This is my first official question here at questionsthatmakepeoplemadatme and so I figure..."Hey, why not start out with a ZINGER!?!?" The pro-life vs. pro-choice conversation has been a tenacious political debate since January 22nd 1973. For over 35 years the good ol' U.S. of A has been at odds with itself on the rights of mothers and their unborn child [or fetus depending on which side of the aisle you sit]. It has become such a dominant force in the world of politics that every four years millions of Americans consider this one issue alone as the determining factor in who they think should lead the free world. But my question is a lot less political and a whole lot more logical in nature. Now if you are a pro-lifer, awesome....this blog is for you. If you are a pro-choice-kind-of-guy or gal...stick around I think my thoughts might interest you...and I desperately need your feedback.
Generally speaking [I realize I'm using a very broad stroke here], the pro-life side of the aisle is made up of Conservatives, often Evangelical and sometimes Republican. None of these people groups are 100% full proof in their make up of pro-lifism, but in general it's a principle they hold on to tightly. And you know one when you see one, right? Ironically these SAME people groups love the death penalty as a method of justice. They are also the #1 fan of war to ensure peace as a national defense policy. Now let me remind you that my question is not political, but I wanted to start by pointing out the paradoxical nature of the political affiliation.
11 days ago there were 400,000 orphans in Haiti...that's 5% of their population. Then the greatest earthquake in modern history hit killing over 200,000 people and displacing another 3 million. Here's what I want to know and the logical angst of my 1st question...where will they go? If PRO-Life is not a political tag, but rather an ideal that, with integrity, you revere...what are you doing? Have you ever considered inviting one of the 132 million orphans on this planet into your home? And I don't mean for tea or a slumber party...well that might be a good starting point, but I'm thinking a little more long-term. Did you consider the 4500 kids that died yesterday because they don't have access to clean drinking water while you were flushing 3 gallons down the toilet or taking that extra long shower? I use the toilet and take showers too...I am just being honest about the responsibility I think comes along with a title like PRO LIFE.
Last year there were 43 million abortions worldwide. In the good ol' U S of A there were almost 1.3 million. 1.3 million babies that should have been born according to the pro-life side. Now I realize that there are a myriad of reasons that mothers choose abortion, but let's just chase a rabbit and pretend that 1/3 of the abortions from 2009 would have been born into families that were completely incapable of actually raising a chid financially, mentally, or socially. I have a hunch the number would be much higher, but let's just pretend 1/3. Where will they go? 430 THOUSAND BABIES...the population of WYOMING. Are they coming to your house? If you're going to be pro-life, shouldn't you passionately also be pro-adoption? Shouldn't you have at least 1 or 2 at risk children living in your home and calling you mom or dad? And what about that worldwide number...43 million in 2009..ugh. Heaven help us if we use the previous equation and plug in the worldwide abortion number. I better build a bigger house.
Are the pro-lifers really PRO LIFE? What's your answer?
Saturday, January 23, 2010
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Ohh Rich. T'n up a good old fashion tug o war I can see. Nice. I've often been surprised at how intellectually dishonest both sides are, present company included periodically. Like most things in life, we often are quick to point out what we don't like but nailing down what we do..well, that's a bit harder. We don't like limiting ourselves simply to the possible.
ReplyDeleteBabies, are part of that limiting equation. Because we all think that surely someone, in that litttle country over there, is taking care of all of those orphans! Surely someone is? I mean, it's there own fault those silly poor people just keep having babies....
This post, your first serious wade into the pool, was a good hard poke. Got us thinking.
Thank you for simply speaking truth. Keep it up. We miss our Hosea neighbors...but the beach is nice! Come visit.
What up man?! I like the post.
ReplyDeleteYeah, my mind frame on this whole issue has changed over the last year or so. Many of those "conservatives", what have you, that are pro-life, are anti-"welfare." The thing is many of these children from unwanted pregnancies, as you stated, become orphans. If not orphans many are born into poverty, and crime, etc. So, are we going to fight for their life before their birth, then to leave them for "dead" the rest of their lives?
I also read recently that the abortion rate and crime rate have a negative correlation. The higher the abortion rate, the lower the crime rate, and vice versa. We fight for an unborn child's life, it is born into poverty and violence, then grows up and takes another's life. Chew on that one.
Love you man.
I tend to agree with your thesis on this one but here is another question that I was asked by someone on the issue that takes a different approach but is still and interesting thing to ponder:
ReplyDeleteIf you were standing next to any of the most infamous dealers of genocide in Africa (or you can go classic and say Hitler) as he prepared to massacre a village, or a disgruntled teen as he walks into his school with an uzi, what would you do? Kill him perhaps, maybe mortally wound or in some way prevent him from his intentions. So if you are of the pro-life disposition that believes abortion is murder, why would you not take a similar approach to your local abortion doctor? And yes they are acting under the law and this and that but if you really believe that person is going to murder several children in the course of his day what would you do to stop him? Calling it murder is good propaganda but when it comes right down to it either a lot of us dont believe ourselves or are too cowardly to act on what we believe.
Just a thought, I also have lots of questions so I'm excited to follow this blog. As a side note I am not endorsing killing anyone (I shouldnt have to say that but some of you people on the internet give me the creeps ... jk I love you all).
Alex...great question. I think my answer would be that pro-life should be about action, NOT reaction. As much as your hypothetical makes killing one to save many with pro-life as the banner of justification logical, it's kind of counterintuitive to kill at all, right?
ReplyDeletemartin luther king said...
"Nonviolence is the answer to the crucial political and moral questions of our time; the need for mankind to overcome oppression and violence without resorting to oppression and violence. Mankind must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression, and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love."
he also said "Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend."
...Somewhere God's justice has to meet our submission. Then, i think we can be content with living a life of obedience rather than aggression.
Lovin these posts.
ReplyDelete