Decisions: Ethical, and Political

The rules are quite simple:

• 'Love God, love your neighbor.'
  (Matthew 22:36-40, Mark 12:29-31, Luke 10:25-27; Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1822)
• Everybody's our neighbor
  (Matthew 5:43-44, Luke 10:29-37; Catechism, 1825)

God, Love, and Weaseling

Things get complicated when folks try weaseling out of those simple rules. I think that's why the Catholic Church has been pointing out that 'love God, love your neighbor, everyone's your neighbor' implies:

• Murder is wrong
  • Even if the victim is
    • Sick
      (Catechism, 2276-2279)
    • Helpless
      (Catechism, 2270-2275)
    • Yourself
      (Catechism, 2280-2283)
  (Catechism, 2259-2262, 2268-2270)
• Religious freedom is vital
  (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2104-2109)
  • For everybody
    (Catechism, 2106)

Freedom Means Freedom: For Everybody

I'm a practicing Catholic, so I have to follow 'all of the above.' That includes supporting religious freedom: for everybody.

Even if I could, somehow, 'make people' believe what I do: I couldn't because the Church says I must not force by beliefs on other people.

I do, however, hope that Catholics living in America will be allowed to continue acting as if God matters.

Praying for Freedom

That's why I went to the Marian garden between the parish church and rectory, and prayed with about 1/80 of the folks who live here in Sauk Centre. I stopped counting when 54 folks had gathered: and more came after that.

Violins and song at the Freedom Rosary, Marian garden, Our Lady of Angels, Sauk Centre, Minnesota. June 25, 2012.

Another really nice evening. June 25, 2012.

We plan to keep praying for the rest of Fortnight For Freedom because if something isn't done, Catholics in America will have to decide whether to practice their faith, or follow orders from the national government.

Life, Death, and Rules

The feds have decided that nearly every employer and every taxpayer must pay for what's euphemistically called 'women's health services.' Catholics who are in medical professions will be required to kill innocent people: or face the wrath of Washington.

I've posted about this before:

"...To qualify for the privilege of not killing people, or paying assassins, organizations must:

• "Be non-profit
• "Exist to inculcate religious values
• "Primarily serve and employ
  members of their own faiths

"Think about it. If a hospital exists to cure the sick, it doesn't qualify. If a business makes a profit, it doesn't qualify. If a church hires people without discriminating on the basis of religion, it doesn't qualify...."
(June 23, 2012)

"I was Only Following Orders?"

Around the middle of the 20th century, A German chancellor's efforts to enact some forward-looking principles of eugenics got Western civilization's attention. When the dust settled, 'I was only following orders' stopped being a nifty excuse for going along with a rogue ruler.¹

As a practicing Catholic, I'm expected to obey legitimate authorities. I'm also expected to not obey orders issued by "a public authority which oversteps its competence" that demand actions "contrary to those of an upright conscience." (Catechism, 2242) (March 5, 2011)

"Decide Today Whom You Will Serve"

Hard choices are nothing new. A couple dozen centuries back, Joshua delivered this 'take it or leave it' set of options:

" 'Now, therefore, fear the LORD and serve him completely and sincerely. Cast out the gods your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.

"³ If it does not please you to serve the LORD, decide today whom you will serve, the gods your fathers served beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose country you are dwelling. As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.' "
(Joshua 24:15-15)

More recently, folks in England got opportunities I sincerely hope Americans won't face.

John Fisher was killed 477 years ago last Friday, for not cooperating with Henry VIII's decision to be a sort of mini-pope. Thomas More lived a little longer, but was executed July 6, 1535, for the same reason.

They're recognized as Saints. Henry VIII went through several wives before dying: but didn't produce a viable male heir to the throne. And that's another topic.

Decide This November, How You Will Vote

Something 21st century America has that 16th century England lacked is opportunities to swap out the country's top leadership. We have an election coming this November:

"Supreme Knight urges Catholics to put faith first while voting"
Benjamin Mann, CNA/EWTN News (June 22, 2012)

"Catholic voters must demand respect for their moral convictions and the Church's freedom in 2012 and beyond, the head of the Knights of Columbus said in a June 22 speech.

"The faithful 'must have the courage to act boldly,' by insisting that candidates 'respect the integrity and mission of the Catholic Church and its institutions,' Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson told journalists gathered for the 2012 Catholic Media Conference in Indianapolis.

"As they cast their votes, Catholics 'must have the courage to tell candidates that if they want Catholic votes they will have to respect the fundamental principles of Catholic social teaching,' the head of the Catholic fraternal order said.

"Anderson said the faithful should seek to 'debate and vote on the full range of Catholic social teaching – including prudential issues that raise serious moral questions.'

"But this can only be accomplished if Church members stop supporting 'candidates who advocate policies that are intrinsically evil.'..."

Candidates who don't support evil? I think America is ready:

• "Public Officials with Ethical Standards: A Radical Idea For Today's America"
  (June 29, 2010)

Related posts:

• Having standards
  • "Curing the Sick, Helping the Poor; Yes: Killing the Innocent; No"
    (June 24, 2012)
  • "John Fisher, Thomas More, and the Big Picture"
    (June 22, 2012)
  • "Decide: Life, or Death"
    (June 21, 2012)
  • "Hope, Joy, and Working for a Better World"
    (September 13, 2011)
  • "Citizenship, Rules, Marriage, and Not Being Decently Quiet"
    (March 5, 2011)
    Particularly
    • Obedience, Yes: Blind Obedience, No
• Politics and freedom
  • "John Fisher, Thomas More, and the Big Picture"
    (June 22, 2012)
  • "My Way, or the Highway: Academic 'Freedom' at Iowa's Top Law School"
    (April 6, 2012)
  • "Upset Applecarts: A Hopeful Sign"
    (March 5, 2012)
  • "Party Politics, Reality, the Big Picture, and This Catholic"
    (October 1, 2009)
  • "Conservative? Liberal? Democrat? Republican? No, I'm Catholic"
    (November 3, 2008)
• Faith and politics
  • "Freedom to Act Like God Matters"
    (June 23, 2012)
  • "Evil is Not Nice, Religious Freedom, and Other Radical Ideas"
    (May 4, 2012)
  • "The Establishment Clause; Religious Freedom; and Getting a Grip"
    (October 5, 2011)
  • "Separation of Church and State, Assumptions, and Fear"
    (September 2, 2011)
  • "Freedom of Religion, or Freedom From Religion?"
    (June 1, 2009)

---

¹ Some results of our last reminder that evil is not nice:

• "Nuremberg Trials"
  Wikipedia
• Nuremberg principles"
  Wikipedia
  • Principle IV
• Nuremberg Code"
  Wikipedia