Kristopher Pierce: Francis right about environment and sanctity of life
To my conservative friends: Listen to what Pope Francis is saying about our stewardship of the environment.
To my liberal friends: Listen to what Francis is saying about the sanctity of human life and the covenant of marriage.
I am not a Catholic, and I find many Catholic doctrines to be un-biblical; but much of what Francis is saying is in line with Holy Writ. Many people do not understand that our disregard for human life, and our disregard for good stewardship of the planet and its resources, are related: they both come from a lack of reverence for the God who made us in His image, and placed us in the world to be good stewards of the resources He provided. Abortion and environmental degradation both result from people setting up human autonomy as an idol to be worshiped.
Francis might not always distinguish enough between free markets and crony capitalism, but he is right to remind us that unfettered freedom in markets, and in sexuality, is really a kind of bondage that leads to the murder of the unborn and to the destruction of creation’s wonders and resources.
Kristopher Pierce, Turlock
This story was originally published September 29, 2015 at 1:24 PM with the headline "Kristopher Pierce: Francis right about environment and sanctity of life."