After I viewed the picture “City Slickers”, I started thinking about all the secular and religious issues which surround people today. In the movie, Jack Palance provided a classic one-liner- “the one thing”. In reality, a search for a common denominator, “the one thing”, that is important is difficult.
The multitude of issues that are explored in Catholic Stand and other faith-based outlets, at times, can appear overwhelming. We are surrounded by differing opinions, concerns, and priorities. All the noise from the news and the blogs can, at times, appear all-consuming. I believe, at the core, at the base of all the diverse issues, the one thing that is really crucial is the issue of protecting the sanctity of life.
The Sanctity of Life
In reflecting upon the years of involvement in Pro-life activities, the right to life emerges as a core tenant of not just our faith but our culture and our laws. It was reiterated in writing, within the Declaration of Independence with the famous quote “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”. Beyond the written declaration is a natural law that supports those truths especially the first one – life. The defense of life has been codified and manmade laws over the centuries universally condemn murder, but also against any actions that can cause harm to another person such as assault.
Abortion
Abortion is the litmus test for protecting that sanctity of life. Many contend that abortion is just an isolated single issue on par with a variety of other issues. Yet I would maintain (as “the one thing”) that the killing of innocent life in the womb undermines the entire societal ethic of respect for the dignity of the human person, for justice, and for equality under the law. If an individual or a culture accepts that it is OK to kill a baby in the womb, then why not a week after birth, or during the terrible twos or the chaotic teen years, or why not in our later years under the umbrella of death with dignity.
What does it say about the mentality behind the decision to abort? It says that I or we can play God, that we can violate the natural course of nature, that we can dictate our own destiny with no obligations for the “other”. It says that what is important is only about the dignity of me and my personal human benefit. Convenience becomes the priority that can influence decisions on other matters.
The most direct impact of that acceptance is on the issues of euthanasia, assisted suicide, designer embryos, and the litany of transhumanism efforts to alter our basic humanity. It sets the stage for the transgenderism phenomena whereby individual feelings and whims take priority over one’s biology. It can stream further to how one may view migration and immigration, education, family issues, poverty, taxes, and the many economical dimensions of our culture.
It is not an underlying Democrat vs. Republican, liberal vs. conservative, religious or atheist belief or mindset. In fact, I have found many who identify themselves in all those categories at Pro-life marches. “The one thing” is more basic than those often polarizing convictions or worldviews. It is acting to protect or not protect the sanctity of life from conception to natural death, which sets the stage for how an individual, a culture, or a nation acts to respect the dignity of the human person in all aspects of life in our environment.
In conclusion, “the one thing”, for me, that underpins all the “noise” of the issues we face and hear about and are inundated with daily is where an individual or culture or nation stands on protecting the sanctity of life. To protect the sanctity of life must first start with taking a stand against abortion and doing what one can to prevent that procedure.
Mother Teresa sums it up best:
The greatest destroyer of peace today is abortion, because it is a war against the child, a direct killing of the innocent child, murder by the mother herself. And if we accept that a mother can kill even her own child, how can we tell other people not to kill one another? America needs no words from me to see how your decision in Roe v. Wade has deformed a great nation. If a mother can kill her own child – what is left for me to kill you and you to kill me – there is nothing between ( Saint Teresa of Calcutta).
9 thoughts on “The One Thing: Protecting the Sanctity of Life”
To support abortion means that you believe you have the right to determine if another human being lives or dies. This is the same philosophical underpinning for slavery and genocide (which abortion truly is).
No human has the right to determine the worthiness of another human life. Any Catholic who advocates “choice” (the right to choose what?) ought to be required to watch the ultrasound of a surgical abortion. If, after that, one still supports abortion, he or she should be excommunicated, for that person is truly no different than “a hit man with white gloves” as Pope Francis so aptly described supporters of abortion.
