Abortion and godlings

The desire to favour ideology over compassion for women has surfaced in Ireland in very distressing way. A pregnant woman (Savita Halappanavar) was admitted to University Hospital Galway (UHG), where she was found to be miscarrying and soon was in severe pain. Savita died of septicaemia a week later. Why did Savita die? According to an article in The Irish Times a request for a medical termination was refused because the foetal heartbeat was still present, and “this is a Catholic country”. Perhaps the doctors (godlings?) would also claim that even after rape any pregnancy is “something that God intended to happen” (believed by some in the USA)?

A necessary medical treatment to save the life of the mother because of foetal termination. We have a case where the perceived “rights” of a foetus (who had not been born) superseded the rights of a woman (who had been born) – this unfortunate position appears throughout many conservative political ideologies. Often “abortion” is a political issue dressed in religious clothes.

Blasphemy in veneration

I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do because I notice it always coincides with their own desires.
— Susan B. Anthony, Bible Resolution speech, National American Woman Suffrage Association, 23-28 January 1896.

I was astounded to find a silly assertion that “the Constitution of the United States, the greatest political document ever written” was actually a religious tract, because “That sacred document shows us the path forward” (“We Believe in America”, Republican Platform 2012). It is perfectly acceptable to venerate those who were there at the founding of USA, and those helping frame the constitution, without turning them into saints.