Why are so many Catholics pro-choice?

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I read a poll today where Catholics and Protestants (2013) where each only 54% are pro-life. Conservative and Republicans were 66% and 68% pro-life. I read in a Spirituality for Catholics book the other day that Morality is the practice of behavioral principles for conduct that further the common good. If you were to consider these statistics and the common good pro-life, then would Conservatives and Republicans have a higher moral standard for life than Catholics and Protestants?

Also, please let me know if you have any suggestions as to how to increase the church community’s awareness of abortion and the pro-life initiative.

Blessings!
 
Whatever the number may be or not be (statistic’s lie as they say…) (and remember among say those Republicans are who? Catholics who live their faith and are thus prolife).

The reason any are - is ignorance, lack of renewal of their minds, and or sin.

What do they need? Faith, conversion, renewal of the mind…

w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/homilies/2009/documents/hf_ben-xvi_hom_20090628_chius-anno-paolino.html

"In the second verse we are given the answer: “Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God…” (12: 2). The two decisive words of this verse are “transformed” and “renewal”. We must become new people, transformed into a new mode of existence…The Apostle exhorts us to non-conformism. …We become new if we let ourselves be grasped and shaped by the new Man, Jesus Christ. He is the new Man par excellence. In him the new human existence became reality and we can truly become new if we deliver ourselves into his hands and let ourselves be moulded by him.

Paul makes this process of “recasting” even clearer by saying that we become new if we transform our way of thinking. What has been introduced here with “way of thinking” is the Greek term “nous”. It is a complex word. It may be translated as “spirit”, “sentiments”, “reason”, and precisely, also by “way of thinking”. Thus our reason must become new. This surprises us. We might have expected instead that this would have concerned some attitude: what we should change in our behaviour. But no: renewal must go to the very core. Our way of looking at the world, of understanding reality all our thought must change from its foundations. The reasoning of the former person, the common way of thinking is usually directed to possession, well-being, influence, success, fame and so forth. Yet in this way its scope is too limited. Thus, in the final analysis, one’s “self” remains the centre of the world. We must learn to think more profoundly. St Paul tells us what this means in the second part of the sentence: it is necessary to learn to understand God’s will, so that it may shape our own will. This is in order that we ourselves may desire what God desires, because we recognize that what God wants is the beautiful and the good. It is therefore a question of a turning point in our fundamental spiritual orientation. God must enter into the horizon of our thought: what he wants and the way in which he conceived of the world and of me. We must learn to share in the thinking and the will of Jesus Christ. It is then that we will be new people in whom a new world emerges.

Paul illustrates the same idea of a necessary renewal of our way of being human in two passages of his Letter to the Ephesians; let us therefore reflect on them briefly. In the Letter’s fourth chapter, the Apostle tells us that with Christ we must attain adulthood, a mature faith. We can no longer be “children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine…” (4: 14). Paul wants Christians to have a “responsible” and “adult faith”. The words “adult faith” in recent decades have formed a widespread slogan. It is often meant in the sense of the attitude of those who no longer listen to the Church and her Pastors but autonomously choose what they want to believe and not to believe hence a do-it-yourself faith. And it is presented as a “courageous” form of self-expression against the Magisterium of the Church. In fact, however, no courage is needed for this because one may always be certain of public applause. Rather, courage is needed to adhere to the Church’s faith, even if this contradicts the “logic” of the contemporary world. This is the non-conformism of faith which Paul calls an “adult faith”. It is the faith that he desires. On the other hand, he describes chasing the winds and trends of the time as infantile. Thus, being committed to the inviolability of human life from its first instant, thereby radically opposing the principle of violence also precisely in the defence of the most defenceless human creatures is part of an adult faith. It is part of an adult faith to recognize marriage between a man and a woman for the whole of life as the Creator’s ordering, newly re-established by Christ. Adult faith does not let itself be carried about here and there by any trend. It opposes the winds of fashion. It knows that these winds are not the breath of the Holy Spirit; it knows that the Spirit of God is expressed and manifested in communion with Jesus Christ. However, here too Paul does not stop at saying “no”, but rather leads us to the great “yes”. He describes the mature, truly adult faith positively with the words: “speaking the truth in love” (cf. Eph 4: 15). The new way of thinking, given to us by faith, is first and foremost a turning towards the truth. The power of evil is falsehood. The power of faith, the power of God, is the truth. The truth about the world and about ourselves becomes visible when we look to God. And God makes himself visible to us in the Face of Jesus Christ. In looking at Christ, we recognize something else: truth and love are inseparable. In God both are inseparably one; it is precisely this that is the essence of God. For Christians, therefore, truth and love go together. Love is the test of truth. We should always measure ourselves anew against this criterion, so that truth may become love and love may make us truthful."

