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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Respecting "Life"	May	Friday, October 22, 2004
Question: Hello Bro. Ignatius Mary, I'm writing regarding the response you gave from the post "Your Opinion on Michael Peroutka, Presidential Candidate" from Sunday, October 17, 2004. When you referred to Bush being "95% Pro-Life," did you mean what I think, which is that he is supportive of capital punishment (which is taking someone's life, i.e. murder by lethal injection, and playing God) and the fact that he/his Cabinet started the war in Iraq without considering the consequences of deaths of military people, innocent bystanders, and civilians (from countries outside of Iraq working there) that would arise from his decision? I am confused, as I wonder, what stage of life is more important or held more sacred? Life at the embryonic stage? The youth? The life of adult people like you and me who could be easily accused of a crime that we didn't commit and put on death row to be killed by lethal injection just because of mistaken identity or we just didn't have strong legal representation? The life of the elderly or disabled who can be considered euthanizable because they are too inconvenient to those related to them? What stage of life does God favor most? It is all too confusing and controversial to me. I believe all life is sacred. Even evil people can turn good by the grace of God. We have no right to play God and kill others at any stage based on our own emotions, convenience, or what's "legally" just, correct? Thank you and God bless, May
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM+ Dear May: In referring to Pro-Life I am talking about abortion and you know that. Capital punishment is NOT murder and to equate capital punishment with abortion is disingenuous and contrary to Church teaching. It is also an offense to those poor babies who are killed to equate what happens to them with capital punishment. The Church teaches that Capital Punishment IS PERMISSIBLE under certain conditions. Abortion is NEVER permissible. War is also permitted by the Catholic Church under certain conditions. In fact, the Church teaches that it can be in certain cicumstances a moral imperative for a nation to go to war. Abortion is never permissible. In addition, if you think that any President, Republican, Democrat, or any other party will not use military power then you are naive indeed. All other things being equal, babies will be best protected under President Bush. Kerry supports abortion on demand; Bush would like to see Roe v. Wade overturned. Given this alone, which one should we vote for? This is not rocket science. The political reality is, and I will say this bluntly, that ANYONE who votes for Kerry or votes for some third party person or independent, instead of voting for Bush, is supporting, in effect, the murder of babies. I have already explained why this is the case -- because of the closeness of the race. If it was more certain that Bush would win, then I would have no problem with voting for a candidate that will not win but who is 100% consistent with Catholic teaching. We do not have that luxury in this election. Either vote for Bush, or your vote will be effectively supporting abortion. That is the fact. And that is the only issue. In my opinion, voting for Bush is a moral imperative under these conditions. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary P.S. This is the END of this subject. No further questions about the election will be accepted. Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Respecting "Life"

May

Friday, October 22, 2004

Question:

Hello Bro. Ignatius Mary,

I'm writing regarding the response you gave from the post "Your Opinion on Michael Peroutka, Presidential Candidate" from Sunday, October 17, 2004.

When you referred to Bush being "95% Pro-Life," did you mean what I think, which is that he is supportive of capital punishment (which is taking someone's life, i.e. murder by lethal injection, and playing God) and the fact that he/his Cabinet started the war in Iraq without considering the consequences of deaths of military people, innocent bystanders, and civilians (from countries outside of Iraq working there) that would arise from his decision?

I am confused, as I wonder, what stage of life is more important or held more sacred? Life at the embryonic stage? The youth? The life of adult people like you and me who could be easily accused of a crime that we didn't commit and put on death row to be killed by lethal injection just because of mistaken identity or we just didn't have strong legal representation? The life of the elderly or disabled who can be considered euthanizable because they are too inconvenient to those related to them? What stage of life does God favor most? It is all too confusing and controversial to me. I believe all life is sacred. Even evil people can turn good by the grace of God. We have no right to play God and kill others at any stage based on our own emotions, convenience, or what's "legally" just, correct?

Thank you and God bless,

May

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM+

Dear May:

In referring to Pro-Life I am talking about abortion and you know that.

Capital punishment is NOT murder and to equate capital punishment with abortion is disingenuous and contrary to Church teaching. It is also an offense to those poor babies who are killed to equate what happens to them with capital punishment.

The Church teaches that Capital Punishment IS PERMISSIBLE under certain conditions. Abortion is NEVER permissible.

War is also permitted by the Catholic Church under certain conditions. In fact, the Church teaches that it can be in certain cicumstances a moral imperative for a nation to go to war. Abortion is never permissible.

In addition, if you think that any President, Republican, Democrat, or any other party will not use military power then you are naive indeed.

All other things being equal, babies will be best protected under President Bush. Kerry supports abortion on demand; Bush would like to see Roe v. Wade overturned. Given this alone, which one should we vote for?

This is not rocket science. The political reality is, and I will say this bluntly, that ANYONE who votes for Kerry or votes for some third party person or independent, instead of voting for Bush, is supporting, in effect, the murder of babies.

I have already explained why this is the case -- because of the closeness of the race. If it was more certain that Bush would win, then I would have no problem with voting for a candidate that will not win but who is 100% consistent with Catholic teaching.

We do not have that luxury in this election. Either vote for Bush, or your vote will be effectively supporting abortion. That is the fact. And that is the only issue. In my opinion, voting for Bush is a moral imperative under these conditions.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

P.S. This is the END of this subject. No further questions about the election will be accepted.

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum