The Vatican takes aim at Amnesty International on abortion
I realize that the Roman Catholic Church is “pro-life,” which is to say, vehemently anti-abortion, no matter what, but I’m not so sure it’s such a great idea — given a) its own long history on the wrong side of human rights, and b) its more recent concern with human rights, including opposition to the death penalty — to go after Amnesty International for promoting abortion choice.
And that is precisely what the Church is doing. As the BBC is reporting, “[t]he Vatican has urged all Catholics to stop donating money to Amnesty International”. This is nothing if not counter-productive.
In its defence, Amnesty is claiming that it promotes choice, not universal abortion rights, which is fair, if unclear, but of course the Church is absolutist in its stance on abortion — and this includes opposing abortion even in extreme cases (rape, incest). The Church points to what it calls Amnesty’s “pro-abortion about-turn,” but Amnesty’s deputy secretary general, Kate Gilmore was right to argue that the “Church, through a misrepresented account of [Amnesty's] position on selective aspects of abortion, is placing in peril work on human rights”.
Evidently, though, anti-abortion absolutism, even when combined with misrepresentation, as here, is more important to the Church — or at least to the Vatican, to be more precise — than Amnesty’s important work on human rights. Would it not have been better for the Church to criticize Amnesty’s position without going so far as to call on all Catholics to stop donating money to it? Given that Amnesty and the Church now have so much in common, and can do so much together with respect to human rights, why endanger the noble work that Amnesty is doing?
12 Responses to “The Vatican takes aim at Amnesty International on abortion”
So the Church won’t treat its moral standards as if they were political expediencies? The horror!
It is as if you are asking the Chruch to be inconsistent in its teachings, as if it is the duty of Church to compromise its faith in a political fashion.
Further, there are other groups working in the field of human rights that deserve support every bit as much as AI. If more money (which is the issue REALLY at the heart of AI’s bitching) finds its way to those other groups plenty of good will coem of it.
The church (Catholic or other) has a choice of how it propogates its religious teachings. I would not expect The Vatican to speak anything but opposition to abortion.
I would expect it to avoid attacking specific political groups in order to do so.
We just saw in the US how the mix of religion and politics can lead to bad results. I don’t think we need to repeat the same mistakes on an international level.
This makes me wonder, if the Vatican is more concerned with moral issues or its own place in the corridors of power and headlines.
It was said:
It’s not just that with AI. Domajot reveals more, albeit accidentally, when mistakenly referring instead to the Vatican:
Amnesty International and other organizations often reach beyond the scope of their official and obvious purposes for being, and hold positions and intervene in political issues all the time. Consider the various positions announced on various issues by unions, for example. And no, Amnesty International can’t succeed with gimmickry by saying “abortion is a human right” to rationalize their left-wing political activism (not human rights welfare work).
The Pope should concern himself more with the removal of priestly penises from choirboys’ rectums than the removal of fetuses from wombs.
There wd be some progress!
DLS-
We can discuss the shorcomings of AI seperately. My opinion is not dependent on the specific organization involved.
I find the church (any church) promoting itself in this way. to be ill advised.
To boot, with genocide, numerous armed conflicts, disease and starvation on the international scene, I find the singling out of potential humans for concern, over and beyond the survival of actual people morally suspect.
This sends the message that inability to protect and feed the children already here is less important than producing more children.
Regarsless of how they rank their priorities, IMO
this is an ill advised way to advocate for them.
The Vatican continues to be bigoted, myopic, and self defeating in shunning amnesty international….an orgainzation that puts its money wehre its mouth is..and LIVES its vision.
Gotta love the bigots.
As i don’t want to totally loose my sense of humor, yes, Iconic, you do have to love the bigots…but the Vatican’s on-going harm done to the life that exists between embryo and the ‘natural last breath” is so tragic i can’t quite break into a big belly laugh. The Vatican’s/Roman Catholic’s “consistent life-ethic” is so inconsistent, that one can only sometimes shake their head wearily at missed opportunities to love.
The Vatican State is a rotten corrupt bastion of Fascism,having been set up by Mussolini in the 30′s.
Somehow they are not legally accountable to those who do stuff in there name,yet they are free to “advise” those caught in the pig pen of trinity.
Amnesty should sue the Vatican State,as should everyone with a case against Roman Catholics.
Priests should be sued for spouting dogma if it can be proved by witnesses.Any documentation should be held against them in a court of law.
Sue them for damages.
Epecially the chief Eunach.
Namaste
Andy
[...] The Vatican takes aim at Amnesty International on abortion By Michael Stickings Evidently, though, anti-abortion absolutism, even when combined with misrepresentation, as here, is more important to the Church — or at least to the Vatican, to be more precise — than Amnesty’s important work on human rights. … The Moderate Voice – http://themoderatevoice.com [...]
Domajot:
I find the church (any church) promoting itself in this way. to be ill advised.
It’s not promoting itself, though if you meant “advertising” (exhibiting) and you dislike it I understand.
Therefore the Vatican is against human rights as its stance against Amnesty International Shows.
The European Court should take action against the Vatican State for this particular stance as well as other harmful dogma that emanates from the lickspittle fascist dictator of Europes LAST Fascist State,in terms of constitution.
They have been getting away with relying on BS & ignorance too long.Nothing should be above the Law.
Andy