Murder is not a Blessing
Posted by Amanda on January 25th, 2010 . Filed under: Abortion .I discovered this article via always aroused girl. It sounds good. It really does. A woman goes through violence or any sort of tragedy, but there’s a blessing awaiting her. Sign me up!
Until you realize that the “blessing” is the murder of a child.
“Let’s be very clear about this: when a woman finds herself pregnant due to violence and chooses an abortion, it is the violence that is the tragedy; the abortion is a blessing.
When a woman finds that the fetus she is carrying has anomalies incompatible with life, that it will not live and that she requires an abortion — often a late-term abortion — to protect her life, her health, or her fertility, it is the shattering of her hopes and dreams for that pregnancy that is the tragedy; the abortion is a blessing.
When a woman wants a child but can’t afford one because she hasn’t the education necessary for a sustainable job, or access to health care, or day care, or adequate food, it is the abysmal priorities of our nation, the lack of social supports, the absence of justice that are the tragedies; the abortion is a blessing.
And when a woman becomes pregnant within a loving, supportive, respectful relationship; has every option open to her; decides she does not wish to bear a child; and has access to a safe, affordable abortion — there is not a tragedy in sight — only blessing. The ability to enjoy God’s good gift of sexuality without compromising one’s education, life’s work, or ability to put to use God’s gifts and call is simply blessing.
These are the two things I want you, please, to remember — abortion is a blessing and our work is not done.”
I can’t understand this. Okay, let me rephrase. I can’t understand all of this. I truly can understand why a victim of heinous violence would see an abortion as a way out. I can even see it being a “blessing” in that woman’s eyes.
But this?
And when a woman becomes pregnant within a loving, supportive, respectful relationship; has every option open to her; decides she does not wish to bear a child; and has access to a safe, affordable abortion — there is not a tragedy in sight — only blessing.
I can’t wrap my head around this. I see a heartless and callous woman behind these words of Katherine Ragsdale. I simply don’t understand this.
I do understand that there are woman who do not want to be pregnant. I do understand that they wish there were options whenever they become pregnant. I do understand advocating for women’s rights, particularly in cases of violence.
What I don’t understand is why none of the people who demand these rights for the woman are willing to demand rights for the child.
I applaud Ms. Ragsdale for recognizing the tragedy in each of those cases listed above. What I wish she would see is the tragedy in ending a life simply because it was unwanted.
Is it any wonder children of today have not learned that their actions have consequences? We have made it legal to avoid consequence.
This past weekend I watched the new movie on Lifetime The Pregnancy Pact, based on the story that hit the news a few years about a group of teenage girls who made a pact to get pregnant in high school. A recurring theme in that movie was the lack of contraceptives available in high school. The school administration adamantly refused to allow condoms to be distributed at school. This is a great example of not teaching children that there are consequences to their actions. And sadly, it’s an all too real occurence, especially in conservative states. Parents and teachers hide their heads in the sand, not teaching anyone anything worth a damn when it comes to sex education… but it’s okay! If you get pregnant, you can just go take care of it. It’s a blessing that we have this option!
January 26th, 2010 at 8:56 am
Holy. Crap. How in the world is abortion justified if she’s able to keep the baby, just not willing? Thank you for talking about consequences. It’s simply cause and effect. When I separated from my husband and he was trying to decide if he wanted a divorce, I refused to sleep with him because I didn’t want to be a single mom and I know how not to make babies! I found out I was pregnant a few weeks later and I started looking into adoption. I was accountable for the life we had made. I was then responsible to carry it to term.
January 26th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
re: Rev. Ragsdale’s speech
First there is a context to the speech – it was at a rally to protect women’s right to access a clinic.
What I take from this speech, is that the blessing is having a choice – that as a woman, my access to medical options is not limited. I would not presume to dictate to anyone how to make decisions about reproduction and whether to carry a pregnancy to term.
Do heartily agree that the problem is that everyone, but especially women, do not have adequate knowledge or access to reproduction and birth control. And in particular, what education do women get after high school? Cosmo articles?
January 27th, 2010 at 2:25 am
I live in Holland. This is a country with pretty liberal laws regarding abortion and euthanasia. That is probably why at first I found it very unpleasant to see the words murder and abortion used in one and the same sentence, so close to each other.
But when I read the text written by Amanda and the two responses a little more closely I discovered that there were quite a number of things that I found thought provoking. Hence this short reaction.
It stands to reason that murder is not permitted. It is not permitted in any country, in any culture or in any civilization. But most people in Holland, including myself, wonder about things like:
–imagine that doctors find out that a baby that has not been born yet or a baby that has already been born will only be able to live for a few days, a few weeks or a few months. And during those few days, few weeks or few months the baby will experience nothing but pain and suffering. Is ending the life of such a baby a crime or an act of mercy? Christians may wonder what God will think of such a situation. Will God consider ending the life of such a baby a mortal sin or a good deed that He thinks righteous?
– in Holland it is very easy to get an abortion in a good hospital and brought about by a good doctor. More or less for free: paid by the medical insurance that the Dutch government has established for all its citizens. But our hospitals and doctors are only allowed to do this during the first 8 or 9 or 10 weeks of a woman’s pregnancy (I must admit I do not know the exact number). The idea is that during these first few weeks of a pregnancy the foetus just consists of a number of cells. There is not a real human brain yet. The foetus cannot suffer yet. The foetus is not aware of anything yet, has no emotions, no thoughts, etcetera.
Now: imagine that the pregnant woman has good reasons to want an abortion: bad health, being far too young, extreme poverty, etcetera.
Is an abortion is such circumstances murder? In the eyes of society? In the eyes of doctors? For Christians: in the eyes of God?
Is a foetus of six weeks really no more that a number of cells or is it already a human being in the making? With all the rights of all other human beings, including the right to live?
– I have a mother who is 96 years old. She cannot hear any more, she can hardly walk, she has all sorts of physical and mental weaknesses and pains. She suffers from a number of things every day. She has lived in a home for the aged for five years. In a room of only 16 square meters. She is extremely lonely. In spite of the fact that my brothers, my sister and I visit her regularly. She hardly leaves this room and she needs help with practically all the things that a human being must do every day.
BUT IN HER OWN WAY SHE STILL ENJOYS HER LIFE AND VALUES HER LIFE.
But what if in a couple of months’ time her suffering becomes worse, her dementia (she is alrady in the first stage) gets worse, her life consists of little more than suffering. She longs for death because she longs for an end to her suffering.
What should her doctors do then? What will be the right attitude of her children?
My mother and all her children are Christians. What will be God’s attitude towards euthanasia? Will He condemn it? Will He demand from her and from her children and from her doctors that everybody will just let her suffer and suffer and suffer……… for weeks, for months, for years?
February 13th, 2010 at 9:03 pm
I think you aren’t finished with Jesus….and He’s knocking at your heart.
March 18th, 2010 at 7:31 pm
This is exactly what I was searching for on google, I guess I got my answer! lol