10.29.2004
10.26.2004
How to Reduce the Number of Abortions
In an apparent effort to call into question President Bush's pro-life credentials, a researcher claims that abortions increased under his administration for economic reasons. But both his facts and his analysis are flawed.
Glen Harold Stassen, Professor of Christian Ethics at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California, has published an opinion piece claiming that abortions are increasing under pro-life President George W. Bush, after declining under pro-abortion President Bill Clinton. He attacks Bush for being pro-life in word, but not in deed, for not offering pregnant women "health care, health insurance, jobs, child care, and a living wage." [1] The implication is that voters who want to reduce the number of abortions should vote for a presidential candidate who will provide the most government programs and the strongest economy, to wit, John Kerry.
There is only one problem with this "it's the economy, stupid," approach to abortion. Both his facts and his arguments are wrong. The last year for which national abortion data are available is 2000, so Prof. Stassen is only able to present us with scattered state data from the years since. And he admits that in some states the abortion rate has declined. As Dr. Randy O'Bannon, director of education at the National Right to Life Committee has convincingly shown, "some of his statistics are just flat wrong, while others are of ambiguous origin." [2] O'Bannon demolishes Stassen's thesis (for details, visit http://www.nrlc.org/abortion/stassenpart2.html).
Let's take his specific arguments one by one. First, he talks about how bad the U.S. economy is. But the unemployment rate now is just about what it was in 1996, when Clinton was up for reelection, and the economy is actually growing at a faster rate. At that time, the liberal media were telling us how wonderful the economy was. Now, of course, they have been collectively struck by amnesia. This has a lot more to do with their electoral preferences than with economics. They by and large supported Clinton in 1996. Now they are doing everything they can to diminish Bush's standing with the voters, including by publicly endorsing Kerry.
Second, he implies that the state of the economy is so dismal that it discourages men from marrying. But he provides no evidence of a fall in the marriage rate over the past four years. And that this in turn encourages abortion on the part of partner-less women. But what women need to raise a child is not a "partner," but a permanent mate. The root cause of the unwillingness of men to commit is the sexual revolution, which has weakened the bonds of matrimony and life-long monogamy as an ideal. Healing the institution of marriage must be a priority if the abortion rate is to come down and stay down. This is less a matter of economics than of cultural and spiritual ideals. In this Bush, with his spirited defense of marriage, is a force for the good.
Third, Dr. Stassen implies that by socializing medicine--that is, by providing "free" health care to all--abortion rates will go down. This argument is disingenuous because in every case where socialized medicine has been instituted, abortion rates go up--way up. The reason is simple:
The bureaucrats in charge want to keep their costs down and so they institute policies to encourage abortions, which are cheaper (over the short term) than live births. Look at Canada, England, Sweden, etc.
We should also bear in mind that while socialized medicine may be "free," it is not cheap. Taxes would have to be raised considerably on all members of the working population to pay for it. By reducing the disposable income of young couples, higher taxes make them much less likely to bear children. This not only drives down the birth rate, it increases the abortion rate. In Italy, where the average person pays 50 percent of their income in taxes, half of all second children are aborted, and 90 percent of all third children are aborted.
Dr. Stassen tells us that he and his wife refused to abort their unborn child following his wife's bout with rubella eight weeks into her pregnancy, and have raised a handicapped son. At the same time, he apparently fails to realize that under a system of socialized medicine the pressure to abort a potentially handicapped child would have been considerably more intense, and parents would have no alternative plan for health care to fall back on. China's state-run medical clinics are under orders to eliminate all handicapped children in utero or at birth, regardless of the desires of the parents.
Let us also not fail to remember that, when Bush took office in January 2001, he inherited an economy that was on the verge of recession. The attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon could very well have stalled the economy. The rising price of oil could have sent it into a tailspin. But that is not what happened. Millions of new jobs have been created. The U.S. economy has outperformed that of Japan, the U.K., Germany and other large developed countries these past four years. This has happened for one simple reason: tax cuts.
Instead of enacting the expensive new programs that Dr. Stassen proposes--socialized medicine, government-funded child care, a federal jobs-creation program--Bush decided to allow the American people to decide for themselves how to spend their hard-earned money. He sent everyone a tax rebate check, and lowered tax rates across the board. Americans have used this income to create more income, and more wealth, not just for themselves but also for all Americans. This jumpstarted the faltering economy in 2001, and has kept it moving in the years since.
Economic policy and abortion are indeed intertwined, as Dr. Stassen suggests. Without the Bush tax cuts, the economy could very well have gone into recession in 2001. The unemployment rate would have doubled, with millions of jobs permanently lost, and few new ones created. And abortion rates would undoubtedly have gone up nationwide.
The best way to support families with children, both born and unborn, is to keep the economy strong and their taxes low. As much of their income must be safeguarded from the state as possible. Parents, not the nanny state, know best what the needs of their children are.
Endnotes
[1] The article is available at http://raymondpward.typepad.com/rainman2/2004/10/prolife_look_at.html.
Dr. Stassen can be reached at gstassen@fuller.edu.
[2]"Where are the fruits? Why Stassen's claims that Bush's policies increased abortion are baseless by Randall K. O'Bannon, Ph.D., Director of Education & Research and Laura Hussey, M.P.M., Special Research Assistant, National Right to Life Educational Trust Fund. At http://www.nrlc.org/abortion/stassenpart2.html
_________
© 2004 Population Research Institute. Permission to reprint granted. Redistribute widely. Credit required. _________
If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation to PRI, please go to https://pop.org/donate.cfm. All donations (of any size) are welcomed and appreciated. _________
To subscribe to the Weekly Briefing, send an email to: JOIN-PRI@Pluto.Sparklist.com or email pri@pop.org and say "Add me to your Weekly Briefing." __________ The Population Research Institute is dedicated to ending human rights abuses committed in the name of "family planning," and to ending counter-productive social and economic paradigms premised on the myth of "overpopulation."
PRI
P.O. Box 1559
Front Royal, VA 22630
USA
Glen Harold Stassen, Professor of Christian Ethics at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California, has published an opinion piece claiming that abortions are increasing under pro-life President George W. Bush, after declining under pro-abortion President Bill Clinton. He attacks Bush for being pro-life in word, but not in deed, for not offering pregnant women "health care, health insurance, jobs, child care, and a living wage." [1] The implication is that voters who want to reduce the number of abortions should vote for a presidential candidate who will provide the most government programs and the strongest economy, to wit, John Kerry.
There is only one problem with this "it's the economy, stupid," approach to abortion. Both his facts and his arguments are wrong. The last year for which national abortion data are available is 2000, so Prof. Stassen is only able to present us with scattered state data from the years since. And he admits that in some states the abortion rate has declined. As Dr. Randy O'Bannon, director of education at the National Right to Life Committee has convincingly shown, "some of his statistics are just flat wrong, while others are of ambiguous origin." [2] O'Bannon demolishes Stassen's thesis (for details, visit http://www.nrlc.org/abortion/stassenpart2.html).
Let's take his specific arguments one by one. First, he talks about how bad the U.S. economy is. But the unemployment rate now is just about what it was in 1996, when Clinton was up for reelection, and the economy is actually growing at a faster rate. At that time, the liberal media were telling us how wonderful the economy was. Now, of course, they have been collectively struck by amnesia. This has a lot more to do with their electoral preferences than with economics. They by and large supported Clinton in 1996. Now they are doing everything they can to diminish Bush's standing with the voters, including by publicly endorsing Kerry.
