How would you answer these questions?

[astralis]

(This may be a double-post, the window created an error and closed after I hit post - please excuse)

There is a debate this Saturday and I wanted to field these questions here. Please provide your sources! The questions are from the US Bishop’s Faithful Citizenship brochure:

1. After September 11, 2001 how can we build not only a safer world, but a better world—more just, more secure, more peaceful, more respectful of human life and dignity?
2. How will we protect the weakest in our midst—innocent unborn children? How can our nation not turn to violence to solve some of its most difficult problems—abortion to deal with difficult pregnancies; the death penalty to combat crime; euthanasia and assisted suicide to deal with the burdens of age, illness, and disability; and war to address international disputes?
3. How will we address the tragic fact that more than 30,000 children die every day as a result of hunger, international debt, and lack of development around the world?
4. How can our nation help parents raise their children with respect for life, sound moral values, a sense of hope, and an ethic of stewardship and responsibility? How can our society defend the central institution of marriage and better support families in their moral responsibilities?
5. How will we address the growing number of people without affordable and accessible healthcare? How can health care better protect human life and respect human dignity?
6. How will our society combat continuing prejudice, overcome hostility toward immigrants and refugees, and heal the wounds of racism, religious bigotry, and discrimination?
7. How will our nation pursue the values of justice and peace in a world where injustice is common, desperate poverty widespread, and peace too often overwhelmed by violence?
8. What are the responsibilities and limitations of families, community organizations, markets, and government? How can these elements of society work together to overcome poverty, pursue the common good, and care for creation?
9. When should our nation use, or avoid the use of, military force—for what purpose, under what authority, and at what human cost?
10. How can we join with other nations to lead the world to greater respect for human life and dignity, religious freedom and democracy, economic justice, and care for God’s creation?

 

[BayCityRickL]

I think the Bible answers most of those questions. Thank God.

We need to live according to the Bible (in the hands of the Church) in order to get along, as the world becomes increasingly complex and resources are increasingly rationed to the inhabitants of the earth. Come Lord Jesus, come soon.

Next question?

 

[bemmel]

Agreed.

 

[tralon]

Kinap Bill Gates and ransom him for all his billions. Who would miss the geek anyway.

 

[JimG]

Somehow, the way that most of those questions are phrased, it seems as though larger government is going to be a likely response. I would like to see the principle of subsidiarity addressed in some of the possible answers.

 

[porthos11]

tralon:

Kinap Bill Gates and ransom him for all his billions. Who would miss the geek anyway.

YEAH Linux rules!

(hmmm…geekier?)

 

[astralis]

Thanks for one person actually replying seriously. I do think that the brochure presumes government aid. I will be debating from the Republican side.

 

[theMutant]

porthos11:

YEAH Linux rules!

If you knew SuSE, like I know SuSE…

Back to the topic of the thread

astralis:

1. After September 11, 2001 how can we build not only a safer world, but a better world—more just, more secure, more peaceful, more respectful of human life and dignity?

By spreading the faith of Christ. The primary way that we do this is by learning our faith and PUBLICLY AND PROUDLY LIVING IT!

astralis:

1. How will we protect the weakest in our midst—innocent unborn children? How can our nation not turn to violence to solve some of its most difficult problems—abortion to deal with difficult pregnancies; the death penalty to combat crime; euthanasia and assisted suicide to deal with the burdens of age, illness, and disability; and war to address international disputes?

Dealing with abortion: All people of faith need to write to their congressmen and let them know that if they refuse to impeach activist judges who legislate from the bench then we will vote them out of office. Particularly write to your senators and tell them that we will vote them out of office if they impose a pro-abortion litmus test on those appointed to the Supreme Court rather than a litmus test on the letter of the law embodied in the Constitution. I personally recommend having them read the minority opinion of the four dissenting justices in Roe v. Wade (which was legally sound). Lastly, we need to educate Americans that abortion is never the only choice. Even with difficult pregnancies (where the mother’s life is truly in danger), delivery is still an option even if it is certain that death will soon follow. Delivery gives the option of providing baptism and palliative care so that the child doesn’t suffer.

The Death Penalty: We must keep in mind that the Catholic Church teaches that the death penalty is a legimate penalty for the most grave of crimes against society. The question is whether or not our society has the means and the political wherewithal to eliminate it. My personal opinion is that, although we have the wealth and the resources to eliminate the death penalty, the United States is not philosophically ready. Until we impose REAL penalties for sexual crimes like rape and child molestation and eliminate the parole system which negates the jury system we won’t be ready to completely eliminate the death penalty. Remember that the purpose of the criminal court system is not to punnish or reform, it is SOLELY to protect society. The penalties are deterrents to those who would otherwise commit crimes. For those who persist, they remove protect society by removing the criminal from its midst.

