Tag Archives: Sanctity of Life

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What I learned from a twelve year old…

I recently came across a story of a 7th grade speech by Lia. I then discovered the link on You Tube to her actual speech. It is 5 minutes and is worth watching for several reasons:

1. People need to stop underestimating and under challenging young people
2. Her ability to communicate, understand and interact with the issues was very impressive
3. She did not appeal to the Bible to settle the question (like a trump card our culture does not accept)
4. She was winsome and earned the respect from her peers and judges
5. She did all this by taking one of the most contentious issues of our day head on, abortion.

After watching this, ask yourself if you could have given that 7th grade speech?

To further equip yourself on this issue, see one of my recent posts.

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Infertility Technology Run Amok: Women Not Meant to Carry ‘Litters’ of Children

In an effort to think Christianly about all of life I wanted to share some further reflections on reproductive technology. The story of the Octuplets is still in the news and people are trying to understand what happened, how it happened, and should it have been allowed to happen.

Here is an excellent short article commenting on the latest in this story: Infertility Technology Run Amok: Women Not Meant to Carry ‘Litters’ of Children by Dr. Scott Rae.

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Does God care who wins the Super Bowl?

ah…the big questions in life. As we get ready for another Super Bowl and millions prepare nachos and favorite beverages, an interesting article came out today.

Does God care who wins the Super Bowl?

Well does He? The answer to that question is complex–providence, prayer, and personal growth are all involved in the answer. What do you think?

Well here is at least one Ad you won’t be seeing during the Superbowl. NBC refused to show it, because “it was a political or issue ad.” Now they are certainly free to do so and I am not arguing there is some huge conspiracy here or that we should boycott all media, but watch this 30 second ad and decide for yourself…given the political season we just endured–being bombarded with partisan ads–is this ad out of bounds?

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The Case for Life, Roe, Wade, Bush, Obama…and Us

Few topics can cause more intense emotions (on both sides) than the ‘pro-life / pro-choice’ debate. As a result, it can become easy to hold a position without thinking through that position very carefully. We simply have an emotional reaction, one way or the other, and then adopt that as our default.

Regardless of the view that one holds, if we are to make progress in this area of moral concern, then we must find common ground where it exists and learn to treat others with respect—even though we may passionately disagree at the end of the day. We do this because truth matters and truth doesn’t evaporate simply because people disagree.

Before exploring the issues, I want to acknowledge that there are many deeply personal and social issues wrapped up in the topic of abortion. My intention is not to dismiss or minimize the pain, shame, or regret that women and men feel when the topic of abortion is raised. So as we look objectively at the moral status of the unborn, please remember that in Christ there is no condemnation (Rom. 8:1) and that God is in the business of redeeming and healing broken and wounded people—and all of us are in need of that.

What a difference a day makes. In one day, the tone and policy from the Whitehouse changed considerably concerning unborn human persons.

“All human life is a gift from our Creator that is sacred, unique, and worthy of protection. On National Sanctity of Human Life Day, our country recognizes that each person, including every person waiting to be born, has a special place and purpose in this world. We also underscore our dedication to heeding this message of conscience by speaking up for the weak and voiceless among us….The most basic duty of government is to protect the life of the innocent. My Administration has been committed to building a culture of life by vigorously promoting adoption and parental notification laws, opposing Federal funding for abortions overseas, encouraging teen abstinence, and funding crisis pregnancy programs. In 2002, I was honored to sign into law the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act, which extends legal protection to children who survive an abortion attempt. I signed legislation in 2003 to ban the cruel practice of partial-birth abortion, and that law represents our commitment to building a culture of life in America…”

enter President Obama…

“On the 36th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, we are reminded that this decision not only protects women’s health and reproductive freedom, but stands for a broader principle: that government should not intrude on our most private family matters. I remain committed to protecting a woman’s right to choose. While this is a sensitive and often divisive issue, no matter what our views, we are united in our determination to prevent unintended pregnancies, reduce the need for abortion, and support women and families in the choices they make. To accomplish these goals, we must work to find common ground to expand access to affordable contraception, accurate health information, and preventative services….On this anniversary, we must also recommit ourselves more broadly to ensuring that our daughters have the same rights and opportunities as our sons: the chance to attain a world-class education; to have fulfilling careers in any industry; to be treated fairly and paid equally for their work; and to have no limits on their dreams. That is what I want for women everywhere.”