Second, he implies that the state of the economy is so dismal that it discourages men from marrying. But he provides no evidence of a fall in the marriage rate over the past four years. And that this in turn encourages abortion on the part of partner-less women. But what women need to raise a child is not a "partner," but a permanent mate. The root cause of the unwillingness of men to commit is the sexual revolution, which has weakened the bonds of matrimony and life-long monogamy as an ideal. Healing the institution of marriage must be a priority if the abortion rate is to come down and stay down. This is less a matter of economics than of cultural and spiritual ideals. In this Bush, with his spirited defense of marriage, is a force for the good.
Third, Dr. Stassen implies that by socializing medicine--that is, by providing "free" health care to all--abortion rates will go down. This argument is disingenuous because in every case where socialized medicine has been instituted, abortion rates go up--way up. The reason is simple:
The bureaucrats in charge want to keep their costs down and so they institute policies to encourage abortions, which are cheaper (over the short term) than live births. Look at Canada, England, Sweden, etc.
We should also bear in mind that while socialized medicine may be "free," it is not cheap. Taxes would have to be raised considerably on all members of the working population to pay for it. By reducing the disposable income of young couples, higher taxes make them much less likely to bear children. This not only drives down the birth rate, it increases the abortion rate. In Italy, where the average person pays 50 percent of their income in taxes, half of all second children are aborted, and 90 percent of all third children are aborted.
Dr. Stassen tells us that he and his wife refused to abort their unborn child following his wife's bout with rubella eight weeks into her pregnancy, and have raised a handicapped son. At the same time, he apparently fails to realize that under a system of socialized medicine the pressure to abort a potentially handicapped child would have been considerably more intense, and parents would have no alternative plan for health care to fall back on. China's state-run medical clinics are under orders to eliminate all handicapped children in utero or at birth, regardless of the desires of the parents.
Let us also not fail to remember that, when Bush took office in January 2001, he inherited an economy that was on the verge of recession. The attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon could very well have stalled the economy. The rising price of oil could have sent it into a tailspin. But that is not what happened. Millions of new jobs have been created. The U.S. economy has outperformed that of Japan, the U.K., Germany and other large developed countries these past four years. This has happened for one simple reason: tax cuts.
Instead of enacting the expensive new programs that Dr. Stassen proposes--socialized medicine, government-funded child care, a federal jobs-creation program--Bush decided to allow the American people to decide for themselves how to spend their hard-earned money. He sent everyone a tax rebate check, and lowered tax rates across the board. Americans have used this income to create more income, and more wealth, not just for themselves but also for all Americans. This jumpstarted the faltering economy in 2001, and has kept it moving in the years since.
Economic policy and abortion are indeed intertwined, as Dr. Stassen suggests. Without the Bush tax cuts, the economy could very well have gone into recession in 2001. The unemployment rate would have doubled, with millions of jobs permanently lost, and few new ones created. And abortion rates would undoubtedly have gone up nationwide.
The best way to support families with children, both born and unborn, is to keep the economy strong and their taxes low. As much of their income must be safeguarded from the state as possible. Parents, not the nanny state, know best what the needs of their children are.
Endnotes
[1] The article is available at http://raymondpward.typepad.com/rainman2/2004/10/prolife_look_at.html.
Dr. Stassen can be reached at gstassen@fuller.edu.
[2]"Where are the fruits? Why Stassen's claims that Bush's policies increased abortion are baseless by Randall K. O'Bannon, Ph.D., Director of Education & Research and Laura Hussey, M.P.M., Special Research Assistant, National Right to Life Educational Trust Fund. At http://www.nrlc.org/abortion/stassenpart2.html
_________
© 2004 Population Research Institute. Permission to reprint granted. Redistribute widely. Credit required. _________
If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation to PRI, please go to https://pop.org/donate.cfm. All donations (of any size) are welcomed and appreciated. _________
To subscribe to the Weekly Briefing, send an email to: JOIN-PRI@Pluto.Sparklist.com or email pri@pop.org and say "Add me to your Weekly Briefing." __________ The Population Research Institute is dedicated to ending human rights abuses committed in the name of "family planning," and to ending counter-productive social and economic paradigms premised on the myth of "overpopulation."
PRI
P.O. Box 1559
Front Royal, VA 22630
USA
10.25.2004
Catholicism & Capital Punishment
Some Catholics, going beyond the bishops and the Pope, maintain that the death penalty, like abortion and euthanasia, is a violation of the right to life and an unauthorized usurpation by human beings of God’s sole lordship over life and death. Did not the Declaration of Independence, they ask, describe the right to life as “unalienable”?
Read the article here.
Read the article here.
10.19.2004
Doesn't it make you sick...
...to hear Kerry talk about his "Catholic faith"?!
Please God, that our altar boy sons don't turn out like him!
I just read this here.
Please God, that our altar boy sons don't turn out like him!
I just read this here.
Vatican Addresses U.N. on Population and Development
On the 10th Anniversary of the Cairo Conference
A decade ago, we were informed of United Nations studies indicating that a rapid decrease in the global rate of population growth was expected to begin during the 1990s and carry on into the new century. It is now a fact that population growth has declined appreciably in many of the industrialized developed nations, and that this decline poses a serious threat to their future. The Holy See continues to follow these matters carefully...
All development worthy of the name must be integral and cannot consist in the simple accumulation of wealth...but must be pursued with due consideration for the social, cultural and spiritual dimensions of every human being.
Development programs must respect the cultural heritage of peoples and nations, foster structures of participation and shared responsibility, and empower our human capacity, so that each one of us can become the person that he or she was created to be.
It would therefore be wiser if focus were placed upon the formulation of population policies that promoted a responsible kind of personal liberty, instead of one that was too narrowly defined.
From this, it follows, among other things, that the duty to safeguard the family demands that special attention be given to securing for husband and wife the liberty to decide responsibly, free from all social or legal coercion, the number of children they will have and the spacing of their births. It should be the intent of governments and other agencies to help create the social conditions which will enable couples themselves to make appropriate decisions in the light of their responsibilities. We know that responsible parenthood is not a question of unlimited procreation or lack of awareness of what is involved in rearing children, but it also involves the right of parents to use their liberty wisely. Moreover, couples that choose to have large families deserve to be supported.
The seriousness of the challenges that governments and, above all, parents must face in the education of the younger generation means that we cannot abdicate our responsibility to lead young people to a deeper understanding of their own dignity and potentiality as persons. It remains our task to challenge them with a demanding ethic which fully respects their dignity and which leads them to the wisdom which is needed in order to face the many demands of life.
A decade ago, we were informed of United Nations studies indicating that a rapid decrease in the global rate of population growth was expected to begin during the 1990s and carry on into the new century. It is now a fact that population growth has declined appreciably in many of the industrialized developed nations, and that this decline poses a serious threat to their future. The Holy See continues to follow these matters carefully...
All development worthy of the name must be integral and cannot consist in the simple accumulation of wealth...but must be pursued with due consideration for the social, cultural and spiritual dimensions of every human being.
Development programs must respect the cultural heritage of peoples and nations, foster structures of participation and shared responsibility, and empower our human capacity, so that each one of us can become the person that he or she was created to be.
It would therefore be wiser if focus were placed upon the formulation of population policies that promoted a responsible kind of personal liberty, instead of one that was too narrowly defined.
From this, it follows, among other things, that the duty to safeguard the family demands that special attention be given to securing for husband and wife the liberty to decide responsibly, free from all social or legal coercion, the number of children they will have and the spacing of their births. It should be the intent of governments and other agencies to help create the social conditions which will enable couples themselves to make appropriate decisions in the light of their responsibilities. We know that responsible parenthood is not a question of unlimited procreation or lack of awareness of what is involved in rearing children, but it also involves the right of parents to use their liberty wisely. Moreover, couples that choose to have large families deserve to be supported.
