Intrinsic Evil and Political Responsibility - America, 10/27/08:
Like the use of the clearly prophetic word “infamies” in the “Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World,” the prophetic use of the term “intrinsic evil” is meant to start an urgent discussion among people of good will about grave injustices in the world. It does not provide a detailed blueprint for action. Identifying infamies is one thing. Deciding upon a strategy to deal with them is something else again. For many pro-life Catholics, the issue of voting and abortion comes down to this: what does one do if one thinks that the candidate more likely to reduce the actual incidence of abortion is also the one more committed to keeping it legal? The language of intrinsic evil does not help us here. Only the virtue of practical wisdom, enlightened by charity, can take us further.
2 comments:
America's self inflicted day of true infamy. 22 January 1973 Criminal minds decriminalized a criminal act. The "State" challenged the "Church" and both became co-conspirators in the death of 50 million innocent souls. If "Church" shepherds were doing their job evil would not have a very firm grip on America.
Life in the womb was no longer sacred and since then every thing else became fair game.
I appreciate your comment, just a couple of thoughts ...
I wish Dr. Kaveny would publish something on any topic whatsoever that I have no reservations about ...
If one reads only the section headings of her America piece, one gets a different (and more favorable) impression than if one bothers to read the entire thing.
But, her bottom line is that, "intrinsic evil" is a red herring in this case. It is an unhelpful designation. I agree with that.
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