(no subject)

[hnpcc]

A Catholic nun was excommunicated in the US for interpreting "the bishops' health care directives to permit a life saving procedure when doctors said there was no other choice."

Or, in other words, allowing the abortion of an 11 week old foetus to take place because the mother was in imminent danger of dying of pregnancy-related hypertension.

According to the Rev. John Erich, medical ethics director for the Diocese of Phoenix:

She consented in the murder of an unborn child. There are some situations where the mother may in fact die along with her child.

Seriously here, WTF?!?!?

I mean, yeah, there are certainly situations where the mother may die alongside the foetus, but I had no idea that Catholic hospitals in Phoenix were supposed to actively promote them when an alternative was available. Because apparently nothing is more sacred than a foetus.

(I wonder if we could get the Catholic church to redefine actual, living children as foetuses, and then impose the death penalty on anyone who violates them. It's a thought.)

The nun has been reinstated, btw. Not sure what, if anything, has happened to the bishop's representatives or the hospital employee who leaked the medical data to the Church, mind you.

Comments

[undergroundsea.livejournal.com]

I am not surprised at all by this. I guess because it was the faith I was brought up with. I thought however there had been some kind of common sense revision to say that doctors could save the life of a woman over that of the unborn child. But perhaps going so far as an abortion was not what they meant by that.

[hnpcc]

A group called Catholics for Choice has gone through the canon law and issued a point by point rebuttal of the diocese's interpretation of said law.

here are also mitigating factors that would make a person who committed a crime ineligible for punishment or eligible only for a lesser penalty. These include people who act in fear or in case of necessity.

"In case of necessity". Yeah, I think imminent death of the patient includes that.

[jamaisneutral.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure that in belgian hospitals (90% catholic I presume) this would not even be a question.
At least I should bloody hope not.

[hnpcc]

I wouldn't have thought so. I'd also have thought it wouldn't be in Italy either.

[hnpcc]

But apparently abortion is still illegal under all circumstances in Ireland. Interesting.

[undergroundsea.livejournal.com]

It's one of those "it's in God's hands" situations that makes me frustrated with other religions too that deny transplants and transfusions.

[vestalvagrant.livejournal.com]

"There are two options: you could have an abortion, which you'll never be forgiven for, or you can die. I'll be back in five minutes to hear what you've decided."

[jamaisneutral.livejournal.com]

The idiocy... it's mindboggling.
Would they say the same if men got pregnant, I wonder

[hnpcc]

I'd be interested to see if the bishop's views changed if he were to be told he couldn't have a heart valve replacement for faith-based reasons (it is very unnatural after all).

Or we used "the will of God" his primary medication - i.e. just leave him be and see if he recovers.

[sand-l.livejournal.com]

Oh, this reminds me of a west wing scene...it was blogged somewhere ... Gah! Now I'll have to find it....
This all just reinforces my deep mistrust of organized religion... ::sigh::

[sand-l.livejournal.com]

http://www.humanistsofutah.org/2002/WhyCantIOwnACanadian_10-02.html

[ataxophile.livejournal.com]

Nice idea about reclassifying children as foetuses. If only these lunatics' obsession with the sanctity of life extended to looking after the living.