Last night I removed an entry regarding abortion because, to be honest, I wasn’t in the mood for the usual attack emails. I’ll also admit that it was hastily written and that I didn’t frame my argument that well – so I’ll take responsibility for that.
That out of the way, I’m going to broach the subject again.
Something has happened in Brazil that is utterly unconscionable as far as I’m concerned, and something that I believe should receive attention.
A 23-year-old man raped a 9-year-old girl causing her to become pregnant with twins. Even worse, the man is the girl’s stepfather, has been sexually abusing the child since she was six, and has also sexually abused the girl’s 14-year-old sister who is physically handicapped.
Four months into the child’s pregnancy she was taken to hospital after complaining of severe stomach pains. It was then that doctors confirmed the pregnancy and realized that if they didn’t act the girl would probably perish. So with her mother’s consent, an emergency procedure was performed to abort the twins.
As a result of the mother’s decision, and the recommendation and actions of the physicians involved, the regional archbishop excommunicated all of them from the Catholic Church. His decision was then defended by a senior Vatican official. The archbishop’s response to the backlash regarding his decision was straight forward…
“God’s law is above any human law. So when a human law is contrary to God’s law, this human law has no value.”
With regards to the rapist, the archbishop responded by saying that while the crime was heinous, the act of abortion was a worse offense.
Abortion is illegal in Brazil except in cases of rape or if the mother’s life is in danger. In this case both exceptions apply, not to mention the fact that we’re talking about a child.
If the man is convicted he faces up to 15 years in prison – but through the act of confession can atone and receive forgiveness. The girl’s mother and the physicians involved, on the other hand, face eternal damnation according to the tenets of the Catholic faith.
I may not know much, but I do know this. There is a special place in hell for that archbishop, where many of his brethren will be waiting for him given the shit they’ve pulled for centuries all over this planet. Perhaps he can spend eternity conversing with those priests that spent lifetimes sexually abusing little boys and girls that were never excommunicated for it. Because if there is a hell, and there is a God, then you can bet your bottom dollar that that shit doesn’t fly with him no matter who’s knocking at his door. And if it does, then God can, quite frankly, kiss my ass.
