MR. RUSSERT: Do you believe life begins at conception?Now hold one second, what exactly does that mean? Let's unpack what Mormons teach theologically about when life begins. For Mormons believe life does not begin at conception but that we are spirit beings before we inhabit our human fleshly bodies. They hold a Gnostic view of life which has direct implications on why they support abortion for cases related to rape or incest and why they support embryonic stem-cell research. Romney is trying to be coy here. He is intentionally misleading many folks to believe that he is fully and totally Pro-Life. He is not and this has something directly to do with his professed faith of his fathers. I'm afraid one has to peel back his comments to understand what the man truly believes.
GOV. ROMNEY: I do. I believe, I believe from a, from a, a political perspective that life begins at conception. I, I don't, I don't pretend to know, if you will, from a theological standpoint when life begins.
Refer to my comments in my earlier post - Mitt Romney and Mormonism.
3 comments:
Catholicism though does not yet define de fide when the soul enters the body and this can be seen also in Pope John Paul II's words in section 60 of Evangelium Vitae on this matter....I'll color the most apposite parts...watch for the idea of a "human life" as opposed to a soul...notes 57 thru 59 are given their sources at the end:
EVANGELIUM VITAE SECTION 60
" 'Right from fertilization the adventure of a human life begins, and each of its capacities requires time-a rather lengthy time-to find its place and to be in a position to act'.57 Even if the presence of a spiritual soul cannot be ascertained by empirical data, the results themselves of scientific research on the human embryo provide "a valuable indication for discerning by the use of reason a personal presence at the moment of the first appearance of a human life: how could a human individual not be a human person?". 58
Furthermore, what is at stake is so important that, from the standpoint of moral obligation, the mere probability that a human person is involved would suffice to justify an absolutely clear prohibition of any intervention aimed at killing a human embryo. Precisely for this reason, over and above all scientific debates and those philosophical affirmations to which the Magisterium has not expressly committed itself, the Church has always taught and continues to teach that the result of human procreation, from the first moment of its existence, must be guaranteed that unconditional respect which is morally due to the human being in his or her totality and unity as body and spirit: "The human being is to be respected and treated as a person from the moment of conception; and therefore from that same moment his rights as a person must be recognized, among which in the first place is the inviolable right of every innocent human being to life".59
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57 Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Declaration on Procured Abortion (18 November 1974), Nos. 12-13: AAS 66 (1974), 738.
58 Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Instruction on Respect for Human Life in its Origin and on the Dignity of Procreation Donum Vitae (22 February 1987), I, No. 1: AAS 80 (1988), 78-79.
59 Ibid., loc. cit., 79.
Okay, I went from 0-60 in .03 seconds on Romney, but what the hell on the abortion in cases of rape/incest issue when you claim a faith basis for your opposition to abortion? This is idiotic! Kill the innocent for the crimes of the guilty? Any person of faith who actually utters these words when asked this question is a snake oil salesman, a panderer, an opportunist. I could accept a ban on abortion except for cases of rape, incest, and life of mother, with latter being appropriately written, and not a huge loophole through which the Pacific fleet could sail, only because it is better than the unlimited abortion license we now have. However, all laws find their basis morality and morality finds its basis, for political purposes, in reason, bit for the candidate of faith also in revelation. Therefore, it is important for a candidate of faith to reason morally about his positions. Unctuous describes Romney to a T!
So, whoever wanted an example of a decision Romney would make as president that would take find its roots in his faith, here is but one. I have no problem with pragmatism as long as the office holder is deeper than merely being pragmatic, which Romney is not and voters sense his pandering insincerity.
Deal Hudson has a few things to say about Romney's positions on abortion
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