Who, really, is intolerant?
Jan 30, 2009 Five Non-Negotiable Issues
Quite often political discussions on issues with moral relevance (even if the arguments against them have far reach into areas other than religious belief) are quickly squashed by a comment to the effect of “Catholics are not tolerant of other views.” Even if that were the case, that doesn’t score any points in favor of “choice” in the example of abortion. The idea that Catholics are intolerant (false as it is) is a non sequitur to such a discussion.
Ironically, at the point where a person brings this kind of a statement into the mix on abortion, it is generally the statement-maker who is the intolerant one. An example of this comes with the news today that the Academy of Holy Angels has stripped an award that it had given to a local lawyer who has worked on behalf of the DFL on abortion rights issues. The award placed AHA alum, Paul Thissen, into the “Activities Hall of Fame” which is recognition for people who ”through their citizenship and achievements, have brought honor to themselves, their school and the community.” Clearly if you are tolerant of others’ beliefs you also would extend that right to Catholics who do not hold that there is “honor” in supporting abortion rights.
I think this point is often missed on both sides of the coin. Catholics, ever punished with such accusations of intolerance, are increasingly sensitive and looking for ways to prove otherwise. At varying rates they are giving up the views they once held in the name of tolerance. On the other side of the coin, they are unable to look in the mirror and realize that tolerance is a two-way street. If someone should be allowed to have the view that abortion should be legal in this country there is no need to worry, they do have that right — even when the law is one way we are allowed to believe the opposite should be true — but so, too, do Catholics have the right to disagree with that view and keep their highest honors for people who uphold their own standards. It has never been a secret that the Church is pro-life. The only fault AHA might have in this was not coming to this conclusion before causing the commotion it did. (Then again, this might be good for a point. God works in mysterious ways.)
Update: The Trog also weighs in. He has a more personal connection to all of it.
Tags: Abortion, Academy of Holy Angels, Five Non-Negotiable Issues, Intolerance, The Trog, Thissen
