Martin Sheen, Radical Catholic?

[BLAZEr]

Q: What are your views on abortion?

Sheen: I cannot make a choice for a women, particularly a black or brown or poor pregnant woman. I would not make a judgment in the case. As a father and a grandfather, I have had experience with children who don't always come when they are planned, and I have experienced the great joy of God's presence in my children, so I'm inclined to be against abortion of any life. But I am equally against the death penalty or war-- anywhere people are sacrificed for some end justifying a means. I don't think abortion is a good idea. I personally am opposed to abortion, but I will not judge anybody else's right in that regard because I am not a woman and I could never face the actual reality of it.

This is supposed to be the quote of a "Radical" catholic? Sounds like a pretty typical wish washy Catholic to me.

here's the whole interview: http://www.progressive.org/july03/intv0703.html

[Dave]

As staunch a Demoncrat as Sheen is, does that really come as a shock?

Not only that, I heard somewhere that he doesn't believe that missing Mass in sinful!

[FreeSoul]

I actually had the pleasure of meeting Martin Sheen just over a week ago. He has been arrested several times for speaking for peace, for the rights of latin american labour activists who had their wages abused..working with cesar chavez, and works at a homeless soup kitchen once a week. All this from an emmy-nominated actor, who has more than enough blessings to live comfortably and forget what it is like to be Catholic. His faith has been the root of his activism, and I think he has done more with the many things he has been blessed with than most on this board. I was truly honoured to meet him, and it has inspired me to do more from my very comfortable place in society.

[Dave]

But FreeSoul, if he won't take a stand for the most innocent of humans, namely the unborn, that doesn't say much for him. Working on behalf of the homeless and oppressed is good, but there are those who need far more protection and help.

[FreeSoul]

Didn't mean to seriously soapbox, but I really was inspired that night. He is a really cool guy.

[FreeSoul]

Just because he doesn't act like a militant pro-lifer doesn't mean he doesn't care. He said he dosen't like abortion. I think he's just one of those pro-lifers who consider that part of promoting life is promoting COMPASSION AND UNDERSTANDING for those who partake in the practice.

[Dave]

Just because he doesn't act like a militant pro-lifer doesn't mean he doesn't care. He said he dosen't like abortion. I think he's just one of those pro-lifers who consider that part of promoting life is promoting COMPASSION AND UNDERSTANDING for those who partake in the practice.

Wait a minute, now.

Sheen is a Democrat. This may not apply to all Democrats, but the official position of the Democratic Party is that abortion should be legal. In addition, Sheen's argument is the same kind used by various pro-abortion "Catholic" politicians who claim to be personally opposed to abortion but don't want to "impose their morality on others." Well, when people make statements like that, anything after "but" is bulls---.

And what is compassion and understanding? Is it smiling and doing nothing while letting a person speed unhindered down the short, easy road to hell or trying to turn them from that path? Actually, I'll tell you what it is -- it's the latter. In the Bible God made it clear that if we remain silent or do nothing when evil is committed, it will be on OUR heads.

Edited October 10, 2003 by Dave

[IcePrincessKRS]

Its like saying "'I don't like candy" and then wolfing down a whole 2 pound bag of M&Ms....

[FreeSoul]

That's right friends......bring on the rhetoric. lol

[BLAZEr]

rhetoric? Does it really make you not-compassionate to say to someone "I love you and I understadn how difficult your situation is, but if you have an abortion you're killing a human being." . . . I mean, have you ever heard someone say "Well, you know, I really cant' judge that rapist because he had a hard childhood growing up and was sexually abused by his aunt, so even though I'm personally against rape and wouldn't rape anyone myself, I sure don't want that rapist guy to feel judged" . . . Please, I have worked with post-abortive women for the last 3 years and they say overwhelmingly, "I wish someone had told me how serious my decision was and how much I would regreat it. I wish someone had tired harder to stop me."

Abortion has TWO victims, a baby and its mother. It does both of them to not speak the truth to them.

[littleflower+JMJ]

martin sheen has the power and the money to speak up for the unborn, they need a voice to speak for them and their mothers who are victims.

and its sad and disappointing when he doesn't do that.

if he was a true catholic, it shouldn't be an issue and he wouldn't be buying any of that carp about choice and abortion.

i find that ironic how he stands for peace when he can't stand for life.

whats up with that?

Pope John Paul II says, If you want peace, work for justice.

and the murdering of unborn children is one of those calling for justice.

those unborn children and hurting mothers have no voice, but our voice.

if we don't fight for them who will?

shame on martin sheen for givign htat answer.

i will pray for him.

[musturde]

Abortion is evil, I mean do you guyz know how they actually kill the baby? The baby either gets burned to death (in which some rare cases it survives), chopped into pieces and sucked into a vacuum, taken out before it has a shape, or, in some instances, killed before COMPLETELY being out of the womb. Now you guys must remember, the baby can still feel pain. If any of you doubt me I can show you some gruesome pictures.

[littleflower+JMJ]

Abortion is evil, I mean do you guyz know how they actually kill the baby? The baby either gets burned to death (in which some rare cases it survives), chopped into pieces and sucked into a vacuum, taken out before it has a shape, or, in some instances, killed before COMPLETELY being out of the womb. Now you guys must remember, the baby can still feel pain. If any of you doubt me I can show you some gruesome pictures.

exactly! thats why its so important that we stand up for abortion and for the innocent lives of the unborn babies and their mothers who are victims.

their counting on us...

