This week is “Sanctity of Life” week which made yesterday “Sanctity of Life” Sunday. As a pastor, I received many tools and material pieces that I could use via mail and on the Internet all focused on one aspect, Abortion. Every tool that I reviewed that was sent my way were in line to accomplish one goal, teach the people in our churches that abortion is wrong and motivate them to do something about it. For the most part, we are motivated to make direct statements about the murder, promote legal change with posters of aborted babies, and have rallies with politicians who may or may not agree but say they do to get some votes. The whole thing made me unnerved. Here’s why…… (as I explained in church yesterday. If you go the Fellowship, this might be repetitive and boring for you =)
A topic like abortion is a multifaceted, multileveled issue that invites a messy combination of theology, emotions, and experiences. This is not a bad thing at all! However, the problem that I have seen is that most do not give the conversation it’s real due, no matter what side of the line you fall on.
From a theological standpoint (or my belief from the Bible) is life begins at conception. Simple enough. From this belief, I believe abortion is wrong. Since I believe it is wrong, and it is a issue of life, I do believe it should be illegal. (Which will confuse some who know my legal beliefs on gay marriage in another blog but maybe we’ll save that for another day.) So, yes, I am one of those people. At this point, you are either disgusted be me or ready to march on Washington with me. Well, hold on either way. We’ll get through this together.
The next thing I hear once this is laid out is usually “What about in the cases of rape, incest, and the health of the mother?” While these do not make up most of the abortion cases in America, it is a valid question. It brings up the unbelievable amount of complex emotions and situations represented in this topic when you take it from the picket lines and dig into real lives. These complexities (as well as other challenges) do not change my belief but do they do effect my actions on how I carry out my belief in love.
For instance, if I have someone in my life that is considering an abortion, you can bet I am going to offer love as well as advice to consider other options than aborting the baby. If someone has already made the decision and has already had the abortion, you can also bet I will be there by there side as a friend and pastor as they deal with the emotions that come afterward (and they do come afterward). I will partner through the aftermath because I know the complexities and hardships that come from that path and it is a path were you need love and mercy.
Since I am not a guy you will see out on a street corner holding a pro-life sign in front of an abortion clinic (it’s too short of a conversation), I frustrate some who hold the same basic belief on abortion that I do. I get that. It’s just my way to rather be at the coffee house, or the pregnancy distress center, or with a family member talking with them instead of at them during that time.
OK, I can get babbling on this for awhile. Again, it is a multifaceted topic that will invite me to drift from point to point without a real map of what point I am trying to make when my real point is this…….
We, as Christians, need to remember when we make blanket statements about abortion being murder that for some who need mercy, they receive those statements like rocks against their body. Stoning people for their sins was not something Christ looked favorably upon and neither do I. I ended up throwing out 95% of the resources sent to me because it took no care in realizing there could be a young woman in my church who had an abortion last week and came to church looking for some love and help to forgive herself and working through the pain inside. We need to enter into the conversation in a more messy and complex way instead of putting quotes on our My Space about “Abortion is Murder!” and not realizing why those have taken a spill in life does not see the church as part of their answer on getting back up. We need to remember our audience and, without changing the belief, deliver the message with more love and tenderness.
(At the Fellowship yesterday, we decided the best course of action was to enter into prayer as a community for God to take these things in His hands and guide us in courage, wisdom and discernment. To guide us as a church and individuals on how to deal with these issues as the Holy Spirit guides us through these challenges. I believe prayer is always a great course of action when something is so big and effects so many people. and then follow His leading.)
If you have had an abortion or considering one and you would like to talk….touch base with me. I can talk with you and also get you help through others if you need someone.
One last thought: If it is “Sanctity of Life” Sunday, why didn’t any of my resources that came to me deal with issues within this statement besides things dealing with abortion? Where were the resources addressing homeless people, starvation, decease, and the like? Just a question…..
Abortion is a tough issue. There are so many people who have abortions for “the wrong” reasons…but on the flip side of that coin is the aftermath of a birth which the mother did not want. Many say adoption is always a good avenue but have you every been to an agency? What these abandoned children have to live with for the rest of their lives, internally. Some make it in life….9/10ths do not…so what really is better is for the woman to make her own CHOICES FOR HER OWN BODY and then answer to God when the time comes. I will always be pro choice…and for all you die hards out there…that doesnt mean pro abortion….it means i want others to have a choice. You could ALMOST compare it to a man wanting to be fixed but someone says no…you are preventing life!!!!!! just an opinion.
