Thursday May 20, 2010
Half of Catholic Religion Students in Spain Support Abortion: Study
By Matthew Cullinan Hoffman
MADRID, May 20, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Almost half of the students who take Catholic religion classes in Spain say that abortion is justifiable, according to a recent study by the SM Foundation, a Catholic organization.
According to the study, 45% of such students defend the practice of abortion, 28% reject it, and 26% say they are indifferent.
The study also indicates that Catholic religion students dissent from the Church on other significant life and family issues. Almost half defend euthanasia, and only 21% reject it. For 60% of students, “homosexuality is no problem,” while 20% say that it is.
About 72% of Spanish students opt for religion classes in which they are taught Catholic doctrine, and 74% who take the classes personally profess the Catholic faith.
The current statistics on student opinions regarding life and family issues represent a stark change ten years ago, when 60% of students taking Catholic religion classes said they opposed abortion.
They may also provide an explanation for why so many Spaniards are indifferent to the legalization of abortion in their country, which now takes the lives of well over 100,000 unborn children each year. Despite the strong influence of the Catholic Church on Spanish education, the Church’s pro-life message seems not to be communicated very strongly.