The random political thoughts thread (Part Deux)

[scaeagles]

And regarding Pelosi - she stated, and I believe if she has studied it as she says she has from the point of view of a Catholic - she said specifically that it has only been church doctrine for the last 50 years or so. This is indeed grossly inaccurate and I believe calculated to say that the Catholic doctrine has changed on this issue. It has not.

[Alex]

Originally Posted by scaeagles

This is indeed grossly inaccurate and I believe calculated to say that the Catholic doctrine has changed on this issue. It has not.

You are correct, the church has always officially condemned abortion. What has changed over the centuries has been exactly what constituted abortion (it wasn't always from the moment of conception onward), when abortion is better than the alternatives (allowances for the life and health of the mother have changed over the centuries) and just how significant of a sin it is (at one point in time, as measured by required penance, oral sex was a greater sin than abortion.

[innerSpaceman]

Originally Posted by Alex

at one point in time, as measured by required penance, oral sex was a greater sin than abortion.

I wonder if that's because there were far fewer Catholic priests who performed abortions than there were who demanded oral sex from altar boys.