With the start of Judge Sonia Sotomayor’s Supreme Court nomination confirmation hearings the topic of abortion naturally arises – not only because it one of our most polarizing legal and social issues, but also because Sotamayor claims to be Catholic, a religion that adamantly and explicitly teaches the evil of abortion.
And while her Catholicism scares some liberals, others are using it as a selling point, and in doing so desecrating a holy image of the Virgin Mary. Felix Sanchez, the CEO of D.C. government and public relations firm TerraCom and chairman of the National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts, has updated his Twitter page with a background of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Over Our Lady’s face, the likeness of Sotomayor has been superimposed (shown at right).
The patron saint of all the Americas, Our Lady of Guadalupe has a special place in the hearts of Hispanic Catholics, especially Mexicans (which Sotomayor is not). But Sanchez seemed to use the image to appeal to all Hispanics and to promote his plea to “Confirm Sonia Maria Sotomayor,” as his Twitter page says.
Besides showing the desecration of a holy image, Sanchez’s image has a sick irony. For many reasons including sash symbolizing pregnancy that the Virgin wears in the image, Our Lady of Guadalupe is often associated with and used as a symbol of the Catholic pro-life movement. She is also the “Patroness of the Unborn.”
While Sotomayor may claim to be Catholic, her views on abortion are unclear. She told the Senate Judiciary Committee that "there is a right of privacy. The court has found it in various places in the Constitution,” and “all precedents of the Supreme Court I consider settled law.”
However, she also upheld the Mexico City Policy, a policy which prohibited federal funding to NGO’s who provide or support abortion in other countries, and which President Obama has recently overturned.
The fact is that both sides of the abortion debate have concerns with Sotomayor’s unknown abortion stance. As a Catholic, however, her stance should already be clear. The Catholic Church explicitly teaches and upholds the sanctity of life from conception to natural death. Sotomayor, who attended Catholic school, must know this. Catholic politicians, and all Catholics, are expected to also uphold this teaching and make it a priority. Sotomayor’s assertion that legal abortion is “settled law” should worry Catholics and all who value the sanctity of life.
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
Un-useful and disgraceful use of Our Lady of Guadalupe
July 15, 2009 - 14:56 ET by merlin61I am totally offended by this use of Our Lady of
Guadalupe. Sotomayor is no saint, and is not even
close to being a saint. If a religious icon of any
other religion would have been used, it would have
been blasted off the news block immediately. Abuse
of Catholic icons is totally irreverant for political
agrandizement.
I'm not even Catholic and
July 15, 2009 - 14:58 ET by nolotrippenI'm not even Catholic and I'm offended!
At least the Democrats have
July 15, 2009 - 18:49 ET by kgAt least the Democrats have found religion the last year or so. What was that Moses said about worshiping false idols?
"DumbAssity of Dope"
I think we should watch
July 15, 2009 - 15:15 ET by Dan The Man 2I think we should watch ourselves as we laughed at the use of images or likeness of mohamad of teh Isalm. So use of an image like this while may be in poor taste is certainly not offensive. In fact are we as Christains worshiping images or Jesus and God. God in teh ten commandments warns against worshipping images and for this very reason.
We need to be mindful of worshipping idols no matter what form they come in.
Now as a Southern Baptist I feel the Catholics are on the verge of worshipping idols and beings other than God. But that is my belief and all I will say on the subject.
Dan, actually it is REALLY offensive
July 15, 2009 - 15:42 ET by SickofLibsTo hundreds of millions of Latinos and other Catholics.
Here's why it's desecration: There are not all different versions and artistic renditions of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The essential image always looks like this (do a google image search) because it is believed the Virgin Mary herself caused it to miraculously appear on a priest's robe. Now granted this is a clipart version, but that does nothing to mitigate the sheer dumbassity of this.
So all those images of
July 15, 2009 - 16:09 ET by Dan The Man 2So all those images of Mohamed were desecration and offensive also?
Muslims consider ANY image
July 15, 2009 - 16:48 ET by SickofLibsMuslims consider ANY image of Muhammed blasphemy. Along with a painting of a frog in your living room or any other living thing.
I meant that this particular image, in this form, is considered sacred by many and messing with for political purposes is offensive. I will not, however, advocate any beheadings over it.
→ Makes you think
July 15, 2009 - 15:46 ET by Cool ArrowMy wife and I were discussing Judge Sotomayor during lunch and came to the suspicion this woman may be the best offering the Republicans could possibly see, given the President doing the nominating.
Wouldn't it be nice if Sotomayor is to us, what Sandra Day O'Conner was to the Liberals?
Maybe this judge really does have a conscience when it comes to children.
Problem is, with
July 15, 2009 - 15:50 ET by Kat Outta the BagProblem is, with Bader-Ginsberg having pancreatic cancer, it's only a matter of time before she'll have to be replaced as well and there's no telling who or what Obama will come up with next.
