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Nancy Pelosi’s Abortion Defense Signals Alarming Trend
Townhall.com ^ | July 26, 2021 | Katie Yoder

Posted on 07/26/2021 4:09:47 AM PDT by Kaslin

Politicians who support pro-abortion legislation are engaging in a new trend: publicly citing their faith while addressing abortion. This easily leads to confusion when a politician’s position on abortion disagrees with his or her religion. It’s a distinction that many in the media all too often miss.

Most recently, these comments tying abortion and faith together are from politicians who identify as Catholic, a religion that recognizes abortion as a grave evil. The latest example comes from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), who openly cited her Catholic faith while defending taxpayer-funded abortion.

“As a devout Catholic and mother of five in six years, I feel that God blessed my husband and me with our beautiful family,” she said during a press briefing on July 22. “It’s not up to me to dictate that that’s what other people should do. And it’s an issue of fairness and justice for poor women in our country.”

She’s not the only one. Earlier this month, Democratic Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut also pointed to her faith while supporting pro-abortion legislation. Rep. DeLauro spoke as the chair of the House Appropriations Committee, as it voted to advance a spending bill without the Hyde Amendment, which prevents taxpayer dollars from funding abortion.

“I’m committed to making real basic principles that honestly are at the heart of my Catholic social teaching,” she began on July 15. “Helping the poor and disadvantaged, protecting the most vulnerable among us, and ensuring that Americans of every faith are given meaningful opportunities to share in the blessings of this great country.”

“The inability to pay for healthcare services, including abortion, is a matter of choice,” she added a few sentences later.

Back in February, before becoming secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Xavier Becerra added to this trend when he refused to name any abortion restrictions that he might support. Instead, he brought up his mother’s daily rosary.

“My mother has blessed me this morning as I got ready to come here, and last night I know when she prayed the rosary, as she does every day – every evening with my aunt – that she said a prayer and included me in that prayer,” he responded during a Senate confirmation hearing.

resident Biden’s position also presents a conflict: While he calls himself publicly Catholic, he considers himself privately pro-life. In January, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki dodged a question about pro-life policy by pointing to Biden’s faith.

"I will just take the opportunity to remind all of you that he is a devout Catholic and somebody who attends church regularly,” Psaki said of the president.

Many in the media recognize Biden as a Catholic president who backs abortion. But, at the same time, Catholic Church teaching challenges abortion. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, which summarizes official teaching, recognizes the inherent dignity and worth of the unborn.

“Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception,” the catechism reads. “From the first moment of his existence, a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person – among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life.”

“Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion,” it adds.

The Church takes abortion, a “crime against human life,” so seriously that obtaining an abortion – and helping someone else get one – are grounds for automatic excommunication.

“Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law,” the catechism says, and “Formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense.”

That said, the Church also emphasizes forgiveness for those who have obtained abortions.

“The Church does not thereby intend to restrict the scope of mercy,” the catechism continues, but instead “makes clear the gravity of the crime committed, the irreparable harm done to the innocent who is put to death, as well as to the parents and the whole of society.”

In his Evangelium Vitae encyclical, Pope St. John Paul II specifically addressed the topic of abortion and politics.

“I repeat once more that a law which violates an innocent person's natural right to life is unjust and, as such, is not valid as a law,” he wrote. “For this reason I urgently appeal once more to all political leaders not to pass laws which, by disregarding the dignity of the person, undermine the very fabric of society.”

The “Church encourages political leaders, starting with those who are Christians, not to give in, but to make those choices which, taking into account what is realistically attainable, will lead to the re- establishment of a just order in the defence and promotion of the value of life,” he added.

A doctrinal note on “The Participation of Catholics in Political Life” by The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith elaborated on the late pontiff’s stance.

“John Paul II, continuing the constant teaching of the Church, has reiterated many times that those who are directly involved in lawmaking bodies have a grave and clear obligation to oppose any law that attacks human life,” it read. “For them, as for every Catholic, it is impossible to promote such laws or to vote for them.”

As for Speaker Pelosi, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco responded directly: “Let me repeat: no one can claim to be a devout Catholic and condone the killing of innocent human life, let alone have the government pay for it.”

As the leader of Pelosi’s home diocese, he added, “The right to life is a fundamental – the most fundamental – human right, and Catholics do not oppose fundamental human rights.”

It’s a difference the media should note: Just because a politician ties his or her faith to abortion, doesn’t mean they belong together.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: abortion; catholicchurch; catholicism; nancypelousi; proabortion; prochoice; prolife; xavierbeccerra
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1 posted on 07/26/2021 4:09:47 AM PDT by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin
The nuns who taught me for 10 years during the 50s and 60s would probably have trouble deciding whether to laugh or to spit upon hearing Bella Pelosi proclaim herself a “devout” Catholic.
2 posted on 07/26/2021 4:16:14 AM PDT by Gay State Conservative (Trump: "They're After You. I'm Just In The Way")
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To: Gay State Conservative
1 Corinthians 14:33
King James Versio

For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.


There is no doubt in my mind that the democrats are the personification of Satan.
Many already truly understand that;

Ephesians 6:12
King James Version

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.


.. and now they no longer try to hide their allegiance.

3 posted on 07/26/2021 4:23:13 AM PDT by knarf
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To: Kaslin

Catholics who talk a good talk about being a ‘devout Catholics’ and then promote abortions as public policy and the funding it, are also liars of the first magnitude. They are piling sins upon their evil political positions as though that makes them less culpable in abortions. It only increases their guilt.