~ Pope Benedict XVI
 
"We can no longer be “children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine…” (4: 14). Paul wants Christians to have a “responsible” and “adult faith”. The words “adult faith” in recent decades have formed a widespread slogan. It is often meant in the sense of the attitude of those who no longer listen to the Church and her Pastors but autonomously choose what they want to believe and not to believe hence a do-it-yourself faith. And it is presented as a “courageous” form of self-expression against the Magisterium of the Church.
  • In fact, however, no courage is needed for this because one may always be certain of public applause. Rather, courage is needed to adhere to the Church’s faith, even if this contradicts the “logic” of the contemporary world. This is the non-conformism of faith which Paul calls an “adult faith”*. It is the faith that he desires. On the other hand, he describes chasing the winds and trends of the time as infantile.
*Thus, being committed to the inviolability of human life from its first instant, thereby radically opposing the principle of violence also precisely in the defence of the most defenceless human creatures is part of an adult faith. *

It is part of an adult faith to recognize marriage between a man and a woman for the whole of life as the Creator’s ordering, newly re-established by Christ. Adult faith does not let itself be carried about here and there by any trend."

~ Pope Benedict XVI (emp. added)
 
well, what did the poll ask specifically? did it ask are YOU (personally) opposed to abortion? or, did it ask are you in favor of overturning roe v. wade and outlawing abortion? and how does it classify pro-life? is it defined as being against ALL abortions, or does it allow for exceptions? we know what the Church teaches and what we are to believe as Catholics, but there are many Catholics who are personally opposed to abortion and consider it murder, but do not believe it should be made illegal because that would be an imposition of their religous beliefs on others. there are also Catholics who are opposed to abortion but are willing to compromise on certain cases (rape, life of mother). so honestly, it’s hard to comment on these numbers without knowing exactly what they mean.
 
well, what did the poll ask specifically? did it ask are YOU (personally) opposed to abortion? or, did it ask are you in favor of overturning roe v. wade and outlawing abortion? and how does it classify pro-life? is it defined as being against ALL abortions, or does it allow for exceptions? we know what the Church teaches and what we are to believe as Catholics, but there are many Catholics who are personally opposed to abortion and consider it murder, but do not believe it should be made illegal because that would be an imposition of their religous beliefs on others. there are also Catholics who are opposed to abortion but are willing to compromise on certain cases (rape, life of mother). so honestly, it’s hard to comment on these numbers without knowing exactly what they mean.
Here is the article. It just says pro-choice vs pro-life. If you think that those Catholics may be pro-life because of rape or incest then they are in for a very unpleasant surprise because those cases are a ridiculous small portion of those who are aborted. Also, the statistics are pretty much the same where ever I have looked. And rape and incest still are not reasons to kill a baby…as though it is the baby’s fault? This article although a little older people-press.org/2009/10/01/support-for-abortion-slips/ it seems the weekly evangelical has a pretty impressive moral stance on pro-life.

Saying that imposing religious beliefs would prohibit Catholics from taking a pro-life stand would be a failing in our teaching of moral values. The law says that you cannot kill people…but no one seems to think that is imposing one’s religious beliefs. Those people would definitely want to reevaluate their learning of what it means to have moral values. If you have moral values it does not matter if you learned them from religion or not, you would still stand by them.
 
Some possible/probably reasons:

It’s cool, it’s fairly easy (being pro gay “marriage” is MUCH easier and cooler, no matter how WRONG it is), they have people to impress, looking good in front of others, justification to get a resource from government, ect.

