Supreme Court Justice Sotomayer, one of the few members of the Supreme Court who has ever been pregnant, warned yesterday of a “stench” of distrust of a Court that works from political ideology and not from the law.
Washington Post
This is sure to happen, she said, if the Court overturns fifty years of decisions by both Republican-appointed and Democratic-appointed judges of the legal precedence of Roe vs. Wade.
Everyone knows that religious extremists from the evangelical right and the Roman Catholic right (the latter constitutes a majority in the Supreme Court), Opus Dei included, is behind the rabid ideology by so many male politicians to control women’s bodies.
To me there are only three questions that really matter in the abortion debate and neither was spoken at yesterday’s hearing. They are these:
Where in Roe vs Wade does it say that anyone whose conscience tells them not to have an abortion must have an abortion?
Why do you judges, based on your religious beliefs, feel you have the right, in a pluralistic society, to forbid others to have an abortion?
Why do men, 50% of the population, feel you have a right to tell women, the other 50% of the population, what she can or cannot do with her body? Who anointed you to do that? And when?
As I pointed out in my recent and substantive article on abortion, I have never met a woman who had an abortion who found it an easy decision to make.
But women do have abortions and always have and always will and there are many factors that make it the better of two bad options.
If you are really “pro life,” then surely you do not want a woman to lose her life having an abortion, do you?
* See Matthew Fox, “Moving Beyond the Abortion Fixation: Some Theological Context,” in Conscience: The Newsjournal of Catholic Opinion, vol. xli—no. 2, 2020, pp. 24-28; or www/consciencemag.org.
Also see Matthew Fox, Illuminations of Hildegard of Bingen, pp. 122-126.
Also see Matthew Fox, The Hidden Spirituality of Men: Ten Metaphors to Awaken the Sacred Masculine.
To read the transcript of Matthew Fox’s video teaching, click HERE.
Banner Image: Women’s March for Reproductive Rights Chicago Illinois, 5-20-19. Image by Charles Edward Miller on Flickr.
Queries for Contemplation
Do you agree with Justice Sotomayer that the reputation of the Supreme Court is at stake in their upcoming decision on abortion? How can you turn this concern into constructive action?
Recommended Reading
Illuminations of Hildegard of Bingen
An introduction to the life and work of Hildegard of Bingen, Illuminations reveals the life and teachings of one of the greatest female artists and intellectuals of the Western Mystical Tradition. At the age of 42, she began to have visions; these were captured as 36 illuminations–24 of which are recorded in this book along with her commentaries on them.
“If one person deserves credit for the great Hildegard renaissance in our time, it is Matthew Fox.” – Dr Mary Ford-Grabowsky, author of Sacred Voices.
The Hidden Spirituality of Men: Ten Metaphors to Awaken the Sacred Masculine
To awaken what Fox calls “the sacred masculine,” he unearths ten metaphors, or archetypes, ranging from the Green Man, an ancient pagan symbol of our fundamental relationship with nature, to the Spiritual Warrior….These timeless archetypes can inspire men to pursue their higher calling to connect to their deepest selves and to reinvent the world.
“Every man on this planet should read this book — not to mention every woman who wants to understand the struggles, often unconscious, that shape the men they know.” — Rabbi Michael Lerner, author of The Left Hand of God
11 thoughts on “The Supreme Stench of the Supreme Court Addressing Abortion”
My personal perception is that as human beings, we have all been given the responsibility of authority for our own free will choices, and the power of this, which includes our bodies, our thoughts, our emotions, our words and our actions. This is each one’s personal and individual responsibility of authority, it is not the responsibility and authority of man made religious, political or judicial institutions, nor man made constitutions, nor man made laws.
Every human being whom has been given this responsibility of authority for their own free will choices and the power of this, and all that this entails, also stands accountable with regards to experiencing the consequences of these personal and individual free will choices decided upon, this is the universal cosmic law of cause and effect.
