Obama backer on his abortion views

If anyone is a true Christian, it is Barack Obama. Just this weekend, he strongly encouraged fathers to get back into the family. He embodies all that is good about religion. And he has to battle all that is bad about religion. By now we should know that you can't legislate morality. It has to come from all leaders: parents, chruch leaders business leaders, politicians.....by word and by example, just like Jesus Christ.

The comments and opinions of gay people remind me of the statements made about racial minorities and women by people who had been taught to be bigoted early in life. When you have known, personally, fine, normal families who just happen to have gay people in them, you can see that, throughout the world, gays are normal creations of God, who undoubtedly have God given purposes. Let there be peace.

First of all no one in the world can control sexual behavior. It is a normal human urge that must be fullfilled. The reason abortion was made legal was so poor women could have access like the rich. However, all the choices one makes concerning abortion is between them and God. Personally, Obama and any other officical has no right to tell a woman to not have a abortion, its their body, their choice. Maybe, a law in place, like abortion is allowed only for incest, rape, or health reasons. But somehow, that might be stepping on ones right for choice. I feel the Pres. should be fixing our ecomony, taxes, war, etc and not our moral choices in the world, they are not judge and jury over our lives, they are in a paid position which the people elect them to govern, nothing more and nothing less.

The Republican Party mantra is personal responsibility and small government. To allow the government to prevent women from making their own health care decisions is to go against everything the Republican Party stands for.

This is why to this day I'd have serious reservations about voting for a roman catholic for president. The church, to this day, uses its sacraments as a cudgel to force practicing politicians to follow their agenda. Communion is denied for those who dare disagree with the church. Even confession can be withheld via the doctrine that the priesthood is the only conduit to speak with the almighty.
Why should a clergyman, ANY clergyman, have that type of sway over the President of the United States? And let's not forget that the Vatican still uses the threat of excommunication today. Not much has changed since Martin Luther's time.

I am a Roman Catholic, but I certainly have issues with some their members sometimes. I can't understand how they can deny communion based on a political view, but if they do, why not ALL political views. If they are following church teaching, they should deny communion to those who support a candidate that is against universal health care, the church is for it. They should deny communion to those who support a candidate that is in favor of the continued occupation in Iraq. the church is against it.
I do not wear my politics (or religion for that matter) on my sleve. S you won't see me with an Obama button in church. But, now, I'm tempted to wear one next Sunday. Just to see what happens.

Just wondering where these communion black mailers were back in the 70's and 80's? Seems to me the church has agressivly stepped back in time to the days of controlling the government and the people through scare tactics just like their counterparts in the GOP.
I'm a gay catholic who believes in the power of forgiveness and personal faith, so i guess I'm going to hell.. Good thing, since I am certain all of my friends are there too!

David J.,

If you throw capital punishment into the mix, you be able to throw a stone across the church with a pretty good chance you wouldn't hit anyone.

Scot, I'd rather laugh with the sinners, than cry with the saints, too. See you on the other side. I'd rather be with you than them.

The other things to take under consideration is to address counseling by a pro-life and pro-choice counselors who could help expecting women to make a sound decision. Encouragement is the key to this issue in order to insure the mother that her choose will not be consider as a demoralizing time in her life. I am pro-life, an is opposed to taking the life of a mature fetus that I think has a right to live. But if it is a situation that will put the mother at risk, I think the decision to abort should be considered an option. If a woman becomes pregnant and doen't want the child, she is liable to do harm or abandon the child if nobody takes the time to listen and help her with a vital decision.

According to the Swamp's own search engine, this is the first time that the Swamp has deemed Doug Kmiec's views worthy of an article.

When Kmiec was backing Romney, the Swamp wasn't interested in Kmiec's views. But since Kmiec has just come out for Obama, his views are suddenly Swamp-worthy.

Doubtless this is just a coincidence and has nothing to do with the Swamp writers all being Obama backers.

