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I was reading some of the threads in the current event forum and was wondering how people view some of these topics from a religious point? What do you guys think about abortion? death penalty? Organ donation? Or any other topic like these? What does your religion say? Do you agree?

 

 

I for one am on the dance about a lot of these topics. My religion, Judaism, says one thing and I find myself thinking another. It's all so confusing! For example, my religion is against abortions except for when your or the baby's life is in danger. For example, certain diseases ect. I think I do agree with that, but I didn't always. Organ donation is a really sticky subject because there are so many rules around it in Judaism. The death penalty is even farther confsuing!

 

What do you guys think? What other topics pose a conflict for you?

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I'm agnostic now, although I was baptized and raised Catholic.

 

Abortion: In Catholic morality, abortion is either direct (induced) or indirect. Direct abortion is any destruction of the product of human conception, whether before or after implantation in the womb. A direct abortion is one that is intended either as an end in itself or as a means to an end. As a willful attack on unborn human life, no matter what the motive, direct abortion is always a grave objective evil. Abortion has been condemned by the Church since apostolic times. The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles, composed before A.D. 100, told the faithful "You shall not procure abortion. You shall not destroy a newborn child" (II, 2). Direct abortion and infanticide were from the beginning placed on the same level of malice. Indirect abortion is the foreseen but merely permitted evacuation of a fetus which cannot survive outside the womb. The evacuation is not the intended or directly willed result, but the side effect, of some legitimate procedure. As such it is morally allowable. Hundreds of ecclesiastical documents from the first century through to the present testify to the same moral doctrine, with such nuances as time, place, and circumstances indicated. The Second Vatican Council declared: "Life must be protected with the utmost care from the moment of conception," so that "abortion and infanticide are abominable crimes" (Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, IV, 51). Pope Paul VI confirmed this teaching in 1974. "Respect for human life,' he wrote, "is called for from the time that the process of generation begins. From the time that the ovum is fertilized, a life is begun which is neither that of the father nor of the mother. It is rather the life of a new human being with its own growth. It would never be made human if it were not human already." Consequently, "divine law and natural reason exclude all right to the direct killing of an innocent human being" (Declaration on Procured Abortion, III, 12).

 

Do I agree with it? No. First, I don't believe it's not right to strip a woman's right to do what she wants to do with her body. That matter should be between herself and her doctor (and husband if she's married.) Secondly, an embryo is just a clump of cells without a fully developed brain or pain receptors. A heartbeat means nothing if it cannot think. What's the big deal, I guess that's what I'm saying.

 

Death penalty: You can find arguments both for AND against the death penalty in the Bible. For example, Matthew 5:38-39 insists that violence shall not beget violence. James 4:12 says that God is the only one who can take a life in the name of justice. Leviticus 19:18 warns against vengeance (which, really, is what the death penalty amounts to). In John 8:7, Jesus himself says, "let he who is without sin cast the first stone."

 

Do I agree? Yes, I agree that the death penalty is wrong. I actually believe it's wrong, both politically and religiously. I'm not religious, but I firmly believe that if there is a God then only He can be the judge and decided one's fate. As for politically, government sanctioned execution is still murder. Executions have no place in a civilized society. And eye for an eye makes the world go blind.

 

Organ donations/blood donations: Organ donation is not found in the Bible since they did not have the medical science available at that time to perform such operations. The Apostle Paul did say this however: (Galatians 4:15) "What then was the blessing you enjoyed? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your own eyes and given them to me." Jesus gave His entire body to save us. I don't see why we couldn't give some parts of our bodies to save others. Most Christian denominations would probably view organ donation as a form of charity, and would think that it is some type of virtue. Fellow Christians, correct me if I'm wrong but I think I remembered reading a passage about Jesus giving His blood to the point of death, and had told His followers, "Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13). I assume that if we emulate Jesus then this may mean we should give/donate blood (same for organs I guess.) As long as it's not against our will.

 

Do I agree with it? Yes, as far as I understand. It's charitable and good. Also, some health studies have shown that it may be benificial by keeping your hematopotic cells happy!

 

Suicide is another topic that is controversial in the Catholic church. It's not because I don't believe it's 'sinful' (to me it's a very grey area to discuss), but because some Catholics firmly believe you go to hell for taking your own life. There's 4 sections in the Catechism of the Catholic Church that clearly condemn it: (2280) "Everyone is responsible for his life before God who has given it to him. It is God who remains the sovereign Master of life. We are obliged to accept life gratefully and preserve it for his honor and the salvation of our souls. We are stewards, not owners, of the life God has entrusted to us. It is not ours to dispose of."

 

Do I agree with it? I've only been to one Catholic church serviced funeral for people who have committed suicide. It was my neighbor and my mom said something that ticked me off, something about Satan owning his soul. However, the priest at the service said that taking ones own life is not a natural thing, but does not mean that those who took their own lives by their own hand are going to hell. Untreated manic depression takes over ones mind and makes one do things that they wouldn't of down if they were without it. They were born and created with that chemical imbalance, they can't control it. In other words, you could say a "demon" possessed them. Making them think that something so wrong could feel so right.

 

As I understood the boy was raised strictly Catholic (his mother is a fundamentalist), but in his suicide notes he kept saying that he didn't belong here and was leaving to join Gods hand and be rejoined with his father that left the family when he was a young boy. (That's the only rumor I heard that was circulating around my neighborhood)

 

Since I'm agnostic and think the term hell is a hoax, I just know that those with those feelings have different brains than the rest of us. Meaning serotonin is not properly distributed. I feel so bad for those with that much hurt in their soul that they get such deluded thinking that suicide is the only answer when it's never an answer to begin with.

 

Sorry for the super long post, I just felt like sharing. :blush:

Edited by Bagel of Death
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