Biden Lies About the Catholic Church Position on Abortion - WaPo Runs Cover For Him

President Biden likes to call himself a “practicing Catholic.” He did so this week in one context where he really shouldn’t call attention to his professed religion – abortion. Biden argued that some Republicans are extremists on abortion because they wouldn’t permit exceptions to abortion bans in cases of rape or incest. (This, of course, is a red herring, because no modern Democrat has ever proposed limiting abortions to those exceptions or at all, but instead have consistently tried to enshrine abortion-on-demand through the moment of birth.) But Biden went further than just lamenting Republicans’ extremism for not permitting abortions to victims of rape or incest – he claimed that even his own faith, the Roman Catholic Church, doesn’t go that far, implying that the Catholic Church would permit abortion in those cases. As quoted in the Washington Post, Biden said, “Think about what these guys are talking about. No exceptions — rape, incest — no exceptions, regardless of age. I happen to be a practicing Roman Catholic. My church doesn’t even make that argument now.” 

In a word, no. This isn’t hard (although it’s apparently too hard for the Washington Post to fact check). Catholics don’t hide what they believe on abortion. It’s right there in the Catechism, as clear as day. As Casey Stengel would say, you could look it up. 

“2270 Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the first moment of his existence, a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person - among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life.^”

^“2271 Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law.” 

Now, it’s pretty late in the day to get too exercised about Joe Biden’s myriad hypocrisies. He says he’s a practicing Catholic, but he’s just not… he’s a corrupt politician, full stop. But is it too much to ask that so-called journalists take thirty seconds to look up the actual Catholic teaching on abortion and then state clearly in simple declarative sentences that Biden is lying? 

Note: I don’t ask reporters to ask the logical question that flows from that lie, namely: if Joe Biden will lie about his own faith, what won’t he lie about? We all already know the answer.