The Frightening Attitudes Of The Catholic Church

I know that progress comes slowly to the Catholic Church, but what is going on in Brazil right now is just absolutely horrific. How you can excommunicate a mother trying to protect the health of her daughter and the doctors that performed an abortion for a nine year old girl is ridiculous, especially when the rapist, the girl's stepfather is let off the hook by the church. When it comes to questions of sin, the Vatican's endorsement of their Brazilian leadership is completely out of whack. Thankfully there are more rational people down there that are trying to deal with the outrageous behavior of the church.

From Yahoo News:

"God's law is above any human law. So when a human law ... is contrary to God's law, this human law has no value," Cardoso had said.

He also said the accused stepfather would not be expelled from the church. Although the man allegedly committed "a heinous crime ... the abortion - the elimination of an innocent life - was more serious".

Battista Re agreed, saying: "Excommunication for those who carried out the abortion is just" as a pregnancy termination always meant ending an innocent life.

The case has sparked fierce debate in Brazil, where abortion is illegal except in cases of rape or if the woman's health is in danger.

On Friday, President Luiz Ignacio Lula da Silva hit out at Sobrinho's decision, saying: "As a Christian and a Catholic, I deeply regret that a bishop of the Catholic church has such a conservative attitude."

"The doctors did what had to be done: save the life of a girl of nine years old," he said, adding that "in this case, the medical profession was more right than the church."

One of the doctors involved in the abortion, Rivaldo Albuquerque, told Globo television that he would keep going to mass, regardless of the archbishop's order.

"The people want a church full of forgiveness, love and mercy," he said.

I am glad to see that da Silva and at least one of the excommunicated doctors are not taking this sitting down. Cardoso's statement up above, that God's law is above any human law is seriously misplaced. Obviously the Archbishop has no clue as to what "God's law" is, or else he would have at least an ounce of compassion for the young girl. God's law would in no way endanger the life of an innocent nine year old and neither would any law made by rational men, a group that these clergymen clearly do not belong in.

As Mayor, Palin Made Rape Victims Pay For Their Own Forensic Tests

The act of rape has to be one of the most violating acts one human being can commit against another. It is a disgustingly brutal practice that allows the attacker to feel more powerful by exerting their will over their victim. Rapists need to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, but we as a society must be able to care for their victims as much as we possibly can. However Sarah Palin and her police department in Wasilla did not feel that way eight years ago and the state of Alaska had to override their decision to charge rape victims for forensic exams.

From McClatchy:

Speaking to a teleconference audience of reporters around the nation, former Gov. Tony Knowles and current Ketchikan Mayor Bob Weinstein -- both Democrats -- accused Palin of misleading the public in her new role as the vice presidential running mate of Arizona Sen. John McCain.

While some of their complaints have already been aired, Knowles broke new ground while answering a reporter's question on whether Wasilla forced rape victims to pay for their own forensic tests when Palin was mayor.

True, Knowles said.

Eight years ago, complaints about charging rape victims for medical exams in Wasilla prompted the Alaska Legislature to pass a bill -- signed into law by Knowles -- that banned the practice statewide.

"There was one town in Alaska that was charging victims for this, and that was Wasilla," Knowles said.

I don't even think this classifies as "compassionate conservatism" for the GOP. Charging victims for the tests that help bring their rapists to justice is absolutely disgusting. Grover Norquist wants to reduce government so that it can drown in a bathtub, but this is just beyond the pale. Honestly, as a taxpayer I am glad to pay my share where a small fraction goes to funding these tests that run a few hundred dollars. Any conservative that thinks Palin is still a good choice should be ashamed of themselves, not just for their failed ideology but the true heartlessness that Palin's adherence to that ideology shows the residents of Wasilla, Alaska and the entire country.