Comments for "Rights" and Liberties at http://www.thecatholicthing.org , comment 1 to 14 out of 14 comments http://www.thecatholicthing.org Thu, 23 May 2013 12:32:51 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/qrightsq-and-liberties.html#comment-1790 Father Schall's point extends beyond just the "right to abortion", "gay marriage", etc. The "human rights" argument was on full display by Jenkins and numerous students trotting out the worn rhetorical argument that Obama's position concerning universal healthcare, immigration, [fill in the blank] is in keeping with Catholic "social justice" teaching. Again, none of this is necessarily "justice", but it most assuredly reflects political ideology. - Craig Mon, 18 May 2009 12:56:17 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/qrightsq-and-liberties.html#comment-1772 So Bradley you're not acting as an "anti-christ" when you do something that's anti Christ? Part of what got us into this mess is people who don't think abortion is a big deal telling us exactly what people would have thought more than 200 years ago. You're mixing up the Church with Protestants who were lynching Catholics at the same rate as slaves. This is not to say that all Catholics weren't racist but the Church itself was a center of early abolitionism and later the Civil Rights movement! - Jacob Sun, 17 May 2009 10:10:44 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/qrightsq-and-liberties.html#comment-1771 Actually Molly Catholic groups do send out groups to pray the Rosary and other prayers at executions. (You'll understand if that Catholic movement to save 20-30 completely guilty murderers every year is not quite as intense as the movement to save over a million completely innocent unborn babies every year!) It will certainly take the Lord's hand to save us from this unimaginable seemingly apocalyptic mess! ..But I think the world has been this messed up before and recovered! - Jacob Sun, 17 May 2009 10:09:52 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/qrightsq-and-liberties.html#comment-1767 You state that President Obama goes to a symbolic place of Notre Dame but I doubt he knows that Notre Dame as well as St. Johns, Geogetown and many other Catholic univerities have left the faith. Nore Dame is a symbol only but will someone with guts and influence inform the President of this fact. But then again is there any individual that is a true believer of Christ close to him. - Charles Adams Fri, 15 May 2009 17:35:41 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/qrightsq-and-liberties.html#comment-1763 Molly, you sound very sweet, but you are talking about apples and fried greem tomatoes. Clear thinking is rendered almost impossible by the fog of relativism, Fr. Schall is a lighthouse. Brad??? - Achilles Fri, 15 May 2009 12:36:37 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/qrightsq-and-liberties.html#comment-1759 President Obama is going to Notre dame because they invited him. He did not apply to speak at commencement so that he could use it as a bully pulpit to push any abortion agenda. The Roman Catholic church speaks of "right to life" but focuses only on unborn life. They do not send out squads of rosary prayers to march outside prisons with death row inmates. Soial justice issu are pulling people from RC pews and sending them elsewhere. - Molly B Fri, 15 May 2009 09:36:22 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/qrightsq-and-liberties.html#comment-1756 Rights are now defined by how they enhance "personal autonomy" (with a sneer at the notion of rights defined by "preservation of dignity"). And so our enlightened society has decided to atomize the individual from society itself - no qualms about disposing of unborn, infirm, or unhappy & no quarrels with walking your own path even if it is in contravention of the most enduring common values/mores/norms. Rights have replaced religion and they will lead us exactly where they should - utterly alone - Tod Worner Thu, 14 May 2009 20:46:59 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/qrightsq-and-liberties.html#comment-1755 Thank you, Fr. Schall. This 'rights' talk is starting to reach critical mass. Without a grounding in the natural law, those in power will be proclaiming even more crazy rights. Hopefully Dr. Muscarello's prediction about euthanasia is averted. As a future physician, how will I confront these new 'rights'? I am an '08 ND grad and can't say that the Obama invite was a big surprise considering recent history there. When Fr. Jenkins actually attended the V-monologues I knew we were in trouble. - Charlie Horn Thu, 14 May 2009 20:45:58 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/qrightsq-and-liberties.html#comment-1753 They are not equal interlocutors, but can learn from one another. What the Church learns from the State/Enlightenment can help the Church more fully understand and proclaim its own revealed Truths (eg, slavery, women's rights). On abortion, what is our objective? If saving babies, then how do we convert a woman's heart? What will motivate politicians to reflect? How will they both best learn the Church's Truths? Inaccurate broadsides ("the president is the government") don't help much. - Bradley Thu, 14 May 2009 16:01:40 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/qrightsq-and-liberties.html#comment-1751 The Obama admin. is merely taking advantage of a vast lacuna which has resulted from the weakness of the Church in not enforcing its (Christ's) teachings. It started with CONTRACEPTION which demands abortion as a backup in case of failure. Notre Dame was very honest in 1967 when it asserted that it had left the the Church. Catholics just refused to accept that reality. Football, the Gipper, you know. - William H. Phelan Thu, 14 May 2009 14:56:36 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/qrightsq-and-liberties.html#comment-1749 Bradley: it IS wrong to demonize opponents. But it is also wrong to imply that the Catholic Church and the modern American State are simply equal interlocutors on the question of rights. Yes, they've informed each other, but one's account is based in Truth, and the other's is currently based in some combination of Enlightenment rationalism and Nietzchean will to power. the modern left only engages in a false dialogue, nodding heads while never conceding a thing, bringing us into totalitarianism - SC Phelan Thu, 14 May 2009 14:55:02 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/qrightsq-and-liberties.html#comment-1748 Father Schall, as usual, is spot on in his analysis. This president, along with "those in power" (Archbishop Burke's apt term), view abortion as settled law in this country. The president comes to my alma mater, Notre Dame, not for any dialogue on abortion but to consolidate his position among Catholics for the upcoming health-care debate in which the elderly will be the next target. Look for euthanasia to be the new "right to choose" in this country. - Vincent C. Muscarello, MD Thu, 14 May 2009 11:30:01 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/qrightsq-and-liberties.html#comment-1747 The Founders and the 18th century Church would be more astonished that slaves are now free, that women have rights and can vote, and that Jews are not held responsible for Christ's death. The point is not that the Church is wrong on abortion (it's not!). Rather, it is that Church/State have indeed informed one another on the notion of rights, and that each party's understanding can evolve. To change hearts on abortion, witness to the truth, but don't treat opponents like the anti-Christ. - Bradley Thu, 14 May 2009 11:29:04 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/qrightsq-and-liberties.html#comment-1746 Excellant Fr. Schall! This Enlightement mentality seems to be pervasive in this new regime. The rights of man are determined by the state. These rights being determined by what is considered relief for "man's estate." The present regime has been born and bred on this phliosophy. There are no truths to be held self evident these days! This is not the philosophy of our Founders. Where has man heard this jargon before? Why do I hear the shrill of La Guillotine? Perhaps I am a bit dramatic. - William Dennis Thu, 14 May 2009 11:28:17 +0100