www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Are Republican politicians really Pro-Life???

Read about the Freedom of Choice Act before you vote, and what effect it will have on Catholic hospitals and physicians. IIRC, Obama promised to push it through as one of his first acts.

I hesitate to speak on this topic, but I think that many Americans do not vote on experience or issues of a candidate, but on the 'likability' or 'appeal' factor...as if they are voting for a high school year book contest.

Perhaps McCain has little going for him in the 'appeal/charisma' category, and perhaps he is not the best candidate which could have been set forth by his party, but I truly, and as many informed persons I have spoken to say also, TRULY, fear what will happen to this country if they vote in Sen. Obama...and I am not just thinking of abortion.

Alice

I'm afraid of John McCain - he was a loud, enthusiastic supporter of the bombings of Serbia. That's not my idea of "pro-life". Bombing civilians (not to mention the Chinese Embassy) is not particularly edifying.

Fr. Serge

I am very neutral about politics and don't get offended, so I appreciate all opinions..though I will admit to having opinions of my own.

We all have issues that speak to us differently. To some it is war and/or foreign policy, to others it is more taxes, to others it is abortion and/or infanticide, to others it is what a political party stands or stood for traditionally or contemporarily.

Ofcourse what I dislike most about politics is that it has the terrible habit of stirring up anger and anomosity and can stir up passion between friends, family and brethren, and our Eastern tradition teaches us that the passions are not of God...so I won't say any more!

Let's just remember our brother Athanasius the L/aka: Ryan's beautiful post of yesterday:


In Christ our Lord,
Alice

[qutoe]I'm afraid of John McCain - he was a loud, enthusiastic supporter of the bombings of Serbia.[/quote]

Replace John McCain with Joe Biden and the statement holds, and of course those bombings occurred during a Democratic administration.

Foreign policy will actually likely change little either way.

When the Chinese are using the embassy to covertly war against America it is a very good thing to bomb them.

I'm voting for McCain. He's pro-life. Obama wants to force taxpayers to pay for 4,000 abortions a day. He is a socialist. He talks about need to take care of your brother and has an aunt in Boston living in a slum he doesn't help and a brother in Africa starving on $1 a month that he doesn't help. His pastor of 20 years runs around saying "G-- D--- America". His best friend is a terrorist. And he says not wanting to pay higher taxes so he can spread the wealth is selfish. The scariest words in the world are "I'm from the government and I'm here to help you." Rich liberal Democrats will take everything and leave the entire country poor and unemployed. And last week Congress debated socializing the nest egg we have in our 401k to fund all this new spending they promise. Joe the Plumber is right on target. Obama wants to make us poor so he can be powerful.

The average American seems to have some weird hangups about voting for 3rd party candidates. I've been voting 3rd party for 3 decades, and I believe Constitution Party candidate Chuck Baldwin is light years ahead of John McCain and Barack Obama.

McCain is also reported to have voted for funding the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA)with the end result of creating another Muslim state in Europe.

Ray

Helen writes that:

The trouble with such a principle is that it can be used in both directions. I somehow doubt that Helen would approve the Iranian policy towards the American Embassy in Tehran (the prolonged hostage crisis). Or the Ottoman policy toward Ambassadors and diplomatic staff of countries which made war on the Ottomans (the Ambassadors and diplomats were thrown into prison).

Moreover, at the time of the bombings of Serbia, I fail to remember where and how China was "covertly warring on America". Must have been so covert that nobody told me.

Is Helen telling us that the American bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Serbia was deliberate? If so, that would really put the fat in the fire!

Fr. Serge

Read about Biden's record on Kosovo.

This is not an easy one to answer, as I am not fond of either major party and haven't been since I started voting. In this case, I think there will be a radical shift to the left in this country with an Obama victory, with a two year super majority and numerous judiciary appointments looming. In this case I think a vote for a third party is probably just a throw away vote, though I can understand someone who in their conscience must vote that way.

Like here? Horrible! Kosovareport [kosovareport.blogspot.com]

There seems to be no difference between McCain and Biden on foreign policy and especially KosovO.

I received an e-mail of a YouTube video a few months back trying to persuade me to vote for McCain because of Obama's partial birth abortion position. As horrible as partial-birth abortion is, is a position as pre-emptive war better? No, sorry.

But to get back to the original question..."Are Republican politicans really Pro-Life?"

Most Republicans vote to restrict abortion and abortion funding. But they have generally bought into the notion of pre-emptive war, which is NOT found in the US Constitution, but could now be called "The Bush Doctrine."

Here is my point, McCain believes in pre-emptive war which kills innocent people. Obama believes in pre-emptive killing of innocents in the womb. Whether we are in or out of the womb, all life is precious to God.

Pope John Paul II was very clear about the Iraqi war and how it does not fit into the Christian just war theory. One Byzantine Catholic bishop, Romanian Michael Botean's words can be found here. Quote: "Therefore I, by the grace of God and the favor of the Apostolic See Bishop of the Eparchy of St. George in Canton, must declare to you, my people, for the sake of your salvation as well as my own, that any direct participation and support of this war against the people of Iraq is objectively grave evil, a matter of mortal sin. Beyond a reasonable doubt this war is morally incompatible with the Person and Way of Jesus Christ. With moral certainty I say to you it does not meet even the minimal standards of the Catholic just war theory."

Read Bishop Botean's sermon here [jonahhouse.org]

So, either one party want to kill the unborn and the other wants to get you in pre-emptive war.

Are Republican politicians REALLY pro-life? No, only one and his name is Ron Paul. Watch a video with Ron Paul about the Just War [youtube.com]

Humbly submitted,

Ray

I think that is a dangerous argument.

Dear Brothers,

Since when did the Iraqi war become a war 'against the people of Iraq'?

Granted, in retrospect, it may have been unwarranted (and for that we have the complete backing of former President Clinton and Sen Clinton who said that the intelligence was ironclad), and a mistake as well, but we owe it to the military that has served there and given their lives due to the terrorist suicide bombers, the respect of honoring their sacrifice on 'behalf' of the Iraqi people and to allow them to finish their job as so much progress has now been made...I didn't come up with this-- a soldier was saying this yesterday on some news show which I caught a glimpse of and out of respect for him and what he and others have done for the Iraqi people, I am passing it on. (I don't really like to watch much t.v. so I just run through it when I am on my treadmill to kill the time).

In Christ,
Alice

Although the Iraqi Christians were better off under Saddam Hussein--there is no doubt about that--but were all the people, really? Dictators are kind of frightening and hated by those who are under them... and in a way the U.S. is damned if it does and damned if it doesn't topple a dictator. Foreign countries and people are always angry at us for one reason or another anyhow...trust me, I know.