Maybe you can suggest that to them?  It might be that they just never thought about it, and an outisde opinion sometimes is refreshing and inciteful.

I agree that putting it up at Halloween obscures the point.

A few years ago I used to work with the youth group of a Church here in Plymouth and I helped put up the crosses when they did it. We got a lot of angry calls and letters, even from parishioners. The complaint that stuck in my head was a mother complaining that her 6 year old wanted to know why all the crosses were there, and she didn't want to have to explain abortion to the child.

The teenagers who helped set up the crosses said that before they helped set up the crosses, they'd had no idea that so many babies were aborted--the number of crosses generally represents the number of babies aborted every day. So I'd say that they got the point.

Despite the politics that go along with it, it is a memorial. The day after Halloween is All Saint's Day and the following day is All Soul's Day. I believe that they're both holy days of obligation (meaning, you have to go to Mass on that day or it's considered a sin). All Saint's Day is the catch-all day to celebrate the lives of Catholic saints. All Soul's Day is the day that Catholics remember all those who have died since the last All Soul's Day Mass. There's a special Mass that involves candle lighting and reading the names of those who have died from the book of the dead. So it's not all that inappropriate to put up the graveyard at this time of year, even if it's not as significant to people who only know about the secular holiday.

The thing is there is no way to count all of the other sins that people commit every day. There wouldn't be enough crosses to cover all the sins even the members of that church commit. I see it as people wanting to say look how holy we are. We are sinners but we don't do that sin and it's so much worse than anything we would ever do. Of course, many of them would never have been in that situation to have to make that choice.

Locamana, you're missing the point. The crosses aren't about enumerating sins. They represent the number of babies that are killed by abortion every day. The position of the Catholic Church is that abortion is murder. Many people, not just Catholics, feel the same way. Is it wrong for those of us who have never committed murder to condemn those who do commit murder because we have never been in that situation?

The crosses are not about being holier than thou, and they are only put out for abortions. We don't put out displays about gay marriage or various other issues that the Catholic Church doesn't approve of. The crosses are, as I said before, a memorial, and a silent message. Maybe very many people don't get the message. But even the small number of people who do get the message can make a difference.

Reply By: CariElf Posted: Monday, October 31, 2005 Locamana, you're missing the point.

Very good response.  You have a lot of wisdom for one so young.

Thank you Dr. Guy, that means a lot to me.

I don't agree with doing something like that at anytime. As a Christian, I think that displaying something like that does not show the Love of Christ. All it does is add extra hurt to the young teenage girl who had an abortion because she didn't know anyother way. Or the mother of five who couldn't feed the ones she had and couldn't stand to see another one of her children go hungery. Or the woman who's doctor told her that if she cared the baby to term she would die. I just think that the church could us thier time and land more wisely. By makeing a place for young girls to go where they are not judged but helped to see a better way. Help the mother of five to have a job and food to feed her childern. If you lovingly teach Jesus - people will see that there is a better way of doing than to do what they was doing to be in the shape they found themselves in. Jesus came to save and heal the broken. Not beat them somemore. by:wife

I find it to be judgemental. you know what I would like to see is a graveyard with a cross for every child who was ever molested by a priest.

I find it to be judgemental. you know what I would like to see is a graveyard with a cross for every child who was ever molested by a priest.

That is just as judgemental.  Why not every teacher?  Parent? relative?

All it does is add extra hurt to the young teenage girl who had an abortion because she didn't know anyother way. Or the mother of five who couldn't feed the ones she had and couldn't stand to see another one of her children go hungery. Or the woman who's doctor told her that if she cared the baby to term she would die. I just think that the church could us thier time and land more wisely. By makeing a place for young girls to go where they are not judged but helped to see a better way. Help the mother of five to have a job and food to feed her childern. If you lovingly teach Jesus - people will see that there is a better way of doing than to do what they was doing to be in the shape they found themselves in.

There is always the option to give the child up for adoption, unless it is indeed a case of the mother's life being in danger. Is there any woman who does not know that you can give a child up for adoption? Furthermore, there is a law where a baby can be left at a hospital with no questions asked and the hospital will take care of the child and make arrangements for its care. There is a process that a woman has to go through in order to get an abortion, and I would be surprised if that isn't in the information given to the woman. Finally, there are several religious organizations to help the poor, besides the volunteer work done by individual parishes. Wee Care helps single mothers by collecting baby clothing, diapers, baby food and formula. Project Rachel is an organization formed to help women who have had abortions deal with their guilt and grief. Right to Life exists to educate people about abortion.

I find it to be judgemental. you know what I would like to see is a graveyard with a cross for every child who was ever molested by a priest.

Those children are not dead, and there are more married men who molest children than Catholic priests. It is wrong for anyone to molest a child, but that is not the issue that we are discussing.

There is always the option to give the child up for adoption, unless it is indeed a case of the mother's life being in danger. Is there any woman who does not know that you can give a child up for adoption? Furthermore, there is a law where a baby can be left at a hospital with no questions asked and the hospital will take care of the child and make arrangements for its care. There is a process that a woman has to go through in order to get an abortion, and I would be surprised if that isn't in the information given to the woman. Finally, there are several religious organizations to help the poor, besides the volunteer work done by individual parishes. Wee Care helps single mothers by collecting baby clothing, diapers, baby food and formula. Project Rachel is an organization formed to help women who have had abortions deal with their guilt and grief. Right to Life exists to educate people about abortion.


All you are saying is true but the bottom line is that Jesus teachs us to reach people though Love not hate. I am just saying that it is better to help people through Loveing kindness than judgement. I beleave abortion is wrong for any reason including the risk of mothers life. As will I beleave that you cannot reach any one with hateful actions.

There is always the option to give the child up for adoption, unless it is indeed a case of the mother's life being in danger. Is there any woman who does not know that you can give a child up for adoption?

There are indeed women who need guidance in making a good decision. These struggling women need encouragement, kindness, and likely logistical help to make the choice to give a baby up for adoption.

Furthermore, there is a law where a baby can be left at a hospital with no questions asked and the hospital will take care of the child and make arrangements for its care. There is a process that a woman has to go through in order to get an abortion, and I would be surprised if that isn't in the information given to the woman.

Adoption and abortion are not two sides of the same coin. Adoption requires a woman to endure the pregnancy, and sometimes that is so detrimental to the woman's well-being that adoption is not even considered as an option.

Finally, there are several religious organizations to help the poor, besides the volunteer work done by individual parishes. Wee Care helps single mothers by collecting baby clothing, diapers, baby food and formula. Project Rachel is an organization formed to help women who have had abortions deal with their guilt and grief. Right to Life exists to educate people about abortion.

There are organizations out there, but what she was saying is, how much manpower and time was wasted putting up this display that could have gone toward helping women instead of shaming them? Just as much awareness could be raised through good works as through this little display.

For those who didn't like Cindy Sheehan's Camp Casey...how is this any different? It's a political message designed without consideration for the feelings of others.

All you are saying is true but the bottom line is that Jesus teachs us to reach people though Love not hate.

They wouldn't be so outspoken if the government threatened to tax their parishes.

Adoption and abortion are not two sides of the same coin. Adoption requires a woman to endure the pregnancy, and sometimes that is so detrimental to the woman's well-being that adoption is not even considered as an option.

Very sensitive but tough to get across with so many of the ostensibly devout perceiving it as sheer murder.

 

Not beat them somemore.

Bravo! Truly Christian.