More than 20 faith leaders gather to bless Planned Parenthood's newest clinic in DC

[chevyontheriver]

Blessing an abortion clinic is not a reason to praise these progressive ministers.

You got that right.

Noting that in every other way they fill a need unfilled by the religious right and social conservatives, doing the work of the Good Samaritan while the religious right walks past, IS.

So as long as every other thing they apparently do is great with you, you won't praise them on this one, but that's about as close to disapproval as it gets. Kind of like praising Pol Pot for his progressive agrarian policy, progressive income redistribution policy, progressive anti-crime policy, and you won't praise him for the killing fields.

If I were looking for mercy and compassion, single issue pro-birthers are the last people I'd go to.

I've never met a 'single issue pro-birther. Unless that's how you are defining me.

 

[chevyontheriver]

duplicate

 

[Fantine]

You got that right. So as long as every other thing they apparently do is great with you, you won't praise them on this one, but that's about as close to disapproval as it gets. Kind of like praising Pol Pot for his progressive agrarian policy, progressive income redistribution policy, progressive anti-crime policy, and you won't praise him for the killing fields. I've never met a 'single issue pro-birther. Unless that's how you are defining me.

You never criticize those who stop caring about babies when their heads emerge from the womb. The older I get the more I realize that sins of omission hurt the world just as much, maybe more so, than sins of commission. When I sit in Church on Sunday, I wonder how often the people in this overwhelmingly conservative state pray the Confiteor and, in their individualistic stupors, even pay attention to what they have "failed to do" and how they even realize how what they fail to do affects the world.

Sojourners are following their consciences--I don't support them financially. I get their emails. Overall they do a lot of good. If I went around criticizing them I would feel as if I were entering into an unholy alliance with the unholiest of the unholies--Trump and his government demolition crew.

 

[chevyontheriver]

You never criticize those who stop caring about babies when their heads emerge from the womb.

I don't know of any such people if I have ever met them. And you may not know very well who I do or don't criticize. You probably have me pegged for some unholy person who voted for Trump.

The older I get the more I realize that sins of omission hurt the world just as much, maybe more so, than sins of commission. When I sit in Church on Sunday, I wonder how often the people in this overwhelmingly conservative state pray the Confiteor and, in their individualistic stupors, even pay attention to what they have "failed to do" and how they even realize how what they fail to do affects the world.

What lots of people have failed to do in what was once an overwhelmingly Christian nation is to stand up and put an end to abortion. There will be hundreds of thousands out this Sunday at pro-life events all over this country. There should be tens of millions. Will you be in omission on Sunday?

Sojourners are following their consciences

I am following my conscience, formed by Catholic teaching.

Overall they do a lot of good.

So did Pol Pot, if you ignore the killing fields. Very progressive.

If I went around criticizing them I would feel as if I were entering into an unholy alliance with the unholiest of the unholies--Trump and his government demolition crew.

This isn't a binary issue where you either oppose Trump or you work against abortion. And life is not all politics. Not yet anyway.

These folks who bless abortion clinics have defectively formed consciences. Somebody should be advising them, maybe you because you already have an inside track with them, that they are really wrong when they bless abortion clinics. That would be a spiritual work of mercy, admonishing the sinner and instructing the ignorant. That's more than just not praising them for what they did.

 

[Fantine]

I don't have any connection with them and live in a state with only one (or perhaps none now) abortion clinics. There's a million woman march on Saturday which would be more my style--going on in every state and in Washington, D.C. The one in my state's mission statement doesn't mention abortion--the federal one does.

I'd been thinking of going to the state one but have a work-related conflict in the middle of the day.

I don't consider not attending an abortion rally a sin of omission. There are plenty of Catholics taking my place. I am representing Catholicism in areas of advocacy where Catholics aren't pulling their weight.

 

[chevyontheriver]

I don't consider not attending an abortion rally a sin of omission. There are plenty of Catholics taking my place.

Well there you go.

 

[Fantine]

We are each given different gifts and talents. One of mine is concern for our planet and those who are suffering. You may have a different gift-'so go to it.

 

[Fantine]

For starters, you need to acknowledge that no Catholic can participate in every ministry--there aren't enough hours in the day. We choose our ministries based on our interests and skills we can contribute.

I am grateful for people who are active in the pro-life movement (not the demonstrators--I think they alienate more than they help--and the ones they alienate may never come back, but those who work in crisis-pregnancy centers). They should be grateful to people who volunteer in other ministries, and most are.

I donate to a crisis pregnancy center, and attend their annual fundraiser, so I am not totally uninvolved. I hope many of them donate to causes I volunteer with, and I know many do.

That's life.

Why do I choose to volunteer in social justice and mission work? First of all, the people there share my values and priorities. Secondly, I believe those causes are underserved by Catholics compared to pro-life (or pro-birth) causes. Finally, the other volunteers at pregnancy help centers seem callous and insensitive to the poor, immigrants, the uninsured, refugees, and others in need, and I want to avoid their negativity.

 

[Michie]

That's funny because I often see your partisan worldview as extremely negative. I'm sure they feel the same. My mother in law volunteers at birthright and I can tell you they are far from callous to helping migrants or anyone that walks through those doors. I take most of your observations with a huge nugget if salt because you cannot remove yourself from your politics.

For starters, you need to acknowledge that no Catholic can participate in every ministry--there aren't enough hours in the day. We choose our ministries based on our interests and skills we can contribute.

I am grateful for people who are active in the pro-life movement (not the demonstrators--I think they alienate more than they help--and the ones they alienate may never come back, but those who work in crisis-pregnancy centers). They should be grateful to people who volunteer in other ministries, and most are.

I donate to a crisis pregnancy center, and attend their annual fundraiser, so I am not totally uninvolved. I hope many of them donate to causes I volunteer with, and I know many do.

That's life.

Why do I choose to volunteer in social justice and mission work? First of all, the people there share my values and priorities. Secondly, I believe those causes are underserved by Catholics compared to pro-life (or pro-birth) causes. Finally, the other volunteers at pregnancy help centers seem callous and insensitive to the poor, immigrants, the uninsured, refugees, and others in need, and I want to avoid their negativity.

 

[Fantine]

Yeah, maybe they'll help them while they're there--then vote to deport them every November...

Or maybe the people in your mother-in-law's group are better people.

 

[Michie]

Yeah, maybe they'll help them while they're there--then vote to deport them every November...

Or maybe the people in your mother-in-law's group are better people.

Uh huh. Right Fantine.

 

[Michie]

Progressive judgement. There is a lot of it. Sweeping statement of course.