In the debate with GOP nominee for vice president, Paul Ryan, V.P. Joe Biden mischaracterized Roman Catholic doctrine according to Pope Benedict XVI regarding abortion. In addition, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops corrected Biden's erroneous explanation of the ObamaCare mandate against Catholic institutions, wherein Biden violated the Eighth Commandment.
UPDATE 10/31/12: Biden shouldn't receive communion says Roman Catholic Bishop Michael Sheridan of Colorado Springs
UPDATE 3/14/13: Pro-abortion, pro-homosexual Vice President Biden shows Pope Francis I in Rome how important the Catholic Church is to him
For background, click headlines below of previous posts:
Archbishops Say Vote Pro-life and Pro-marriage
Vatican: NEVER Vote for Pro-choice Candidate
Vatican: Liberal Catholic Candidates Must Repent Publicly
Bishops Throw Down Gauntlet: Obama War on Christianity
Religious Liberty & Anti-Christian Totalitarianism
-- From "Catholic bishops chide Biden over contraception mandate comments" by Mitchell Landsberg, Los Angeles Times 10/12/12
The nation's Roman Catholic bishops lashed out at Vice President Joe Biden on Friday, saying he was wrong in the way he described a healthcare mandate that would require contraceptive services for employees of some Catholic institutions.
In Thursday's vice presidential debate, the first ever between two Catholics, the candidates were asked how their faith shaped their views on abortion. Both said they were opposed to abortion, although Biden said he would not impose his views on others, while Republican Rep. Paul D. Ryan said he would support abortion restrictions. In his answer, Ryan took the opportunity to attack Biden and the Obama administration for "what they're doing through Obamacare with respect to assaulting the religious liberties of this country. They're infringing upon our first freedom, the freedom of religion, by infringing on Catholic charities, Catholic churches, Catholic hospitals."
Biden said Ryan was wrong.
The bishops' conference, representing the leadership of the church in the United States, leaped in on Ryan's side . . . [saying] that the HHS mandate will "force virtually all employers to include sterilization and contraception, including drugs that may cause abortion, in the health insurance coverage they provide their employees."
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Catholic bishops rebuke Biden over contraception mandate claims" by Kevin Eckstrom, Religion News Service, on The Washington Post 10/12/12
Without mentioning Biden by name, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said the “inaccurate” statement “made during the Vice Presidential debate” was “not a fact.”
During Thursday’s debate, Biden said “No religious institution-Catholic or otherwise, including Catholic social services, Georgetown hospital, Mercy hospital, any hospital-none has to either refer contraception, none has to pay for contraception, none has to be a vehicle to get contraception in any insurance policy they provide. That is a fact.”
Biden also said that there is no “assault on the Catholic Church.” Ryan responded, “Why would they keep suing you?”
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "No, Joe! U.S Catholic Bishops Say Biden Spoke Falsely" by Terence P. Jeffrey, CNSNews.com 10/12/12
“This is not a fact,” said a statement issued by the U.S.C.C.B on Friday. “The HHS mandate contains a narrow, four-part exemption for certain ‘religious employers.’ That exemption was made final in February and does not extend to ‘Catholic social services, Georgetown hospital, Mercy hospital, any hospital,’ or any other religious charity that offers its services to all, regardless of the faith of those served.
. . . Citing Pope John Paul II's encyclical letter Evangelium Vitae, the [The National Catholic Bioethics Center] further said that Catholics have a moral duty to resist the Obamacare regulation.
“Most importantly, we are impelled to recall the distinct moral obligation of all persons of conscience, and especially Catholics, to resist unjust laws,” they said. “This duty was outlined explicitly by our Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, in his encyclical Evangelium Vitae: ‘There is no obligation in conscience to obey such laws; instead there is a grave and clear obligation to oppose them by conscientious objection. ... In the case of an intrinsically unjust law, ... it is therefore never licit to obey it, or to ‘take part in a propaganda campaign in favour of such a law, or vote for it.’”
In Thursday night’s debate, Vice President Biden called himself a practicing Catholic and said that his life had been defined by his Catholic faith.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Biden: 'My Religion Defines My Life;' Pope: 'There Is a Grave and Clear Obligation to Oppose' Legalized Abortion" by Terence P. Jeffrey, CNSNews.com 10/12/12
The Catholic Church's teaching is not only that abortion is always wrong, but also that Catholics in public office have a grave duty to oppose legalizing it while speaking out clearly against it.
“With regard to abortion,” [Biden] said, “I accept my church’s position on abortion as a, what we call de fide doctrine. Life begins at conception. That’s the church’s judgment. I accept it in my personal life. But I refuse to impose it on equally devout Christian and Muslims and Jews, and I just refuse to impose that on others, unlike my friend here, the congressman.
“I do not believe that we have a right to tell other people that, women, that they can’t control their body,” said Biden. “It is a decision between them and their doctor, in my view, and the Supreme Court. I am not going to interfere with that.”
The actual position of the Catholic Church is that any law legalizing the killing of an unborn child is an unjust law that violates the natural law and is, therefore, no law at all. Vice President Biden’s church teaches that it is not acceptable even to obey such laws let alone support them as part of a political campaign.
In 2002, then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who is now Pope Benedict XVI, wrote a "Doctrinal Note on Some Questions Regarding the Participation of Catholics in Political Life." The note, approved and published by Pope John Paul II, reiterated that Catholic lawmakers have a "grave and clear obligation" to oppose legalized abortion and other attacks on the right to life. Indeed, here the church said it was "impossible" for a Catholic to promote such laws.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
Also read Obama, Dems Severely Lacking of Christian Support as well as President Obama Denies Leading War Against Christianity
