things have been taught for centuries, and there's no way that will ever change.

As to a geminist remain a Catholic...the way I view it is that I am free to believe anything I chose, but because our Country has a secular government, my beliefs should have no bearing on the laws. I had a discussion about this a few weeks ago with a reborn Christian. I explained that there are a lot of laws in our Country that I believe are sinfull. The death penalty being #1. I sure don't see millions of people screaming that THAT should be abolished! I think wars, especially against a Country that didn't attack you, are a mortal sin for every person who is killed, but I don't hear many people, especially Pubs, fighting against doing that either!

Yes I feel I can still be a Catholic in good concience because I can still maintain my own beliefs, and I'm not required to force them on anyone else or on our secular gov't. BTW, the priests & bishops who are saying anyone who voted for Obama can't partake in Communion are simply being renegade nuts!

[sandnsea]

7. Penance for voting?? lol.

I am so done with the Church. I mean I haven't been in eons, but I don't know that I can even associate myself in any way anymore. They have just gotten too hateful and it's all to hide their shame over the pedophilia scandal.

[Meshuga]

8. The Church is very uptight about contraceptives

So abortion is a even worse no no. To borrow from George Carlin, the Catholic Church seems to believe that "every ejaculation deserves a name."

I agree with you as far as the Church needing to adapt. But apparently they don't feel the need to make any changes at the moment. Perhaps it will be to late when they realize that they need to do something about the fact that they will be losing a huge chunk of their members to other options.

[zbdent]

9. as long as they're "either/or" and binary thinkers ...

they should all go to hell for supporting the pro-war crowd and the death penalty crowd ...

that's their binary thinking at work ...

[JerseygirlCT]

11. There is a group of Catholics for Choice

But of course, nothing "official".

One thing is for sure within the Catholic Church - no change happens quickly.

I imagine that it will change. I imagine on the issue of choice that science will change before it does - IOW, the need for abortions will likely change before the position does - women will be able to prevent a pg at the very second of conception, for instance, and no one will know - things like that.

Women WILL one day have an equal place in the church again. Just not in my lifetime, Which is a big reason why I'm an Episcopalian now. Couldn't raise my kids to think it right that only men were priests. I do respect those with the stomach to stay and fight, though. Someone's got to do it!

[rug]

13. No. In fact the whole religion is based on choice. Free will.

The Church is free according to its theology to declare abortion the killing of humans and to do all within its power to peruade people not to do it. Just as it does with everything else it considers to be a sin. It is also morally bound to offer its material and spiritual resources to help people make and live with that choice. It cannot however hide behind the state and ask it to imprison physicians and women.

Morality and law are two entiely separate, occasionally coexistent, concepts.