A More Consistent Ethic of Human Life
Listen, I’m with you in the fact that I think abortion is wrong and grieves the heart of God… It’s just that I feel like Right-Wing Conservatives have held that up as the defining political agenda for candidates. And in the meantime, we have applauded war, ignored genocide and acted like poverty and disease isn’t really an issue in the 21st century.
We need a more consistent ethic of human life.
Here are some numbers:
4000 abortions take place every day.
9000 die from AIDS every day.
30000 children die from hunger/disease and poverty every day.
500,000 a year from international conflict and war.
Here’s my point: We could do something about the war in Iraq… like today. We could do something about genocide in Darfur… like today. We could do something about hunger and disease and poverty… like today.
When abortion is our defining ticket, it creates narrow-minded politics and a narrow view of the sanctity of life.
If studies are right in telling us that poverty and education are the two biggest factors in a woman’s decision to have an abortion, then what would it look like if we took that seriously? What if the goal of abortion was to make it less necessary and more rare. I think this would be the start of a real turn around.
The problem is that these are almost all left-wing, liberal issues. Abortion on the other hand, is a right-wing conservative issue.
BUT IT’S ALL PRO-LIFE.
So why do we have to choose which of these we do something about?
June 8th, 2007 at 9:13 am
Well Put…I like where your going
June 8th, 2007 at 10:45 am
Some thoughts.
I think you’re wording is a little off when you say conservatives have “applauded war”. I don’t applaud war. War is a horrible horrible thing, and only those that are ignorant of its effects may applaud. What I am is pro-miilitary and supportive of action that breaks the tyranny of a dictator that was committing human rights abuses frequently and openly. WMDs, oil and other potential motives aside, Hussein needed to be removed for the human rights aspects alone. Is it better now? Ask the soldiers that have been there (definitely don’t ask the media). It may get worse before it gets better — the underbelly of war.
There will always be a Darfur, an Iraq, an Iran, a tsunami, a hurricane, genocide, a disease epidemic, or a disaster of some magnitude elsewhere in the world. We will not be able to respond to or solve all of them. We can help resolve some of them though, and I think conservatism provides a means to do so.
Abortion is more than an act of ending the life of a helpless child. If it is viewed as just that, and not a matter of human heart condition, we’ll never come to any kind of resolution. The same is with AIDS. Condoms, medicine, education, poverty-relief all are absolutely worthless without a change of the human heart condition. It’s like putting a bandaid on a severed arm…it just doesn’t quell the true need.
Abortion happens not because of poverty or lack of education, regardless of what the humanistic scientific studies show. Abortion happens because regard for human life has vanished, morality has gone down the crapper, marriage has no commitment, while sex is regarded as just an instinctive act. Add the media’s emphasis on the present and not future consequences of sex, and walla, a disregard for human life is just around the corner.
So where do we start? Do we start with picketing abortion clinics, handing out condoms or teaching kids to abstain or do we start with conserving the foundational Bibilical principles on which this country was founded, by which all humanity was created to live by? This is true conservatism — everything else is just political.
Sorry for length…
June 8th, 2007 at 10:54 pm
Let’s make this simple, we have no national interests in Darfur, so why should we put much of an effort towards it?!
With that being said, Iraq, we have a great interest in it. We need stability in Iraq to bring forth econimic stability here in the states. We don’t get our oil from the middle east; we get most of our oil from South America! As far as Darfur goes, well everyone wants the UN to do something about it and well the UN sucks quite a bit at being able to do what the UN was designed for. From my standpoint, the UN is totally against anything the USA is trying to do in today’s world! Abortion is wrong, yes, but the AIDS epidemic in Africa is tragic, but to tell the truth, there is not interests in USA’s policy to protect and defend Africa. This may seem cold, but I try to look at the broader picture of things because this is what I was told when I served in Iraq; there is always a broader a picture that we don’t always see.
I will always defend the constitution of the United States and further protect our interests throughout the globe I feel that this nation was given to us by God to represent democracy throught the world.
With that being said, I know that progressive democracy has been a bad influence, but I still feel that we are here to help the ones not able to help themselves.
June 9th, 2007 at 11:09 am
First, well said Josh. I’ve enjoyed reading all the political posts.
Second, a comment to this: (taken from Joel’s comment) Abortion happens not because of poverty or lack of education, regardless of what the humanistic scientific studies show.
I have to completely disagree. Unfortunately I know too many people who have had considered abortion. Sometimes I have had the pleasure to help change their minds. Only because I have helped educate them on their options. The number one thing you hear is, “I can’t afford a baby.” And usually they are right. They have no idea how to get financial help. So I help direct them to resources. #2: They have no idea how to go about adoption. Once again, educate them on resources. Women, especially when single, think they are on their own and abortion is the only way to go. Of those I know who went through with it, I do not know one who doesn’t regret it every day. People have morals, they just feel hopeless.
Maybe I’m naive, but this is just based on my personal experience.
Also, why does it seem there are so many people so strongly prolife out there but all they do is talk? (At least I know too many like this.) We are not going to overturn the laws tomorrow. If you are honestly concerned about abortion, don’t just sit around and argue over what is right or wrong, or place your vote and think that’s it. Do something now. Support women in the situation anyway you can. In Columbus, one of the easiest ways is to donate time, goods or money to Pregnancy Decision Health Centers (PDHC). I have seen a lot of good come from there. One at a time…
June 10th, 2007 at 11:09 am
Tammy,
I agree that there are wonderful means and methods to stave off the advancement of lost life through abortion. I’m not advocating ceasing those methods. They are needed, just as much as ministering to those that I’ve met dying of AIDS in Africa. The point is this: those are reactionary means and methods — they take place after the fact — responding to a problem. They don’t prevent the problem.
My entire premise is that we need to get back to preventative maintenance in society, not reactionary maintenance. Are we too far gone morally, spiritually, socially to try? I’m a conservative in that I want to conserve the virtues that help prevent disaster from being something we respond to.
Are Christians supposed to strive to prevent or react? What side of the curve are we supposed to reside?
June 10th, 2007 at 4:31 pm
Joel,
I think we have to know how to do both: prevent and react.