Every once in awhile articles written in the newspaper catch your eye and cause you to think. This is the case recently as I was reading with interest three articles of a similar tone.
The first story that caught my eye was the on-going saga surrounding Michael Vick, the starting quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons football team of the NFL. Mr. Vic has been indicted for having dog fights on his property. Recently he has been barred from camp. There are big fines, jail time and other consequences facing him if he is found guilty. It is appalling that anyone would make a sport out of dogs fighting and find enjoyment in two animals tearing each other apart. Personal satisfaction and entertainment drive us to do some terrible things in this society.
Another story was about a disturbed man who was angry with his neighbor. Two days in a row he came to his neighbor’s home and each day he stomped a cat to death. This is a horrific act and this man could face years of incarceration for this evil act, or at least years of psychological care.
On another day someone was charged with animal cruelty because they left some rabbits alone at home for an extended period and they starved to death. These animals were being kept as food for snakes the man kept. But instead of feeding them to the snakes they starved to death and for this, the man will face a great fine and jail time for cruelty to animals.
I believe that animals should be protected and there should be severe penalties for this sort of mistreatment of animals. Laws should exist to protect the innocent, those who cannot help themselves, in these cases, animals. I’m glad we live in a society that cares for animals.
Unfortunately, we live in a confused society where some people do not want to take responsibility for their actions and simply want to please themselves. It is very confusing to me that we live in a society which protects animals with fines and jail time but allows thousands upon millions of babies to be killed each year in various stages of human development through abortion. Why would we make laws and issue fines for people who mistreat animals yet allow people to kill unborn yet often viable children? I believe that human life, even the unborn, is more valuable than animal life and we should protect the innocent unborn with more fervor than we do the helpless animals.
Please hear me when I say I know this is an emotional and sometimes complicated subject. Rape, incest, teen pregnancies, and other factors can create a no win situation. I read somewhere that rape and incest accounts for only 2 % of all abortions though. In many cases abortion is being seen as removing an unwanted appendage or tissue.
Each time abortion is the choice of the adult(s) involved, the life of the unborn, the helpless baby, is lost. I wonder at times how many significant contributions to society have been swept away in abortions. Often the adults involved have a choice prior to the abortion. They can abstain from sexual activity or use contraceptives. The unborn child has no choice.
I believe in the sanctity of life and that life begins at conception if not before. We are not merely creatures of our sinful human desires but of a God with a plan for our lives. God had a plan for and knew Jeremiah before he was in his mother’s womb. Jeremiah 1:4-5 - The word of the LORD came to me, saying, 5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." God is creating our inmost being, our spirit, even as we are developing physically in our mother’s womb. Psalms 139:13-14 - 13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
As I open this subject to debate, I also acknowledge that as a church body, we cannot merely be against abortion, but as we have in the past and even more in the future, support adoption, agencies like Bethany Christian Services (a crisis pregnancy counseling center and Christian adoption agency), single mothers in our church and community and more. We have to remind ourselves that abstaining from sexual activity outside of marriage is not just an old time value. It is a Godly value that is meant not only to protect the gift of sexuality for one partner for life but to protect us from issues like the one we are discussing.
Using abortion as a form of birth control devalues human life and the intrinsic value of the persons involved. As a pastor for 30 plus years I know the pain that is caused post abortion to the women and men involved. I also know there is no such thing as an unwanted child after watching my wife and others work with families who have opened their hearts to any child, in any condition. Unwanted or unexpected or even crisis pregnancies maybe, but that unborn child is loved by someone and if the birth mom is unable to care for the child, someone will!
Back to my original thought of confusion. In a society that has laws to protect animals from cruelty and abuse, why not more laws to protect the most helpless of humans, the unborn, of intrinsically more worth than any animal? Instead we have laws that allow for their death.
What are your thoughts on the subject?
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I couldn't agree with you more. I was thinking the same thing as I read and heard of those same accounts. We must continue to speak out and support all activities that are pro-life. Our society is confused and moving further into that confusion on many levels.
The lack of accountability for ones actions, placing the blame on others or events for their wrong doings is another example of a confused society.
We have anilmal rights screaming about the animals misplace or killed in the name of economic progress but few cry out for the hundreds and thousands of human beings suffering the same fate or worse. Children (and adults) starving to death while we dump thousands of tons of food into holes in the ground or ocean to keep "economic balance" in our food supplies and keep farmers and workers working. It's sensless beyound my imagination.