Kyle@ 12:32p-
There is nothing contained in any authoritative teaching of Pope Francis whereby he diminishes in any way the teachings of St. John Paul II, whom he canonized; on the Gospel of Life. Those teachings of St. JP2 remain authoritative. Without a commitment to protect the most innocent among us, other “life” issues which you cite become rather meaningless don’t they? Concern for those impacted by environmental maladies presumes that they are already alive! Those concerns mean nothing to those murdered by the act of abortion. And IMO, abortion is not at its core an “issue”. Each act is the destruction of innocent human life. It is a monstrous, murderous act well before politics transforms it into just another “issue”.
While we won’t be criminalizing purely recreational sex; that is sex divorced entirely from its natural ends, the Church has a duty to condemn it through its teachings and preaching. St. Pope Paul VI made the connection quite clear in Humanae Vitae in the course of explaining the rationale for the Church’s condemnation, in the name of Christ, for artificial contraception.
And yes there is a hard path. Most who are active in the right to life movement are well aware of that and do much to support women in difficult circumstances, whether before birth, or in dealing with the aftermath of abortion when they often, to their sorrow, realize the enormity of what they’ve done. My experience has been that right to life supporters do far more to meet people where they are than those on the other side.
“Our defence of the innocent unborn, for example, needs to be clear, firm and passionate, for at stake is the dignity of a human life, which is always sacred and demands love for each person, regardless of his or her stage of development. Equally sacred, however, are the lives of the poor, those already born, the destitute, the abandoned and the underprivileged, the vulnerable infirm and elderly exposed to covert euthanasia, the victims of human trafficking, new forms of slavery, and every form of rejection.” – Pope Francis, Gaudete et Exsultate
That’s pretty clear and “authoritative”. That said, I am bothered by the way Catholics use that word as a cudgel because there are so many different things that can be considered “authoritative”, and they don’t always agree. The issue in question is whether we should sacrifice other moral and ethical issues in our fight against abortion. I don’t want it to devolve to a debate over which pope is more authoritative. It’s pretty clear that the recent popes don’t all view things exactly the same.
Abortion is abhorrent, and it is an important thing. It is not the one thing. This has been made abundantly clear by the pope. All other aspects of morality must not be ignored to focus on abortion.
The pro-life movement in the US is a charade. It makes its adherents feel good about themselves without costing them anything or moving the needle on reducing or eliminating abortion. Even if the movement succeeds and Roe v. Wade is overturned (which it should be), the right to regulate abortion will revert to the states. Abortion will be legal in some state and illegal in others. The demand for abortion will still exist, and anyone who lives in a state where it is illegal will either travel to another state or take a risk with a shady abortionist.
The US has a significantly higher abortion rate than almost every western European country. The abortion rate in the US for example is nearly triple what it is in Germany (20.8 vs 7.8). Why? Because it is easier to choose life in Europe. Europe provides assistance during and after pregnancy. The government looks out for the most needy (unborn babies) by providing healthcare for children, helping or providing daycare, and guaranteeing time off to care for children. Multiple sets of my friends (married couples) have had unexpected sets of twins. With average childcare costs north of $1,000 per month, this could be financially devastating for a couple. And this doesn’t factor in the costs of feeding the children, clothing them, providing healthcare, etc. It makes it very hard to choose life when that choice could destroy both your own life and that of your child(ren). This keeps the demand for abortion high.
If the pro-life movement is serious about eliminating abortion, they would get behind policies that reduce the demand for abortion. The lower the demand, the easier it is to choose life. With lower demand and fewer reasons to choose abortion, the political debate also becomes easier. To get rid of abortion, demand must be decreased and the battle for people hearts and minds must then be won. When having a child has the potential to wreck someone’s life, the battle for a strong majority of the population’s hearts and minds will not be won. Period. We can overturn Roe v. Wade, but that won’t end the battle or make a dent in the massive number of abortions taking place in this country. These are the reasons that many people in this country (including myself) view the pro-life movement and the bishops simply as political entities. They just don’t seem serious about reducing or eliminating abortion.
