From: hatcher@MSUPA.PA.MSU.EDU
Newsgroups: alt.abortion.inequity
Subject: Re: WHY IS ABORTION NOT A WOMEN'S ISSUE ?
Date: 6 Oct 92 17:08:32 GMT
Reply-To: hatcher@MSUPA.PA.MSU.EDU
Distribution: usa
Organization: MSU Dept. of Physics & Astronomy

In article <8258@lee.SEAS.UCLA.EDU>, khanh@edison.seas.ucla.edu (Khanh V. Nguyen) writes:
>In article 4076 hatcher@MSUPA.PA.MSU.EDU wrote:
 [me taking the argument about NO one group qualified to decide the 
  abortion issue to the end...with a gentle slap agains Catholic clergy,
  via reduction to the absurd]

>I can't understand why there are people who can make such an explanation
>of the Catholic Church's stand on the abortion issue. 

My "explaination" wasn't meant to be serious, and had you read the
disclaimers I think I strongly indicated that.  I was taking a pretty
absurd argument full circle to complete inanity.

>As a Catholic, I strongly believe in my Church, but I never consider other
>religions my enemies, and the same is true for all the Catholics I know.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Ah, but then you seem to be in conflict with many others in the Catholic
church who actually do.  And I respect your right to "strongly believe in
[your] Church", as long as you respect my beliefs.

>Unfortunatelly, I have seen so many people who openly express their
>hatred and hostility toward our Catholic Church. These people often point

Sorry if you thought I was picking exclusively on the Catholic Church;
please extend my arguments to all organized religions in general...
And I don't think *my* feelings are that of hatred (though I will
admit to hostility); they're more a distrust of the group based on
past history (rather than outright prejudices).

>to some stories hundred years ago to accuse the Catholic Church of 
>religious intolerance, but now they themselves never miss a chance to blame
>and attack her. Are these people more tolerant ? 
                 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I can answer this question, for myself at least.  I *AM* pretty tolerant,
but that level changes in response to the tolerance of the other group.
I guess I just tend to dig my heels in when I come up against another
group/individual as stubborn as I; otherwise it's live and let live
generally...  But I find this kind of argument funny.  I take a small
swipe at the Catholic hierarchy *because* of it's intolerance of other's
beliefs and then am told by members of the same that *I* should be more
tolerant.

>As a Vietnamese, I never forget how 300,000 Vietnameses were executed
>just because they were Catholics. We have been suffering enough. We don't
>need any more bashing.

I see.  You, as a vietnamese, wish to take on the role of martyr by 
association?  Thus the church is right on this issue of abortion?
I don't understand this reasoning.  Lots of groups have suffered due
to injustices and inequities on both sides of many issues.  I don't
see how that picks out catholism as "right" on all issues.  I'm not
"bashing" any particular religion; I just don't think they should
interfere with the rights of people who aren't believers in their
particular religion.  Which *IS* what the Catholic church *IS* trying
to do in the case of abortion.

PS. Khanh Nguyen, please don't respond to this message unless you are going
to talk about the issue at hand:  abortion.

-robert (hatcher@msupa.pa.msu.edu)
Xref: sparky alt.abortion.inequity:4191 talk.abortion:39887