You know, the usual excuses surrounding personal selfishness that we can’t talk about, otherwise, we are “judging” or are a bunch of old white men who want to tell women what to do with their bodies…“well, except of course when it comes to transfat, salt, big gulps, school lunches, cigars, cigarettes (not that smoking is good, it isn’t) or whether or not have a health care plan” to quote Jason Lewis.
 
It’s cool, it’s fairly easy (being pro gay “marriage” is MUCH easier and cooler, no matter how WRONG it is), they have people to impress, looking good in front of others, justification to get a resource from government, ect.

You know, the usual excuses surrounding personal selfishness that we can’t talk about, otherwise, we are “judging” or are a bunch of old white men who want to tell women what to do with their bodies…“well, except of course when it comes to transfat, salt, big gulps, school lunches, cigars, cigarettes (not that smoking is good, it isn’t) or whether or not have a health care plan” to quote Jason Lewis.
I believe it is more about a lack of teaching moral values. I personally was taught growing up that abortion is the law and that is just the way it is because it is a woman’s body. When I got to college someone finally asked my what about the right of the baby and I totally got it. I had never considered that point of view because it was just something that I accepted and never thought to challenge.
 
well, what did the poll ask specifically? did it ask are YOU (personally) opposed to abortion? or, did it ask are you in favor of overturning roe v. wade and outlawing abortion? and how does it classify pro-life? is it defined as being against ALL abortions, or does it allow for exceptions? we know what the Church teaches and what we are to believe as Catholics, but there are many Catholics who are personally opposed to abortion and consider it murder, but do not believe it should be made illegal because that would be an imposition of their religous beliefs on others. there are also Catholics who are opposed to abortion but are willing to compromise on certain cases (rape, life of mother). so honestly, it’s hard to comment on these numbers without knowing exactly what they mean.
IIRC, the poll counts people who allow for “rape/incest/hard cases” exceptions to be pro-life. It’s hard to tell in our country with such a myriad of opinions to say exactly what is and isn’t pro-life (and, vice versa for the “pro-choice” group).

Honestly, most Americans (including most Catholics) are not die-hard in either direction - and if a consensus were actually taken, our laws regarding abortion would be the following: abortions legal for any reason through the first trimester only, then afterwards only for reasons related to rape, incest, and/or the health of the mother and/or child. Seriously.

Of course, this language is not what we, as die-hard pro-lifers want (we want abortion to simply no longer exist). And die-hard pro-abortion advocates (calling themselves “pro-choice”) want abortion on demand for all nine months of pregnancy for any reason whatsoever. But most Americans find both of these ideas abhorrent (even though the pro-abortion position is, in fact, our current law due to Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton, most Americans simply don’t know that).

Regardless, as to why many Catholics (including many politicians who are Catholic) are either (a) not adamantly pro-life or worse, (b) adamantly pro-abortion, well… first of all, politics has a lot to do with it. And Catholics, just like all other Americans, have been known to put their Party’s platform above the teachings of the Church. There are many Catholics who are Democrats, and jettison the teachings of the Church regarding abortion, same-sex “marriage”, etc. purely because these teachings are in opposition to the Democratic Party’s views. On the other hand, many Catholics join the GOP due to the views on abortion, same-sex “marriage”, etc. - and then jettison other Catholic positions (such as on immigration, the rights of workers to unionize, and solidarity with the poor) because these positions are in opposition to the GOP.
 
Here is the article. It just says pro-choice vs pro-life. If you think that those Catholics may be pro-life because of rape or incest then they are in for a very unpleasant surprise because those cases are a ridiculous small portion of those who are aborted. Also, the statistics are pretty much the same where ever I have looked. And rape and incest still are not reasons to kill a baby…as though it is the baby’s fault? This article although a little older people-press.org/2009/10/01/support-for-abortion-slips/ it seems the weekly evangelical has a pretty impressive moral stance on pro-life.

