President Joe Biden sparked controversy on Tuesday for seemingly invoking his Catholic faith in a promotion of abortion at a Florida campaign event.
Biden, who has often touted his Catholicism in the past, was in Florida to attack former President Donald Trump and the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in the recent case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. The president took aim at Trump, blaming him for creating an opportunity for Florida to pass the “Heartbeat Bill,” which bans abortions after the sixth week of pregnancy.
“This extreme Florida law is going to impact 4 million women in the state,” Biden said. “Let’s be real clear. There’s one person responsible for this nightmare. And he’s acknowledged, and he brags about it — Donald Trump.”
“President Biden’s actions at the event were truly shocking and offensive to Catholics everywhere,” said CatholicVote President Brian Burch. “Not only did he endorse the extreme Florida law that will impact millions of women, but he had the audacity to make the Sign of the Cross while doing so.”
The Sign of the Cross is a sacred practice in the Catholic faith, symbolizing various meanings such as reaffirmation of faith and a reminder of baptism. However, Biden’s use of this gesture during a promotion of abortion was seen as not only contradictory but also insulting to the Catholic belief in the sanctity of life.
“By making the sign of the cross at an abortion rally, President Biden is openly mocking the foundational beliefs of millions of Christians in America,” Burch continued. “This action suggests that he is either terribly naive, senile, or blatantly disregarding the principles of the Catholic faith for his own political agenda.”
In addition to CatholicVote’s criticism, many on social media also condemned Biden’s actions as offensive and inappropriate. The American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family, and Property (TFP) posted a video of the event with the caption: “President Biden makes the Sign of the Cross at an abortion rally in Florida. This is not only contradictory but blasphemous. You cannot invoke God and promote death.”
This. Is. VILE!
President Biden makes the Sign of the Cross at an abortion rally in Florida!
You cannot be Catholic and support abortion!
You cannot invoke GOD and promote Death! pic.twitter.com/aG4P542EM0
— CatholicVote (@CatholicVote) April 23, 2024
Biden’s use of the sign has ignited controversy and ignited a debate about whether one can truly be a devout Catholic while supporting abortion. The president has faced criticism for his stance on this issue, and his actions at the Florida event have only added fuel to the fire.
“Biden’s decision to make the Sign of the Cross in support of abortion extremism is a despicable charade that attempts to co-opt a sacred practice in support of his new abortion religion. His gesture openly mocks the Christian belief in the sanctity of life. There is no divine support for destroying the lives of innocent children, and he should know better. Biden’s gesture suggests he is either terribly naive, or senile, or callously indifferent to the foundational beliefs of millions of Christians in America,” Burch added.
