Whatever the U.S. Catholic bishops do regarding this document on the Eucharist, I’m grateful we’re having this conversation. Asked about it by a reporter, Biden responded that it was a “private matter.” But given that Biden is open about being Catholic and also open about his pro-abortion position (one which I’d argue goes against science as well as Catholicism), the matter is rightly public.
Wednesday, June 23, 2021
Yes, they should …
… Biden, abortion debate: Catholic bishops must teach truth on Communion.
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First, upfront, as Biden notes, in my personal life, I have never counseled someone to have an abortion. Now, I will break with Biden and write about my personal reaction to this issue.
ReplyDeleteThe Catholic issue is one of ensoulment. The Bible has no clear position on when this takes place. It could be first actual breath upon birth. Catholic theologians and philosophers have always known this, that the Bible remains consistent and true if ensoulment is at first physical breath. It could be that Numbers 5:27-28 is what it may appear to be, counsel to a cuckold to bring his adulterous wife to a priest for an abortion. Catholic theologians and philosophers have always known this too.
The early church waffled, but the centuries-long position of the church is to fall on the side of not interfering with the mystery of it. Who knows when for anyone, the preborn or newborn gets or becomes ensouled? And let's all get honest and real. Physical science has nothing to say about ensoulment, never has. This is not what physical science is. That field needs to be told, "It's at conception," or "It's at first physical breath" or make something up, "When the optic nerve becomes viable." It doesn't work in reverse.
The Catholic church has therefore taught that its followers should consider abortion murder. The issue is that while Catholic adherents, (even bishops now) are going around saying, "I believe abortion is murder (and that anyone who participates in such a thing ought not receive holy communion)," the church's actual resolution was correctly that it is a mystery. Was then, is now.
That's the Catholic issue with abortion. Here's the Catholic problem, and it comes from one who was raised Protestant. It is time now, for the Catholic church to counsel the USA, but it has been disingenuous. To sincerely counsel someone considering an abortion, no one can tell a pregnant woman that she is definitely murdering her unborn child. That would be a lie, a high lie. Yet, a sincere counsel of, "It's always been a mystery whether you would be killing your unborn child if you had an abortion. No one can tell you definitively tell you that you would. But you cannot say that you wouldn't, can you?" And isn't really this the problem with Planned Parenthood counseling, that it too denies the mystery?
Back to earth. You might say, okay, "But how can someone who knowingly breached such a high mystery, possibly killing her child, then accept holy communion?" Okay fine. But now apply that to Biden. He's already said that he is against abortion personally. He's already brought out the idea that it is not cut and dried. In a sense, he has taken the Catholic position better than the Catholic church. The Catholic Church cannot handle this truth. It's time for the church to speak its wisdom, but it has been disingenuous, not that it is ever too late.
We know that in this country, there is separation of church and state. Ensoulment being a religious matter, the idea of making a law that prohibits abortion as such will ultimately be found unconsitutional. You want to prevent abortions? Mr. Catholic? Mrs. Anyone? Counsel people on the mystery of ensoulment.