A few weeks ago we ran an article at Catholic Lane about new data on why women have abortions. Someone choosing to go by the name “choiceone” left the following brilliant comment (click both images to enlarge):

Poor dear. She(?) thought she was so clever. I love the response from my EIC predecessor at Catholic Lane:

As hard as it is to believe, I’ve heard “choiceone”‘s ridiculous argument a number of times, blaming the Catholic Church for unplanned pregnancies (as well as the spread of AIDS in Africa). A few other points for Mr./Ms. Choiceone:

1. The Catholic Church does a great deal to provide for women during and after crisis pregnancies. Pregnancy centers throughout the country are owned and operated by faithful Catholics. Those centers are also financially supported by their fellow Catholics and local Catholic churches.

And, of course, we cannot overlook incredible people like the Donaghys who have adopted so-called “unwanted” babies who would otherwise have been aborted.

2. It should go without saying, but, if people followed what the Church actually teaches about chastity and human sexuality, out of wedlock “crisis pregnancies” (and AIDS, for that matter) would not be the major problem that they are. The Catholic Church condemns contraception while at the same time promoting sexual intercourse as an act exclusive to marriage. If a woman is listening to the church regarding contraception and ignoring the church regarding premarital sex and openness to life, that’s not the Church’s fault.

Clearly, the majority of the women and their partners who find themselves dealing with a “crisis pregnancy” and contemplating abortion are NOT following the Catholic Church’s teaching on human sexuality. In fact, not only are most of them having sex outside marriage, the majority of women who get abortions were on or had used some form of birth control during the month they became pregnant.

3. Which brings me to my final question: If so many people, Catholics and non-Catholics alike, ignore the Church on so many of these issues, why do they so desperately want her to change her teachings? Why do they even care?