Will You Still Be "Pro-Life" After She's Born? Yes!

A friend recently put this poster on her Facebook page, saying she agrees with it.

By: Strong Intelligent Women Choosing Equality
& Freedom Instead Of Religion

In all fairness, I can't say I disagree with what the poster says.  The words are indeed in keeping with church teachings about how we should respect life and the gifts God has given us.  HOWEVER, I am deeply disturbed by this group and what the poster means to its members.  While these people may speak out vehemently against war, hunger, poverty, homelessness, the planet's degradation, capital punishment, and for educational and employment opportunity, "human" rights, and might I add animal rights, they think it's okay to kill babies.  Right there on their poster is the image of a "fetus."  Is it a just a fetus, a clump of cells or do I see tiny hands, and toes, little ears and a nose?  Those things belong to BABIES!  Indeed that fetus looks remarkably like a baby who has been born.  And if I'm not mistaken babies are humans.  Moreover, by 18 weeks in utero the nervous system is rapidly maturing.  This means that the baby can feel pain.  Let's not hurt a poor little kitty cat, but it's okay to rip your baby apart, certainly causing pain, because it's inconvenient for you to have her.  So, how can you claim to support human rights (and support animal rights) when you support abortion, which takes away the rights of so many humans before they have any opportunities?

With our modern technological advances, we are able to see the development of a baby in her mother's womb.  We are able very early on to see the features that make her human.  Years ago, you may have been able to plead ignorance and call her nothing more than a clump of cells, but doing so today shows only a blind selfishness.  If you are not willing to offer your offspring the opportunity to live, then you should reconsider your pre-conception choices and show a little self-control.  Despite what society wants us to believe, we will not die if we don't have sex.  And if you are not willing to live with the possible consequences of having sex, you should not be doing it.

So, will I still be "Pro-Life" after she's born?  Yes!  And I'll continue to pray and fight for her life before she's born.

Abortion: Women's Rights vs. Children's Rights

This past weekend I found myself listening in on the abortion debate.  Oddly, I feel like it has been quite some time since I've heard any argument on the issue at all.  I realized last night while reading Praying With My Feet why it was that I was hearing the debate now -- yesterday was Sanctity of Life Sunday (and the 38th anniversary Roe v. Wade).  It all makes sense now.

I have always agreed with the Catholic (and Orthodox) Church's stance that abortion is a sin.  As a mom who named both of her daughters at 5 months in utero, I find it quite obvious that what is growing in the womb is nothing less than a baby.  Thanks to modern science we know when the heart starts beating (it can be detected as early as 5 weeks with ultrasound), when the unborn baby begins to feel pain (between 20 and 26 weeks), how big tiny hands and feet are at various stages, and by about 5 months we even know the sex of the baby.  With 3D ultrasounds we can even see just how human these innocent babies really are.  So, I will never understand how we can say it's a woman's right to choose whether any baby lives or dies.  A woman has the right to choose to have sex or not.  She even has the right to choose to use birth control.  She should not have the right to choose to end her baby's life.

Below is a video of a speech by Congressman James Lankford made during the recent House vote on the Healthcare Reform Act.  While I think the Reform Act is a necessary first step to fixing many of today's problems, I do agree with this Republican Congressman's stand on abortion.  I think it's important to note, though, that every year a ban is renewed on federal funding for abortions, and apparently President Obama just recently signed an executive order making that permanent (at least while he's in office).



Here is a link to an article about the doctor who was charged with murdering infants (aka late term abortion).

On the other side of the coin, my alarm clock woke me up Sunday morning to a discussion with Frances Kissling, a pro-choice Catholic.  You can find the podcast (Listening Beyond Life and Choice) and more information on the Being website.  Needless to say, I don't agree with Ms. Kissling's stand, but she did advocate civil discussions and listening, which is something I do think our society needs in general.  She also illustrates one hypocrisy I've always hated -- people who call themselves Catholic and receive communion, but unrepentantly disagree with the teachings of the Catholic Church (same for any Orthodox Christian).  If you don't believe the beliefs of your church, you are not in communion...

While I may not change anyone's mind, I do think we all need to take a close look at this issue.  How can we really say it's alright to end a life in the womb, but charge someone with murder for ending a life seconds later outside of the womb?  The doctor who allegedly did just that took those babies' lives at the request of their pregnant mothers.  He was performing abortions for them.  And whether you vacuum a baby's brains out or crush his skull in utero, or stab him in the neck after you've delivered him, the baby will feel the same pain and IS still a baby.