The seriousness of the challenges that governments and, above all, parents must face in the education of the younger generation means that we cannot abdicate our responsibility to lead young people to a deeper understanding of their own dignity and potentiality as persons. It remains our task to challenge them with a demanding ethic which fully respects their dignity and which leads them to the wisdom which is needed in order to face the many demands of life.
10.17.2004
Apostolic Letter for the Year of the Eucharist
OCTOBER 2004–OCTOBER 2005
INTRODUCTION
1. “Stay with us, Lord, for it is almost evening” (cf. Lk 24:29). This was the insistent invitation that the two disciples journeying to Emmaus on the evening of the day of the resurrection addressed to the Wayfarer who had accompanied them on their journey. Weighed down with sadness, they never imagined that this stranger was none other than their Master, risen from the dead. Yet they felt their hearts burning within them (cf. v. 32) as he spoke to them and “explained” the Scriptures. The light of the Word unlocked the hardness of their hearts and “opened their eyes” (cf. v. 31). Amid the shadows of the passing day and the darkness that clouded their spirit, the Wayfarer brought a ray of light which rekindled their hope and led their hearts to yearn for the fullness of light. “Stay with us”, they pleaded. And he agreed. Soon afterwards, Jesus' face would disappear, yet the Master would “stay” with them, hidden in the “breaking of the bread” which had opened their eyes to recognize him.
2. The image of the disciples on the way to Emmaus can serve as a fitting guide for a Year when the Church will be particularly engaged in living out the mystery of the Holy Eucharist. Amid our questions and difficulties, and even our bitter disappointments, the divine Wayfarer continues to walk at our side, opening to us the Scriptures and leading us to a deeper understanding of the mysteries of God. When we meet him fully, we will pass from the light of the Word to the light streaming from the “Bread of life”, the supreme fulfilment of his promise to “be with us always, to the end of the age” (cf. Mt 28:20).
3. The “breaking of bread”—as the Eucharist was called in earliest times—has always been at the centre of the Church's life. Through it Christ makes present within time the mystery of his death and resurrection. In it he is received in person as the “living bread come down from heaven” (Jn 6:51), and with him we receive the pledge of eternal life and a foretaste of the eternal banquet of the heavenly Jerusalem. Following the teaching of the Fathers, the Ecumenical Councils and my own Predecessors, I have frequently urged the Church to reflect upon the Eucharist, most recently in the Encyclical Ecclesia de Eucharistia. Here I do not intend to repeat this teaching, which I trust will be more deeply studied and understood. At the same time I thought it helpful for this purposeto dedicate an entire Year to this wonderful sacrament.
4. As is known, the Year of the Eucharist will be celebrated from October 2004 to October 2005. The idea for this celebration came from two events which will serve to mark its beginning and end: the International Eucharistic Congress, which will take place from 10-17 October 2004 in Guadalajara, Mexico, and the Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, which will be held in the Vatican from 2-29 October 2005 on the theme: “The Eucharist: Source and Summit of the Life and Mission of the Church”. I was also guided by another consideration: this year's World Youth Day will take place in Cologne from 16-21 August 2005. I would like the young people to gather around the Eucharist as the vital source which nourishes their faith and enthusiasm. A Eucharistic initiative of this kind had been on my mind for some time: it is a natural development of the pastoral impulse which I wanted to give to the Church, particularly during the years of preparation for the Jubilee and in the years that followed it.
5. In the present Apostolic Letter, I wish to reaffirm this pastoral continuity and to help everyone to grasp its spiritual significance. As for the particular form which the Year of the Eucharist will take, I am counting on the personal involvement of the Pastors of the particular Churches, whose devotion to this great Mystery will not fail to suggest suitable approaches. My Brother Bishops will certainly understand that this initiative, coming as it does so soon after the celebration of the Year of the Rosary, is meant to take place on a deeply spiritual level, so that it will in no way interfere with the pastoral programmes of the individual Churches. Rather, it can shed light upon those programmes, anchoring them, so to speak, in the very Mystery which nourishes the spiritual life of the faithful and the initiatives of each local Church. I am not asking the individual Churches to alter their pastoral programmes, but to emphasize the Eucharistic dimension which is part of the whole Christian life. For my part, I would like in this Letter to offer some basic guidelines; and I am confident that the People of God, at every level, will welcome my proposal with enthusiasm and fervent love.
Read the rest of the document on Zenit's web page.
INTRODUCTION
1. “Stay with us, Lord, for it is almost evening” (cf. Lk 24:29). This was the insistent invitation that the two disciples journeying to Emmaus on the evening of the day of the resurrection addressed to the Wayfarer who had accompanied them on their journey. Weighed down with sadness, they never imagined that this stranger was none other than their Master, risen from the dead. Yet they felt their hearts burning within them (cf. v. 32) as he spoke to them and “explained” the Scriptures. The light of the Word unlocked the hardness of their hearts and “opened their eyes” (cf. v. 31). Amid the shadows of the passing day and the darkness that clouded their spirit, the Wayfarer brought a ray of light which rekindled their hope and led their hearts to yearn for the fullness of light. “Stay with us”, they pleaded. And he agreed. Soon afterwards, Jesus' face would disappear, yet the Master would “stay” with them, hidden in the “breaking of the bread” which had opened their eyes to recognize him.
2. The image of the disciples on the way to Emmaus can serve as a fitting guide for a Year when the Church will be particularly engaged in living out the mystery of the Holy Eucharist. Amid our questions and difficulties, and even our bitter disappointments, the divine Wayfarer continues to walk at our side, opening to us the Scriptures and leading us to a deeper understanding of the mysteries of God. When we meet him fully, we will pass from the light of the Word to the light streaming from the “Bread of life”, the supreme fulfilment of his promise to “be with us always, to the end of the age” (cf. Mt 28:20).
3. The “breaking of bread”—as the Eucharist was called in earliest times—has always been at the centre of the Church's life. Through it Christ makes present within time the mystery of his death and resurrection. In it he is received in person as the “living bread come down from heaven” (Jn 6:51), and with him we receive the pledge of eternal life and a foretaste of the eternal banquet of the heavenly Jerusalem. Following the teaching of the Fathers, the Ecumenical Councils and my own Predecessors, I have frequently urged the Church to reflect upon the Eucharist, most recently in the Encyclical Ecclesia de Eucharistia. Here I do not intend to repeat this teaching, which I trust will be more deeply studied and understood. At the same time I thought it helpful for this purposeto dedicate an entire Year to this wonderful sacrament.
4. As is known, the Year of the Eucharist will be celebrated from October 2004 to October 2005. The idea for this celebration came from two events which will serve to mark its beginning and end: the International Eucharistic Congress, which will take place from 10-17 October 2004 in Guadalajara, Mexico, and the Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, which will be held in the Vatican from 2-29 October 2005 on the theme: “The Eucharist: Source and Summit of the Life and Mission of the Church”. I was also guided by another consideration: this year's World Youth Day will take place in Cologne from 16-21 August 2005. I would like the young people to gather around the Eucharist as the vital source which nourishes their faith and enthusiasm. A Eucharistic initiative of this kind had been on my mind for some time: it is a natural development of the pastoral impulse which I wanted to give to the Church, particularly during the years of preparation for the Jubilee and in the years that followed it.
5. In the present Apostolic Letter, I wish to reaffirm this pastoral continuity and to help everyone to grasp its spiritual significance. As for the particular form which the Year of the Eucharist will take, I am counting on the personal involvement of the Pastors of the particular Churches, whose devotion to this great Mystery will not fail to suggest suitable approaches. My Brother Bishops will certainly understand that this initiative, coming as it does so soon after the celebration of the Year of the Rosary, is meant to take place on a deeply spiritual level, so that it will in no way interfere with the pastoral programmes of the individual Churches. Rather, it can shed light upon those programmes, anchoring them, so to speak, in the very Mystery which nourishes the spiritual life of the faithful and the initiatives of each local Church. I am not asking the individual Churches to alter their pastoral programmes, but to emphasize the Eucharistic dimension which is part of the whole Christian life. For my part, I would like in this Letter to offer some basic guidelines; and I am confident that the People of God, at every level, will welcome my proposal with enthusiasm and fervent love.
