In response in the comments for my post Truly Sad Business, my friend the Canadian Atheist presented some very thoughtful questions. I believe that they were presented both as respectful challenges as well as inquiries to my understanding.
I very much admire the manner of presenting these questions as well as the depth of thought that they display.
Here are his questions, followed by my response:
NA,
Just say that they outlawed abortion tomorrow. Do you seriously think abortions would stop? Do you think unwanted children would be better off? Do you think there wouldn't be sick people with coat hangers doing the work instead of trained professionals? Would these women be any better off in the hands of a man swinging a coat hanger?
And finally, what do you think the solution is?
Dear Canadian,
You are asking some wonderful questions. Thank you for the opportunity to address them.
In order for abortion to be outlawed again as it was in times past, a major shift in understanding would have to occur. Decades of misinformation and treacherous indoctrination would have to be reversed. The entire mindset of the people would have to be turned back from what has been systematically inculcated over several generations. While this could happen overnight as you suggest, it rarely does.
If such a return to valuing human life did occur, then abortions would most certainly stop, even without the force of the law being imposed.
From my world view, from my understanding of reality, there are no unwanted children.
I believe in Yahweh, the Everlasting Father, the Creator of all that exists, the Father through whom all families have their name, the Redeemer who counseled from eternity to sacrifice Himself to save His beloved children from their self-destructive rebellion through His life and sacrificial death as one of us. He has declared that He wants all children to be counted as precious even as He counts them thus.
The concept of unwanted children is the product of selfishness and of turning from the understanding that all children are planned by their Everlasting Father, who graciously blesses the coming together of man and woman to bring forth new children into the world. When people return to considering children from this perspective, there are no unwanted children. Rather, all children are counted as blessings and as beloved.
Parents who love their children do as the Father of all and they selflessly sacrifice themselves for the sake of their beloved children.
Early in our marriage, my wife and I discussed this as we drew close for sharing as husband and wife. I initiated the topic, saying that if she were to become pregnant and the doctors were to determine that her life were threatened, that from my side, as frightening as the thought of losing her would be, that I could not say that her life was more important than the baby’s, that I could not turn from trusting the Lord in this matter and that if the decision were left to me I would have to insist that the doctors work to save both lives, no matter what. She agreed. I stated that I feared how I would feel if she died from such a decision, and she assured me that it would nevertheless be the right and loving choice.
Being at least somewhat informed about “professional” abortion procedures, I cannot see the professional as any less sick than the person who uses a coat hanger, especially since the professional supposedly has full medical training and is fully aware that the mother is being put at risk by these procedures. The person with a coat hanger is not going to advertise and openly try to convince people that this is a valid choice.
In the days when abortion was illegal, abortions were relatively rare.
As for a woman turning to coat hangers and twigs, such tactics are ordinarily only utilized early in the pregnancy, when the risk is somewhat lower to the mother. But that really means nothing in this issue. When women make this choice, instead of letting the pregnancy follow its natural course, they have made a very dangerous choice. This is on their head, not society’s.
Society’s responsibility lies in the overturn of viewing sexual relations as properly belonging only within the lifetime commitment of the marital union, where family and lifelong loving union is the mindset. Society is also at fault for treating the pregnant woman and her unplanned pregnancy as the issue rather than teaching the great blessing of honoring sexuality for what it really is.
So I believe that the solution is a return unto the source of Life for our understanding of our lives, both individually and communally. When the Life is honored our lives are treasured.
As you already know, for me absolutely everything is founded upon the continual communion of people with and in the Lord. When this communion is genuine and unbroken, life is restored to what it should be. Everything is again made right and good. For people with this understanding, the notion of abortion and all of the associated troubles is not even existent. For such people, people who make mistakes are offered forgiveness and help and healing. For such people the pain of guilt and the continual need for the promise of absolution are felt personally to such a degree that this is their desire for all others who honestly face their own iniquity. Among such people those who face the results of their thoughtless actions, those already feeling their own self-chosen and self-applied condemnation, turn to those who know the promise of God’s forgiveness and healing and reconciliation.
This is the purpose of the true Church of God on earth. The true Church does not seek to change society or to promote laws and regulations. The law is given to restrain wickedness. The Church does not seek this. The Church is the congregation of the communion of saints unto their Lord in His holiness poured out through the means of grace. The Church cries out against wickedness, calling everyone to be turned from the wickedness to receive forgiveness and reconciliation and restoration.
The solution to abortion is not outlawing abortion. The solution to abortion is Love, which is of God. Love does no wrong to its neighbor. Love defends its neighbor, especially the helpless. Love forgives its enemies and prays for them. Love is patient and longsuffering. Love is of God because God is love. Love never fails.
In this world of wickedness laws are necessary. Laws are not the answer, but when they are just laws that are rightly enforced, they do help to restrain the wickedness. But the answer is Love, which overthrows wickedness and replaces it with righteousness. If this were the one and only way, we all would live together again as one big and happy family.
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