Greetings Rev. Ray -- "Excellent Point" -- However,we, as human beings have really messed-up things so badly ... that they are unrepairable (skip watkins concept) -- Our Lord ended it once ... and promised to end it one more time (no more chances for us to mess it up again!!! -- There isn't much more I can add -- Sometimes I believe "our-laws" are make to protect the "rich ... against the poor" -- Praise the Lord Jesus Christ ... our Lord and Savior! -- Bro. skip (a humble servant)
I agree that the laws to protect animals sometimes over shadow the laws that are to protect humans. I just had a conversation this weekend about this and by talking about it made me even more so firm in my belif. Every baby deserves a chance. I know that it is easier said then done when its not me and my family going through and rape or incest issue. I believe that if you make a Christ centered decision before an action or decision needs to take place the more likely a perosn is to follow through with that Christ centered decision. We are hear to help the voiceless and unborn babies are one of those voiceless groups.
Rev.Ray - good article - I'm totally in agreement. Another victem of the abortion is the mother. My wife just attended a weekend for women who have gone through an abortion. The effects on them are brutal - many enter a stage of promiscuity and pain - have poor marriages, have problems properly raising their kids, because in most cases, deep in their spirit they know that they have just murdered their child. The grieving goes on for decades, and seldom is resolved because our society (even the church), does not recognize their need for help. Are there such women at Mount Oak? They are crying out for help.
As an adopted parent, I feel that there needs to br voices for the unborn. If it wasn't for our birhtmothers, who didn't believe in abortion and felt they were unable to care for their babies we would not be parnets. Animals need to be protected since they were made by God; however, babies are people as soon as they are conceived and deserve a chance to live.
I agree and note that in our society we have been passing laws according to our wants and desires – not according to the standard God set for us. Our sin nature leads us to rationalize almost anything if it will get us what we want in the end. Also, by making laws to suit our “cause of the day,” we can rid ourselves of any personal responsibility and therefore rid ourselves of any guilt we might feel by association.
It’s easy to feel anger and arm yourself for a cause when a face is put to a situation – a cute puppy horribly mistreated, a baby seal clubbed to death, horses starved beyond recognition. But where is the face for abortion? I read a book by a young girl named Gianna Jessen who was aborted and lived to tell about it. Her story was both heart wrenching and inspirational. She has been out there telling her story, but I find it interesting that you don’t hear about her in the media.
If we, who believe in the God of life, don’t stand up for the unborn, who will? And we must do it with the love of Christ – loving those who have had abortions and helping them find their way to Jesus, speaking in love but with great conviction – not tolerance - to those who might promote abortion and have a different understanding of life from our own. After all, how can someone who doesn’t know our Jesus begin to comprehend how precious life is if some of His own followers speak death to abortion doctors and nurses and those who work in abortion clinics?
Jesus was bold about confronting hypocrisy and sin, but He NEVER hated anyone – even those who crucified Him. Let us seek to be more like our Jesus, and let our weapon be the love of Christ.
Pretty much all seem to agree with Rev. Ray's points. I do as well. I think Brother Skip brings a touch of reality to the conversation, man has really messed things up; especially over the last 40 years or so. Unfortunately, the prevailing world view in our society values the personal freedom of the born without regard to the un-born. I don't see this changing without a massive national revival - and I pray that happens. Until then, the laws (either statutory or case law) we have are here to stay as the right thinking folks on this issue remain too small of a percentage to effect any change.
While I encourage all to speak out against such laws, I find that we should be focusing more of our attention and efforts on taking care of the "widows and orphans". Would it be too much to exhort Christ's body to focus on such as these? Would it be too much to exhort Christ's body to come along side of effective ministries (like Bethany Christian Services) on the front lines of abortion intervention? Would it be too much to exhort Christ's body to behave in such a way that the world may know that we want the children without parents?
After all, we who are Christ's are adopted, so adoption should feel quite normal to us. Is it so prevalent among Christians that it looks normal? Just a guess, but I don't think so.
How many people (Christians included) have given money to an animal rescue organization, donated to a wildlife foundation, taken in and adopted stray animals or animals from the SPCA? How many have volunteered time and services for some kind of organization that protects or cares for animals/wildlife?
Now,how many of us have done the same thing(s) for women (and men) facing "unwanted pregnancies" or the agencies that advocate for the unbord children?
Until unborn/unwanted babies have a greater advocacy than do animals, animal cruelty is going to generate greater concern in the media than are the thousands of innocent human lives taken yearly by abortion.
This is where I believe the Christian community is called, not only to be a voice for these children of God, but to literally be the Body of Christ to give of our time and treasures in order to reach out to, aid, support, protect and share our faith with those facing the abortion dilemma (mothers, fathers and unborn children)
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