Scottish Catholic Observer

Scotland: A modern, progressive and liberal democracy. Those who would market our nation to the world would dearly like to wrap us up in a neat package with a bow to hide inconvenient debate and controversy from prying eyes. But there is a word in that advertising slogan that must and will not be ignored: Democracy. A true democracy had genuine debate, tolerates differences of opinion and ensures the protection of freedoms. Yet, to Scotland’s shame, the debate has fallen far short of democratic and freedom of speech standards of late on the issue of abortion.

Now that Secretary of State for Scotland David Mundell has announced the regulation of abortion is to be devolved to Scotland, the idea that the issue could be debated in the Scottish Parliament for the first time has caused some to balk. For a society that—in principal—protects religious, among other, freedoms, the tirade of abuse on social media and elsewhere towards those who take a public pro-life stance has been astonishingly disappointing. It has become so poisonous that some have called for the de-selection of pro-life public representatives. They forget, in our increasingly secular society, that to be in favour of the protection of life remains a valid point of view. This is because they would exclude immediately from the debate anyone who opposes abortion from a moral, religious or personal standpoint.

Over and above shouting down the protection of life argument as ‘out-dated,’ those in favour of abortion appear to want to run those against out of town, or at the very least diminish the validity and weight of their views if they are motivated by religious beliefs.

These attempts to ‘shut down’ the abortion debate are shocking. They also illustrate the wider problem of standing up as a Christian in a society that, it could be argued, is running away from its religious roots as fast as it can in a bid to avoid the inconvenient harsh truths they flag up that are incompatible with the fantasy/fallacy that is modern, progressive and liberal Scotland.

The Church is clear on its protection of life beliefs; it cannot and will not waiver. It takes part in the democratic process in our country by expressing those views. It does not, however, call for the marginalisation or elimination of it opponents.

It is not just abortion that has come up for debate in Scotland, therefore, it is traditional values and religious freedom. Our right to be heard as Catholics is what is really at stake and we run the risk of losing that right completely if we do nothing.