Fanaticism is an extreme and uncritical perspective or behaviour, enthusiastically manifested in unreasoning zeal, or frenzied and rabid beliefs regarding an issue. Usually associated with political or religious ideology.

Exhibit A: When in Manila, do as Rome says.

Quiapo Church has become almost synonymous with abortion. It is a testament not only to a people’s abiding faith but also to one of the more tragic facts in Philippine society, where abortion is illegal and the Roman Catholic Church condemns any woman who has one. But more and more women are undergoing abortions, and more and more of them are dying because abortions are largely clandestine and unsafe.

Precisely because of the enormous power of Roman Catholicism – more than 80 percent of Filipinos are Catholics – the government does not have a clear policy on abortion. Filipino politicians never mention it in their public pronouncements except to condemn it. Meanwhile, reports of women dying or hospitalized because of induced abortion, or of fetuses found in garbage dumps, are becoming more common. …

Some hospitals refuse to treat women for abortion-related illnesses like profuse bleeding because, as one health official put it, “they look at these women as sinners.” In a few instances, according to women’s groups, doctors have performed postabortion dilation and curettage without anesthesia as a punishment for these women.

The situation will become steadily worse, as a recent news item from the Philippines reports that a US international development agency is phasing out its contraceptive donation program. The Catholic ideology dominated Manila government has allocated money for family planning programs but has not yet defined the parameters. Birth Pangs suspects that the only technique likely to be promoted will be the ‘biological rhythm’ method, also known as Vatican Roulette.

Exhibit B: Next Sunday, September 9th, the Round Bellies Walk, a 5 km fitness event for pregnant women, will be held at the Montreal’s Olympic Stadium during the Health Festival. It is sponsored by the Réseau Familles d’aujourd’hui which invites all pregnant women and their families to participate in this celebration of life and health.

One would think that so-called “pro-life” followers would be supportive. Not so much, since one of the sponsors of this event is S.O.S. Grossesse, a phone help-line that offers a compassionate, non-judgemental listening ear to women facing an unintended pregnancy. Even though it provides only information about the options available, including adoption, and it does not procure abortions for those who would choose it, this organization is anathema for the fetus-fetishizers because it respects women’s right to choose. And thus the pregnancy-positive event is evil, because the religious fanatics say so.

Finally, in defense of religious belief since Birth Pangs is all about choice and balance, we offer Exhibit C: Catholics for a Free Choice. This organization “shapes and advances sexual and reproductive ethics that are based on justice, reflect a commitment to women’s well being and respect and affirm the moral capacity of women and men to make sound decisions about their lives. Through discourse, education and advocacy, CFFC works in the US and internationally to infuse these values into public policy, community life and Catholic social thinking and teaching.”

Infusing seems a respectful and gentle strategy, in contrast to the bullying, prevaricating, threatening and killing tactics that religious fanatics encourage and use to enforce their views, not only in the religious realm, but also on the political stage.