I had said the English hierarchy were silent on the British abortion vote. Well, the Archbishop came out with a rather bland statement, and I posted a link.
Here is Bishop O’Donohue’s statement on the recent barbaric vote in the British Parliament. Pretty good stuff. Much stronger, intelligent, articulate and straight.
One of the things which amuses and outrages me, is when the English feel they have to soften their language in order not to offend. So they will address an issue that is monstrously offensive with parlor room politeness. “I would like to say in some way that perhaps the question of abortion is something that saddens one. Are we not in danger of de-valuing human life in some way when we terminate a pregnancy?”
No. Use polite language for polite people and polite issues. When your dealing with barbarians, baby killers and tyrants. Use strong language.
Well said Father. I noticed that, in the run up to the vote and with the lobbying going on, the louder and stronger voices appeared to be coming from Cathedrals “north of the Border” – Cardinal O’Brien and Bp. Tartaglia being the most notable
Hallo Father and Ebomania,I think it is just a character trait of ours. It isn’t considered good form to start blustering and shouting the house down over any issue. I don’t think we have ever really been into that as a nation.It is an example of what you might call the English ‘understatement’. I don’t think that even our great martyrs used strong language in their arguements. They were, as far as I know, mild, polite and gentlemanly in all their dealings with heretics, although they never ever backed down and never gain an inch. . .While we might appear rather less than forceful in our spoken word that cannot be taken to mean that we are less then forceful in our stance.
This is good to see. POD is a brave man and may God bless him. I am sure he feels very lonely in taking his stand sometimes.
Father – one hundred percent I agree – as a post abortive woman and one who works with Rachel’s Vineyards as well as Silent No More Awareness…we must never, never be obtuse about what an abortion is.It is the taking of human life, plain and simple.What has happened over the last forty years is that the word abortion has been couched in terms such as ‘evacuating the womb’ ‘cleansing the womb’ or ‘taking care of the product of conception’.I do not tolerate such parlor talk – no, my abortion did one thing – it killed my child. I can be polite when saying that abortion killed my child. I am careful to be gentle with someone I suspect might also be post abortive because I do not know where they are on their healing journey (something I am on…). The abortion industry has already done enough harm to them.However, I can and do speak out against abortion with good common sense. I understand the G.C.S. comes from my Scottish ancestors!! (grin!)
St. Athanasius resorted to fisticuffs at an ecumenical council and saved Christianity from Arianism. St. Jerome was a hothead. There’s lots of fierceness in the defenders and martyrs. Even in the Bible–the condemnations pronounced on the disobedient, sinning Christians, schismatics, Nicolaitans (circumcizers) in Revelation–zounds!The use of “one” is so hypothetical and impersonal and refuses to get stirred up and go out on a limb.Perhaps using namby pamby limp wristed rhetoric led to England’s weakness and the end of the empire.