Tuesday, May 25, 2010

A Choice.

There are several things I am very passionate about. My family. My Faith. My political views. One thing I am very sure of involving these things is that I don't put my religion or my politics on my front lawn or on my car. I don't even put little stickers spelling out who is in my family on my car. But it's fairly obvious, when you come to my house, what my family situation is. I have kids. And I hope it's fairly obvious what my faith is. And even perhaps my political views.

But I have been perplexed by something recently seen on the news. A former first lady has just written a book and was doing the book tour with news agencies, etc. She has stated that she is for abortion when the mother's life is at risk or for “other reasons”. That's what she said. She is pro choice without giving the baby a choice.

And that's where I have a huge problem. And frankly, it's something I feel the need to “soapbox”about. So here it goes.

I am pro life. But I also have called myself-only with the opportunity to explain it-pro choice. When a young woman finds she is pregnant and isn't ready for the responsibility, there is a choice. It's called adoption. Why does the choice only include killing an innocent child or raising it under less than ideal circumstances? I know the abortion debate is very political. But it's also moral. It involves another person who has no say in what the mother chooses.

Did you know that only 1% of abortions occur as a result of rape or incest? Only 6% occur because of potential health problems for the mother. That leaves 93% of abortions occurring just because. That is inexcusable! In 2005, 1.2 million abortions were performed in the U.S. Even though that number is lower than the number in 2000, it is 1.2 million babies that were not given an opportunity to live. And that many babies who weren't even considered to be placed in the arms of a man and woman who have been struggling and waiting and hoping to have a baby placed in their arms.

I had made a statement out loud about abortion once. I was later reprimanded by a woman who was there who said she had had an abortion. She was full term and the baby was not going to live once born. But he was still alive. His brain stem hadn't developed. So. She. Aborted. Her. Son. He was full term. He was still living.

My mom has a friend who found, during her pregnancy, that the baby girl had not had a brain develop. She had that baby. They knew she wouldn't live long. So they took her home. As they knelt for family prayer, that baby, with no brain, but with a strong and sweet spirit, looked around at her eternal family as they prayed together. She died shortly after that. I can't imagine a sweeter experience.

I know this is a debate that will go on forever more. And I am sad. I love my children. I look forward to my family growing again. Trust me! You'll know when my family is going to grow!! I will rejoice in the choice that our birth mom makes to give her baby life. And I pray, because I am passionate about my faith, that more will make that choice. And Choose Life.

Please note that I know that not everyone who reads this post will agree with my position. Please don't flame or vent or accuse on either side in the comments. Any such comments will be removed. Thanks! ~me

5 comments:

Laurie said...

93%!?!?! It makes me sick to think that so many women can callously take the life of their own child- and that it's LEGAL!!!

Crissy said...

That makes me so sad. You know..I had two babies that didn't make it. I know they wouldn't have made it because something went wrong, however, I would have given anything to at least hold them in my arms for as long as I could have. I would have carried them full term if I could have even though I would have know that something was wrong. Breaks my heart.

Taya Millward said...

I believe that those women who say it is their choice are missinformed. They have a choice, it is the choice to have sex or not. Sorry about the "s" word. After a woman is pregnant, that choice was already made. Don't do the crime if you can't do the time in thier case. The only choice someone has after that is to keep the baby or give it up for adoption in my oppinion.

Kates said...

Right on the money Taya! When a girl or woman becomes pregnant she has already made that "choice".

Kim said...

I am right there with you in your stand. I feel that even in the event of a rape it is still wrong to abort. I wouldn't have a son without one woman's choice to carry her baby even though that happened to her. He was still a child that would have died if she had chosen to not carry him because of the horrible circumstances of his conception. I can't imagine my life without him. An unborn child is a person too - and it's still murder to abort, regardless of the circumstances of their conception or the health of the child.