Jack, I must admit that I find the newsletter often irritating and annoying. Its sort of like the “hairshirt” effect that I have been reading about. It seems that the things that adgitate us often are intentionally done such that we won’t slump into complacent comfortable Christianity. The kind that is neither hot nor cold. Perhaps it is on purpose that the newsletter places folks sometimes in the situation of addressing uncomfortable matters.
On the surface, one might overlook the Abortion - Contraception connection, but history bears this out as a simple statstical sampling of those whom have had or are planning to have an abortion. The results would show that those who consider abortion as a viable option do so because to them (and sadly to much of society) it is just another form of “Birth Control”. It prevents the birth, even thought as far as the conception, well I guess thats a little ex post facto…I think I said that correctly.
Rarely do those whom consider abortion a viable option, seriously reflect on its murderous qualities or societal implications. One of the things that the Church has always respected is that one cannot be forced to follow the straight and narrow. Sure there has been gross violations by various clergy in the past that might make one say “see there, they FORCED them” to do such and such, but the teaching of the Church has never been to institute a mandatory religous premise as did Henry VIII and any number of tyrannical dictators. This is a cause which brings me great difficulty, for it would surely seem more reasonable that the Church insist that, for the sake of salvation, that laws are created to prevent any number of circumstances from taking place that could or would draw people into eternal peril.
The Church however doesn’t take this kind of forceful approach, nor did Christ. Me on the otherhand, I relate to the means that Simon Peter employed when he cut off the servant’s ear. The rest of the story is how he was admonished by Jesus for doing it, thus I too find myself admonished when I try to weild a overwhelming dose of moral authority in my home or work. We are taught that the greatest tools one can employ when doing moral combat is prayer and fasting. Good grief! Wouldn’t just passing a few laws and putting the matter in the hands of the legal system be better? It may seem that such would be better, by human standards, but often what appears solid in the eyes of men is only temporal and transparent in the light of eternity.
Sure Jack, regardless of what the Church teaches, folks will always have the choice to accept or to reject it. Lets just hope that they are guided by the Holy Spirit when they consider their decisions.
He said “Not everyone who calls me “Lord!, Lord”…”
