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Abortion, Stem Cell Research and the Family at Top of New Zealand Bishops' Voting Issues List:

By Hilary White

AUCKLAND, New Zealand, August 12, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The Catholic bishops' conference of New Zealand has offered voters guidance on the expected election, saying that social and economic policies must be "in the service of human dignity and a humane society, in which every person matters."

Abortion, embryo research and the family top the list of issues on which the bishops urge voters to question candidates: "This is the basis for everything the Church teaches concerning human life and human dignity, right across the spectrum of human life from conception to death."

Under New Zealand's law, general elections are normally held at least every three years, which means that the next one is scheduled for November 15, 2008.

While the bishops in their reflection make no specific reference to the hierarchy of values that the Church teaches must put the life issues in a primary position, they have ordered their list of considerations starting with abortion and embryonic stem cell research. 

"Every abortion involves taking one person's life for another person's reasons," they write. The guidance goes on to say that the protection of unborn children must include "considering the legal framework for abortions," and support for "pregnant and single mothers, and ensuring all children are welcomed and supported."

From abortion, they move to stem cell research, saying, "The Church supports stem cell research using adult stem cells or umbilical cord blood, but not creating embryos for the purposes of research and other people's medication and then discarding them."

On the family, they cite research by psychologists who have shown that "a father's love and a mother's love are different and that each contributes differently to a child's development." They urge voters to question candidates on their views on "same-sex couples" and to ask whether the candidates have a "child-centred approach to decisions that are sometimes framed by adult agendas."

They also call for voters to consider the need for employers to create a work environment that allows families sufficient time together and financial safeguards and job security. 

While offering the usual disclaimers that the Church does not tell people "how to vote," they warn voters not merely to vote according to an "uncritical affiliation to a party" or "some single issue" or a "personality cult."

After dealing with the life and family issues, the bishops go on to offer their reflections on refugees and asylum seekers, economic policies, international aid and development and finally the environment.

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