Author Topic: Franciscan monk is against the March For Life  (Read 8504 times)

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Offline TheL

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Franciscan monk is against the March For Life
« on: January 25, 2012, 07:14:04 pm »
Here's the link.

And some quotes, for those who don't want to read the whole thing:

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Instead, what is necessary is to recognize the shortcomings of what is too often uncritically lauded among certain sectors of the Catholic and more broad Christian communities as the “pro-life” event par excellence. In fact, it is a striking showing of support for anti-abortion protests, but offers little (with very few, and always marginal, exceptions) by way of a truly Catholic (and catholic, as in universal) pro-life demonstration. Such an event would include a much broader representation of the issues that also threaten life and human dignity.

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While those who trek to the nation’s capital to stand in the chilly January air are undoubtedly sincere in their conviction, I wonder about the provenance of the march and its title. The march is presented as a positive effort (hence the preposition “for”), yet it really is a protest against something. Ostensibly, it is a protest against a United States Supreme Court ruling thirty-nine years ago that grants women the right to procure safe, regulated and legal medical abortions.

To claim that the march’s focus has anything to do with other matters of justice, human dignity or social justice is contradicted by the endless parade of ecclesiastical and civil politicians that speak at the Vigil Mass the night before and then at the march itself. The focus is very clear: Roe vs. Wade and its overturning.

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In other words, someone such as myself, an honest and outspoken critic of this particular event, is cast as “bad” or “pro-abortion” by way of omission and my particular absence from the group. Likewise, anyone who finds the means by which this organized and self-congratulatory annual event questionable or disingenuous, those who chose not to partake in the happenings of the march, are similarly considered – if tacitly – “bad.”

Call me what you will, but I’ll call the march what it is: an anti-abortion rally under the guise of a “pro-life event.”

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Try something new if you are really serious about reducing or ending abortions.

Perhaps caring for young adults who become pregnant, taking care of unwed mothers, offering good school systems for the children who are carried to term and brought into this world – all of these would be good places to begin.

Perhaps those, mostly white, marchers would do well to consider the racial, gender, ethnic, socio-cultural and economic issues that undergird the abortion questions in this country. It is never, never as simple as “good” versus “bad,” “pro-life” versus “pro-death,” and so on.

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While the presenting focus of the (so-called) “March for Life” is the abortion legislation of the United States, what actually takes place seems far less issue-focused and far more an exercise in self-congratulatory fanfare.

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I look forward to the day when we do assemble thousands of young people and old people alike to march through the streets of the nation’s capital in order to support a movement for life and for human dignity. But until the annual January event really addresses the matter of what it means to be for life (literally, “pro-life”), I cannot support it.
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Offline ironbite

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Re: Franciscan monk is against the March For Life
« Reply #1 on: January 25, 2012, 08:28:53 pm »
Wait...wait.  He....doesn't support March For Life?

Ironbite-and he's...Catholic?

Offline Osama bin Bambi

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Re: Franciscan monk is against the March For Life
« Reply #2 on: January 25, 2012, 08:44:55 pm »
My grandmother is Roman Catholic and she would agree with this guy. She's pro-life but she thinks that the best way to prevent abortions is to eliminate the possibility of a situation that would require one. That means contraception and helping unwed mothers take care of their children, or encouraging adoption.
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Offline TheUnknown

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Re: Franciscan monk is against the March For Life
« Reply #3 on: January 25, 2012, 10:21:10 pm »
It's amazing how many comments miss the damn point, a lot of them whining about how he's "belittling the efforts of those in the movement," and how, "protesting abortion is part of being pro-life, so it's pro-life."  Quite brushing off the concerns posted in this article by saying that the other social problems behind abortion aren't as important as the immediate need to 'end the killing of innocent life.'  As someone else in the comments said (paraphrased), having that attitude is simply putting a band-aid over a festering wound.

Offline Jodie

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Re: Franciscan monk is against the March For Life
« Reply #4 on: January 25, 2012, 10:47:35 pm »
This monk has my respect, not because he's a monk, but because he is a decent human being and wants to treat others as such.
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Offline Sylvana

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Re: Franciscan monk is against the March For Life
« Reply #5 on: January 26, 2012, 06:53:52 am »
This monk has my respect, not because he's a monk, but because he is a decent human being and wants to treat others as such.

I agree completely. This is a well formulated, polite and important response of his. He is quite right about all the issues he brings up. Although I didn't know there was an annual march for life. Perhaps it is just me, but it really looks like the pro-life movement gets far more funding than any money spent on abortions receives.

Offline DrFishcake

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Re: Franciscan monk is against the March For Life
« Reply #6 on: January 26, 2012, 07:06:25 am »
Wow...well said.

Offline Neal_Darex

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Re: Franciscan monk is against the March For Life
« Reply #7 on: January 26, 2012, 03:58:40 pm »
As someone who is decidedly non-religious, I like this man and I think good things can be had if more people would be willing to entertain such lines of thought.

Offline TheL

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Re: Franciscan monk is against the March For Life
« Reply #8 on: January 26, 2012, 06:19:04 pm »
This monk has my respect, not because he's a monk, but because he is a decent human being and wants to treat others as such.

I agree completely. This is a well formulated, polite and important response of his. He is quite right about all the issues he brings up. Although I didn't know there was an annual march for life. Perhaps it is just me, but it really looks like the pro-life movement gets far more funding than any money spent on abortions receives.

If you grow up in teh Movement, you know.  NRL's newsletter for January always reminds you "MARCH FOR LIFE JAN. 23 IN D.C.!!  BE THERE!!!!!!"
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Offline Witchyjoshy

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Re: Franciscan monk is against the March For Life
« Reply #9 on: January 26, 2012, 06:32:37 pm »
Quote
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities.

It doesn't have a lot of relevance, mostly just pointing this out for people who thought that Monk = Catholic.  (Which, to be fair, isn't common knowledge that other denominations have monks, too)

I don't know if this guy is Catholic, or what.  But his message is good.  Really good.
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Offline largeham

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Re: Franciscan monk is against the March For Life
« Reply #10 on: January 26, 2012, 06:41:12 pm »
Interesting. It's nice to hear such sentiments.

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Offline Old Viking

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Re: Franciscan monk is against the March For Life
« Reply #11 on: January 26, 2012, 08:26:35 pm »
"Marches" make the participants feel good for a brief time.  No one else pays much attention to them.
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Re: Franciscan monk is against the March For Life
« Reply #12 on: January 27, 2012, 03:19:27 am »
Unfortunately, like most intelligent, well-thought-out arguments...this will be ignored by the people who are incapable of making intelligent, well-thought-out arguments.  Because intelligence means thinking, and we don't want their precious heads to hurt...that might give Bayer more money!
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Offline Barbarella

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Re: Franciscan monk is against the March For Life
« Reply #13 on: January 27, 2012, 07:39:26 pm »
Jesus of Nazareth & St. Francis of Assisi would be proud of this Brother.

Offline Rime

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Re: Franciscan monk is against the March For Life
« Reply #14 on: January 27, 2012, 09:31:00 pm »
It's interesting how I'm now able to put a finger on what bothers me about all the hype that's coming from "the other side."  (because I do get a fair bit just from my wife's open Facebook page)

Thank you, L, for sharing that.  Even if I don't plan to get into an argument about it, I can at least figure out what's been bugging me about all the self-congratulatory hype associated with the anti-choice movement.
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