FYI, Here are some thoughts from a member of the Parental Rights Organization: Protecting Children by Empowering Parents
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
UN to Vatican: Your Theology Violates Child Rights
February 12, 2014
By now the
Committee on the Rights of the Child (“Committee”), which is charged
with overseeing the implementation of the United Nations’ Convention on
the Rights of the Child (CRC), has made so many exaggerated claims of
authority that they can’t even shock us anymore. Well, until they do.
Last month the Committee issued its review of CRC implementation by
the Holy See, the political entity of the Vatican and the Roman
Catholic Church. While the extreme leftist agenda
of the Committee has
never been much of a secret, it is on display at its most egregious in
this “Concluding Observations” report.
The key issues of “concern” for the Committee were as one might
expect: abortion, teen sexuality, homosexuality (and homosexual
marriage), corporal punishment (spanking), and parental rights.
According to Catholic Church doctrine, abortion is the murder of an
unborn child; sex is intended only within the confines of marriage;
homosexual activity or lifestyle is a sin; a moderate spanking is – or
can be - a part of godly discipline; and parents have the ultimate
God-given responsibility for their children.
But the Committee disagrees on all points. What’s more, they
communicated the expectation that the Catholic Church must change its
stance on all of these topics to comply with the Convention. In so
doing, the Committee placed its own opinion above the Scriptures, traditions, and religious convictions of the Catholic Church.
Regarding abortion, the Committee calls for the Holy See to put a
stop to the use of “baby boxes” in Europe. These boxes allow a mother in
crisis to anonymously give up her infant for adoption. According to the
report, such efforts violate “children’s right to live with their
parents and to know their identity.” Instead, “[t]he Committee urges the
Holy See to contribute to addressing the abandonment of babies by
providing family planning (UN code for abortion and birth control),
reproductive health, as well as adequate counseling and social support,
to prevent unplanned pregnancies….” In essence, the Committee’s “fix”
for a child who cannot identify his birth parents is to simply have no
child at all – a position antithetical to Catholic pro-life doctrine.
On the issue of sexuality, the Committee calls on the Holy See “to
support efforts at [the] international level for the decriminalization
of homosexuality,” and to “recognize the diversity of family settings”
(which is code for granting legitimacy to homosexual unions). It also
demands that the Holy See use its influence to “overcome all the
barriers and taboos surrounding adolescent sexuality,” while spreading
“information on the harm [of] early marriage.” But the support of
homosexuality as an acceptable lifestyle is in direct conflict with
Catholic theology, as is the promotion of sexual intimacy (homo- or
hetero-) outside of marriage.
No problem, says the Committee. The Church should simply grant “the Convention’s precedence over internal laws and regulations.”
Both Canon Law and the Catholic Church’s interpretation of Scripture
are specifically mentioned in the report as among the “internal laws”
that should be changed to comply with the Convention. (Paragraph 12:
“[T]he Committee regrets that the same approach has not been followed in
relation to its internal laws, including Canon Law.” Paragraph 40(d):
“[E]nsure that an interpretation of Scripture as not condoning corporal
punishment is reflected in Church teaching and other activities and
incorporated into all theological education and training.”)
To their credit, “the Holy See still does not consider corporal
punishment as being prohibited by the Convention,” likely because no
provision of the Convention says otherwise, and because only 25 of the
192 states parties to the Convention have laws against modest spankings
in the home as a form of discipline (most of which adopted these laws in response to
the browbeating of the Committee). Yet the Committee not only dismisses
the view of the Holy See, but also attempts to dictate to the Catholic
Church how its Scriptures should be interpreted.
This adds frightful undertones to its admonition as “The
Committee…reminds the Holy See that by ratifying the Convention, it has
committed itself to implementing the Convention…through individuals and
institutions placed under its authority,” and that they must “ensure the
Convention’s precedence over internal laws and regulations.” In
essence, the U.N. claims the Holy See has an obligation to urge
priests and teachers to follow the tenets of this Committee rather than
the doctrines of the Scriptures.
The Committee’s interpretation of the Convention has never even
been sanctioned by the nations of the U.N., yet now it ranks higher in
the Catholic Church than “the Word of God?” And just to give it teeth,
the Committee urges the Holy See to “ratify the core human rights
instruments to which it is not yet a party, namely the Optional Protocol
to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a communications
procedure….” (i.e. a complaint mechanism).
Also to their credit, the Holy See holds “that civil authorities
should intervene in the family setting only in cases where a proven
abuse has been committed in order not to interfere with the duties and
rights of parents.” Again the Committee takes issue, claiming “that
prerogatives of the parents should in no way undermine children’s right
to be protected from abuse and neglect.” But this is not an either…or, and we are not talking about prerogatives. We are talking about the right of parents to make decisions for their own children, absent abuse or neglect.
Innocent parents and their children share a right to familial privacy
and integrity – something the Committee apparently denies.
The United States Supreme Court once wrote that “The statist notion
that governmental power should supersede parental authority in all
cases because some parents abuse and neglect children is repugnant to
American tradition.” Parham v. J.R. 442 U.S. 584 (1979). Yet that is the very notion being set forth by this over-reaching U.N. Committee.
Proponents of U.N. Human Rights treaties in the U.S. Senate would
have us believe that these conventions do not bind American law or limit
U.S. sovereignty. But the Committee responsible for overseeing
implementation of this treaty holds a very different view.
In its defense of parental rights, the Holy See has expressed
concern that Article 12 of the Convention, on the right of the child to
express their views in all matters affecting them, and to have their
views given due weight, “undermin[es] the rights and duties of parents,”
a concern which we share. This vague “right” can easily be used by
government actors to override the decisions of any parent anytime their
child disagrees with said decision. But the Committee asserts “that
ensuring this right is a legal obligation under the Convention, which leaves no leeway for the discretion of the States parties.” (emphasis added)
It only makes sense, if the Committee’s view supersedes the
text of the Convention ratified by 192 nations, the opinion of the Holy
See, and even the foundational scriptures of the Catholic Church, that
it would “leave no leeway for the discretion” of the United States,
either.
Which is one more powerful reason to reject this and any similar treaty.
Fortunately, the proposed Parental Rights Amendment to the United
States Constitution will de-authorize the Senate and the President from
ever ratifying any treaty that, like the CRC, would pose a threat to the
right of innocent parents to direct the upbringing, education, and care
of their children in accordance with their own conscience and religious
belief. This should be very welcome news for anyone who believes their
religious tenets – regardless of which faith they hold – should not be
held captive by an 18-member panel of “experts” on “child rights.”
If you have not already done so, please sign the petition now at parentalrights.org/petition
to promote the adoption of the Parental Rights Amendment. You can also
support our cause to protect religious liberty and parental rights with
your donation at parentalrights.org/donate. Finally, you can take an active part in our efforts by signing the up at parentalrights.org/volunteer.
The more authority the U.N. seeks to grab from parents and
pro-family institutions, the more important it is that we all stand
together. Only then can we preserve our freedoms for the next
generation.
Sincerely,
Michael Ramey
Director of Communications & Research
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Researcher, Editor, Publisher
experience. We are the only voice that they have.
