This Week In the News

This may be a recurring feature here on the Complicated Catholic: a wrap up in faith-related news. I'll do it regularly if it seems appropriate. I write two blogs, am looking for a better job, and have a doctoral dissertation process to continue, so I don't know if I can dedicate that kind of time to updating this space regularly enough to make a weekly wrap-up of the news work, but we shall see.

I had hoped to make this entry on something other than abortion but it has been a big week in the news for the baby-killing business and those who oppose it, so this may just be a bit of a wrap up on that topic instead. Full disclosure: I don't believe abortion to be the only issue Christians should vote on, but it is significant and should act as a barrier to supporting pro-abortion candidates under most circumstances. I suppose that supporting a pro-abortion candidates would be acceptable if their opponents were likely to cause the third world war or engage in atrocities or something that might in some way negate their stance on abortion but I don't want to bother speculating on that because nothing comes to mind that negates the gravity of the over 300,000 babies killed by 'doctors' in the US 'legally' today.

Given that it is an election year, here's a handy pdf spreadsheet of every presidential candidate and their stated position on abortion. Call me cynical but I do believe that more than statements should be considered when thinking about voting on this issue. Action matters...and the Republican Party at the national level has been AWFUL on this issue. One needs only to look at the total control of the national government they had from 2001-2007 and the lack of action on this issue. If abortion is as important to you as I suspect it is then you should hold politicians accountable for their (in)action. Pro-abortion voters absolutely do.

Soon, WholeWoman’s Health v. Cole will be heard by the US Supreme Court (along with the Little Sisters of the Poor case, this year will be big for morality in the Court). The case revolves around the logical requirement that anyone who performs an abortion should be a competent enough doctor that they have admittance with nearby hospitals. Pro-abortionists don't support this requirement because, as it turns out, hospitals tend to be sticklers for that whole 'do no harm' principle of medicine, with most reserving abortion as an emergency-only procedure.

In my home state of Oregon, the new president for Oregon Right to Life (Harmony Daws), was fired from day job after being ordered to remain silent at work about political views. She was also barred from sharing her faith with her coworkers for any reason. Daws complied but was fired days later without warning. Keep an eye out for her business that she plans to open, and maybe send her a congratulations or even a small donation to Oregon Right to Life .

In other news, United Airlines has gone full Social Justice Warrior by censoring internet access on flights, including Live Action News for being inappropriate to view in-flight . Yes, a pro-life website has been equated with pornography or, more likely, hate speech. This is the world we live in, where mainstream political speech is considered hate speech. From my old pre-conversion life in the political left my gut reaction is to do a personal boycott of United Airlines: fly another carrier if you possibly can. Spending your money with a group that hostile to life and that is in bed with baby-killers helps support those industries.

Finally, on an upside, pro-life website LifeSiteNews founders have been awarded top pro-life award for unlocking the power of the internet in the cause of justice for vulnerable children. The service these news organizations provide, along with television outlets like EWTN, enable the pro-life and faith movements to do real work of communicating with truth to the world and making information available that counters the culture of death. What we need though are bloggers and Youtubers who represent the pro-life side and do so with wide support. There are plenty of pro-life blogs but there is room for more so start one! Or, even better, start a Youtube channel and find a creative way to bring the fight to the medium presently dominated by disgruntled atheists who object to the dominance of the latest incarnation of Marxism in our culture: feminism.