Saying that imposing religious beliefs would prohibit Catholics from taking a pro-life stand would be a failing in our teaching of moral values. The law says that you cannot kill people…but no one seems to think that is imposing one’s religious beliefs. Those people would definitely want to reevaluate their learning of what it means to have moral values. If you have moral values it does not matter if you learned them from religion or not, you would still stand by them.
nothing you say is incorrect. I completely agree, but that wasn’t my point. the point is that you must see a difference between someone who is “pro-choice” in the sense that they think abortion is ok, and someone who is “pro-choice” only in the sense that they think it’s ok at times of rape or to save the mother’s life, or only in the sense that they don’t want to impose their personal belief. this is a critical distinction. if it is true that 46% of Catholics actually believe that abortion is ok (as in there is nothing wrong with it, ever), then we might as well give up. But if that number includes people like those I mentioned, at least they have a strong understanding of the immorality of abortion and can much more easily be swayed to the pro-life side.
 
I believe it is more about a lack of teaching moral values. I personally was taught growing up that abortion is the law and that is just the way it is because it is a woman’s body. When I got to college someone finally asked my what about the right of the baby and I totally got it. I had never considered that point of view because it was just something that I accepted and never thought to challenge.
Thanks for sharing! 👍 These kinds of stories are important!
 
I believe it is more about a lack of teaching moral values. I personally was taught growing up that abortion is the law and that is just the way it is because it is a woman’s body. When I got to college someone finally asked my what about the right of the baby and I totally got it. I had never considered that point of view because it was just something that I accepted and never thought to challenge.
you know, this reminds me…I went to a private Catholic prep school in NYC for high school, and my senior thesis presented in front of my class was on abortion and the pro-life stance. My main point was as you said, “what about the right of the baby?” some of my classmates looked at me like I had two heads. Not only had they never heard that argument, they couldn’t even grasp it. and this was a room FULL OF CATHOLICS! I guess that answers your initial question!
 
I read a poll today where Catholics and Protestants (2013) where each only 54% are pro-life. Conservative and Republicans were 66% and 68% pro-life. I read in a Spirituality for Catholics book the other day that Morality is the practice of behavioral principles for conduct that further the common good. If you were to consider these statistics and the common good pro-life, then would Conservatives and Republicans have a higher moral standard for life than Catholics and Protestants?

Also, please let me know if you have any suggestions as to how to increase the church community’s awareness of abortion and the pro-life initiative.

Blessings!
Hi,

The media has done much over the last 40 years to promote the idea that abortion is OK, average or normal. One example: I saw a brief video on the news where a woman shouts, “Keep your beliefs off my body!” Too many Catholics see this as a “personal” matter and know people who have had abortions. Additional reasons are indifference, and they either lack the desire and/or knowledge or are unable to act in a positive way. Decades of being ‘shouted down’ by abortion supporters has affected people. However, I watched a video where a priest criticized Catholics for one thing regarding abortion, “Silence!”

I stood with other Catholics in front of an abortion clinic. I, and others, mostly prayed and held signs. Some people driving by expressed their approval, others expressed anger and disapproval. We did not express anger toward anyone going in or coming out. The clinic has since closed.

I know some Catholics really have such long hours at work and responsibilities at home to feel they don’t have the time to get out there. Abortion ends a human life. We must continue to repeat that message and pray. Even if it’s just on internet forums.

content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2132761,00.html

Have hope. If you can, join a group that actively engages the public about what abortion really is. Contact your Church or Diocese to find out if any booklets are available to hand out to the public. Your local chapter of the Knights of Columbus may be of help. Talk to your priest or pastor. Invite a member of a Catholic Pro-Life group in your area to speak at your Church about this vital issue. People are often inspired when they see an actual lay person who is spreading the message about abortion and is acting.

God bless,
Ed
 
I have become very skeptical about polls. Even polls that support my positions.

Let’s start with the question…

Quinnipac University asked respondents "Would you support or oppose a law allowing same-sex couples to get married"

This question was asked of Catholics who attended Mass regularly and those who do not.

Based on the news media it would seem that most Catholics are support same sex marriage… But that is not what Catholics were asked.

What would be the results if the question were worded differently? What if Quinnipac asked: “Do you accept the teaching of the Catholic Church…that marriage is between one man and one woman?”