I’ve often wondered what changes could be brought about in this world, if humanity rather than attempting domination over, through the misuse and abuse of this authority and power, was instead focused on serving, nurturing and supporting each other, assisting one another through the process of learning to maturely become and be responsible and accountable for one’s personal and individual free will choices being considered or made and the consequences of this. Would this cause then not create perhaps a different effect, such as healing, compassion and mercy and the infinite expressions of this, founded on the cornerstone of the empowerment of Divine Love and the wisdom ways of this.
Rather than attempting domination over others, by making more and more man made laws, be they religious, political or judicial, or based on a constitution written hundreds of years ago, why not attempt to create more authentic and deeply mentoring relationships, to help each other in this learning of claiming personal responsibility and accountability for this gift of free will choice given each one of us all and the power of this, so that we can do so in ways that help each other mature into our true nature as co-creators.
Jeanette, If I am hearing you right, it seems you are saying that as individuals we have choices that we have to make for ourselves, and when it comes to women’s own bodies, they are the one’s who should decide–NOT the government.
Richard
I’m actually saying alot more than what you commented on.
Jeanette
Jeanette, I was only trying to restate your MAIN points in more concise way…
Thank you for pointing this out in your article on abortion: “In line with that tradition, Jesus never spoke about abortion. As such, how could abortion define a follower of Jesus? Isn’t doing so to neglect his teachings entirely? The same could be said of Jesus’ position on birth control—it is nonexistent. The church’s teaching against birth control actually originates from St. Augustine’s negative view of sexuality, which derives from his own promiscuous youth and subsequent conflicting attitudes towards his own sexuality—an attitude of guilt and shame left unresolved and thereafter dumped on centuries of Christians ever since.”
As I reflect on this morning’s essay and your longer article this morning, I’m also thinking about the hypocrisy of people who violently declare that the government cannot tell them that they must get a vaccination against Covid (to work or participate in certain activities), that the government should not tell them what to do with their bodies, that vaccination is a personal choice–but that it’s fine to tell a woman what she must do with her body. They are speaking from political persuasion not values.
Michele, I agree whole heartedly with your first paragraph, but there is something different going on in your second paragraph. The difference is this: The Supreme Court had already decided that abortion is legal in Roe vs Wade. Therefore it is law. Getting vaccinations for Covid is not law, it is mandated. One could be fined or excluded from work for not complying but not be criminally prosecuted. If on the other hand, Roe vs Wade was done away with, it would again become illegal to have an abortion–it would be against the law not a mandate.
Yes, Richard. That is a big difference. I am just pointing out the hypocrisy.
Thank you, Matt, for addressing such an important issue.
I’m sharing a song called “I Choose” from my CD, Singing the News, that speaks to the importance of women having a choice. Here’s the link, and anyone is free to share this:
https://www.lindasongs.com/i-choose
Never thought we’d have to be fighting this battle again.
Linda Allen
Linda
Thanks for creating and sharing your song.
Jeanette
I have always believed that the choice to have or not to have an abortion is strictly between a woman, her doctor or medical attendant, and God. What ires me the most is the complete disrespect and disregard for my opinion, which comes from my faith. I am not imposing anything on anyone. I am not requiring or even suggesting that anyone should have an abortion. I am old enough to remember when abortion, and contraception, by the way, were illegal. Some of my wealthy classmates in college already had abortions at age 18 or 19. The euphemism back then for an abortion was a D&C. The return to this “system” is appalling. Poor women and victims of rape and/or incest will either die of a botched abortion or be forced to endure a terrible pregnancy.
I do not think that the Supreme Court, as it is currently composed, gives a damn about how it is viewed. These are mainly people who are separated from reality by their eliteness and zealousness. Poll after poll has shown that most people don’t want Roe v Wade overturned.
I think that we can do what we always can do in the fight against denial and injustice: use our voices in whatever way we can, whether by contacting legislators, local and federal, writing letters to the editor, demonstrating, etc. And we must pray to keep up our courage.
Thank you for your faithful witness, Matthew Fox. You are looking weary. Take care of yourself, dear prophet.
And thank you Sue for making your voice know!!!