Hey Candice,
Thanks for joining in. You described your position well. I do want to throw out a couple thoughts for clarity on my part.
- For the record, my position is pro-life and not pro-choice. For the most part there are exceptions to this), I believe the woman’s and man’s choice over the whole situation was when they decided to have intercourse. Once the baby is conceived, since I believe this is the start of life, it is a baby issue not a woman’s body issue. I respect that your view is different than mine but I wanted to be more clear on my part. The challenge I find in the church is how we sometimes address the issue with more mercy and love of those who have been through this.
- I would have to have a better understanding of your claims when it comes to adoption. We are adoptive parents and work with many people considering or who have adopted. We have been through hours of training with Children Services and work with others who foster or foster to adopt. While I have some concerns here and there in this area by being involved with it, I have not heard or seen any stats or testimonies that come close to providing evidence for the claims you make. Can you better explain because in the last 5 years we have been working within this area, we have seen testimony after testimony of successful adoptions and know FAR more people waiting for children than we have ever seen children being neglected while waiting for parents, especially when it comes to babies.
Just some further thoughts….
yeah..um…i’m not very good at making my thoughts clear, nor did i state anything about evidence. It’s great that you & many others have adopted but being from California, and have seen a lot of children/teens that were given to the state…have stayed just there…in the state. Unfortunetly for them, if they dont fit what the seeking parent is “looking for” then they are left to their own acor for their lives. Again…it’s great you have adopted & you know people who have or are interested BUT the # of children needing to be adopted vs. the ones that actually do get adopted far out weigh each other.
oh..and let me make one thing clear also…i would rather a woman have a child than not.
I think I am getting to see your thought better.
Usually when adoption is mentioned in the area of abortion, they are talking about babies. I didn’t see baby adoption matching anywhere close to what you stated. However, if you are talking about older kids, you are right, the foster care system’s goals are admirable but often fall very, very short. I do know some success stories but there are plenty of kids out there that need love and homes that are disgarded when you are talking about older kids.
While that might not effect abortion per say, it does effect the sanctity of thier lives! It is an important challenge hurting this kids and I thank you for shining a ligh ton it here!
The conclusion for pro-life seems to be entirely based on a vague usage of terms and definitions. People need to go further than that in order to engage in a fruitful argument. “Life begins at the moment of conception” – who actually cares about whether you call it life or not? Calling it alive or not does not logically change the matter at all, it’s just a deceptive way for people to make up their minds for the wrong reasons.
Hey Erik,
I appreciate the input and please forgive me for this, are you serious? Because if you are, I think that doesn’t hold water in any way, shape or form.
If life does not begin at conception but at birth, then you could hold position you want.
If life begins at conception, then you’re talking not just about the mother’s rights but the baby’s rights…..your not talking about touch life circumstances, your talking about murder. If life begins at conception, your options (if you don’t want to be a hypocrite) get limited quick in the debate.
Where one could find that as vague and insignificant to the discussion would be hard to support with any real logic. Sorry….
Eric…who are you say that someone’s decisions are for the wrong reasons. Unless you walk a mile is someone else’s shoes…who are you to say? Besides…each of us is living out God’s plan…our decisions throughout life change that. What one person does to themselves is wholy their business. When cells start spliting…thats when life begins.
This is a tough topic with so many opinions. If you live by the word of God, then abortion should not be considered at all. Sometimes peope loose babies at the will of God (the baby was deformed, etc). From a girl who had an abortion, take it from me, it was the worst decision of my life. I have a life of complete regret and I have to live with the terrible thought, that terrible decision that I killed a life. I am a murderer and you have no idea the psycological consequences that having an abortion has on a person. It was the wrong choice for me and I wish I had been better informed. But I swore to never do it again. And God blessed me with children afterward. I thank God every day, because he could have chosen to never allow me the priviledge to be a mother after what I did to my first child. I am thankful today that my son and his girlfriend chose to have their baby and not abort her. I love that baby like nothing else in this world. There is nothing more precious than life. Even in cases of rape, God is the one who allowed the baby (I don’t like the term fetus) to be concieved for a reason. It is not up to us to play God and kill a living creature, especially not a human being. We need to leave that decision up to God. Even if there are children in foster care, God watches over them. We all have trials and tribulations, but God is there for EVERYONE. He is not selective, nor do we have the right to be. He loves us all.