Shea explains how politics, culture distort our understanding of Catholicism

Shea explains how politics, culture distort our understanding of Catholicism 

Any cursory reading of the responses on Facebook to suggestions that economic justice is the solution to abortion shows that Shea is spot on. Conservatives in the pro-life movement really do believe that taxation is theft and that charity cannot be mandatory, especially on NCR and America Magazines pages. Anti-abortion callers to my online radio show also confirm this. They believe that the solution to abortion is not money, but behavior. They refuse to pay for the results of other people's sexuality. At heart, they really do want to control women's bodies. At heart, the abortion debate, for them, really is about sex and the position of women in society. Feminists are correct in their response to their arguments. MSW needs to read the comments on his feed.

Catholic Social teaching is a response to Marx, but it is also a misunderstanding of Marx. Marx also accepted the social democracy which is the essence of Catholic teaching to him. Marxism is not revolution or bust, but social democracy is neither revolution or a realistic assessment of the human relations typified by Capitalism. Modern welfare economics mirrors what he says in its description of monopsony in the labor market. At heart, even monopsonist competition is exploitation of the worker. Solutions can be both/and, but the truth cannot be.

Being a pro-life Republican is to fall for the argument that abortion can be treated like infanticide without punishing the mother or the state having to investigate each pregnancy loss (which is not constitutionally correct). They consider anyone who does not share their belief to be pro-choice. They are correct in their assessment, although because they want to not investigate all pregnancy loss or punish mothers, they are essentially pro-choice too. 

Society cannot punish abortion like infanticide and only sanction Planned Parenthood. No one says that their movement is well thought out. The seamless garment of life is not on their agenda - and being pro-life is their agenda item. Being a Democrat for Life is pro-choice lite. They are not wrong. You are either with them or against them.

As to how God is seen or not seen as a means to an end, this comes from the argument that God ought to be worshiped for Their own selves, rather than as a fulfillment of our natures. This argument ignores the humility of God. He does not need our worship. Our best outcome is to cooperate with Their will, for our sake's, not for God's.