Questions to the Moralist - Personal Web Server - Boston College

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Fr. Bretzke replies: Yes, that was a real incident and the movie I think was entitled "Alive." They ate the corpses of their companions who had already died of natural causes. They did not murder them for food. What would you think would be the moral answer then to your question? Fr. Jim Dear Fr. Jim, Good day father. Here is my question for this week: When is in-vitro fertilization morally right or morally wrong? Just an extra question father. Pardon me if this is not about this week's topics -- sexual ethics and bioethics. This concerns the controversial issue on the hostage crisis of Angelo dela Cruz in the hands of Iraqi terrorists. I am just curious what some moral issues are touched here and what moral principle/s we could apply to help us in our moral discernment in this case. Thank you so much. Fr. Bretzke replies: Thanks for your questions. I think posing them as simple "right or wrong" might not be the best way to go. What are the morally relevant features of the decision, case, etc.? What are the various principles and arguments advanced for this or that position? What are the counter-arguments? How can we best "inform" a person's conscience? Who is responsible for making the final decision? These are the sorts of questions I'd bring to the IVF discussion. The hostage issue is obviously complex, and involves a whole range of considerations for a prudential judgment. Will giving in to these terrorists' demands in this case make the world safer or more dangerous for innocent people now and in the future? Will this encourage or discourage further hostage taking? On the other hand, is it prudent or moral to support an occupation that is morally very suspect at best? Would withdrawal from a war zone that is of no immediate threat or concern to the Philippines itself be advisable or not? These are the sorts of questions that I think would go into the discussion. Thanks, 46
Fr. Jim Fr. Jim, Hello! Good day! This is my personal reflection regarding some moral issues: Deep inside me I'm really thinking of this! When confronted with such a lot of moral issues, such as abortion, there is a question that lingers me- what and where do I stand? sometimes I'm often afraid to act even when I understand the dimensions of abortion or contraception as a sort of killing tragedy than any disease, disaster or war. If I speak up straightly about the people concerned in those issues, what will happen to me? Will I encounter opposition, will I face persecution, will I lose popularity if I get involved in a cause like this? What are other legal troubles that I might provoke? But then, I try to reflect and see myself as I really am. It will not anymore be questions of what will happen to me. Rather, it deals on the question: what will happen to my neighbor if I do not help them? If I do not get involved, what will happen to those who are vulnerable, marginalized in the society, those who have no one to speak for them? If I do not address this evil, what will happen to the unborn? It's not anymore me, my personal biases, but rather my neighbor who can serve as the significant other. Father, I have a request: would you mind to elaborate, to explain, or to say something regarding your own opinion on this: "NEUTRALITY HELPS THE OPPRESSOR, NEVER THE VICTIM. SILENCE ENCOURAGES THE TORMENTOR, NEVER THE TORMENTED." Thank you very much. Till next. Fr. Bretzke replies: Thanks, I will try and speak to your last question. I think that slogans are helpful perhaps to indicate the importance of an issue, but such sharp dichotomies rarely (if ever) respect the actual range of possible, prudent responses. Sometimes silence is a better policy, but not always. Slogans can be deceptive and lull us into believing that there are "one size fits all" answers to life's problems. In the concrete I find this temptation ultimately counter-productive. Your other reflections are well-stated, and they seem to call for ongoing deliberation and discernment on your part. Distinguishing between moral evil and genuine tolerance and compromise may be of some help, as well as the old prayer attributed to the American 47
Page 1 and 2: Questions to the Moralist These are
Page 3 and 4: Dear Former Student, While post-rap
Page 5 and 6: Lately I have took up the shakuhach
Page 7 and 8: (though without the moral significa
Page 9 and 10: a.) Whether or not there is parvity
Page 11 and 12: of what is done or not done the fet
Page 13 and 14: Dear Fr. Bretzke I just want to ask
Page 15 and 16: My site there might be turned off,
Page 17 and 18: Dear Fr. Bretzke, I teach sophomore
Page 19 and 20: ministries of counseling know far t
Page 21 and 22: Fr. Jim Here are my questions: In a
Page 23 and 24: q: what does it mean when CDF in is
Page 25 and 26: Thanks for the reflection. I'm not
Page 27 and 28: Fr. Bretzke replies: Thanks, and if
Page 29 and 30: that various relationships are not
Page 31 and 32: decision, to go out, and the relati
Page 33 and 34: here are a few questions that I fin
Page 35 and 36: the women that have had an abortion
Page 37 and 38: do not know if it also holds true w
Page 39 and 40: Dear Father; I have this question t
Page 41 and 42: a way of human knowing. However, "i
Page 43 and 44: Fr. Bretzke replies: In short, I co
Page 45: person to do more evil things. It c
Page 49 and 50: this reason many moral theologians
Page 51 and 52: sacraments. But we CANNOT say that
Page 53 and 54: the huge statistics on innocent dea
Page 55 and 56: eason Thomas notes that the more we
Page 57 and 58: hastened. yes we can treat pain agg
Page 59 and 60: Fr. Bretzke replies: Thanks, I hadn
Page 61 and 62: pastorally speaking, following the
Page 63 and 64: > The Forum will endeavor to make p
Page 65 and 66: Why is masturbation a sin? I don't
Page 67 and 68: positivism," i.e., one must hold as
Page 69 and 70: I may always be in my lifetime [pas
Page 71 and 72: not always accurate. On the other h
Page 73 and 74: Dear Father, Last Sunday in my apos
Page 75: [forthcoming] Index 75

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