Pope Francis: Abortion is a (grave but) forgivable sin

[Proteus_MST]

No more automatic excommunication for women who commit an abortion.

http://edition.cnn.com/2016/11/21/europe/pope-francis-absolve-abortion/index.html

I guess Pope Francis is, what JP 1 could have become, if he hadn't died so suddenly

[kentonio]

Watch Ben's head explode in 5..4..3..

[self biased]

nah. He will just regale us for pages and pages about how the Pope is wrong.

[Jon Miller]

What are the other sins that could only be forgiven by Bishops?

JM
(I disapprove of the whole forgiveness form priests thing, but I am a protestant.)

[Proteus_MST]

Wikipedia says, the following persons will receive Latae sententiae

• an apostate from the faith, a heretic, or a schismatic;^[6]
• a person who throws away the consecrated Eucharistic species or takes and retains them for a sacrilegious purpose;^[7]
• a person who uses physical force against the Pope;^[8]
• a priest who absolves an accomplice in a sin against the commandment against adultery;^[9]
• a bishop who ordains someone a bishop without a papal mandate, and the person who receives the ordination from him;^[10]
• a confessor who directly violates the sacramental seal of confession;^[11]
• a person who procures a completed abortion;^[12]
• accomplices without whose assistance a violation of a law prescribing latae sententiae excommunication would not have been committed.

Source:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latae_sententiae

So, I guess (as someone who also is outside of the RCC), if (before popes francis edicts) a mother would have aborted her child while it still is a heap of undifferentiated cells, she would have been automatically excommunicated (and could only be taken back by proving her earnest repentance to a bishop).
If, however, she would have waited till giving birth and then, immediately after birth, would have dashed her newborns head to a stone, so that it dies (as Psalm 137:9 recommends), it would "just" have been murder and the mother would have spared the automatic excommunication (and would just have had to confess her sin to a priest)

[giblets]

Somehow I doubt they actually managed to excommunicate every woman who ever had an abortion

[Jon Miller]

You do know that Psalms is not considered something to take instruction from for either Jews or Christians? And that particular verse is a curse against Babylon, it is basically saying 'may our enemy who killed our children have their children killed'. Taking the Bible as some set of instructions where every verse can be read independently is the height of foolishness.

But yeah, it seems that... except for the mother's commiting abortion... the other cases were primarily for priests. So it was definitely out of place.

JM

[Proteus_MST]

You do know that Psalms is not considered something to take instruction from for either Jews or Christians? And that particular verse is a curse against Babylon, it is basically saying 'may our enemy who killed our children have their children killed'. Taking the Bible as some set of instructions where every verse can be read independently is the height of foolishness.

Just a little bit nitpicking at american reborn fundamentalists who, often enough, actually see the bible as such a set of instructions

But yeah, it seems that... except for the mother's commiting abortion... the other cases were primarily for priests. So it was definitely out of place.

JM

Aye ... the only danger (for non priests) outside of abortion and apostasy seems to be the eucharist ...
better never ever throw it into a waste bin or spit it on the ground, after receiving it, at least if you are a catholic.
And I guess, if you have an audience at the pope and he suddenly starts attacking you, you also aren't allowed to defend yourself, as this also would result in Latae sententia

[Ben Kenobi]

nah. He will just regale us for pages and pages about how the Pope is wrong.

Why on earth would I do that? I see nothing wrong with priests being able to forgive abortion.

You honestly don't know me all that well if you think that! I'm actually really thankful he's done this!

[Berzerker]

why does a woman need God's forgiveness?

does God need her forgiveness when she miscarries?

[giblets]

God should ask women for forgiveness

[self biased]

Why on earth would I do that?

own ****ing goal.

[Ben Kenobi]

I'm actually curious self. Why did you think I'd be upset with Pope Francis permitting priests to forgive sins like abortion?

[kentonio]

I'm actually curious self. Why did you think I'd be upset with Pope Francis permitting priests to forgive sins like abortion?

Because you're a heartless fundamentalist with the moral compass of Jeffrey Dahmer?

[Ben Kenobi]

Because you're a heartless fundamentalist with the moral compass of Jeffrey Dahmer?

Evidently not.