The October 10 LMT Opinion page commentary by José Valdez Sr. MFA evinces dedication to dogmatic morality concerning the ongoing controversy of abortion. He approaches it from apparent Christian religious indoctrination, a belief system begun as an aberrant Jewish cult holding their Messiah had arrived in the first century of the current era (CE). Abortion has been practiced since prehistoric times. Over twenty centuries ago Roman society sanctioned both infanticide and abortion, although by the first century BCE, Romans were moving away from infanticide presumably from emotional reactions to visibly witnessing babies die by exposure.
From the onset, Christian groups (presumably Valdez follows one) were confronted with a society in which abortion was the rule rather than the exception. Before 80 CE, the Christian Didache (early Christian instruction) told the faithful to “… not procure abortion.” In 138 CE, Barnabas declared abortion a “crime.” In Roman society, Christian believers opposed stoic philosophy that life began only at actual birth. Today there are numerous belief systems that follow this credence. Many Christians hold that life begins at conception, and even abortifacient-induced pregnancy terminations are “sin’ and “murder.” Churches assume empowerment to proscribe and prescribe human conduct, often through shaming and threats of eternal punishment in an afterlife. A local priest once stated, “The Mass is ended, go in peace. Remember anyone doing business with McDonald’s or Starbucks participates in homicide because those companies donate to Planned Parenthood.” The truly faithful put aside their own judgment to obey laws espoused by churches, laws considered by them as secondary and even irrelevant to man-made juridical law.
The term “abortion” as understood in Catholic doctrine means expelling an immature and nonviable fetus from the womb; the Catechism states “…a fetus is considered viable by the end of the twenty-eighth week of pregnancy.” Further down, a declaration states that a fertilized ovum has a “soul.” Surgical or chemical termination of pregnancy, even male or female contraception, are deemed “voluntary homicide” because it usurps a right belonging solely to God. These persons claim to know what their god thinks.
The list of patristic writers (Church Fathers) dictating abortion-related dogma is long: Athenogoras (177 CE), Basil (375 CE), Origen (1st century CE), Epiphanius of Salamis, Jerome (4th century CE), John Chrysostom, Augustine of Hippo, Caesarius of Arles (3rd & 4th centuries CE), Martin of Braga (527 CE), plus Post-Reformation Popes Sixtus V, Gregory XVI, and Innocent XI, and more recently Pius XI, Pius XII, John XXIII, and Paul VI. What do these “Fathers” have in common with Valdez? Apparently, a dearth of obstetrics, gynecology, embryology, psychology, hormonal studies, plus none have uteri. Yet they claim a right to deny females the same freedoms, civil rights, and autonomy privileging men. If people don’t behave according to patriarchal dogma, rules thought up by men claiming to personally know what their “creator god” thinks, they consider women and men who help them guilty of “criminal” and “sinful” acts.
The title “Catholic” (from the Greek for “universal”) was first used by Ignatius of Antioch in 107 CE to distinguish his group from the dozens of other Christian sects around the Mediterranean areas. By the second century the term had two connotations, “universal” and “orthodox” (right). With governments’ backing, it is now the largest and arguably the richest Christian sect in the world. However, in light of what is happening with media dis- and misinformation lately, just because large populations believe in something does not make it true.
José does well to believe whatever system he wishes, as guaranteed by the Constitution’s First Amendment. In this nation, anybody who wants religion is welcome to it. He can even think abortion is killing humans. His right to enjoy his belief is fully supported. However, as a citizen, he should respect the rights of fellow citizens who do not share his dogmatic tenets. Gods have come and gone, for centuries people claimed theirs were true, yet no one in history has ever proven existence of supernatural entities or afterlife. Americans can practice their legally protected freedom to believe as they wish, as long as they avoid foisting their beliefs on others and abstain from using them to enact laws restrictive of human rights. Complaining, praying and even banning women’s right to safe abortion will not stop the demand for the procedure; it will continue. At least keep it safe.
Valdez’s opinion seems on rails, reminding me of two female colleagues, anthropology and government professors who researched unwanted pregnancies of girls between 13 and 15 years of age. Asking my opinion, they had a city map with dots anonymously representing incidences of the pregnancies. The greatest majority of “dots” were concentrated on either side of Arroyo Zacate, and south of Market Street, the indication being that more affluent and better educated Laredoans afforded taking their daughters out of town for abortions, the rest were restricted by poverty, ignorance, and religion-induced shame; there was no mention of pregnancies by child abuse, rape, or incest. Anti-abortion attitude is like the hypocrisy and head-in-the-sand viewpoint of religionists’ abhorrence and proscription of pre- and extra-marital sex, which consistently endures. Lawmakers turn a blind eye and deaf ear to more humane legislature as they obey donors and pander votes from naïve constituents.
