2270Here, spelled out in black and white, is stated that ALL human life must be respected. We are all created in God's image and the human body is a temple of God and we must realize and respect that God resides inside each one of us. If there is any question as to if the first moment of existence is at birth or before, we are even provided with scriptural references which state that God knew us as human beings while being created in the womb.
Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. 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.Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you.
My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately wrought in the depths of the earth.
2271Unlike other churches which change their stance about truh to stay more "modern," the Church upholds that the Truth is constant and unchanging which should always be defended. This paragraph even states that abortion cannot be either an end or a means to an end. What to these two philosophical terms describe? Abortion as an end in itself would be to use abortion as a measure of birth control simply that the intent is to end an unplanned pregnancy or an intent solely to end the baby's life. Abortion as a means to an end would be using abortion to "undo" the effects of a rape, to keep the couple financially stable until better times, to not bring shame upon them. Basically there is no excuse for having an abortion; there are plenty of viable and moral alternatives to having an abortion.
Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law:You shall not kill the embryo by abortion and shall not cause the newborn to perish.
God, the Lord of life, has entrusted to men the noble mission of safeguarding life, and men must carry it out in a manner worthy of themselves. Life must be protected with the utmost care from the moment of conception: abortion and infanticide are abominable crimes.
2272Here's a kick in the head. Anyone who formally cooperates in an abortion is excommunicated upon the act itself. Notice it says cooperates and not participates. This page from EWTN gives more detail about who can be excommunicated. Essentially, you have to be over 16 and know that it is an excommunicating offense to be excommunicated. Which, if you just read this article, then you probably aren't exempt since you are now informed ^_^ Cooperation includes working at a clinic, financially supporting an abortion, walking (including clinic escorts) or driving someone to the clinic, friends or family who know they are trying to make this decision and encourage or even if they don't try to talk the person out of an abortion. Participating in any of these activities, is a mortal sin as well as excommunication if you know that is the penalty.
Formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense. The Church attaches the canonical penalty of excommunication to this crime against human life. "A person who procures a completed abortion incurs excommunication latae sententiae," "by the very commission of the offense," and subject to the conditions provided by Canon Law. The Church does not thereby intend to restrict the scope of mercy. Rather, she 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.
2273Any of this paragrph sound familier? It should. Remember the declaration of independence? We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. The Catechism even uses the same language as the document on which our country was founded over 225 years ago. Inalienable rights and to deny these rights would be inequality. It's all right there and the same. To be American is to be anti-abortion.
The inalienable right to life of every innocent human individual is a constitutive element of a civil society and its legislation:
"The inalienable rights of the person must be recognized and respected by civil society and the political authority. These human rights depend neither on single individuals nor on parents; nor do they represent a concession made by society and the state; they belong to human nature and are inherent in the person by virtue of the creative act from which the person took his origin. Among such fundamental rights one should mention in this regard every human being's right to life and physical integrity from the moment of conception until death."
"The moment a positive law deprives a category of human beings of the protection which civil legislation ought to accord them, the state is denying the equality of all before the law. When the state does not place its power at the service of the rights of each citizen, and in particular of the more vulnerable, the very foundations of a state based on law are undermined. . . . As a consequence of the respect and protection which must be ensured for the unborn child from the moment of conception, the law must provide appropriate penal sanctions for every deliberate violation of the child's rights."
2274In the last paragraphs, we see the Church stating that embryonic stem cell research or any other scientific or medical research on a human fetus is no different than an abortion. The Church also teaches that producing or manipulation in the creation of humans is morally wrong.
Since it must be treated from conception as a person, the embryo must be defended in its integrity, cared for, and healed, as far as possible, like any other human being.
Prenatal diagnosis is morally licit, "if it respects the life and integrity of the embryo and the human fetus and is directed toward its safe guarding or healing as an individual. . . . It is gravely opposed to the moral law when this is done with the thought of possibly inducing an abortion, depending upon the results: a diagnosis must not be the equivalent of a death sentence."
2275
"One must hold as licit procedures carried out on the human embryo which respect the life and integrity of the embryo and do not involve disproportionate risks for it, but are directed toward its healing the improvement of its condition of health, or its individual survival."
"It is immoral to produce human embryos intended for exploitation as disposable biological material."
"Certain attempts to influence chromosomic or genetic inheritance are not therapeutic but are aimed at producing human beings selected according to sex or other predetermined qualities. Such manipulations are contrary to the personal dignity of the human being and his integrity and identity" which are unique and unrepeatable.
The Church takes a very stong and foward stance on abortion and the taking of a human life. It is just not morally possible. There are stiff penalties incurred by just the act of cooperating in an abortion, you don't have to wait for a bishop to excommunicate you, you have already done so yourself by committing the act. God states that abortion is wrong and so do our forefathers who signed the Declaration of Independence. There must be an end to abortion and we must all continue to fight for the equality of ALL.
Paix du Christ!
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