Pope Benedict XVI Speaks Out Against Abortion, Euthanasia, Genetic Testing
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
December 16, 2009
The Vatican (LifeNews.com) — In a Wednesday address, Pope Benedict XVI spoke out against abortion, euthanasia, and casual genetic testing that could lead to abortion decisions. The pontiff said more legislation is needed to protect human life from these very real threats and that laws are only just when they protect the vulnerable.
The only just laws "are those laws that safeguard the sacredness of human life and reject the acceptance of abortion, euthanasia and unrestrained genetic experiments," Benedict said.
Failure to recognize a respect for human life in the law leads to a "dictatorship of relativism which does not recognize anything definitive and leaves as the ultimate criterion only the self and one’s own desires," he said.
He added a "an objective, unchanging truth accessible to human reason and that concerns practical action" exists — something that guides pro-life people.
"In our time especially in some countries, there is a worrying disconnect between reason, which has the task of discovering the ethical values of human dignity, and freedom, which has the responsibility to welcome them and promote them," Benedict said.
Pope Benedict dedicated his weekly talk to the writings of 12th-century British philosopher and theologian, John of Salisbury.
John eventually went into exile with St. Thomas Becket as a reaction to King Henry II to affirm the teachings of the Catholic Church.
Centuries later, the Pope said John’s writing still have relevance today, especially on pro-life issues.
"John’s insights are most timely today in light of the threats to human life and dignity posed by legislation inspired more by the ‘dictatorship of relativism’ than by the sober use of right reason and concern for the principles of truth and justice inscribed in the natural law," he said.
According to a CNS report, Pope Benedict also said laws today need to respect the separation of church and state — not by prohibiting the introduction of morality in the law but by protecting religious freedom.
The Pope said that even with the advent of the Internet, Catholics must be mindful of the kind of communications they employ as they attempt to persuade others to adopt pro-life views.
He said "there remains an urgent need to communicate messages endowed with wisdom, that is, inspired by truth, by goodness and beauty."
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