Ramblings on Ash Wednesday

These are my thoughts for today... (Having given up Facebook I have to put them somewhere...lol)

Adhering to a religion is logical and even Pascal noted the higher probability of God's existence than not existing.

Adhering to Catholicism is my moral compass! It is the means by which all other things are judged and weighed.

Using my moral judgement is NOT IMPOSING my religion, especially when I can logically support my claims by other means. Again, my Catholicism is my moral compass, but I do not need to cite it per se to show you the truth! For example, when discussing the baby in the womb. I came to respect that life initially because my Catholicism, as I think all human life is sacred; however, through modern embryology it can be shown that what is growing the womb is a human life.

I believe in justice, and I think most people do too. I believe in law be applied in a fair way too all people, so is it that far fetched then that I believe that the right to life is the first unalienable and inherent right? It is from that right that all other rights arrive, and to be denied that right and some arbitrary definition of what some may think a person is, in my opinion, wrong. In my discussions with people, it will often be said that I am trying to impose my religious ideals on a woman's right to reproductive health, but in truth I am not. I am trying to to say that a woman's right to reproductive health does not supercede the right to life, and that it is immoral to terminate or destroy another human with impunity, especially the innocent. Even the criminals within out societies are entitled to protections under law which allow them from arbitrarily having their lives ended, and in the United States there are many opportunities for appeals, but those within the womb have not even that opportunity. I see something very skewed in that. Human life begins at conception.

Most people do not know the meaning of impose; therefore, I thought I would help.

impose v. (imposes, imposing, imposed) 1 introduce (something) that must be obeyed or done: they plan to impose a tax on fuel. 2 force (something) to be accepted. 3 (impose on) take unfair advantage of (someone). [Taken from: Oxford Paperback Dictionary Thesaurus and Wordpower Guide. (2001) Oxford University Press: Oxford.]

Discussing matters and demonstrating truth through science and logic may dispel erroneous beliefs, but it is not imposing my beliefs. Imposition would be that you must adhere to what I say without reason and explanation, and even through discussion; however, you still do not have to follow or accept what I say or write. Again, I laugh at those who say I impose or force religion. On the contrary, it is against my faith to impose my religion; however, I must always be concerned for the common good and voice my concern for those who are least in society:

7. The right to religious freedom is exercised in human society: hence its exercise is subject to certain regulatory norms. In the use of all freedoms the moral principle of personal and social responsibility is to be observed. In the exercise of their rights, individual men and social groups are bound by the moral law to have respect both for the rights of others and for their own duties toward others and for the common welfare of all. Men are to deal with their fellows in justice and civility.

Furthermore, society has the right to defend itself against possible abuses committed on the pretext of freedom of religion. It is the special duty of government to provide this protection. However, government is not to act in an arbitrary fashion or in an unfair spirit of partisanship. Its action is to be controlled by juridical norms which are in conformity with the objective moral order. These norms arise out of the need for the effective safeguard of the rights of all citizens and for the peaceful settlement of conflicts of rights, also out of the need for an adequate care of genuine public peace, which comes about when men live together in good order and in true justice, and finally out of the need for a proper guardianship of public morality.

These matters constitute the basic component of the common welfare: they are what is meant by public order. For the rest, the usages of society are to be the usages of freedom in their full range: that is, the freedom of man is to be respected as far as possible and is not to be curtailed except when and insofar as necessary.
(DIGNITATIS HUMANAE)