How can pro-choice Catholics seriously call themselves practicing Catholics?

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Benjinho

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Joining the Roman Catholic church this past Easter, I was aware that some Catholics don’t agree with the church 100% on every single issue, but I assumed that prolife would be a unifying issue for people who believe themselves to practice Catholicism.

I’ve learned that some of these people are actually pro-Choice…I understand if you’re lapsed, but this seems pretty unbelievable for active parishioners.
 
I don’t have any definitive answers; other than that not everyone is catechized to the same degree; nor educated in the philosophy behind things.

I’ve run into cradle Catholics who received very limited education in Church history, teaching, and philosophy; so it isn’t out of the norm for them to not understand the pro life stance or the Church teachings on pro life.

This is doubly true I think because we very much live in a culture that diminishes life.

It’s very sad; but the only thing we can do is take a stand and educate where we can.
 
There is a group of Catholics, who I won’t name, who are trying to agitate for this view. This bad example does cause confusion and scandal.
 
Polling generally shows that between 40-65% of those that identify as Catholics (ie: not fallen away) support some form of choice, be it rape/incest exceptions or something more. Which isn’t surprising. The stats are even more skewed with support for same sex marriage and birth control. What the RCC teaches and what the Catholic faithful accept are quite often at odds…
 
And that is why every effort must be made to show Catholics that what gets aborted is not a ‘blob of tissue’ but a human being.
 
VanitasVanitatum said:
Narrow is the gate…
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Basically, this.

It’s hard to stand at odds with the world, but people also don’t want to abandon something they may see as a defining aspect of their “self,” even if that aspect is at odds with other aspects.

I’m currently embroiled in an argument with my sister and cousin over the whole Alabama law. I had the gall to present the pro-life position, and so they felt it appropriate to ridicule me while attempting to show that I’m wrong. One of her friends even went so far as to say how bad she felt for my sister that she had a sibling who was so “unenlightened” (not that exact word, but the general feel. Out of touch with the times and against women’s rights. etc. etc. The normal nonsense),

It’s hurtful to see people you love turn against you, and even more hurtful to see people you love so deluded by the world. It seems that most people just aren’t willing to deal with that pain, and so they take the easy way out.
 
Very true.

Like I said, I think much of it is to do with really crappy catechesis for a majority of Catholics. What’s worse is that some got 1/2 catechized and you end up with something like innoculation against Catholic teaching.

Pro life philosophy is extremely solid, but most of the culture and media is pro choice, and that is what most people get. Further, its often easier to make pro choice arguments that are good on the surface and play well to social media. The whole ‘WOMEN WHO MISCARRY ARE GOING TO JAIL’ bit and the Covington Catholic situation show what the background noise is. Unless you had solid education it’s easy to get caught up in that.

Then you have those who get caught up in the whole political thing; right and left. As if the Church should somehow fall in line with the party that they profess to follow.

For me at least the Church knocked me out of the whole party thing. Catholic social teaching challenges the platforms of both parties.

It is what it is. I think (hope, pray, etc.) that it’s starting to change. I know catechesis is starting to get better. I take solace in the Arian controversy. The truth is what it is no matter what polling states.

Just my $0.02.
 
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Many of them have had abortions, so they feel they need to defend their ,“choice,” otherwise they will be forced to reconcile and to carry the burden of guilt that goes with murdering the unborn.
Also, parents defend their daughter or son was involved with abortion in some way.
I’ve encountered this with several individuals.
 
They can call themselves anything they want. But they will defend their love of unholy sex, racism and murder to God at the end of their lives.
 
The dominant pro-abortion argument is framed in terms of women’s health and women’s rights. The unborn baby is not mentioned.

This fallacy influences lots of Christians, not just Catholics, to squeamishly accept the rhetoric of “choice.” They aren’t bad people. They know abortion is morally wrong. But they worry, “How can I possibly imperil a woman’s health or rob a woman of choices?”

If pro-abortion Christians were to look deeper, they would see that abortion is a social injustice. Seventy-five percent of American women who seek abortions are poor or low income. It’s clear that poor women have fewer choices – not more – when they have abortions.

We have to help squeamish Christians see get past the arguments about women’s rights and health. We need to help them see that women’s rights are being violated. From there, we can build bridges of understanding to the rights of the unborn.
 
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njlisa said:
This fallacy influences lots of Christians, not just Catholics, to squeamishly accept the rhetoric of “choice.” They aren’t bad people. They know abortion is morally wrong. But they worry, “How can I possibly imperil a woman’s health or rob a woman of choices?”
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I can also see where a person could see this as a matter of separation of Church and State. Also, it might be seen as a matter of prudence, that is, it is easier to stop abortion without the force of law. While I do not agree with this, I think the next decade may show that there is something to be said for not allowing the law to outstrip what people are willing to accept.

In any case, those who believe abortion is morally wrong, but should not be outlawed, are hardly unique in their Church dissent. Pretty much ever issue the Church speaks about has some dissenters, some on the left, some on the right; and pretty much everyone dissents on something at some point. I was a practicing Catholic for ten years working through my own dissent on capital punishment. I try not to judge others too harshly just because their faults are not mine.
 
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Because the pro-legalized-abortion side has a well oiled propaganda machine. Backed up by Hollywood and the media.

And it’s really hard to stand by yourself apart from what is perceived as “the crowd”.

Many years ago I was talking to a co worker who is Catholic and recently a debate had sprung up among us employees about abortion and we were equally split 50-50.
This co worker told me she didn’t like to get into the debate because she didn’t want to upset the pro choicers by verbalizing her position.
I told her “you don’t see them being quiet, why do you have to keep your mouth shut?”
She didn’t have an answer for that.
 
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That link I provided in my post also lists the race factor. I didn’t include that information order to simplify my argument. (I am also a person of color.) But thanks for the information.
 
Isn’t it strange for such clinics to be more common in black neighborhoods?
 
@pnewton
I can also see where a person could see this as a matter of separation of Church and State. Also, it might be seen as a matter of prudence, that is, it is easier to stop abortion without the force of law. While I do not agree with this, I think the next decade may show that there is something to be said for not allowing the law to outstrip what people are willing to accept.

In any case, those who believe abortion is morally wrong, but should not be outlawed, are hardly unique in their Church dissent. Pretty much ever issue the Church speaks about has some dissenters, some on the left, some on the right; and pretty much everyone dissents on something at some point. I was a practicing Catholic for ten years working through my own dissent on capital punishment. I try not to judge others too harshly just because their faults are not mine.
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I agree with all your points. God bless you.

@edwest211
Isn’t it strange for such clinics to be more common in black neighborhoods?
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Northern New Jersey (where I live) is highly segregated by town. Bergen County is exclusively white – except for three towns, with racially mixed population. Those towns are Hackensack, Englewood, and Teaneck. The only abortion “clinic” is in Englewood. I had never thought of that correlation until you mentioned it.
 
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edwest211 said:
Isn’t it strange for such clinics to be more common in black neighborhoods?
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Isn’t it strange to find horrid public schools in black neighborhoods? Isn’t it strange to find dollar stores used as grocery stores in black neighborhoods?
 
You have made no point. Black women have a disproportionately high number of abortions. In the US, that means that the number of black babies who are born is below replacement.
 
edwest211 said:
You have made no point.
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The point is that it isn’t at all strange to think that black neighborhoods suffer in innumerable ways. They’re saddled with inefficient infrastructure. Is it really any wonder that abortion clinics target them? Is it really that surprising? It shouldn’t be.
 
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