Monday, October 25, 2010

Should incitement to infanticide be a crime?


Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute (C-FAM) refer to a debate at Princeton University between a couple of 'heavyweight philosophers', namely Peter “An infant has no moral status because he is not self-aware” Singer,


a professor of bioethics, and John Finnis, a professor emeritus of philosophy in the University of Oxford, who argued against using the 'F' word: foetus:

As used in the conference program and website, which are not medical contexts, it is offensive, dehumanizing, prejudicial, manipulative, A website describing ultrasound for expectant mothers doesn’t talk about her fetus but her baby, and so do her doctors unless they’re her abortionists or think she has been or is interested in abortion.

How's this for a statement from Frances Kissling, a so-called bioethics scholar and abortion rights advocate and conference organiser:

We have to get rid of the idea of evil.

Pretty Marxist, don't you think?

As C-FAM reports:
Singer defended his support for infanticide, stating that self-awareness confers moral status, and not species membership. Abortion is the killing of a human being, but is not immoral because the child does not meet the self-awareness test, said Singer.

In his utilitarian view, Singer believes that there can even be a moral duty to kill humans lacking self-awareness, including the disabled, which he has been criticized for not following in the case of his mother.
Interesting that the Princeton University debate website states that these debates are inspired by the call made by President Obama in his speech at Notre Dame University

for those on different sides of the abortion issue not only to work together where we agree, but also to engage in "vigorous debate" with "open hearts, open minds, and fair minded words."
Meanwhile said President vigorously promotes legislation and health care programmes that increase the provision of abortion. To debate with infanticiders with open heart, open mind and fair minded words is to tell them the truth: they are killers. Say it nicely, but clearly. Apparently Finnis kept his cool in the debate.

In looking for an image of Singer I found one at SuperVegan. Now I haven't much in common with vegans but take a look at the website which refers to Singer's obnoxious "ethical" views:

Earlier this week, animal rights advocate and ethicist Peter Singer restated his position on killing disabled babies for the UK Independent "You Ask the Questions" column. In response to a reader's question "Would you kill a disabled baby?," Singer replied:

"Yes, if that was in the best interests of the baby and of the family as a whole. Many people find this shocking, yet they support a woman's right to have an abortion. One point on which I agree with opponents of abortion is that, from the point of view of ethics rather than the law, there is no sharp distinction between the fetus and the newborn baby."

This isn't really news since for some time now Singer has been promoting euthanasia of the disabled. But I thought I'd share this just in case some people didn't know about Peter Singer's unflinching ethics.

Now Vegans or even Super Vegans are people with whom I'd be very happy to debate with open mind, open heart and fair minded words.

2 comments:

  1. Father, would the enemies of the Church not use such legislation to accuse her? I'm thinking in particular of Psalm 137.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ps 137:7-9
    Remember, O Lord, against the children of Edom, the day of Jerusalem,
    When they said, "Raise it, raze it down to its foundations!"
    O daughter of Babylon, you destroyer, happy the man who shall repay you the evil you have done us!
    Happy the man who shall seize and smash your little ones against the rock!

    These are very tough words from the Psalms. We know of course that the psalms do contain such 'cursing' verses. We also know that they are not to be taken literally but rather indicate the evil of those who sought/seek to destroy the holy city, those who seek to overthrow the kingdom of God. This isn't an incitement to infanticide. And the Church would never interpret this verse as such.

    But well done of spotting this. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete

Please avoid being 'anonymous' if at all possible.

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...