Amnesty International digs in its heels, cites uptick in donations

The head of Amnesty International in the UK has condemned as "nonsensical" the Catholic church's attack on its decision to support abortion in the case of rape, incest or health emergencies.

In her first full interview since a senior Vatican cardinal called on Catholics worldwide to stop donating to the human rights body, Kate Allen defended the change, and revealed that only 222 of the organisation's quarter of a million British members have resigned as a result.

A further 105 have increased their donations in the wake of the claim last June by Cardinal Renato Martino, president of the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, that Amnesty had "betrayed its mission" on human rights by abandoning its policy of neutrality on abortion in limited circumstances. - UK Guardian

Well - *whew* - if the money is still coming in then their decision must be vindicated!

As for being "nonsensical", the Church's position is only "nonsensical" if you disagree with her claim that human life in the womb should never be intentionally destroyed (no matter how it came to be). Which is really to beg the question. Either way, the Church isn't being nonsensical, it just doesn't agree with Amnesty International's way of seeing things. And by the way, Amnesty International used to look at this question same way as the Church.

... so who's really being "nonsensical" now?

Update: Pope Benedict not pleased?