[BLAZEr]

Mother Teresa said "The fruit of abortion is Nuclear War."

She also said "There will not be peace on earth until there is peace in the womb."

Dorothy Day, Martin Sheen's hero apparently, was also unequivocally PRO-LIFE for unborn children. In fact, much of her conversion (and eventual baptism) came after an abortion she had in her early 20's. She lived with the pain of that abortion for her whole life and she saw the birth of her daughter Tamar (who is ironically pro-choice) as God's way of telling her she was forgiven for her abortion.

[littleflower+JMJ]

yup. mother theresa (i forgot when and where it was) was invited to the Breakfeast of Peace (not sure what the correct title was) at the White HOuse when Clinton was in there and she spoke about peace.

and thats the main thing she said to all the other peace leaders there.

she said, the greatest crime in the US is abortion. when a culture is killing babies and not being open to life and to God, there is no peace (im paraphrasing here).

and there will not be peace until abortion comes to an end.

thats why i love mother therese so much. she stood up for life. for peace. for God.

she's an inspiration to all of us.

she changed the world for working and serving God, can't we do the same?

think about if we all did what mother theresa did....the world would be a much better place thats for sure..........

+JMJ

[Cure of Ars]

"If you can't say something nice, don't say nothing at all"

I fall into this catigory when it comes to good old Martin Sheen and I feel the same about Pope Ted Kennedy .

[Norseman82]

Profile of Courage in the entertainment industry: "Only in America we kill the unborn to make end meet". Name the song and artist.

[Ellenita]

Actually I think Martin Sheen deserves support for standing up for his faith in what is a very anti - Christian environment (Hollywood, show business) which promotes a general life style that is often very damaging to people. He states very clearly that he is opposed to abortion and he is right when he says that ultimately it's the woman's choice - it doesn't matter how much you might 'educate' or legislate about abortion, if a woman wants to go ahead with one then she will, the history of 'back street' abortions is evidence of this.

I'm also surprised at the suggestion that he should be criticised because he is a democrat! Linking political parties to a particular faith is always odd to me - in Britain of the three main political parties, two of the leaders are practising Catholics and one is an Anglican married to a practising Catholic - which one is the right one?!

The influence that Martin Sheen might have in leading people to explore the Catholic faith, just by stating that he is a practising Catholic should not be underestimated. I found Phatmass through a search on Mark Wahlberg who features on the celebrities page, and I have learnt much since I've been coming here and have most certainly drawn nearer to converting as a result.

[Dave]

Ellenita:

I don't know what you've heard about the history of back alley abortions, but they weren't as common as many people make them out to be.

And in Britain, I don't know anything about the 2 practicing Catholic candidates, but I do know that Tony Blair, the Anglican married to a Catholic, is anti-life, and so he doesn't deserve anyone's votes. And if the other 2 Catholics are anti-life, they don't deserve votes either!

Did you even read my earlier post? The Democratic Party's platform is pro-abortion. Of course, there are pro-life Democrats out there, but they're VERY rare.

And as for Martin Sheen standing up for his faith in a very anti-Christian environment, it seems to me he's compromised it instead!

You also say abortion is ultimately the woman's choice. I got news for you -- no one, but NO ONE, has the right to choose to do what is wrong.

[BLAZEr]

Actually I think Martin Sheen deserves support for standing up for his faith in what is a very anti - Christian environment (Hollywood, show business) which promotes a general life style that is often very damaging to people. He states very clearly that he is opposed to abortion and he is right when he says that ultimately it's the woman's choice - it doesn't matter how much you might 'educate' or legislate about abortion, if a woman wants to go ahead with one then she will, the history of 'back street' abortions is evidence of this.

I'm also surprised at the suggestion that he should be criticised because he is a democrat!  Linking political parties to a particular faith is always odd to me - in Britain of the three main political parties, two of the leaders are practising Catholics and one is an Anglican married to a practising Catholic - which one is the right one?!

The influence that Martin Sheen might have in leading people to explore the Catholic faith, just by stating that he is a practising Catholic should not be underestimated. I found Phatmass through a search on Mark Wahlberg who features on the celebrities page, and I have learnt much since I've been coming here and have most certainly drawn nearer to converting as a result.

I agree with you that being Catholic has very little to do with what Political Party you belong to. My gradnparents are Pro-Life Democrats. There are others like them.

Still, in the United States, the platform of the Democratic Party is directly at odds with the teachings of the Church on several issues that the church asks us to hold as of FIRST AND FOREMOST importance in organizing our society. These are the right to life of the unborn, the institution of the family, and Religious freedom and the education of our children. In each of these three areas the Democratic Platform is explicitly anti-Catholic.

Martin Sheen is accepted in hollowed, despite his faith, because he chooses to advocate those issues that Hollywood already loves. Hollywood doesn't mind if you believe in God so long as the God you believe in will permit you to be silent on homosexual relations, sex outside of marriage, and abortion. Martin Sheen is noticeably silent on those issues. But when he USES the church to get across his anti-Bush, anti-Iraq conflict message, then he is celebrated. Gimme a break.

Finally, even pro-lifers recognize that a person can commit a horribly evil act regardless of the laws that restrict it. However, I think Martin does a disservice to all humanity when he says "It's her choice, I can't really judge her for that act." when we are talking about human lives! He doesn't extend that logic to the President and War . . . he doesn't say "I'm personally opposed to bombing another country and killing their civilians, but Heck, it's the presidents choice, it is legal and I just hope he does it in the safest possible way." Of course not!