→ Bader-Ginsburg
July 15, 2009 - 15:55 ET by Cool ArrowIf Ginsburg falls, they're replacing lib for lib.
We need to pray for excellent health for the conservatives on the court.
Imagine if Clarence Thomas
July 15, 2009 - 16:26 ET by eaglewingz08Imagine if Clarence Thomas had used the image of crucified Jesus to support his confirmation?
It reminds me of the holy
July 15, 2009 - 16:30 ET by mattmIt reminds me of the holy Obama candles.
Kennedy, Pelosi or Soyomayor Catholic
July 15, 2009 - 17:45 ET by ThermistoclesI doubt liberals are at all concerned with her "Catholicism". Seems to be the same brand as Kennedy, Pelosi, etc.
It serves as a useful culteral reference to connect with some of here constituents but is essentially rejected when it conflicts with the personal or political self interest. Hypocrisy is the homage vice pays to virtue.
Some facts about the Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe
July 15, 2009 - 21:32 ET by acumenThe Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe as a Pictograph
The Image of Our Lady is actually an Aztec Pictograph which was read and understood quickly by the Aztec Indians.
1. THE LADY STOOD IN FRONT OF THE SUN
She was greater than the dreaded Huitzilopochtli, their sun-god of war.
2. HER FOOT RESTED ON THE CRESCENT MOON
She had clearly crushed Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent moon-god.
3. THE STARS STREWN ACROSS THE MANTLE
She was greater than the stars of heaven which they worshipped. She was a virgin and the Queen of the heavens for Virgo rests over her womb and the northern crown upon her head. She appeared on December 12, 1531 and the stars that she wore are the constellations of the stars that appeared in the sky that day!
4. THE BLUE‑GREEN HUE OF HER MANTLE
She was a Queen because she wears the color of royalty.
5. THE BLACK CROSS ON THE BROOCH AT HER NECK
Her God was that of the Spanish Missionaries, Jesus Christ her son who died on the cross for all mankind.
6. THE BLACK BELT
She was with child because she wore the Aztec Maternity Belt.
7. THE FOUR PETAL FLOWER OVER THE WOMB
She was the Mother of God because the flower was a special symbol of life, movement and deity-the center of the universe.
8. HER HANDS ARE JOINED IN PRAYER
She was not God but clearly there was one greater than Her and she pointed her finger to the cross on her brooch.
9. THE DESIGN ON HER ROSE COLORED GARMENT
She is the Queen of the Earth because she is wearing a contour map of Mexico telling the Indians exactly where the apparition took place.
The Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe and Science
1. The image to this date, cannot be explained by science.
2,. The image shows no sign of deterioration after 450 years! The tilma or cloak of Saint Juan Diego on which the image of Our Lady has been imprinted, is a coarse fabric made from the threads of the maguey cactus. This fiber disintegrates within 20-60 years!
3. There is no under sketch, no sizing and no protective over-varnish on the image.
4. Microscopic examination revealed that there were no brush strokes.
5. The image seems to increase in size and change colors due to an unknown property of the surface and substance of which it is made.
6. According to Kodak of Mexico, the image is smooth and feels like a modern day photograph. (Produced 300 years before the invention of photography.)
7. The image has consistently defied exact reproduction, whether by brush or camera.
8. Several images can be seen reflected in the eyes of the Virgin. It is believed to be the images of Juan Diego, Bishop Juan de Zumarraga, Juan Gonzales, the interpreter and others.
9. The distortion and place of the images are identical to what is produced in the normal eye which is impossible to obtain on a flat surface.
10. The stars on Our Lady's Mantle coincide with the constellations in the sky on December 12, 1531. All who have scientifically examined the image of Our Lady over the centuries confess that its properties are absolutely unique and so inexplicable in human terms that the image can only be supernatural!
There is so much more to this story. The conversion of 9 million children of God to the worship of Christ (not Mary - for some that still erroneously think or insinuate that Catholics worship Mary - She tells us exactly her opinion of her status in Luke 1:38). The peaceful resolution of an impending war which would have resulted in the violent deaths of millions. The end to human sacrifice practiced for centuries in the region. And much more.
acumen... Wow. ...and
July 15, 2009 - 21:41 ET by bigtimeracumen...
Wow.
...and thank you so much, I just learned a lot I didn't know about....I've seen some documentaries about this before, you refreshed my memory on some of it, and filled me in on what I didn't....it's intriguing to say the least...depending on who you are I suppose.
Anyway, I really appreciated it, enjoyed it.
Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart
just remembering the Hillary Moment....
July 16, 2009 - 00:42 ET by ThermistoclesWho was the artist?
The bishop's response was priceless. God.