Read the rest of the document on Zenit's web page.
10.11.2004
THE DEATH OF CHRISTOPHER REEVE
STATEMENT OF CULTURE OF LIFE FOUNDATION PRESIDENT AUSTIN RUSE
"Today we mourn the passing of the great entertainer Christopher Reeve. Our sincere condolences go to his brave family and friends who supported him through his long years of struggle."
"We regret that his passing, like that of Ronald Reagan, will provide the opportunity for some to make the false case for embryo-destructive research."
"The fact is that after twenty years and many millions of dollars, embryo- destructive research has not successfully treated a single patient or a single disease. Embryo-destructive research was no where close to helping Mr. Reeve walk again. To suggest otherwise does a disservice to those who suffer by raising profoundly false expectations that will not be realized."
"While embryo-destructive research has cured no person and no disease, adult stem cell research has already treated thousands of patients and more than 100 diseases. In fact, adult stem cell therapy has already helped those with severe spinal cord injuries to walk again, two of whom testified before the US Senate last month. One of those who testfied even suffered from quadrapelgia just like Christopher Reeve."
"Embryo-destructive research is morally problematic because it kills a human embryo in the process. On the other hand, adult stem cell research poses no such moral dilemma. Polls also show that a majority of Americans prefer research that does not kill the human embryo."
"Today we mourn the passing of the great entertainer Christopher Reeve. Our sincere condolences go to his brave family and friends who supported him through his long years of struggle."
"We regret that his passing, like that of Ronald Reagan, will provide the opportunity for some to make the false case for embryo-destructive research."
"The fact is that after twenty years and many millions of dollars, embryo- destructive research has not successfully treated a single patient or a single disease. Embryo-destructive research was no where close to helping Mr. Reeve walk again. To suggest otherwise does a disservice to those who suffer by raising profoundly false expectations that will not be realized."
"While embryo-destructive research has cured no person and no disease, adult stem cell research has already treated thousands of patients and more than 100 diseases. In fact, adult stem cell therapy has already helped those with severe spinal cord injuries to walk again, two of whom testified before the US Senate last month. One of those who testfied even suffered from quadrapelgia just like Christopher Reeve."
"Embryo-destructive research is morally problematic because it kills a human embryo in the process. On the other hand, adult stem cell research poses no such moral dilemma. Polls also show that a majority of Americans prefer research that does not kill the human embryo."
Stay With Us, Lord
To all those for whom Luke 24:13, the Road to Emmaus, has special significance...
POPE JOHN PAUL'S APOSTOLIC LETTER "MANE NOBISCUM DOMINE"
VATICAN CITY, OCT 8, 2004 (VIS) - Pope John Paul's Apostolic Letter "Mane Nobiscum Domine" ("Stay with us, Lord"), addressed to the bishops, clergy and faithful of the Church on the occasion of the October 2004-October 2005 Year of the Eucharist, was presented today in the Holy See Press Office by Cardinal Francis Arinze. The Letter, in Italian and dated October 7, feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, has an introduction, four chapters and a conclusion.
The prefect of the Congregation of Divine Worship and the Discipline of Sacraments, recalled that the Holy Father announced the celebration of a Year of the Eucharist throughout the Church during Mass at St. John Lateran Basilica on the June 10, 2004 solemnity of Corpus Christi. Calling today's 30- page Letter "beautiful and incisive," the cardinal added that it "will help guide the Church to celebrate this special year with the greatest possible fruits."
Cardinal Arinze pointed out that "the underlying theme of the Apostolic Letter is the story of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus." In fact, the Apostolic Letter starts: "'Stay with us, for it is towards evening'. This was the heartfelt invitation that the two disciples, walking towards Emmaus the very evening of the Resurrection, issued to the Wayfarer who had joined them along the road. Filled with sad thoughts, they could not imagine that that stranger was their very Master, by now risen."
"The Year of the Eucharist," he added, "will see the Church especially committed to living the mystery of the Holy Eucharist. Jesus continues to walk with us and to introduce us to the mysteries of God, opening us up to the deep meaning of Sacred Scriptures. At the summit of this encounter, Jesus breaks for us 'the bread of life'."
"Many times during his pontificate," said the cardinal, "John Paul II has invited the Church to reflect on the Eucharist, ... especially last year in the Encyclical 'Ecclesia de Eucharistia'. ... The Pope mentions two principal events that illuminate and spell out the beginning and the end of the year of the Eucharist: the 48th International Eucharistic Congress that will be held in Guadalajara, Mexico the week of October 10 to 17 and the 11th General Assembly of the Synod of bishops which will take place in the Vatican October 2-29, 2005."
In Chapter One, "In the Wake of Vatican II and the Jubilee," said the prefect, "the Holy Father underlines that the Year of the Eucharist strongly expresses the focus on Jesus Christ and the contemplation of His face that is marking the pastoral path of the Church, especially since Vatican Council II. In Christ, the Word made flesh, not only is the mystery of God revealed, but the mystery of man is also revealed to us." The Pope writes, in fact: "Christ is at the center not only of the history of the Church, but also the history of mankind."
Chapter Two is entitled "The Eucharist, Mystery of Light." The cardinal pointed out that "Jesus spoke of Himself as 'the light of the world'. In the obscurity of faith, the Eucharist becomes for the believer a mystery of light because it introduces him to the depth of the divine mystery. The Eucharistic celebration nourishes the disciple of Christ with two 'meals', that of the Word of God and that of the Bread of Life. When minds are enlightened and hearts burn, signs speak. In the Eucharistic signs the mystery is in some way open to the eyes of the believer. The two disciples of Emmaus recognize Jesus as they break bread."
Cardinal Arinze went on to explain that in Chapter Three, "'The Eucharist, Source and Sign of Communion,' the disciples of Emmaus prayed the Lord to remain 'with' them. Jesus did even more. He gave Himself in the Eucharist to remain 'in' them: 'Remain in Me and I in you'. ... Eucharistic communion promotes unity among those who receive communion. ... The Eucharist also shows ecclesial communion and calls the members of the Church to share their spiritual and material goods. ... During this Year of the Eucharist special importance must be given to Sunday Masses in parishes."
In the final chapter, "Eucharist, Principle and Project of Mission," says the prefect, "the two disciples of Emmaus, having recognized the Lord, 'left without delay' to communicate the good news. The encounter with Jesus in the Eucharist drives every Christian to give witness, to evangelize the Church. We must thank the Lord and never hesitate to show our faith in public. The Eucharist compels us to show solidarity towards others, becoming promoters of harmony, peace, and, especially, of sharing with the needy."
In the Conclusion, states Cardinal Arinze, "the Holy Father prays that this Year of the Eucharist will be for everyone a precious occasion for a renewed awareness of the incomparable treasure that Christ has entrusted to His Church. ... The Holy Father does not ask for anything extraordinary, but rather that all initiatives be marked by great spiritual intensity. Priority must be given to Sunday Masses and to Eucharistic adoration outside of Mass."
Archbishop Domenico Sorrentino, the secretary of the Congregation, expounded on the historical reading of John Paul II's text.
In the first part of his talk, "Begin again from Christ," the archbishop recalled that "the Church depends on our faith in Christ. In other historical periods, but perhaps even more today, the temptation of man is to reduce the Master to his own dimensions. Sometimes with the best intentions for dialogue, we risk 'diminishing' Christ, undermining the faith in its mystery in the Word made flesh." In explaining the second point, "A contemplative Christianity," he spoke of the signs of regression in spirituality in modern times and he said that "in this new historic situation, the Pope has emphasized the urgency of making the Christian community aware of the treasures of Christian contemplation."
