[extropy-chat] Re: Bush and Kerry on abortion funding

[Mike Lorrey]

--- Ody777 at comcast.net wrote:
> 
> 
> Yes, but the problem is that Kerry HIMSELF is in the position of the
> Jew or Muslim with regard to pig farming or the Adventist with regard
> to blood transfusions.  I repeat: “How could he possibly ignore that
> in his practical decisions on abortion?”
> 
> I have never understood how a politician can be a member of a church
> that says abortion is homicide, yet insist that his commitment to the
> church will have no effect on his policies.  If Kerry came right out
> and said, “I disagree with the Church on this: abortion is NOT
> homicide,” that would make a lot more sense to me.  But he seems to
> want to have his cake and eat it too.

This is the key problem that some here are either incognizant of or
willfully ignoring: for a politician to ignore one of his own ethical
principles demonstrates both a severe lack of the integrity that
conservatives seek in a leader, and a distinct degree of hypocrisy,
which liberals seem to deplore as the only valid sin in their ethos.
Else, he is just lying about being a devout Catholic, which would not
be anything new for a politician to claim.

Now, I don't know of many religions which say that abortion is NOT
homicide, they either say it is or that they do not know. They mostly
all pretty much agree on that. What many disagree on is whether that
homicide rises to the criminal level of manslaughter or murder. Many do
recognise the principle of putting the mother's life first, a form of
self defense, as a legitimate reason to abort, though many have
legitimate concerns about it occuring during the third trimester or at
birth.

However, that is not what we are talking about with stem cell research.
We are talking about small clusters of cells, when not even the most
basic notochord has developed. It is pretty obvious that if destroying
a fetus at any point is legitimate, doing so as a small cluster of
cells is so. 

But we cannot force that opinion on others. If we are to hold to
principles of individual liberty, and the sanctity of the individual
mind against the intrusions of government, then it has to be accepted
that any activity government engages in, short of national security,
cannot be funded through force. When government starts dictating how
people sin, through how their money is spent once it is confiscated by
that government, then government dictates religious beliefs (or lack
thereof) to all. Neither theism nor atheism can survive when 
individuals beliefs can be dictated by government.

=====
Mike Lorrey
Vice-Chair, 2nd District, Libertarian Party of NH
"Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom.
It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves."
                                      -William Pitt (1759-1806) 
Blog: http://www.xanga.com/home.aspx?user=Sadomikeyism


		
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