I have been struggling with this post for a week or so now. In light of the anniversary of Roe vs. Wade, and the amount of attention I have seen on other blogs dedicated to abortion over the last weeks, I have had to come to terms with my own complacency with this issue.
I am an ardent supporter of pro-life. This comes from growing up in a family where the sactity of life was respecetd and often discussed. I remember the first conversation I had with my mom regarding abortion. It was one of many discussions I would have which illustrated true evil in the world.
I have been very happy in my little isolated world growing up not knowing what atrocities were taking place around me. It wasn't really until the last presedential election that I began asking myself what I really believed on many isues and how I was going to stand up for those beliefs.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, when I first created this blog, I have had difficulty taking a firm stance on issues in which I was uneducated. So, as I become more aware of real "truths" in this world, I am more comfortable discussing them.
On the issue of pro-life, I have, in the past, kept many of my opinions to myself. I have had no real significant discussions regarding abortions or the politically left's description "pro-choice". But in reading much of the information out there on the blogshpere and other sites, I have become much more aware of both sides of the issue.
I never had an issue in declaring that abortion was wrong. Morally and spiritually I know that. I was alarmed to find out, however, that there are so many "supporters" of abortion out there that I unknowingly supported. Supporters that I continue to support for the good things they do, say or offer. I was very saddened to see the Girl Scouts as being associated with Planned Parenthood.
My wife was in Girl Scouts growing up, and my daughter is involved currently. From the limited knowledge and involvement we have in that organization, it seems very positive to me. Locally, the leader is doing good things and involving the girls in civic and community activities.
Additionally, Walt Disney and parent company ABC (or is it the other way around?) have ties to some folks with pretty liberal ideas and agendas. Both continually disappoint me with their recent releases (Deperate Housewives and the like).
Knowing those organizations are involved with liberal folks and liberal agendas, the question is do I boycott them? And what does boycott mean? Not buy any of my daughter's cookies she's trying to sell? Throw away all of our VHS and DVDs made by Disney? No, I do not think so.
I am a firm believer in the power of prayer. I think my part in this fight for pro-life is to become more educated, to inform others, and to pray. Pray alot.
I might think twice before buying the next Disney DVD. But I think pulling my daughter out of her scouting troop and condemning all her friends for staying in, would cause more problems, not solve any.
Thursday, January 26, 2006
The Pro-Life Issue
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2 comments:
What does it mean to be pro-life? To what extent do you need "to come to terms with ... complacency"? From my own perspective, by just asking these questions, you've taken a major step. Prayer and self-education are very important and somewhat overlooked aspects of that. Without those, nothing else you do can be effective.
It is frustrating to see the pro-abortion linkages between the Girl Scouts, American Girl Dolls, Walt Disney and many other supposedly pro-family organizations and companies. While they all have/provide benefits, it can be disconcerting that those benefits are tainted. To what extent you support or patronize them is something that only you can discern and it will evolve.
You're at the beginning of a long road to greater enlightenment. Other pro-life issues that are right around the corner include euthanasia, contraception, population control and capital punishment. The answers are not all the same in all cases, but there is an objective stance we need to all take and so clearly expounded upon by our late Holy Father John Paul II in his encyclical Evangelium Vitae: "I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly" (Jn 10:10). It is precisely in this "life" that all the aspects and stages of human life achieve their full significance."
Congratulations and good luck!! God bless you!!
The devil enters our lives whenever we have the tinest doubt of God's faithfulness. I, too, am pro-life which includes anti- abortion and anti-death penality issues. However, when my daughter became pregnant out of wedlock with her 4th child I helped pay for her to have an abortion. She was separated at the time from her husband. I feared if the father found out she was pregnant, he would take away her youngest son which was his also. I let fear instead of faith guide me and the devil feeds on fear. I have since confessed this, my most grevious sin, and have been forgiven. However, I will never forget. My confessor instructed me to pray to the saint whose feast day it was the day the abortion took place. I also pray for all of the families who are facing these same fears to replace their fear with faith.
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