In his last point, "The urgency of example", the prelate affirmed: "The Pope is concerned about reminding the Christian community that the faith must be translated into witness. . We must not be surprised that an Apostolic Letter on the Eucharist does not touch upon the contemplative and celebratory aspects but makes strong statements about the Christian commitment in history, especially in building up peace and in service to the needy."
Msgr. Mauro Parmeggiani, secretary general of the vicariate of Rome, spoke about initiatives organized by the Church in Rome in order to celebrate the Eucharistic Year. From October 1 to 10, he said, a mission of young people, aimed at their peers, is taking place in downtown Rome, entitled "Jesus downtown". He also noted that the catechesis this year will focus on the rediscovery of the importance of the Eucharist. Other initiatives will include Masses, Eucharistic adoration and confession in St. Agnes in Agone in Pza. Navona. Msgr. Parmeggiani indicated that in all the patriarchal basilicas there will be Eucharistic adoration in one of the side chapels.
./MANE NOBISCUM DOMINE/ARINZE VIS 041008 (1170)
POPE JOHN PAUL'S APOSTOLIC LETTER "MANE NOBISCUM DOMINE"
VATICAN CITY, OCT 8, 2004 (VIS) - Pope John Paul's Apostolic Letter "Mane Nobiscum Domine" ("Stay with us, Lord"), addressed to the bishops, clergy and faithful of the Church on the occasion of the October 2004-October 2005 Year of the Eucharist, was presented today in the Holy See Press Office by Cardinal Francis Arinze. The Letter, in Italian and dated October 7, feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, has an introduction, four chapters and a conclusion.
The prefect of the Congregation of Divine Worship and the Discipline of Sacraments, recalled that the Holy Father announced the celebration of a Year of the Eucharist throughout the Church during Mass at St. John Lateran Basilica on the June 10, 2004 solemnity of Corpus Christi. Calling today's 30- page Letter "beautiful and incisive," the cardinal added that it "will help guide the Church to celebrate this special year with the greatest possible fruits."
Cardinal Arinze pointed out that "the underlying theme of the Apostolic Letter is the story of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus." In fact, the Apostolic Letter starts: "'Stay with us, for it is towards evening'. This was the heartfelt invitation that the two disciples, walking towards Emmaus the very evening of the Resurrection, issued to the Wayfarer who had joined them along the road. Filled with sad thoughts, they could not imagine that that stranger was their very Master, by now risen."
"The Year of the Eucharist," he added, "will see the Church especially committed to living the mystery of the Holy Eucharist. Jesus continues to walk with us and to introduce us to the mysteries of God, opening us up to the deep meaning of Sacred Scriptures. At the summit of this encounter, Jesus breaks for us 'the bread of life'."
"Many times during his pontificate," said the cardinal, "John Paul II has invited the Church to reflect on the Eucharist, ... especially last year in the Encyclical 'Ecclesia de Eucharistia'. ... The Pope mentions two principal events that illuminate and spell out the beginning and the end of the year of the Eucharist: the 48th International Eucharistic Congress that will be held in Guadalajara, Mexico the week of October 10 to 17 and the 11th General Assembly of the Synod of bishops which will take place in the Vatican October 2-29, 2005."
In Chapter One, "In the Wake of Vatican II and the Jubilee," said the prefect, "the Holy Father underlines that the Year of the Eucharist strongly expresses the focus on Jesus Christ and the contemplation of His face that is marking the pastoral path of the Church, especially since Vatican Council II. In Christ, the Word made flesh, not only is the mystery of God revealed, but the mystery of man is also revealed to us." The Pope writes, in fact: "Christ is at the center not only of the history of the Church, but also the history of mankind."
Chapter Two is entitled "The Eucharist, Mystery of Light." The cardinal pointed out that "Jesus spoke of Himself as 'the light of the world'. In the obscurity of faith, the Eucharist becomes for the believer a mystery of light because it introduces him to the depth of the divine mystery. The Eucharistic celebration nourishes the disciple of Christ with two 'meals', that of the Word of God and that of the Bread of Life. When minds are enlightened and hearts burn, signs speak. In the Eucharistic signs the mystery is in some way open to the eyes of the believer. The two disciples of Emmaus recognize Jesus as they break bread."
Cardinal Arinze went on to explain that in Chapter Three, "'The Eucharist, Source and Sign of Communion,' the disciples of Emmaus prayed the Lord to remain 'with' them. Jesus did even more. He gave Himself in the Eucharist to remain 'in' them: 'Remain in Me and I in you'. ... Eucharistic communion promotes unity among those who receive communion. ... The Eucharist also shows ecclesial communion and calls the members of the Church to share their spiritual and material goods. ... During this Year of the Eucharist special importance must be given to Sunday Masses in parishes."
In the final chapter, "Eucharist, Principle and Project of Mission," says the prefect, "the two disciples of Emmaus, having recognized the Lord, 'left without delay' to communicate the good news. The encounter with Jesus in the Eucharist drives every Christian to give witness, to evangelize the Church. We must thank the Lord and never hesitate to show our faith in public. The Eucharist compels us to show solidarity towards others, becoming promoters of harmony, peace, and, especially, of sharing with the needy."
In the Conclusion, states Cardinal Arinze, "the Holy Father prays that this Year of the Eucharist will be for everyone a precious occasion for a renewed awareness of the incomparable treasure that Christ has entrusted to His Church. ... The Holy Father does not ask for anything extraordinary, but rather that all initiatives be marked by great spiritual intensity. Priority must be given to Sunday Masses and to Eucharistic adoration outside of Mass."
Archbishop Domenico Sorrentino, the secretary of the Congregation, expounded on the historical reading of John Paul II's text.
In the first part of his talk, "Begin again from Christ," the archbishop recalled that "the Church depends on our faith in Christ. In other historical periods, but perhaps even more today, the temptation of man is to reduce the Master to his own dimensions. Sometimes with the best intentions for dialogue, we risk 'diminishing' Christ, undermining the faith in its mystery in the Word made flesh." In explaining the second point, "A contemplative Christianity," he spoke of the signs of regression in spirituality in modern times and he said that "in this new historic situation, the Pope has emphasized the urgency of making the Christian community aware of the treasures of Christian contemplation."
In his last point, "The urgency of example", the prelate affirmed: "The Pope is concerned about reminding the Christian community that the faith must be translated into witness. . We must not be surprised that an Apostolic Letter on the Eucharist does not touch upon the contemplative and celebratory aspects but makes strong statements about the Christian commitment in history, especially in building up peace and in service to the needy."
Msgr. Mauro Parmeggiani, secretary general of the vicariate of Rome, spoke about initiatives organized by the Church in Rome in order to celebrate the Eucharistic Year. From October 1 to 10, he said, a mission of young people, aimed at their peers, is taking place in downtown Rome, entitled "Jesus downtown". He also noted that the catechesis this year will focus on the rediscovery of the importance of the Eucharist. Other initiatives will include Masses, Eucharistic adoration and confession in St. Agnes in Agone in Pza. Navona. Msgr. Parmeggiani indicated that in all the patriarchal basilicas there will be Eucharistic adoration in one of the side chapels.
./MANE NOBISCUM DOMINE/ARINZE VIS 041008 (1170)
10.10.2004
The Big Lie---An inhumane platform.