This is one of my first times visiting this site and I'm stunned by some of the comments.

Jeff - It's fine if you don't want a Roman Catholic president but how in the world does the Church "force practicing politicians to promote their (sic) agenda?" The last time I checked, membership in the Roman Catholic Church was voluntary and by no stretch of the imagination does it have the power to force anyone to do anything. If any Catholic politician decides that he wishes to dissent from the Church's teachings, he is free to leave at any time. That's freedom of religion for you.

David J - Abortion along with certain other issues are treated differently according to Church doctrine. It's easy to look up and should be taught in any basic CCD class. It's a sin against faith and against the First Commandment to reject or obstinately doubt the Church's definitive teaching on the subject (cf. Catechism, nos. 2087-89; Code of Canon Law, canon 750). There is no similar ruling on other "political" issues such as capital punishment. Basically, you can not be pro-abortion and be in communion with the Catholic Church. You can be pro-capital punishment and be in communion with the Church, however.

Scot - I'm not sure what "communion blackmail" means but do you really believe that the church shouldn't promote its moral viewpoints? Do you really believe that it shouldn't ask Catholics (including Catholic politicians) to follow Church teachings? If it didn't, there wouldn't be any point to having a Catholic Church in the first place.

The importance of religious faith can not be underestimated in any American election for president. Presidential vote margins have been very close and the person elected has often been determined on moral grounds such as the pro-life faith of a significant number of voters. To believe that the pro-life voting block does not constitute many votes is foolish thinking by any political party because they should realize that a vote for a pro-choice candidate is a vote against God's creative actions. God creates human soul-spirits and infuses them at conception to make a person complete. How can pro-life voters say no to God's action at conception and vote for a pro-choice candidate??

As an Illinois state senator he voted THREE times against the “Born Alive Infant Protection Act” (a fourth time he cast one of his infamous “Present” votes) and then used his chairmanship of the Illinois State Senate’s Health & Human Services Committee to even prevent the bill from coming to a vote. Yes, Barack Obama opposed bills that would have mandated medical treatment for children that survived abortions. Living children outside of the womb.

If women do not want to have babies, then use protection or stop having sex. Once a woman becomes pregnant, her body is no longer hers. Her body immediately puts the baby's needs first. Women are responsible for their actions. As such, accept the consequences and make the best of them. No babe should suffer the punishment of irresponsibility from the one person who is supposed to be the safest and most loving source. As for those who were raped, do the right thing and allow God to take care of the rest. He will never give you more than you and Him can handle.

I agree with the post by riley.As a christian he sat there and was told about the story of one infant that survived an abortion procedure and still voted against the bill.To me that shows no compassion.I feel that his politics come first before his values.He is a politician first and whatever else second.Just because you know scripture does'nt mean you have a relationship.

I agree with the post by riley.As a christian he sat there and was told about the story of one infant that survived an abortion procedure and still voted against the bill.To me that shows no compassion.I feel that his politics come first before his values.He is a politician first and whatever else second.Just because you know scripture does'nt mean you have a relationship.

It is beyond disturbing that the Catholic Church denies communion to pro-choice politicians but not to pro-Iraq War politicians. Before the war, Pope John Paul sent his emissaries to tell Bush that God would not be on America's side in this war because it violated the Just War theory. Toward the end of the buildup toward the Iraq War, Pope John Paul spoke out against it on a daily basis. Pope Benedict has taken the same position.

Church officials have the constitutional right to promote the church's version of morality, including denying communion to politicians. However, if the Church wants to avoid strong suspicions of partisan politics, it should deny communion to pro-Iraq War politicians as well. This even-handed approach would require Catholics to vote for third party candidates like Libertarian Party's Bob Barr and Constitutional Party's Chuck Baldwin.

Unfortunately, the Church will continue enforcing its teachings selectively in favor of the Republicans, raising suspicions about the Church's true motives.