Links for 02/20/1 | National Catholic Reporter

Links for 02/20/1 | National Catholic Reporter by MSW. MGB: I disagree with Ms. Clark.  Mass extinctions happen every so often when either the natural world or a dominant species changes life for the other creatures.  They are not good or evil, they just are.  We have been in the middle of one for over 100 years.  Extinction is part of the life cycle of every species.  Our first victim was Neanderthal, who partially lives on in non-African people, but is not found on its own anywhere.  You either reproduce and find enough food, or you die. Even modern humans will be extinct one day, probably at the hands of a better version of ourselves.



If Massachusetts had an idiot for an Archbishop, the court ruling might have forced them to close schools, or at least stop lunch - however Sean O'Malley is no idiot.  In reality, same-sex civil marriage is just marriage - or civil marriage - and if heterosexuals in civil marriages are employed by the Church than any action against the gay ones is absolutely bigotry.  There is no other word for it, since we are as committed to the fact that civil marriage is not sacramental as we are to opposing gay marriage, which I do not oppose.  Indeed, we should let gays get married in Church, overturning was is essentially a middle school understanding of homosexuality in the Magisterium and in bishops.



Interesting list, but sometimes you have to stand for something, although people stand for different things.  Francis would stand for immigration rights.  The Catholic bishops think abortion (and apparently voting Democrat) is an intrinsic evil.  I totally agree with 4 and 5.  Doubt is absolutely essential, especially if one is sure one is right (like the Bishops and their supposed monopoly on natural law - which is a perversion of the entire concept).  Specify is essential in the pro-life debate.  The pro-life argument usually falls apart, at least politically, if one starts to specify real actions to be taken (for example, going after doctors but not mothers - which would actually be unconstitutional and would lead to self-induced abortion, as is happening where Trap laws are being enforced).  Sadly, on abortion, keeping the conversation - or at least the dueling monologues - going is how each side does its fundraising.  If compromise were reached on second trimester abortion policy and means to use government funds to prevent most abortions, neither side could raise much money.