By Robert P. George
Every reporter covering the election should, after the second presidential debate in St. Louis, be demanding of Kerry an answer to the following question: Who are the scientists who told you that "we have the option" of curing Parkinson's, diabetes, spinal-cord injuries, or any other disease using embryonic stem cells? If they won't ask him, the Bush campaign should defy him to name the names. He won't be able to do it. No scientists — even those most pro-Kerry and aggressively in favor of the federal funding of embryo-destructive research — ever told Kerry any such thing.
What Kerry has done here is told the big lie about embryonic stem cells. The claim that "we have the option" of curing Parkinson's disease, diabetes, etc. with embryonic stem cells is outrageous. No one knows when — or even whether or not — human embryonic stem cells will be therapeutically useful in treating any major disease or injury. There are profound — perhaps insuperable — problems with the therapeutic use of these cells. So, despite the fact that there is no federal ban on embryonic-stem-cell research, and that such research can be funded with state money and is being publicly funded in various places abroad, no embryonic-stem-cell-based therapy is even in clinical trials.
For months now, the Kerry campaign and its surrogates, such as Ron Reagan Jr., have cruelly led suffering people to believe that cures for their diseases are just around the corner. All we have to do is replace Bush with Kerry, open the federal funding spigot, and presto! The blind see and the lame walk! The Kerry campaign's hyping of embryo-destructive research for political gain is the cruelest and most shameful episode in the story of the 2004 election.
What Elizabeth Long (the woman who asked Kerry the stem-cell question) said is true: "Thousands of people have already been cured or treated by the use of adult stem cells or umbilical-cord stem cells. However, no one has been cured by using embryonic stem cells. Wouldn't it be wise to use stem cells obtained without the destruction of an embryo?
Kerry answered with a lie. A lie that will falsely inflate the hopes of countless people who would dearly love to believe that "we have the option" of curing them.
— Robert P. George is McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence and director of the James Madison Program at Princeton University.
Every reporter covering the election should, after the second presidential debate in St. Louis, be demanding of Kerry an answer to the following question: Who are the scientists who told you that "we have the option" of curing Parkinson's, diabetes, spinal-cord injuries, or any other disease using embryonic stem cells? If they won't ask him, the Bush campaign should defy him to name the names. He won't be able to do it. No scientists — even those most pro-Kerry and aggressively in favor of the federal funding of embryo-destructive research — ever told Kerry any such thing.
What Kerry has done here is told the big lie about embryonic stem cells. The claim that "we have the option" of curing Parkinson's disease, diabetes, etc. with embryonic stem cells is outrageous. No one knows when — or even whether or not — human embryonic stem cells will be therapeutically useful in treating any major disease or injury. There are profound — perhaps insuperable — problems with the therapeutic use of these cells. So, despite the fact that there is no federal ban on embryonic-stem-cell research, and that such research can be funded with state money and is being publicly funded in various places abroad, no embryonic-stem-cell-based therapy is even in clinical trials.
For months now, the Kerry campaign and its surrogates, such as Ron Reagan Jr., have cruelly led suffering people to believe that cures for their diseases are just around the corner. All we have to do is replace Bush with Kerry, open the federal funding spigot, and presto! The blind see and the lame walk! The Kerry campaign's hyping of embryo-destructive research for political gain is the cruelest and most shameful episode in the story of the 2004 election.
What Elizabeth Long (the woman who asked Kerry the stem-cell question) said is true: "Thousands of people have already been cured or treated by the use of adult stem cells or umbilical-cord stem cells. However, no one has been cured by using embryonic stem cells. Wouldn't it be wise to use stem cells obtained without the destruction of an embryo?
Kerry answered with a lie. A lie that will falsely inflate the hopes of countless people who would dearly love to believe that "we have the option" of curing them.
— Robert P. George is McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence and director of the James Madison Program at Princeton University.
10.09.2004
Abstinence Education Shows Its Wisdom
Studies Reveal Positive Effects of Certain Sex-Ed Programs
WASHINGTON, D.C., OCT. 9, 2004 (Zenit.org).- Government support for sexual education programs that promote abstinence continues to divide opinions. The U.S. House of Representatives voted for a 49% increase in funding for abstinence education, the Washington Times reported Monday. A Senate vote is not likely until after the November elections.
If eventually approved, the increase would give $105 million in federal funds for 2005 to the abstinence program, up from $70.5 million this year.
The federal funds are "making an impact," said Leslee Unruh, president of the Abstinence Clearinghouse. She told the Washington Times, however, that abstinence education still receives only $1 for every $12 given to programs that stress condom use.
Promoting abstinence has plenty of opponents. On Sept. 28 the organization Advocates for Youth released a pair of reports that, according to the press release, "raise new questions about the effectiveness of the abstinence-only-until-marriage approach to sex education endorsed by the federal government."
Research into abstinence programs in 10 states by Advocates for Youth reportedly shows that in the long-term there is "no long-term success in delaying sexual initiation or reducing sexual risk-taking behaviors."
Counterview
But the positive effects of delaying sexual activity is strongly defended in studies published by the Washington-based Heritage Foundation. On Sept. 21 the organization published a report entitled "Teens Who Make Virginity Pledges Have Substantially Improved Life Outcomes."
The report provides statistical evidence demonstrating that teen-agers who publicly pledge to refrain from sexual activity are less likely to experience teen pregnancy. And they will likely have fewer sexual partners.
The study cited data from the government-funded National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, showing that the behavior of adolescents who have made a virginity pledge is significantly different from that of peers who have not made a pledge. Teen-age girls who have taken a virginity pledge are one-third less likely to experience a pregnancy before age 18.
The Heritage report also observed that almost two-thirds of teens who do not make a virginity pledge are sexually active before age 18. By contrast, only 30% of teens who report having made a pledge become sexually active before age 18.
Even though those who pledge to chastity may eventually break their commitment, the report notes that delaying the onset of sexual activity has a number of positive effects. One to reduce the number of sexual partners by about half. Surveys cited in the report show that the benefits last into adulthood. For example, women who become sexually active in their early teen years are less likely to have stable marriages in their 30s when compared with women who wait.
Another advantage is the reduction in children born outside marriage. The report observes that children born and raised outside marriage are seven times more likely to live in poverty than those born and raised in intact married families. As well, they are more prone to a number of social problems, ranging from crime to emotional difficulties.
Adolescent girls who make a pledge to refrain from sexual activity are substantially less likely to give birth in their teens or early 20s. By age 18, 1.8% of those who were firmly pledged had given birth, compared with 3.8% of girls who did not make a pledge.
"Regrettably," the study notes, "teens today live in a sex-saturated popular culture that celebrates casual sex at an early age." Social institutions that teach abstinence values can play an important part in helping teens to media and peer pressure, concludes the report.
Further support for the efficacy of abstinence programs came in a study carried out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Washington Times reported July 16. The results attribute a 53% drop in teen pregnancy, from 1991 to 2000, to increased abstinence. Increased use of contraceptives accounted for 47% of the decline, according to the study.
Further data showed that girls aged 15 to 17 who were sexually active decreased from 50.6% in 1991 to 42.7% in 2001.
Comprehensive, in theory
Another report published by the Heritage Foundation helps explain why abstinence programs can help change teens' behavior. The study, "Comprehensive Sex Education vs. Authentic Abstinence: A Study of Competing Curricula," was published Aug. 10. It explained that in the past there were two basic approaches to sex education. There was the "safe sex" approach, which encourages teens to use contraception, especially condoms; and abstinence education, which focuses on delaying the onset of sexual activity.
In recent years a new approach, termed "abstinence-plus" or "comprehensive sexuality education," has been developed. This combines, in theory, information on abstinence and contraception.
Research for the report analyzed nine major abstinence-plus curricula and nine abstinence curricula. It revealed that in practice the abstinence-plus programs devoted only 4.7% of their page content to the topic of abstinence and 0% to healthy relationships and marriage.