I wonder what the response to that would be…
 
I read a poll today where Catholics and Protestants (2013) where each only 54% are pro-life. Conservative and Republicans were 66% and 68% pro-life. I read in a Spirituality for Catholics book the other day that Morality is the practice of behavioral principles for conduct that further the common good. If you were to consider these statistics and the common good pro-life, then would Conservatives and Republicans have a higher moral standard for life than Catholics and Protestants?

Also, please let me know if you have any suggestions as to how to increase the church community’s awareness of abortion and the pro-life initiative.

Blessings!
Catholics were traditionally democrats. When the democrat party started to fully embrace the culture of death many Catholics could not bring themselves o leave the party.
 
Catholics were traditionally democrats. When the democrat party started to fully embrace the culture of death many Catholics could not bring themselves o leave the party.
This is probably one of the truest lines I’ve seen. And, as such, these Catholics generally were originally so-called “personally pro-life, but against holding others to their own morals”. Unfortunately, even this idea became “too conservative” for many interest groups in the party.
 
This is probably one of the truest lines I’ve seen. And, as such, these Catholics generally were originally so-called “personally pro-life, but against holding others to their own morals”. Unfortunately, even this idea became “too conservative” for many interest groups in the party.
as Cardinal Burke said :

To say that these are simply questions of Catholic Faith which have no part in politics is just false and wrong.
 
Catholics were traditionally democrats. When the democrat party started to fully embrace the culture of death many Catholics could not bring themselves o leave the party.
I must disagree. “My party, right or wrong.” has been replaced by choosing the lesser of two evils. Back in the 1960s, yes, Catholics were mostly Democrats, but today? A legion of lobbyists for special interest groups has increased in Washington, or “You want our support in the election? Money? Then do us a favor or two when you get in.”

People know that. And there was much less mud-slinging in the past. Every election cycle, you can be sure a lot of mud will be flying your way. “He got caught voting for thissssss…” I have zero party affiliation. None.

ncregister.com/daily-news/bishop-thomas-tobin-why-i-switched-to-the-republican-party/

Ed
 
One more thing about that poll…

Among all faith traditions – only 34 percent of weekly church attendees support same sex marriage.

An unbiased media would have headlined that…

76 Percent of American Church Goers Stand Against Same Sex Marriage

But…no. They had to pick on the Catholics.

Interesting fact…since over 80% of all Americans claim to have some religious identification…and Quinnipac finds that 76% of all faith traditions DO NOT support legalizing same sex marriage…I would think that the vast majority of Americans do not support same sex marriage.
 
One more thing about that poll…

Among all faith traditions – only 34 percent of weekly church attendees support same sex marriage.

An unbiased media would have headlined that…

76 Percent of American Church Goers Stand Against Same Sex Marriage

But…no. They had to pick on the Catholics.

Interesting fact…since over 80% of all Americans claim to have some religious identification…and Quinnipac finds that 76% of all faith traditions DO NOT support legalizing same sex marriage…I would think that the vast majority of Americans do not support same sex marriage.
Thank you. Most helpful.

Ed
 
I must disagree. “My party, right or wrong.” has been replaced by choosing the lesser of two evils. Back in the 1960s, yes, Catholics were mostly Democrats, but today? A legion of lobbyists for special interest groups has increased in Washington, or “You want our support in the election? Money? Then do us a favor or two when you get in.”

People know that. And there was much less mud-slinging in the past. Every election cycle, you can be sure a lot of mud will be flying your way. “He got caught voting for thissssss…” I have zero party affiliation. None.

ncregister.com/daily-news/bishop-thomas-tobin-why-i-switched-to-the-republican-party/

Ed
As Archbishop Chaput put it we are not voting for the lesser of two evils-we are voting to lessen evil.

As far as mud slinging goes we are much more civilized today that we were in the past. Recall the attacks on Taft over the rumor he had an out of wedlock child. They taunted him “Ma, ma where my Pa? He’s in the White house making the law”. Also note when Preston Brooks nearly caned Charles Sumner to death on the floor of the House of representatives over an alleged insult.
 
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