Catholic hospitals block tests, The West, 15 April 2005, p.5: "WA's Catholic hospitals say doctors should not offer early prenatal screening to pregnant women they believe would abort an abnormal foetus."
The Catholic church is against abortion, so hospitals owned by that church are told to avoid actions that could lead to abortions. To me, that makes sense: the church has a particular moral stance, they should stick by it. I would even be happy if they were to extend their ideas, to entirely ban the prenatal test. After all, in the matter of mortal sin, it could be better to be safe than -- in the hereafter -- eternally sorry.
"Association for the Legal Right to Abortion Margot Boetcher said it was wrong for the Catholic Church to impose its beliefs on hospital patients which included many non-Catholics." What a load of rubbish! If I eat at a vegetarian restaurant, I would not demand steak. If I eat at the home of Muslim or Jewish friends, I would not demand pork. If I stay in a Catholic hospital -- I would not demand an abortion.
It's not as if there were no choice! If I were a charity case and the Catholic hospital were the only one willing to treat me -- I would expect that their charitable attitude would make some allowance for my non-Catholic views. Some allowance, anyway. But there is plenty of choice in Perth, plenty of public hospitals that do support whatever the law allows in the way of abortions.
The big Catholic hospitals in Perth are not charity hospitals. They are profit-making concerns with a Catholic ethos. They are rich, they are expensive. They cater for patients who can afford the high level of care that they offer. They do not accept emergency patients -- I once tried -- they only accept patients who have had the opportunity to decide to attend at that particular hospital.
If you want an abortion -- go to a non-Catholic hospital.
Cardinals at conclave must accept the need for change (Editorial), The West, 18 April 2005, p.15
The editors of The West state that the Catholic church must -- through its choice of the next Pope -- embrace change. What a load of rubbish!
The Catholic church is based on beliefs handed down over the centuries. If the church changes its beliefs to suit public opinion -- what kind of loose morality does that indicate?! If we change our moral standards to suit our environment then they are not standards, they are simply a convenient reflection of public opinion.
"Disturbingly... Cardinal Ratzinger [current front-runner to be next Pope; a strict conservative]... seems to be telling Catholics that they must fall in line, or leave the Church." What is wrong with that? It is not disturbing -- it is a strong indication that there is a Cardinal who supports the stated beliefs of his own Church!
| Thinking Lateral |
|---|
| Need new thinking for your own problems? email nick leth at gmail dot com |
Being a Catholic is -- as I understand it -- optional. If you choose to be a Catholic then you have chosen to accept the Church and its beliefs. If you do not support those beliefs then you have the option of not being a Catholic. If you believe that not being a Catholic will lead you to eternal damnation -- then accept and follow the Catholic rules! It's as simple as that.
What if you chose to play football... You like the Australian Rules style of play -- but soccer is an international game. You join a soccer club in order to (possibly) play overseas. Does your personal preference for Australian Rules give you a right to hand-ball in a soccer game? No way! If you want to play hand-ball, play Aussie Rules. If you choose to join a soccer club -- you play by all of the rules of soccer.
Don't get me wrong: I am not a Catholic. (Nor am I a footballer!) I strongly support the right to individual choice. But that does not mean that you can choose to ignore rules that do not suit you. If you choose to join a particular Church -- or football club -- then you must be willing to follow the Church -- or club -- rules. If you don't like them, feel free to try to have them changed -- from within.
If you represent the Association for the Legal Right to Abortion, or are the editor of a newspaper -- you have no say in Church affairs.
Abortion is legal, it is not compulsory. If you want an abortion -- go to a hospital that is willing to provide that service. If you choose to be treated in a Catholic hospital -- you should neither expect nor demand that that hospital will break its moral codes, just for you.
| Independent Thinking |
|---|
| Independent analysis of your problems by Agamedes Consulting. Support for your thought: email nick leth at gmail dot com |
No comments:
Post a Comment