Arguments for abortion...

A while back there was an anonymous comment on one of my posts. The poster gave an argument FOR abortion, one that I've heard countless times. I wasn't going to answer, because it's anonymous. But I keep hearing this argument thrown out. Probably because we're getting close to the election, and in CO it's especially relevant because of Amendment 48. I'm going to go ahead and give my thoughts on this. The argument, as stated on my blog, is as follows:

"If you believe that abortion is murder, do you not have a moral obligation to each child brought into this world to ensure they receive basic health care, that their parents can make a living wage,that they receive a decent education, and we fund the social services to ensure these children are not left to fend for their safety, health, and developmental needs."

The first thing I want to point out is...what does that have to do with ANYTHING??? That proves nothing, because it puts forth no proof that abortion ISN'T murder. So..what's the point? It seems to be just another way to dodge the real issue, which is that abortion is, in fact, murder.

But, to actually answer the question. No. I do not have a moral obligation to make sure each and every child who is not aborted is cared for. That's the same as saying that everyone who believes murder is wrong has a moral obligation to take care of every single person who is not murdered (i.e. everyone who is alive today). My moral obligation is to stand for those who are being slaughtered, because it IS murder. It IS wrong. And they cannot speak for themselves. My moral obligation is to warn a pregnant mother contemplating abortion that what she's about to do is murder her child. Some people actually don't know that because we like to use words like "fetus", "fetal tissue", "expulsion", etc. If I warn women that they are about to murder a child, it does not become my responsibility to raise every non-murdered child.

Now, according to Scripture it is my responsibility to care for the orphans and widows. (James 1:27) So let me go ahead and give some examples of what my family does do.

My grandparents just retired from 20 years of living in a children's home, caring for our society's throw away children (I hope no one would suggest that it would have been better for these beautiful children of God to be sucked from the womb and tossed in a trash bin instead of ending up in the children's home) They also adopted two babies from a Christian adoption agency- they became my aunt and uncle. Sadly, there are fewer and fewer of these babies to adopt now (even though there are many couples who would gladly adopt them). If the reason for fewer babies is due to more education, and lack of promiscuity, then I say "Praise God!". However, if it is due to more children being murdered before drawing breath, then shame on us.

My own family has taken care of approx. 35 foster children, as well as adopting one and giving her our name. We also mentor many children who don't have fathers. My dad started a boys and girls club in our area. He coaches jr. high boys and counsels families. My sister speaks to adoptive support groups about the joy of being chosen. We support a Christian child care agency and buy many gifts every year for underpriviledged children in our community. We also put an incredible amount of money in the mail quarterly (a.k.a. taxes) that takes care of poverty stricken children. Unfortunately, the amount of money mid-income families are forced to pay into taxes leaves us much less to give directly to children who need it, or to child care agencies that we believe in.

Personally, I love children (from conception on up), and have many plans that include loving and caring for them in the future. My #1 goal is to be a faithful wife and mother. I want to raise many children for God's Kingdom, and I pray that I'll be able to. But, if I don't get married, I plan to adopt young women who are "too old" to find adoptive homes. Everyone deserves life first, then a loving family.

All of these are things that my family does because we love children, and we have been called to care for them. However, I don't believe everyone is called to participate in all of these things. Even if we did none of this, abortion is murder. It is the most horrendous, despicable abuse that we could force upon children. And it's legal.

In the history of mankind, the issue of poverty has never been adequately solved. Maybe it never will be, but that doesn't change what abortion is. First of all, the argument assumes that every person contemplating abortion would only be able to provide a single parent, poverty stricken home. Actually, often times women/families who could easily provide a loving, secure home choose abortion. Pregnancy, even without difficult circumstances, can be hard and emotional. Who's to say that, if these women could get past this trying time and choose to let their children live, they wouldn't be able to provide a loving and stable home?
The argument also claims, whether or not the people that throw it out realize, that we have the right to choose who lives and who dies. Why do I, someone who was born into a family with a mother and father who can provide for me, have more of a right to live than a child born to a single mother who lives from pay check to pay check? Life- all life- is sacred. No one is more important than anyone else, and it's ridiculous to say that it's better to murder low income children with broken families than to fight to let them live.

Like I said, it is not my moral obligation to provide for every child that is not aborted, any more than it is my obligation to feed and clothe a child for the rest of his life if I saved him from drowning. Any more than it is my obligation to provide for a little girl if I threw myself in front of a car to keep her from being hit. Any more than it is my obligation to provide for an entire school of children if I prevented a homicidal gun man from entering the school house...need I go on?

Perhaps the best way to show love to children...to care for them, starts by speaking up for them when they're in the womb. It should be the safest place for them, yet in our "civilized" country, it is not safe at all. To do my very best to make sure children are given life and to NEVER stop letting people know that abortion is the shedding of innocent human blood- that is my moral obligation.