The more they lie and try to justify their actions, the bigger the hole they will fall into upon judgement day.


4 posted on 07/26/2021 4:26:05 AM PDT by Gumdrop (Prpmotiong)
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To: Kaslin
“I’m committed to making real basic principles that honestly are at the heart of my Catholic social teaching,” she began on July 15. “Helping the poor and disadvantaged, protecting the most vulnerable among us, and ensuring that Americans of every faith are given meaningful opportunities to share in the blessings of this great country.”

Taking from the rich and giving to the poor is Robin Hood-ism. It has nothing to do with Catholic teachings of any kind.

5 posted on 07/26/2021 4:35:27 AM PDT by ALPAPilot
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To: Gumdrop

The Body of CHRIST is guilty - Catholic, Protestant, Evangelical, and Pentecostal - for not addressing the sins of the nation and is reaping the whirlwind.


6 posted on 07/26/2021 4:39:22 AM PDT by stars & stripes forever (Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. (Psalm 33:12))
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To: Kaslin

A lot of words to explain liars with flawed character and unsustainable positions that hold that their constituents are terribly stupid.


7 posted on 07/26/2021 4:41:49 AM PDT by blackdog (Joe Biden, Deep State Cuckold.)
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To: Kaslin
"I will just take the opportunity to remind all of you that he is a devout Catholic and somebody who attends church regularly,” Psaki said of the president.


What a pious man is he!
8 posted on 07/26/2021 4:42:37 AM PDT by The_Media_never_lie (A world in which dogs write poetry is more believable than the world as seen through the Media)
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To: Kaslin

If you can’t afford to have children then don’t have them. Lots of ways to avoid pregnancy


9 posted on 07/26/2021 4:43:06 AM PDT by Nifster (I see puppy dogs in the clouds)
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To: Kaslin

Herod “the Great” was pro-abortion, too. Pre- or post-birth made no difference to him.


10 posted on 07/26/2021 4:45:25 AM PDT by skr (May God confound the enemy)
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To: Kaslin

Abortion policy in the U.S. has zero to do with Catholic teaching.

The (Unanimous) Declaration of Independence clearly states that the right to life is unalienable. It also states that the purpose of the government is to secure that right. The Constitution is the government that is instituted for that purpose. Any SCOTUS opinion that contridicts those principles is clearly incorrect and should be null and void upon it’s issuance because: whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it. In other words: it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government


11 posted on 07/26/2021 4:45:31 AM PDT by ALPAPilot
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To: Kaslin

Not really. Because most of their supporters don’t really believe in God. They mock God.
They certainly do not believe in the Constitution.

They do believe in OPM,lying to get what you want,rioting, giving each other mostly undeserved awards,false virtue,control,owning multiple mansions while preaching about the evils of man made global warming.
We are dealing with people who believe men can be women.


12 posted on 07/26/2021 4:50:51 AM PDT by Leep (Save America. Lock down Joe Biden!)
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To: stars & stripes forever
Agreed. no Christian worthy of the name would do anything but condemn abortion and all who facilitate it.

I believe that any church leader who even hesitates to condemn and excommunicate people who support abortion, should thenselves be removed from office.

13 posted on 07/26/2021 4:50:54 AM PDT by Chainmail (Frater magnus te spectat)
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To: Kaslin

Also,
Oil is evil.
Eating meat is evil.
The combustion engine is evil.
Being pro America is racist and evil.
Trump is racist and evil. Owning a gun for your families self defense is evil.

Killing babies is a-okay.


14 posted on 07/26/2021 4:59:50 AM PDT by Leep (Save America. Lock down Joe Biden!)
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To: Kaslin
“The inability to pay for healthcare services, including abortion, is a matter of choice,” she added a few sentences later.

A lot of poor people can’t afford guns to rob people. Is she going to provide free guns, too? And what about providing children for pedophiles who can’t afford to fly to private island full of captives?

15 posted on 07/26/2021 5:06:49 AM PDT by gitmo (If your theology doesn't become your biography, what good is it?)
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To: Kaslin

Weird that all abortion supporters are “devout Catholics.”


16 posted on 07/26/2021 5:15:48 AM PDT by Kenny500c ( )
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To: Gumdrop

^ Truth.


17 posted on 07/26/2021 5:22:08 AM PDT by FamiliarFace
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To: Kenny500c

Many or most, but not all. IMHO.


18 posted on 07/26/2021 5:23:37 AM PDT by FamiliarFace
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To: Gay State Conservative

The nuns who taught me for 10 years during the 50s and 60s would probably have trouble deciding whether to laugh or to spit upon hearing Bella Pelosi proclaim herself a “devout” Catholic.

Unfortunately I’m pretty sure the nuns who taught me from the late 50s through 1970 would be twisting in their habits defending the liberal policies touted by the Dems. They were huge defenders of JFK (because he too was CINO) living an adulteress life before and during White House years. I’m convinced they never heard of a Conservative they liked. They were big fans of LBJ’s disastrous “War on Poverty” and destruction of the African-American family with his policies. They were in retrospect big supporters of the “feel-good” policies that had deleterious effects for America.


19 posted on 07/26/2021 5:34:43 AM PDT by DrHFrog
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To: Kenny500c

Weird that all abortion supporters are “devout Catholics.”

If you have to call yourself a “devout Catholic,” you probably are not !!


20 posted on 07/26/2021 5:36:49 AM PDT by DrHFrog
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