Life...

I recently stumbled across a photo on facebook of a tiny baby--just 6 weeks after conception--who had been miscarried.  The photo of baby "Blessing" was taken by her grieving mother.  It was amazing to see the little fingers on the tiny hand already formed at such an early age.  I was moved by the loss of this tiny infant and had to re-post.

This morning, I awoke to a diatribe on the photo by a person who I have known almost all of my life.  As I said to him in my response this morning, I did not post the picture to begin a debate about abortion, law making, or when life begins.  And I didn't feel it appropriate to respond to his arguments in that forum.  However, I am truly disturbed by some of his statements, and I thought I would respond here. 

One thing he mentions in his post is that as a Christian, I would not like legislation passed that I disagreed with, so my religious beliefs should not be the basis of legislation passing (referring to abortion).  Actually, this kind of legislation has been passed--raw milk, for example, is outlawed in many states.  Homeschooling is banned.  We cannot freely speak even the name of God in a public place.  As a teacher, openly stating my beliefs in the classroom would get me fired (though it's perfectly find for an atheist to tell students who disagree with him that they are brainwashed by their parents).  And in many places, churches are forced to hire people who violate their deeply held beliefs because of legislation that has been passed.  Pastors have been jailed for reading certain scriptures from the Bible.  By the same token, many of the laws I'm sure he accepts and applauds, like laws against murder, robbery, etc, are rooted in biblical beliefs, as is the belief that "all men are created equal."  Our very constitution is founded on the belief in God. 

Another thing mentioned in the post is the question of when life begins.  "This is a fetus, not a baby," he says.   I think it is only people who are removed from the process of life who could make such a statement.  A farmer who has just had his crop destroyed by frost or hail does not say, "Oh, well--they weren't corn, yet."  He laments the loss of his crop of corn!  Likewise, a farmer whose pregnant cow is killed by a flood does not mourn the loss of one cow, but two.  And a mother who rejoices in the new life growing within her knows with absolute certainty that this is a child--one who she will nurse and rock and kiss.  She pictures her baby boy playing catch with his daddy or her baby girl dancing at her wedding--long before she holds that child in her arms. 

Finally, his assertion that adoption is traumatic is very sad, especially in light of the dreadful trauma--emotional and physical--that abortion unleashes on the would-be mothers and fathers (as we are now discovering).  Even if some adoption situations don't turn out perfectly, not a single abortion ends well.  Isn't it better to give a child a chance to have a loving family than no chance at all?  After all, God even used adoption as a picture of His love for us--we are adopted as sons and daughters.  This is a picture of how great His love is for us--that He loves us as His own children. 

It is true that each person has been given free will by God.  We have the ability to make our own choices.  And one day, we will be held accountable for those choices, just as we will be held accountable for "every idle word" we speak.  I pray every day that my words will honor God.  I know that I fail often and dreadfully, but that is my prayer.  I will continue to post things that touch my heart or that I would like for people to think about.  I will not be silenced by ridicule.  I know in Whom I have believed.  And I am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I've committed unto Him against that day.

Karen