Two countries — well, a country and a state in Australia — are trying to modernize laws around reproduction.
The respective Catlick churches, of course, are having none of it.
In the Philippines, as we reported here, the Church is going with the tried-and-true bullshit and lies method.
In Australia, however, it’s going with threats.
The Church is threatening to close down maternity wards in 15 hospitals accounting for about one-third of births in the state.
Nice, eh? Here’s one take on it from The Age:
The threat by the Catholic Archbishop to close maternity wards should the Abortion Law Reform Bill be passed unamended is irresponsible and disingenuous. Catholic hospitals do not currently perform abortions and there are no provisions in the Abortion Law Reform Bill requiring them to do so, unless a woman’s life is at immediate risk. The bill contains a conscience clause, but there is nothing in it that is not common to all such clauses found in other legislation, both Australian and international.
Despite what its members believe and practise, the Catlick church refuses to be drawn into even the twentieth century.
It will be eventually. Kicking and screaming and stomping its ever-tinier little feet.
If it were up to me, I’d invite the Catholic church to leave the country, taking all its priests and nuns with it, and leaving behind all the churches and hospitals.
But it’s not up to me. I wonder what OZ will do?
Let me get this straight: the Catholic hospitals don’t do abortions, aren’t required to do abortions, don’t have to have anything to do with abortions, but they are threatening to close up shop over an abortion law? That about right?
This is a brazen example of church trying to bully its way into state.
ANTI CATHOLIC BASHING AT ITS BEST THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IS NOT PUSHING ITS BARROW YOU APPEAR TO PUSHING YOUR VIEWS DOWN CATHOLICS THROATS
@Chimera –
WHAT AN IDIOT YOU ARE WHY DONT YOU BURN US AT THE STAKE YOU DICKHEAD
This is for Eileen Kirwin of Australia.
We presume that she is a Catholic, given her penchant for CAPITALIZING and the tone of her rhetoric. She is also IGNORANT of the history of her church.
Eileen, it was your clergy who burned millions of people, falsely accusing them of heresy and seizing their property. How do you think the RCC got so wealthy?
What’s the deal with Catholics and CAPS?
Take heed, EILEEN KIRWIN — more judicious use of the caps lock might help you look, you know, sane.
“Take heed, EILEEN KIRWIN — more judicious use of the caps lock might help you look, you know, sane.”
But don’t count on it! Perhaps ~less~ crazy would be a more apt way of saying it…
Hey! I resent that.
I was raised Catholic and I know how to use the shift key just fine.
(Of course, I also had the intelligence to run screaming from anything to do with “Church” so, ya, hmm. You might have a point.)
Gigi – Once upon a time I was also a Catholic, but never a CAPolic.
Actually most of you have not only the story wrong but the typical "don't you know the history of your church" wrong as well…but that's for another discussion. There's no need for people to be nasty and cursing at one another over these issues. The Catholic bishops have threatened to close down their hospitals because there is the threat of forcing them to provide abortions which is against their beliefs. Just as you and I have a right to our beliefs, so does the Catholic Church. You may not agree with them and that is fine. But we should all respect one another's beliefs. If they belief so strongly against abortion then it is admirable that they would go to the extreme of shutting down the hospitals. They obviously don't want to but will not let someone dictate that they must act against their beliefs. The Catholic Church, like their beliefs or not, has had a remarkable effect on civilization and specifically on healthcare. Be reasonable in your discussions people..and kind.