As a Christian, we've always had problems with two things throughout our lives: abortion and homosexuality.
The debate and push for gay rights in marriage has led us to the conclusion that, as a Christian, it is not our place to judge anyone. It takes a real load off when one takes this view!
As far as abortion goes, that is a little more complicated because there is a life involved. We look to our own past when we think of abortion.
I was what you might call an "opportunity child." My mother and father had had a really difficult time with my older brother during much of his pre ten year old life. He was stricken with polio and other problems which made it touch and go with him for most of his early life. There was more than one occasion when they thought that they were going to lose him. A couple of years after he stabilized and began to lead a more or less normal childhood, my mom became pregnant with me. When she went to the doctor to confirm what she had suspected, the doctor told her, knowing what she had been through with my brother, that if she did not want the child, it was going to soon abort if she did not take injections to see that the pregnancy carried to term. Mom immediately decided that she wanted this child even though there were risks that she might have another situation like the previous one.
I carried to term and was born healthy and had a very healthy childhood only marred by the usual childhood things such a measles, chickenpox and mumps. My parents thought that I was a true miracle child because of what they had previously been through. God had given them an "opportunity" and a way out of it if they did not have the courage to try it again.
Since we have been twenty four years old, in 1973 when Roe v. Wade came down, we have passively grappled with the issue of abortion. We have never said much publicly about it because for many years we were not close to God. We went our own way and did our own thing and watched others take the difficult positions, pro or con.
Over the last few years since our faith has grown immeasurably, we have begun to confront this idea of choice in a woman’s life. There are always two lives at stake when a woman carries a child--heir’s and the child’s. We were born into a very loving and caring home but we have seen children who were not as fortunate. We have no commonality with those who cannot love a child. That is why the New Town massacre bothered us so much as twenty beautiful young lives were brutally snuffed out. We go back to the same belief that has carried us through on the gay issue. It is simply not our place to judge! We hold with the idea that there will be a judgment day and everyone will be held responsible for all of their actions, no matter what those might be. And, we also hold with the idea that there is redemption for practically anyone who asks for it from a God who bathes us all in so much love that it is not comprehendible. There may be no limit to what he will not forgive!
In light of the above, we feel that a woman who has to carry a child must be the final arbiter as to what she is willing to do. Those such as state governing bodies and groups such as religious organizations should make their feeling known but otherwise stay out of these very personal situations between mothers and children. We just cannot comprehend what it must be like to be with a mother who does not want her child! It must be a living hell right here on this earth and children are simply too innocent, precious and beautiful to have to go through that.
IOVHO,
Regards,
Joe
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