Today's Scripture Reading (December 9, 2022): 1 Kings 11
(This is another post that
probably isn't going to win me any friends, so please read with
ample forgiveness and grace.)
I have a friend that likes to compare our
abortion-ready society with the sacrifices made in ancient
times to the Ammonite god Molek. And one of the major sacrifices made to Molek was children. Even some of
the Kings of Israel and Judah may have sacrificed their children to this cruel god. And the Bible does not pull any
punches. The God of
Israel forbade the sacrifice of children. And the Bible declares that this practice, and the
god who requires it, are detestable. Our children are special and are to be
protected and loved, not thrown into the fiery stomach of this Ammonite god.
And I do understand what my
friend is saying. It is distressing what future leaders we might lose through
the practice of abortion. But my heart breaks not only for the children but the
way we demonize each other in our struggle. And there will never be an
appropriate solution to the problem unless we begin to see the other side with
grace.
But instead, we demonize, call each other names, exaggerate,
and we go to extremes rather than trying
to find space in the middle. And then we seem surprised when we can't find an answer to our problem. In one of his diatribes about our
modern Molek, my friend reminded me that the state of New York allows
abortion up to four weeks after the birth of the child, which is crazy and is
more properly infanticide. But there is a
huge problem with this law. It is a lie dreamed up by some pro-life group trying
to win an argument. New York allows abortion until the end of the second
trimester of the pregnancy, and after that, only if the mother's health is
impacted or the fetus proves not to be viable. Now we can still oppose that,
but the first step is to be at least honest rather than setting up fake
abortion laws and then declaring that this is what is wrong with the Pro-Choice
side of the argument.
I am Pro-Life, but I am not
against all abortion. If the mother's life is at stake, then a hard decision
must be made. And I don't envy anyone who has to make that decision. People who
find themselves in that situation deserve our prayer and kindness, not condemnation.
And so I would not blame anyone who decides to end the pregnancy under those
circumstances. If the fetus isn't viable, and the body doesn't miscarry, as it
often does, then I don't see a problem with aborting the fetus. I understand
the argument concerning aborting a fetus resulting from forced incest or rape,
but I also recognize that the circumstances of conception are not the child's
fault.
I struggle with aborting a
fetus for no reason, but that is my belief, and I don't want to demonize anyone
who doesn't agree with me. These are hard situations, and I know too many women
who mourn the loss of their child later in life to want to criticize them thoughtlessly.
I also know, regardless of your position in the argument, that getting an
abortion is the worst day in most women's life.
The question that I often ask
those who are Pro-Life supporters is this; "where do you think Jesus would
be in this debate? Outside the clinic holding a protest sign or inside the
clinic holding the hand of the girl making one of the hardest decisions of her
life?" With what I know about Jesus, I think he would be inside the
clinic.
I understand the comparison
of abortion with the god Molek, but I think it is an overreach and not really
understanding the situation. The complexity of abortion, along with many other
discussions, is a conversation we need to have while offering each other love
and forgiveness instead of desperation and anger. And ultimately, it is not a
discussion that we will solve with our words but a matter that each of us will
decide with our hearts. Everything else is a waste of breath until our hearts
speak, especially if it is offered with anger instead of love and
understanding.
Tomorrow's Scripture Reading:
Ecclesiastes 1
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