August 25, 2008

Biden

I was watching the news on the election, and saw that Obama picked Joe Biden as his VP. I will admit that I have done only minimal research on Biden, and don't know a whole lot about the guy, so I was reserving judgment as to whether or not he would increase Obama's chances of getting the in White House.

(On a side note, did anyone really think he would pick Clinton? Seriously, why would anyone put two minorities on the same ticket? It doesn't make sense, because in this broken world we live in, that ticket would never get to the White House. Sheesh, people, be realistic. Now back to the post.)

So, there I am, reserving my opinion and waiting to hear what else they would say, and did I get an earful! What did I hear? Three words, following Biden's name: 'a pro-choice Catholic'.

EXCUSE ME?!?!?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME? THAT'S RIDICULOUS! THAT BORDERS ON CRIMINAL!

Yes, I screamed those exact words, and many more upon hearing that oxymoronic phrase. Here's the thing: my position on abortion is solidly connected to my religion. I have other reasons for it, but it falls right in line with what the Magisterium (that's the infallible Catholic seat of all things connected with the Catholic dogma - more on that later) says is right and holy, so I have no problem admitting that the Church is my main influence on the position and that I am incredibly devoted to it. I also believe that going to Mass doesn't make you Catholic, just like going to any other church service of any kind doesn't make you Christian. To be Catholic, you basically have to make a commitment to agree with and follow everything the Magisterium says.

(I'm going to do another post on the Magisterium in just a minute, to help explain this. Until you read it, please, please keep in mind that I am not insane or a religious nut in the traditional sense.)

So, if Biden is really, truly Catholic (meaning he was Confirmed while in his right mind) then he CAN'T be pro-choice. It's impossible to truly be both. There is simply no way for that to be. It's like saying the wall is both entirely purple and entirely orange. When you show me a wall that's both completely purple and completely orange at the same time, I might reconsider my position, but even then it's not likely.

"My views are totally consistent with Catholic social doctrine," Biden said in a 2007 interview with the Christian Science Monitor.
Nope, sorry, Mr. Biden.
George Weigel, a Pope John Paul II biographer and senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, said: "I don't think it's a happy day for Catholics when a man who is literally dead wrong on what the Catholic leadership of the United States has said for over three decades is the most important issue of social justice in our country is named to a national ticket and attempts to present himself as an intellectually serious and coherent Catholic."
Very true, Mr. Weigel, very true.

The full article I took these snippets from:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080824/ap_on_el_pr/cnv_biden_catholic;_ylt=ArD3lTB3kAp49gNCQVna9hjCw5R4

Another point to this is that his personal feeling might be pro-life, but because of politics, he has to act like he's pro-choice in his voting and policies and such. I say, BS. If you're willing to sacrifice your personal prinicples for politics, then you should be in a different career.

To conclude, I'm not trying to judge. I'm not saying that Biden is a bad person or won't get into heaven or anything like that, because I don't know that and never will. I know very well that many of the things I say and do don't go along with what the Church says is right and holy. Well, I'm human, and God knows that. It's not excusable, that's why Christ had to die. For my sins, for Biden's, for everyone's. All I'm saying is that pro-choice Catholics don't really exist, and I wish that our politicians would show their spots.

1 comment:

Gucci Mama said...

I'm not a Catholic, but I am a Christian who is passionate about the right to life, and to think of Obama and Biden running this country with their desire of absolutely no restrictions on abortion on demand is really scary.

It's amazing to me that more people haven't caught the total contradiction in terms that is the phrase "pro-choice Catholic". Sad and scary, I say.