Moreover, a detailed analysis of the contents of comprehensive sex-ed programs shows that their aim is not to have teens abstain from sexual activity. Rather, their aim is to reduce the risk of pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases that results from "unprotected" sexual activity. "Abstinence -- or not having sex -- is mentioned as one option that teens may consider to avoid risks, but the overwhelming emphasis is on reducing risk by encouraging contraceptive use."
By contrast, the programs promoting abstinence "take a more holistic approach to human sexuality." They place more emphasis on the social and psychological aspects of sex. As well, they examine themes such as love, intimacy and commitment. "Young people are taught that human sexuality is not primarily physical, but moral, emotional and psychological in nature."
The abstinence programs also promote the idea that "personal happiness, love and intimacy are most likely to occur within the commitment of a faithful marriage and that, in contrast, casual sex with multiple partners is likely to undermine the natural process of bonding and intimacy."
Where pregnancies rose
The ill effects of sex education programs that merely promote "safe sex" were made evident in a study published earlier this year in England. On March 14 the London-based Telegraph reported on a survey carried out by the Family Education Trust, entitled "Sex Education or Indoctrination?" The survey analyzed zones where the government's Teen-age Pregnancy Unit had set up programs to reduce the number of girls falling pregnant.
The unit's strategy involves more explicit sex education in schools, often conducted by nurses without teachers present. It also hands out free condoms and sends birthday cards when girls reach 14 asking them to attend confidential health checks without their parents.
The Trust's report found that in most places, there was a rise in teen-age pregnancies following the implementation of these programs. One, in Cornwall, saw a 17% rise in teen-age pregnancies between 2001 and 2002. In York, teen pregnancies soared 34%.
Scotland saw similar results after programs were introduced to distribute free morning-after pills and condoms, the Sunday Times reported April 11. Girls aged 13 to 15 in the zone affected, the Lothians, were 14% more likely to get pregnant than their counterparts elsewhere in Scotland, compared with 3% before the program started.
The region was selected as a test area for the government's Healthy Respect project. Cardinal Keith O'Brien, president of the Scottish bishops' conference, said the Healthy Respect model had failed. He urged that it should not be expanded.
"This approach has failed to tackle the rise in sexually transmitted infections, unwanted conceptions and abortion levels," he said. "Its value-free style should certainly not be used elsewhere in Scotland." Evidence is mounting, on both sides of the Atlantic, on the advantages of programs that promote abstinence and a more comprehensive view of human sexuality.
WASHINGTON, D.C., OCT. 9, 2004 (Zenit.org).- Government support for sexual education programs that promote abstinence continues to divide opinions. The U.S. House of Representatives voted for a 49% increase in funding for abstinence education, the Washington Times reported Monday. A Senate vote is not likely until after the November elections.
If eventually approved, the increase would give $105 million in federal funds for 2005 to the abstinence program, up from $70.5 million this year.
The federal funds are "making an impact," said Leslee Unruh, president of the Abstinence Clearinghouse. She told the Washington Times, however, that abstinence education still receives only $1 for every $12 given to programs that stress condom use.
Promoting abstinence has plenty of opponents. On Sept. 28 the organization Advocates for Youth released a pair of reports that, according to the press release, "raise new questions about the effectiveness of the abstinence-only-until-marriage approach to sex education endorsed by the federal government."
Research into abstinence programs in 10 states by Advocates for Youth reportedly shows that in the long-term there is "no long-term success in delaying sexual initiation or reducing sexual risk-taking behaviors."
Counterview
But the positive effects of delaying sexual activity is strongly defended in studies published by the Washington-based Heritage Foundation. On Sept. 21 the organization published a report entitled "Teens Who Make Virginity Pledges Have Substantially Improved Life Outcomes."
The report provides statistical evidence demonstrating that teen-agers who publicly pledge to refrain from sexual activity are less likely to experience teen pregnancy. And they will likely have fewer sexual partners.
The study cited data from the government-funded National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, showing that the behavior of adolescents who have made a virginity pledge is significantly different from that of peers who have not made a pledge. Teen-age girls who have taken a virginity pledge are one-third less likely to experience a pregnancy before age 18.
The Heritage report also observed that almost two-thirds of teens who do not make a virginity pledge are sexually active before age 18. By contrast, only 30% of teens who report having made a pledge become sexually active before age 18.
Even though those who pledge to chastity may eventually break their commitment, the report notes that delaying the onset of sexual activity has a number of positive effects. One to reduce the number of sexual partners by about half. Surveys cited in the report show that the benefits last into adulthood. For example, women who become sexually active in their early teen years are less likely to have stable marriages in their 30s when compared with women who wait.
Another advantage is the reduction in children born outside marriage. The report observes that children born and raised outside marriage are seven times more likely to live in poverty than those born and raised in intact married families. As well, they are more prone to a number of social problems, ranging from crime to emotional difficulties.
Adolescent girls who make a pledge to refrain from sexual activity are substantially less likely to give birth in their teens or early 20s. By age 18, 1.8% of those who were firmly pledged had given birth, compared with 3.8% of girls who did not make a pledge.
"Regrettably," the study notes, "teens today live in a sex-saturated popular culture that celebrates casual sex at an early age." Social institutions that teach abstinence values can play an important part in helping teens to media and peer pressure, concludes the report.
Further support for the efficacy of abstinence programs came in a study carried out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Washington Times reported July 16. The results attribute a 53% drop in teen pregnancy, from 1991 to 2000, to increased abstinence. Increased use of contraceptives accounted for 47% of the decline, according to the study.
Further data showed that girls aged 15 to 17 who were sexually active decreased from 50.6% in 1991 to 42.7% in 2001.
Comprehensive, in theory
Another report published by the Heritage Foundation helps explain why abstinence programs can help change teens' behavior. The study, "Comprehensive Sex Education vs. Authentic Abstinence: A Study of Competing Curricula," was published Aug. 10. It explained that in the past there were two basic approaches to sex education. There was the "safe sex" approach, which encourages teens to use contraception, especially condoms; and abstinence education, which focuses on delaying the onset of sexual activity.
In recent years a new approach, termed "abstinence-plus" or "comprehensive sexuality education," has been developed. This combines, in theory, information on abstinence and contraception.
Research for the report analyzed nine major abstinence-plus curricula and nine abstinence curricula. It revealed that in practice the abstinence-plus programs devoted only 4.7% of their page content to the topic of abstinence and 0% to healthy relationships and marriage.
Moreover, a detailed analysis of the contents of comprehensive sex-ed programs shows that their aim is not to have teens abstain from sexual activity. Rather, their aim is to reduce the risk of pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases that results from "unprotected" sexual activity. "Abstinence -- or not having sex -- is mentioned as one option that teens may consider to avoid risks, but the overwhelming emphasis is on reducing risk by encouraging contraceptive use."
By contrast, the programs promoting abstinence "take a more holistic approach to human sexuality." They place more emphasis on the social and psychological aspects of sex. As well, they examine themes such as love, intimacy and commitment. "Young people are taught that human sexuality is not primarily physical, but moral, emotional and psychological in nature."
The abstinence programs also promote the idea that "personal happiness, love and intimacy are most likely to occur within the commitment of a faithful marriage and that, in contrast, casual sex with multiple partners is likely to undermine the natural process of bonding and intimacy."
Where pregnancies rose
The ill effects of sex education programs that merely promote "safe sex" were made evident in a study published earlier this year in England. On March 14 the London-based Telegraph reported on a survey carried out by the Family Education Trust, entitled "Sex Education or Indoctrination?" The survey analyzed zones where the government's Teen-age Pregnancy Unit had set up programs to reduce the number of girls falling pregnant.