Today we learned that President Obama has reversed the The Mexico City Policy – “Specifically, the policy bans U.S. taxpayer money, usually in the form of U.S. Agency for International Development funds, from going to international family planning groups that either offer abortions or provide information, counseling or referrals about abortion.” In other words, American taxpayers will now have our taxes pay for abortions globally, in the name of “family planning.”

The abortion rights issue has been all over the blogosphere. and there have been some really good posts. The bottom line is we cannot remain silent, we must remain civil, and we must learn how to make our case for life in langauge our culture can understand one conversation at a time? Are you prepared? Here is a case you can make in ten seconds. Here You can do it in 5 minutes.

I want to highly recomed the book The Case for Life: Equipping Christians to Engage the Culture by Scott Klusendorf. If you read just one book, read this one.

Other helpful resources and blogs.

from Stand to Reason:

36 Years Since Roe v. Wade
Here are some important articles to equip you to change minds as the legal protections for the unborn, such as they are, begin to crumble as President Obama signs executive orders today:
The always excellent Robert George
A way to get involved
STR’s library of pro-life persuasion

from Feminists for Life: It is very important to remember that many women are against abortion. There is some really good thinking–from women’s persepctives–at this site. Here is a great PDF handout.

from Between two Worlds:

The Case for Life Around the Web

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Woman given windpipe created in laboratory (with adult stem cells)

I came across an article this morning about the impact ‘adult’ (as opposed to embryonic) stem cells can have and is having:

Doctors have given a woman a new windpipe with tissue engineered from her own stem cells in what experts have hailed as a “milestone in medicine.”
Claudia Castillo, 30, suffered from tuberculosis for years.
The breakthrough allowed Claudia Castillo, 30, to receive a new section of trachea — an airway essential for breathing — without the risk that her body would reject the transplant.

Castillo was given the stem cell surgery, the controversial branch of medicine that some say could lead to human cloning, after suffering a severe lung collapse. (Read whole article)

Now a very important detail is left undefined in the initial part of the article, it isn’t just stem cells, but adult stem cells. So no human life was destroyed in this process. They mention that half-way through. This is important because given the way this discussion has been framed in the public square, people hear stem cells and associate that with embryonic stem cells.

Martin Birchall, professor of surgery at the University of Bristol, who was part of the team that did the operation, notes that “Surgeons can now start to see and understand the very real potential for adult stem cells and tissue engineering to radically improve their ability to treat patients with serious diseases.”

As we walk further as a society into the “Biotech” century, we need to think about what we do and how we do it when it comes human persons.

Two great resources are the Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity and Biotechnology and the Human Good by leading ethicists by Georgetown University Press.

(Description of book): Some of humankind’s greatest tools have been forged in the research laboratory. Who could argue that medical advances like antibiotics, blood transfusions, and pacemakers have not improved the quality of people’s lives? But with each new technological breakthrough there comes an array of consequences, at once predicted and unpredictable, beneficial and hazardous. Outcry over recent developments in the reproductive and genetic sciences has revealed deep fissures in society’s perception of biotechnical progress. Many are concerned that reckless technological development, driven by consumerist impulses and greedy entrepreneurialism, has the potential to radically shift the human condition – and not for the greater good. “Biotechnology and the Human Good” builds a case for a stewardship deeply rooted in Judeo-Christian theism to responsibly interpret and assess new technologies in a way that answers this concern. The authors jointly recognize humans not as autonomous beings but as ones accountable to each other, to the world they live in, and to God. They argue that to question and critique how fields like cybernetics, nanotechnology, and genetics might affect our future is not anti-science, anti-industry, or anti-progress, but rather a way to promote human flourishing, common sense, and good stewardship. A synthetic work drawing on the thought of a physician, ethicists, and a theologian, “Biotechnology and the Human Good” reminds us that although technology is a powerful and often awe-inspiring tool, it is what lies in the heart and soul of who wields this tool that truly makes the difference in our world.