You seem to have missed the point. St. John Paul II made clear as can be, that concern for and advocacy of a host of important issues is essentially meaningless; “false and illusory” he called it, if the fundamental right to life is not protected to the max. And the greatest by far to innocent human life is abortion. It’s not even close. As to “policies reducing the demand for abortion” start with the entire culture of death, condemned by St. John Paul II and Pope Benedict. When recreational sex is glorified and treated as an idol, unwanted babies are sure to follow with abortion along with it. I don’t think that’s something that a political platform will take care of. It requires repentance and conversion. That’s the primary business of the Church and of the people of God.
And Pope Francis has made it abundantly clear that abortion is one of many important issues. You cannot sacrifice everything else for one issue. Protecting the environment is a life issue for example. Climate change will kill scores of people if not dealt with. And it already is – just mostly outside of the US in the less developed countries.
You also can’t reduce abortion to being linked solely to recreational sex. The issues are connected, but there is not a 1-to-1 relationship there. You also can’t criminalize premarital sex. This means that like abortion, you must win the battle for peoples’ hearts and minds. Simply telling them to repent and convert isn’t going to win this battle. That is the easy path. Winning the battle takes compassion, empathy, and the willingness to meet people where they are. That is the hard path modeled by Christ.
It’s a both and on an issue like this all is the best way. If the law says they can be killed and it dosn’t matter a young persons mind may well be formed by well the State and it’s experts say it is ok. Germany is a very different animal. It holds that the constitution protects all humans but allows women to take a counseling course prior to abortion to never be charged in relation to it.
Why is Canadas 15.2 along with Norway, Mexico 0.1 while Russia is at 53.7, with Sweden at 20.2?
Why choose Germany and the US to compare are “Because it is easier to choose life in Europe. Europe provides assistance during and after pregnancy. The government looks out for the most needy (unborn babies) by providing healthcare for children, helping or providing daycare, and guaranteeing time off to care for children.” does Sweden not have the same type of system as far as healthcare etc? 20.2 vs 20.8 is not that large a difference. UK is 17 France is 16.9.
There are it seems multiple factors involved. Changes to pocket books without changed hearts will not end it and if it was only a pocket book issue rich people would never do it but they do.
Portugal 0.2 Mexico 0.1 and India 3.1. It dosn’t seem very connected to wealth levels.
“When having a child has the potential to wreck someone’s life, the battle for a strong majority of the population’s hearts and minds will not be won.” in the sense of make it hard this can always be the case. A 14 year old can get pregnant a couple can get pregnant for the 6th time.
I have a friend who has 9 children they do not make north of 16k a month. Shared bedrooms no eating out at restaurants. Often time paying for daycare in inefficient. The economy should not be set up to try to make both parents work.
Of course there are many other issues and the vast amount of what I donate is to feed the hungry.
As far as climate change it is an issue if one approaches it in a way that lowers wealth does one then lead to more abortion since you link it to wealth?
As far as costs there is adoption. If so many were giving up for adoption that the state or Church needed to provide for their care because none were being aborted that would be one thing. Of course we want to make it so that wealth is largely distributed to the families. But given how there is the option for adoption if one cannot afford the child. That abortion is being chosen not adoption in those cases seems to be a major issue.
Excellent article. Answers the typical quote by some lukewarm Catholics or Pro-Lifers who state, “but I am not a one issue voter” . undoubtedly, being Pro-Life is the most important issue to protect the dignity of All.
Pam Tevington
Being a one-issue voter is kind of the definition of being a lukewarm Catholic. It means consigning the majority of Catholic teaching to storage. This is why the pope and bishops outside of the US do not operate on one issue like the US bishops. The US church is sacrificing the majority of Catholic teaching for short-term political gains (and not even to reduce the actual occurrence of abortion – see my other comment).