Euthanasia, suicide, and the like: We need to reinforce the dignity of life in order to overcome the utilitarian view that is rapidly becoming the norm. We need to expose the fact that the “quality of life” argument is purposely ambiguous and is designed to later justify these practices. (Exactly who gets to decide that a good quality of life is?)

War: We need to realize that the answer is not the establishment of a greater central government over the entire world. Such will only serve to increase the likelihood of war because the needs of people are too vastly different to address the needs of all in one government. Americans seem to have this false assumption that a central government will effectively be run by us and will reflect our values and beliefs. Even though we are currently the last remaining “super-power” we are a minority when compared to the rest of the world. If a central government (like the U.N.) were established, we would quickly be out-voted. The treatment of some areas by others in the governmental arena would inevitably lead to greater and more wide-spread wars. War is a reality that we will have to deal with and so we must be prepared and willing to fight for just causes while we persistenly persue peaceful resolution to disputes.

(continued…)

 

[theMutant]

(Continued from #8)

3) How will we address the tragic fact that more than 30,000 children die every day as a result of hunger, international debt, and lack of development around the world?

We need to realize that God has provided us with enough food on the planet to feed nearly double the world’s current population. The problems are political. Aid is sent to countries and is diverted by their governments. The US and the UN offer to send aid to other countries but only if they accept the presence of programs from the likes of International Planned Parenthood. Those countries who don’t want to have the UN provide contraceptives and abortions don’t get the aid. This practice has got to stop. We also need to stop thinking of governments as the solutions to the problems. There are many religious and other private organizations who willingly go into areas of need to provide for the people there. We need to directly support these organizations instead of looking to the government to do it for us.

4) How can our nation help parents raise their children with respect for life, sound moral values, a sense of hope, and an ethic of stewardship and responsibility? How can our society defend the central institution of marriage and better support families in their moral responsibilities?

By getting government out of education and putting the tax dollars that go to education back in the pockets of the people. That way, they can support the schools that teach the values they want taught to their children and provide donations to allow the poor to do so as well.

5) How will we address the growing number of people without affordable and accessible healthcare? How can health care better protect human life and respect human dignity?

By getting government out of health care and making it known to our doctors and health care facilities that we will choose providers that adhere to these values

6) How will our society combat continuing prejudice, overcome hostility toward immigrants and refugees, and heal the wounds of racism, religious bigotry, and discrimination?

See the answer to question 1.

7) How will our nation pursue the values of justice and peace in a world where injustice is common, desperate poverty widespread, and peace too often overwhelmed by violence?

By remembering that our Lord said that we would always be dealing with these things and each of us individually living our lives according to our faith.

8) What are the responsibilities and limitations of families, community organizations, markets, and government? How can these elements of society work together to overcome poverty, pursue the common good, and care for creation?

By remembering that the best solutions are the most local. The family is the basic unit of society and so we must build up our own families and support our neighbors as well as possible. Communities, particularly the local parish, define the area of “local” concern. If one community is doing well, then that community can look to the needs of the neighboring communities. Government needs to be limited to the business of governing and not social work.

(continued…)

 

[theMutant]

(Continued from #9)

9) When should our nation use, or avoid the use of, military force—for what purpose, under what authority, and at what human cost?

Military force should only be used according to the principals of just warfare. However, it needs to be remembered that it is up to individual governments to make the final decision on whether those principals have been met. The authority that should govern the war is the government(s) involved; each individually unless they choose to ally and act under a common command.

10) How can we join with other nations to lead the world to greater respect for human life and dignity, religious freedom and democracy, economic justice, and care for God’s creation?

By realizing that we can only advise and assist the other nations. We must also be willing to listen to advice and accept assistance from other governments. They are all sovereign and their governments were established by God no less than was ours.

 

[astralis]

Wow! Thanks! Could SuSE’s issue with Linux be that I developed my site in ASP?

 

[porthos11]

theMutant:

If you knew SuSE, like I know SuSE…

Heh heh. Last off-topic post on the thread, promise.

I use Slackware.

 

[theMutant]

astralis:

There is a debate this Saturday and I wanted to field these questions here.

So, how did the debate go?