Brazil Church backs down on Rape Case

[ParanoidAndroid]

Brazilian bishops back down over 9-year-old's abortion

Updated at 9:07pm on 14 March 2009

Brazilian bishops have cancelled the excommunication of the mother and doctors of a nine-year-old girl who had an abortion after being raped.

They said the decision to excommunicate was wrong and would not be applied.

The National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (CNBB) decided on Thursday that the child's mother acted "under pressure from the doctors" who said the girl, pregnant with twins, would die if she carried the babies to term.

CNBB secretary-general Dimas Lara Barbosa told reporters the mother therefore could not be excommunicated. "We must take the circumstances into consideration," he said.

As for the doctors, there was no clear case for expelling them from the church either, he said - contrary to the position taken by Archbishop Jose Cardoso Sobrinho, who announced the excommunications earlier in March.

Mr Barbosa said that only doctors who "systematically" conduct abortions are thrown out of the Roman Catholic Church.

Girl said she'd been abused since age of six

The case of the young girl, allegedly raped by her stepfather in the state of Pernambuco, has been highly controversial in Brazil. Archbishop Sobrinho's position that the abortion was "more serious" than the rape prompted much public debate, with many denouncing his lack of compassion.

Officials said the girl told them she had been abused since the age of six by her stepfather, 23, who also allegedly sexually abused the girl's physically handicapped 14-year-old sister.

The man was arrested a week ago and is being kept in protective custody.

Archbishop 'misinterpreted'

In an effort to mitigate the archbishop's declarations, CNBB president Geraldo Lyra Rocha said his colleague had been misinterpreted.

"Archbishop Sobrinho did not excommunicate anyone," he said. "I am sure he did not mean to harm anyone but rather wanted to draw attention to a certain permissiveness (over abortions)."

Abortion is illegal in Brazil except in cases of rape or if the woman's health is in danger. But a million women still seek clandestine abortions in operations, and thousands die from them.

SOURCE

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Interesting turn of affairs... A step in the right direction, as far as this particular case is concerned. Now they just need to excommunicate the scum that raped the two girls.

[KeilanS]

Interesting turn of affairs... A step in the right direction, as far as this particular case is concerned. Now they just need to excommunicate the scum that raped the two girls.

Agreed. I hate abortion, but when we're talking about a girl who is almost guaranteed to be killed in childbirth and who was also raped by her stepfather... well if there is such thing as a gray area, this is it.

[Hunterpoet]

A very tragic situation indeed.

Can you not find it in your heart to pray for the man's salvation?

[Believer1997]

Hunter,

You ARE correct - we SHOULD pray for this man's salvation. I just have such a hard, hard time praying for someone who is so evil. I have asked God to soften my heart and help me to forgive this man and all those who hurt the innocent. I'm a work in progress....

[ParanoidAndroid]

A very tragic situation indeed.

Can you not find it in your heart to pray for the man's salvation?

That is a very good point indeed, Hunterpoet. It is tragic, and we really should be praying for the man's salvation. I guess it's sometimes hard to remain non-judgemental about this kind of thing. However, in saying that we should forgive him (and if I met the man I would like to think I would forgive him as Jesus would) I don't think they should simply let him go unpunished. Being forgiven does not mean a person should not face consequences for actions. In this case, the man is facing 15 years in jail, and that in itself is a consequence. However, the Catholic Church is sending a rather questionable message by not taking a stand against the actions of the man. He can still have his communion wafer in jail, and if the Catholic Church still recognises him as a member, then the impression is that God also forgives his actions.

And if the man repents (ie, fully repents - not just says "sorry"), God will indeed forgive him. But as it is, he probably needs to work out his relationship with God. So he should not be considered as yet part of God's family.

Hope that clarifies. You made a very good point that should be considered by all. Thanks

~ PA