tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16958083.post2286063998265447159..comments2023-10-16T19:20:24.549+08:00Comments on Out of my mind: A pathway towards better clarity of the issues on RH BillBong C. Austerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798514780319855742noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16958083.post-7498864049722601462009-04-04T10:45:00.000+08:002009-04-04T10:45:00.000+08:00"The Church teaches that the decision of a well-fo..."The Church teaches that the decision of a well-formed conscience must be respected. A person must not be made to act contrary to his or her conscience except if it involves grave harm to one’s self, to others, or to the common good."<BR/><BR/>The key word is WELL-FORMED conscience. That is to KNOW what the Church teaches on the issue of abortion and contraception. Therefore, a Catholic has the obligation to study and know Church doctrine. One cannot excuse his stand by saying he is for the RH bill because it doesn't go against his conscience especially in view of the debate that surrounds it. One has ample exposure and means to know the arguments of both sides. He cannot feign ignorance.<BR/><BR/>Fr. Genilo goes on to point about the existence of conservative, liberal and moderate currents in the Church. However, this is immaterial regarding the issue of contraception and abortion for Church doctrine is WELL-DEFINED. There is no room for a relative approach here. TRUTH is immutable no matter what the dissenters foist on us.Joe Marianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16958083.post-60566282048090551482008-10-08T23:38:00.000+08:002008-10-08T23:38:00.000+08:00Indeed Eric Genilo wrote a very sharp distinction ...Indeed Eric Genilo wrote a very sharp distinction of the positions of the two contending sides of the debate on the RH bill. I can even dare say a razor-sharp distinction. It certainly helped clear the confusion and clarify the issue.<BR/><BR/>One thing became clear to me after reading it: the Catholic Church’s position against the RH bill is diametrically opposed to the essence of the RH bill. <BR/><BR/>Eric’s analysis only highlights the irreconcilable position of the Catholic Church against the RH bill. There will not be a win-win solution to the debate. One side has to lose. If the Catholic Church will have its wishes granted, it will essentially destroy the RH bill and the agenda behind it. If the RH bill becomes law, the Catholic Church fails tremendously its divine mandate; that is how high the stakes are for the Catholic Church.<BR/><BR/>The Catholic Church view the RH bill as flowing from a culture guided by positivism, as the late John Paul II notes in the Letter to Families: "..the development of contemporary civilization is linked to a scientific and technological progress which is often achieved in a one-sided way, and thus appears purely positivistic. Positivism, as we know, results in agnosticism in theory and utilitarianism in practice and in ethics... Utilitarianism is a civilization of production and of use, a civilization of things and not of persons, a civilization in which persons are used in the same way as things are used. In the context of a civilization of use, woman can become an object for man, children a hindrance to parents ....". (Gratissimam Sane, 13)<BR/><BR/>The Catholic Church is opposed to this positivistic and utilitarian ideology. She seeks to uphold human dignity: a human being must not be treated as a thing and be used; a human being “possesses the dignity of a person, who is not just something, but someone. … And he is called by grace to a covenant with his Creator, to offer him a response of faith and love that no other creature can give in his stead.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 357) <BR/><BR/>For the Catholic Church, to use a human being is immoral. Thus, I can dare say that the RH bill with its essential components of contraceptive methods, as a whole, is immoral. Can the Catholic Church, then, compromise with immorality? I don’t think so.<BR/><BR/>Let us stop wasting our time in this useless debate hoping for a middle ground. There is no middle ground between morality and immorality; between good and evil!<BR/><BR/>This is my comment. I hope you will respect my take on this issue. Feel free to disagree, it is a free country.Jun Abejohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16583462742566468259noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16958083.post-9155846851107957262008-10-08T23:36:00.000+08:002008-10-08T23:36:00.000+08:00Indeed Eric Genilo wrote a very sharp distinction ...Indeed Eric Genilo wrote a very sharp distinction of the positions of the two contending sides of the debate on the RH bill. I can even dare say a razor-sharp distinction. It certainly helped clear the confusion and clarify the issue.<BR/><BR/>One thing became clear to me after reading it: the Catholic Church’s position against the RH bill is diametrically opposed to the essence of the RH bill. <BR/><BR/>Eric’s analysis only highlights the irreconcilable position of the Catholic Church against the RH bill. There will not be a win-win solution to the debate. One side has to lose. If the Catholic Church will have its wishes granted, it will essentially destroy the RH bill and the agenda behind it. If the RH bill becomes law, the Catholic Church fails tremendously its divine mandate; that is how high the stakes are for the Catholic Church.<BR/><BR/>The Catholic Church view the RH bill as flowing from a culture guided by positivism, as the late John Paul II notes in the Letter to Families: "..the development of contemporary civilization is linked to a scientific and technological progress which is often achieved in a one-sided way, and thus appears purely positivistic. Positivism, as we know, results in agnosticism in theory and utilitarianism in practice and in ethics... Utilitarianism is a civilization of production and of use, a civilization of things and not of persons, a civilization in which persons are used in the same way as things are used. In the context of a civilization of use, woman can become an object for man, children a hindrance to parents ....". (Gratissimam Sane, 13)<BR/><BR/>The Catholic Church is opposed to this positivistic and utilitarian ideology. She seeks to uphold human dignity: a human being must not be treated as a thing and be used; a human being “possesses the dignity of a person, who is not just something, but someone. … And he is called by grace to a covenant with his Creator, to offer him a response of faith and love that no other creature can give in his stead.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 357) <BR/><BR/>For the Catholic Church, to use a human being is immoral. Thus, I can dare say that the RH bill with its essential components of contraceptive methods, as a whole, is immoral. Can the Catholic Church, then, compromise with immorality? I don’t think so.<BR/><BR/>Let us stop wasting our time in this useless debate hoping for a middle ground. There is no middle ground between morality and immorality; between good and evil!<BR/><BR/>This is my comment. I hope you will respect my take on this issue. Feel free to disagree, it is a free country.Jun Abejohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16583462742566468259noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16958083.post-82074164396831400052008-10-06T22:23:00.000+08:002008-10-06T22:23:00.000+08:00Lol, leave it to a Jesuit to make sound, logical a...Lol, leave it to a Jesuit to make sound, logical arguments for/against the RH bill. They're probably one of the few priests I have that much respect for these days.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for posting this Bong - I'll be passing it along to my friends also concerned about this matter.<BR/><BR/>It clears up a lot regarding the bill's intent, and reveal some loopholes and grey areas I didn't notice before :)Contents under pressuehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08150798234316773741noreply@blogger.com