Biden: ‘At the Moment of Conception There’s Human Life’ But ‘I’m Not Prepared’ To ‘Impose’ That View

Vice President Joe Biden stated that “at the moment of conception there’s human life and being,” but he’s “not prepared to say that to other God­-fearing, non-God-fearing people that have a different view” or “impose” that view in an interview with America Media released on Monday

Biden said it has been “hard” to disagree with US bishops on issues like abortion, “because, I’m prepared to accept de fide doctrine on a whole range of issues as a Catholic, even though, as you know, Aquinas argued about, in Summa Theologica, about human life and being, when it occurs. I’m prepared to accept as a matter of faith, my wife and I, my family, the issue of abortion, but what I’m not prepared to do, is to impose a rigid view, a precise view, rigid sounds pejorative, a precise view that is born out of my faith, on other people who are equally God­fearing, equally as committed to life, equally as committed to the sanctity of life. And, I’m prepared to accept that at the moment of conception there’s human life and being, but I’m not prepared to say that to other God­-fearing, non-God-fearing people that have a different view. And, even — I don’t want to start a theological discussion, I’ll get in trouble, it’s above my pay grade, although it’s my avocation, but there’s even been disagreement in our church, not that — abortion is always wrong, but there’s been — there’s debate, and so, for me, at a point where the church makes a judgment, as we Catholics call de fide doctrine, they said, this is what our doctrine is. All the principles of my faith, I have no — I make no excuse for attempting to live up to, I don’t all the time. But I’m not prepared to impose doctrine, that I’m prepared to accept, on the rest of — and I actually had that discussion with Pope Benedict. It was — I had a wonderful meeting with him several months before he stepped down. It was like going back to theology class. And by the way, he wasn’t judgmental. He was open. I came away enlivened from the discussion.”

Bidden added that there “absolutely” is a place in the Democratic Party for people who are pro-life.

(h/t Daily Caller)

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