The unit's strategy involves more explicit sex education in schools, often conducted by nurses without teachers present. It also hands out free condoms and sends birthday cards when girls reach 14 asking them to attend confidential health checks without their parents.
The Trust's report found that in most places, there was a rise in teen-age pregnancies following the implementation of these programs. One, in Cornwall, saw a 17% rise in teen-age pregnancies between 2001 and 2002. In York, teen pregnancies soared 34%.
Scotland saw similar results after programs were introduced to distribute free morning-after pills and condoms, the Sunday Times reported April 11. Girls aged 13 to 15 in the zone affected, the Lothians, were 14% more likely to get pregnant than their counterparts elsewhere in Scotland, compared with 3% before the program started.
The region was selected as a test area for the government's Healthy Respect project. Cardinal Keith O'Brien, president of the Scottish bishops' conference, said the Healthy Respect model had failed. He urged that it should not be expanded.
"This approach has failed to tackle the rise in sexually transmitted infections, unwanted conceptions and abortion levels," he said. "Its value-free style should certainly not be used elsewhere in Scotland." Evidence is mounting, on both sides of the Atlantic, on the advantages of programs that promote abstinence and a more comprehensive view of human sexuality.
10.07.2004
Pope Worried About Lack of Children in West
Sees Trend as Reflecting Shortage of Confidence in the Future
VATICAN CITY, OCT. 6, 2004 (Zenit.org).- The frequent unwillingness of couples in the West to have children conceals a view of marital love incapable of confidence in the future, warns John Paul II.
The love of spouses was the focus of the Pope's address at Wednesday's general audience, in which he reflected on the second part of Psalm 44(45).
The biblical passage offers a "gentle feminine portrait" of the bride of a symbolic Jewish king, in whom the Jewish tradition has seen the Messiah, and the Christian tradition Christ himself.
The Holy Father dedicated the poetic composition "to all couples who live their marriage with intensity and inner freshness."
After commenting last Wednesday on the first part of the Psalm, which focuses on the beauty and greatness of the king, the Pontiff's attention centered on "the bride queen" who "advances, with her nuptial cortege, which takes the gifts toward the king, fascinated by her beauty."
"The nuptial vocation is a life-altering event, as already seen in the Book of Genesis: 'Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh,'" the Pope told the 13,000 people gathered in St. Peter's Square.
John Paul II highlighted "the insistence with which the Psalmist exalts the woman: she is 'all beautiful' and this magnificence is expressed in her wedding robe, of pearls and brocade."
"The Bible loves beauty as a reflection of the splendor of God himself; clothes can also reflect the sign of a brilliant inner light, of innocence of soul," he said.
"Together with beauty, joy is exalted, which is reflected in the festive cortege of the 'maids of her train,' the young girls who accompany the Bride 'with glad and joyous acclaim,'" he continued.
"Genuine gladness, much more profound than simple gaiety, is an expression of love, which participates in the good of the person loved with serenity of heart," the Holy Father said.
Together with this happiness, the Psalm mentions "another reality" which "is radically inherent in marriage: fecundity," he emphasized.
"The future, not just of the dynasty but of humanity, is brought about precisely because the couple offers new creatures to the world," he added.
"It is an important and timely topic in the West, often incapable of ensuring its own existence in the future through the generation and care of new creatures, who will continue the civilization of peoples and realize the history of salvation," the Holy Father concluded.
With this meditation, John Paul II continued with the series of commentaries on the Psalms and canticles that form part of the Liturgy of Vespers. Other commentaries may be consulted in the Wednesday's Audience section of ZENIT's Web page.
ZE04100602
VATICAN CITY, OCT. 6, 2004 (Zenit.org).- The frequent unwillingness of couples in the West to have children conceals a view of marital love incapable of confidence in the future, warns John Paul II.
The love of spouses was the focus of the Pope's address at Wednesday's general audience, in which he reflected on the second part of Psalm 44(45).
The biblical passage offers a "gentle feminine portrait" of the bride of a symbolic Jewish king, in whom the Jewish tradition has seen the Messiah, and the Christian tradition Christ himself.
The Holy Father dedicated the poetic composition "to all couples who live their marriage with intensity and inner freshness."
After commenting last Wednesday on the first part of the Psalm, which focuses on the beauty and greatness of the king, the Pontiff's attention centered on "the bride queen" who "advances, with her nuptial cortege, which takes the gifts toward the king, fascinated by her beauty."
"The nuptial vocation is a life-altering event, as already seen in the Book of Genesis: 'Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh,'" the Pope told the 13,000 people gathered in St. Peter's Square.
John Paul II highlighted "the insistence with which the Psalmist exalts the woman: she is 'all beautiful' and this magnificence is expressed in her wedding robe, of pearls and brocade."
"The Bible loves beauty as a reflection of the splendor of God himself; clothes can also reflect the sign of a brilliant inner light, of innocence of soul," he said.
"Together with beauty, joy is exalted, which is reflected in the festive cortege of the 'maids of her train,' the young girls who accompany the Bride 'with glad and joyous acclaim,'" he continued.
"Genuine gladness, much more profound than simple gaiety, is an expression of love, which participates in the good of the person loved with serenity of heart," the Holy Father said.
Together with this happiness, the Psalm mentions "another reality" which "is radically inherent in marriage: fecundity," he emphasized.
"The future, not just of the dynasty but of humanity, is brought about precisely because the couple offers new creatures to the world," he added.
"It is an important and timely topic in the West, often incapable of ensuring its own existence in the future through the generation and care of new creatures, who will continue the civilization of peoples and realize the history of salvation," the Holy Father concluded.
With this meditation, John Paul II continued with the series of commentaries on the Psalms and canticles that form part of the Liturgy of Vespers. Other commentaries may be consulted in the Wednesday's Audience section of ZENIT's Web page.
ZE04100602
10.06.2004
Enter your zip code
This is another great site- just enter your nine-digit zip code and get an overview of all the national to local candidates.
You should be able to find the platform of each candidate.
You should be able to find the platform of each candidate.
Forget about "getthefacts-dot-whatever"- Visit here to get some great basic info on the Presidential candidates
You can get quotes and basic platform stances on the three presidential candidates.
It's a flash presentation, with all the "biggies": abortion, gay marriage, stem cell research, and of course all the other issues.
A president that doesn't support life, is one without vision for our country.
Bush says: "Because a caring society will value its weakest members, we must make a place for the unborn child"
Kerry says: "I have always believed that women have a right to control their own bodies, their own lives, their own destinies. And I am proud...to pledge that I will support only pro-choice judges to the Supreme Court."
It's a flash presentation, with all the "biggies": abortion, gay marriage, stem cell research, and of course all the other issues.
A president that doesn't support life, is one without vision for our country.
Bush says: "Because a caring society will value its weakest members, we must make a place for the unborn child"
Kerry says: "I have always believed that women have a right to control their own bodies, their own lives, their own destinies. And I am proud...to pledge that I will support only pro-choice judges to the Supreme Court."
10.05.2004
Order these CD's!!
This is a gift from God-- the Christopher West Crash Course on TOB for $3.90!
I'm not sure if this is an older edition, but nevertheless, the talks are intense!!
There is (or should be) a talk on Christopher West's theory on Original Sin, that has kept Kevin and me, along with other friends, talking and discussing, discussing and talking. But- you're not allowed to skip to the theory on Original Sin without first listening to the whole course.
Don't forget to order the study guide, too. You'll have to get that at Chris West's website.
I'm not sure if this is an older edition, but nevertheless, the talks are intense!!
There is (or should be) a talk on Christopher West's theory on Original Sin, that has kept Kevin and me, along with other friends, talking and discussing, discussing and talking. But- you're not allowed to skip to the theory on Original Sin without first listening to the whole course.
Don't forget to order the study guide, too. You'll have to get that at Chris West's website.
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