Of Comics and Abortion

[vera_dicere]

I’m a little “concerned” about my brother. He often turns to me for Catholic advice, he’s a few years older then me, so it always causes me to raise an eyebrow - I’d think I should be asking him.

Anyway, he tells me he’s concerned God might be ticked about his comic collection. I told him his comics were fine as long as he doesn’t make it an idol, meaning he doesn’t go to church and insteads reads his comics. Anyway, my bro then tells me the publisher of his favourite comic books have a devil face for a logo and he was worried he’d be going to hell for it, I told him not to get too worried about it, it was just a “logo” and that as long as they werent’ giving money to devil worshippers he might be okay. I mean, if I can work for a place with giant Masonic signs around and no go to hell (it’s complictted and God said I can) then he can read comics with a devil face - even Ned Flanders bought his son a red hot with a cartoon devil.

Anyway, that’s not what concerns me. My brother votes for the most liberal, pro-abortion political party in NZ. To be a member of this party you have to be pro-all the nasty things the RCC is against. When there’s a conscience vote in parliament, this party votes as a blcok, meaning, they give all their number behind pro-abortion et cetera bills. Why did my bro vote for these baby killin’ hippies? Because they care for the environment.

I asked my bro why he gets worked up over a “innocent” comic book logo, which does not give funding to anything evil, but knowingly votes for a party that is pushing for the complete legalisation of abortion, euthaniasa, stem cell research, homosexual marriage, et ceteta, and not raise a moral eyebrow?

I don’t get it. He gives me more rubbish about the environment being important? More important then the lives of the innocent? More important then the sancity of marriage? And the saving of souls?

Yeah. Apparently.

Now, my bro has himself a law degree and its’ often hard to argue/debate with him because hes’ really good at sidestepping the issue. He once looked at hard core lesbian porn on my computer and then said it was my fault because I couldn’t argue? Ay? What’s to argue? He looked at porn on MY computer?

How can I approach my bro? How can I help him? I"m actually very worried. God doesnt’ mind his comics, but the blood of innocent people is on my bro’s hands everytime he votes for those d@mn hippies. His wife, is a vegetarian and votes the same, but they both profess to be Catholic. And they often tell me I take things too seriously in regards to the issue of life, and that the trees are just as important as a baby. They’re PL, but I’ve told them they need to express that with their votes, but they’re not!

I dont’ want them to have to answer to God for that kind of voting record.

 

[1ke]

Since your brother is a lawyer, I’d suggest getting him some books by Peter Kreeft. He’s an excellent author, and uses logic and the methods of the great philosophers. He has a book specifically on abortion, but his others are excellent as well.

 

[Antegin]

In the old days before comics, television radio before your parents were a twinkle in their parents eyes, we used the stories that we told the young to impart the wisdom passed down from generation to generation. Jesus Himself used stories that we tell and retell ad infinitum which form our Christian character. Through the centuries, societies have used fairy tales and the lives of the saints to pass on their values.

Comics themselves are not bad, but the message they send has to be viewed by their didactic or what they teach. A really good example of such a story line is that of the original X-men as portrayed in the comics, both children’s cartoons and the the first 2 movies. This was simular to the story of the early Church: everyone in one community, each helping the Church according to the gifts of the Spirit. Unfortunately, in the last movie, that story was corrupted. Violations of free will, suicide and murder were being comitted by the “heros” and what’s worse, they were being portrayed as a “necessary evil.”

(“Necessary evil”, an error perpetuated by the eastern philosphy of ying and yang is false. God existed. God created the adversary who was good but chose to rebel and become evil. Therefore, evil does exist but is not equal to or the flip side of good because God existed before it. )

Many of the films and books we read for enjoyment today, which have taken the place of sitting around and fire and being told the cautionary tales and moral stories of heroes with fatal flaws who either overcame their sins or were felled by them, actively promote the culture of death, the error of relativism and many other errors antithetical to Christian life. These are the real threat to your brother’s soul.

 

[puzzleannie]

I don’t know what the law is in NZ, but here if an adult is exposinga minor to porn, internet or otherwise, he may very well be guilty of child sexual abuse and liable to prosecution. A lawyer ought to be very well aware of that threat to his career.

 

[Eileen_T]

I endore the Peter Kreeft suggestion. For starters, read The Apple Argument Against Abortion
catholiceducation.org/articles/abortion/ab0045.html

However, the problem is more about voter culpability.

We share in the good and the evil of those we elect. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that, although “sin is a personal act, we have a responsibility for the sins committed by others when we cooperate in them” (CCC #1868). We can be accomplices in the sins of others:

by participating directly and voluntarily in them;​

by ordering, advising, praising, or approving them;​

by not disclosing or not hindering them when we have an obligation to do so;​

by protecting evil-doers" (CCC #1868).​

In order not to be an accessory in another’s sin, it is important to form your conscience so that you can vote properly. It is not morally permissible to merely vote for whomever you like based on superficial or even personal preferences. A person’s conscience must be formed to the objective norm of that truth, which is Church teaching in faith and morals.

Any candidate for political office who is in favor of intrinsically evil things (abortion, euthanasia, same-sex marriage, etc), votes for them, or otherwise funds or furthers their cause, cannot be supported in any way by a Catholic who wishes to remain Catholic in fact,not just in name.

 

[rwoehmke]

I read something just the other day and now can’t find it. I think someone at the Vatican or in the US Catholic Bishops Conference were saying that today the Environment and the Green Movement has become their relgion. Not that in themselves these concerns are not important, but that there are many who place those concerns above the role of God in their lives.

 

[vera_dicere]

I think my brother’s friends probably add to the situation. He’s told me in the past he worries about being around them because they’re, as he put it, “unGodly”. He actually had a porn fetish for a while unti we sat down and cast out that evil spirit.

He puts himself in situations where he is just opening himself up for all kinds of evil shenanigans, and we’ve prayed a lot to cast such issues out, but he continues to surround himself with people who are less then Christain, some are die hard atheiests. When we had a conversation about this he went on abotu how Jesus hung out with evil people, I pointed out that said evil people didn’t not prove a bad influence on Jesus, but that Jesus changed them!

There’s a lot more going on in his life then just his poltiical voting record - who I am reminding him of them being supporters of the “baby killing” regime.

Does anyone have any real good prayers I could use?