The Vatican: no more support to Amnesty International.

[demoleft]

Here we go again: abortion rights.

It was now more the a week that the Vatican was silent on the subject. I was worrying they had forgot it.
But Card. Renato Martino was back on the matter and gave me relief.

Here he goes on the National Catholic Register.
http://ncregister.com/site/article/2904

The BBC news here at
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6750887.stm

We regret to say we are going to stop financial support to Amnesty International: the loving Catholic Church of Rome!
Why this? Because of presumed Amnesty International's new policy on abortion rights.

Amnesty replies there is no pro-abortion rights campaign in the organization's policy.
The program for women only means to protect them and their health in case of abuse or rape, in case of legal consequences based on their personal choice (abortion is often punished with imprisonment or worse in some countries...).
It means to grant safe practise when needed and to give the most complete information on sexuality to men and women. Amnesty states it won't judge abortion as right or wrong.

Moreover, A.I. in Italy states they never received money from the Vatican or catholic organizations. Except for possible
individual support, no catholic nor other kind of organization was ever accepted as financial supporter by A.I. because, says Amnesty, A.I. is independent from parties and religions whatever (1st article).

I remember during the war in the Balkans rapes in the villages and towns were ordinary game. A game with a racial and political end. Someone is undergoing trial for crimes against humanity in these months.
The Vatican had the same position: even raped women had no right to choose.

Well friends, the political crusade goes on. It won't be brief, nor limited to a country, not easy to overcome.

And anyway this is politics, not religion. And it makes clearer than ever what's the position of Ratzinger Church in this century, in our societies.
It's going to be a long, long political battle.

[Fridays Child]

1. Some enlightening observations--thank you.

And welcome to DU. :hi:

[demoleft]

4. Thanks for welcoming and...

...just an off-topic about your name here, Fridays Child:

I know "Thursday's Child has a long way to go" (learnt from Bowie and The Pendragon).

But I don't remember Friday's Child...What was that?

Ciao and thanks again

[Fridays Child]

5. Friday's Child is loving and giving.

Monday's child is fair of face,
Tuesday's child is full of grace;
Wednesday's child is full of woe,
Thursday's child has far to go;
Friday's child is loving and giving,
Saturday's child works hard for a living;
But the child that is born on the Sabbath day
Is bonny and blithe, good, and gay.

:)

[Kagemusha]

2. More like, Vatican: Good catholics don't donate to Amnesty Int. from now on

The headlines I've been seeing do a lot to confuse the issue by suggesting wrongly that the Vatican itself was financially supporting the organization or directing support to it.

[demoleft]

3. You're right but...

...in the article on the National Catholic Register Martino says "individuals and Catholic organizations".

That's why A.I. states they never received any support from any organization.
And that's why I write "the Vatican" in the headlines.

But you're right: the thing itself is "Good catholics don't donate to Amnesty Int. from now on"

[Skidmore]

6. Ratzinger would have been very much at ease in a

the church of the Inquisition.

[demoleft]

7. And Bush wastes no time: the Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting

After meeting the Pope in Rome Bush renews his engagements.
Look at this, date 13 June 2007: President Bush via Satellite to the Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting

http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/jun/070613a.html

The website, lifesite.net, considers abortion and homosexuality (among other issues) as part of an international and local conflict - a conflict enacted by secularists trying to eliminate Christian morality and natural law principles.

I expect some more tricks from Bush on the subject before he leaves office. He won't go quietly.

[malaise]

8. The Crusade is on in earnest

of course killing brown people does not upset the young fascist pope.

[demoleft]

9. Amnesty International replies to the Vatican

Amnesty International, 14 June 2007:

Amnesty International defends access to abortion for women at risk
"Amnesty International encouraged the Catholic Church not to turn away from the suffering that women face because of sexual violence and urged the Catholic leadership to advocate tolerance and respect to freedom of expression for all human rights defenders..."

The whole document here:

http://news.amnesty.org/index/ENGPOL300122007

I wonder what can really affect or upset this Pope...

[malaise]

10. Thanks

Good reply.

[madfloridian]

11. Appalling.

I think my former church...Southern Baptist...is now taking marching orders from the Catholic church in many ways. The new ideas about no contraception for women....sex only for procreation...that was never what was taught in my church. But it is now.

Yes, it will be a battle.

One good thing...the Catholic wing of my Republican family respect gay rights and think abortion is a wedge issue.

[CatholicEdHead]

13. This is also a undercutting of social justice

I saw that they are open to rape and when the mother's life is in danger. No good options there. With rape there needs to be an increase in adoptions in local areas (yet that is never mentioned), but when a mother's life is in danger it is a catch 22 with no good options. AI should not be attacked for that.

[demoleft]

15. I remember your post some time ago...

...that was about a sort of Christian alliance between american religious leaders and Bush - do I remember well? - on specific subjects.

Well, the alliance could be an interpretation of what is happening. Some subjects - among which women rights - are common to different Christian approaches. It's reasonable to imagine they ally on these.

Indeed Bush seems to be at ease with anyone supporting extremely conservative positions on the topics.

[madfloridian]

16. I have done several, but here is one about Poppa Bush and Rev. Moon

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1302

Also I wrote about Al Mohler who is head of the SBC semimary which trains young Baptist ministers. He is starting to sound catholic in things like birth control.

[CatholicEdHead]

12. Equating omission with compliance

What a joke. It has to be a proactive stance or no stance at all.

[LeftishBrit]

14. Sigh

Though I'm pro-choice, I can understand people being against abortion. But I can never understand those who think that abortion trumps *all* other issues, including war and torture.