A further thought on being “Pro-life”
In a previous post, I gave my definition of pro-life (or “pro-forced-maternity” as Ex likes to call it).
I had another thought related to the maternity side of pro-life. I stated before that if we are going to tell a woman she can’t have an abortion, then especially in incidences of rape or health risks, it is our responsibility as a society to care for that child (through adoption, childcare, subsidies, etc.)
I want to take that a step farther. If we, as a society, are going to force a woman to birth her child, then we must also be responsible for that child before it is born. This would mean covering any medical bills the woman would incur, providing any related education and giving her access to increased nutrition and sustenance. If she is single, and must take leave of her profession while pregnant, then we must be responsible for meeting her financial needs. We should pay for her appointments, ultrasounds and any tests. We should provide means for food to compensate for her increased caloric and nutritional needs.
If we are going to mandate that a pregnant woman must always give birth to her child, then we need to accept full responsibility for the child. From conception to adulthood.
You know, Davo, if all religionists thought as you do, the world would be a wonderful place. The entire Atheosphere would fold up shop. (I’m sure I’d still be fulminating about something else, though.)
I agree with you 100%. It makes perfect sense for a pro-forced-maternity person, particularly if he or she holds that opinion from an allegedly religious perspective, to want to support “life” in every way.
The unfortunate fact is, though — and you don’t hear or read about this much — most of those PFM folks are eager, at least subliminally, to see a young woman “punished” for her sinful actions. The girls must “bear the consequences” of that horrifyingly shameful and odious sex act.
Of course, the “consequences,” being entirely innocent of any imagined wrongdoing, should not be allwed to suffer for the “sins of the mothers.” Any humane person, no matter how much he or she opposes abortion, should feel that way. But the religious zealots don’t usually think about that. Oddly, their god frowns on universal healthcare and “entitlements.” The only kind of “socialism” that their deity approves of is the corporate kind.
Yeah! Exactly! Punish the mothers for their sins. That heinous, awful sex they had… stigmatize it! Make them second rate citizens (or third rate, since their womanhood already earned them a second rate).
Of course, what the consequences for the man who carelessly and sinfully impregnated her (sometimes against her will)? Well… we don’t wanna ruffle too many feathers. Just leave him be.
Bullshit. All bullshit.
what do you mean by society? because perhaps this is what the church (which is also a great number of the pro-life group) should be doing. perhaps the church should be the hands and feet of Jesus to women with unwanted pregnancies – whether it’s a rape victim or a teenage girl who just screwed up. abortion isn’t going to be made illegal right now, but maybe if all those people who attend marches to try to persuade politicians to change laws should simply change their actions. maybe if they showed love to these women, cared for them, provided for them, gave them choices that make raising a child or even just making it to birth and giving the child up for adoption possible options.
LBC:
As “society” I meant the U.S. I know many members of the religious right for whom the sole determining factor in their vote is the issue of abortion. This post is challenging those who refuse to take any responsibility for the unborn they are trying to save. If their vote wins, and our society (the U.S.) decides abortion should be illegal, then I’m arguing that we need to commit to caring for these mothers and their babies.
As I said before, I am pro-life. That means I think abortion is wrong (along with war, capital punishment and sport hunting). I also am willing to accept the increased responsibility that I am advocating for here. I plan on adopting kids. If I have the opportunity (personally or through taxes) to provide for an pregnant woman or her child, I will do so to the limits of my ability. I expect that anyone who votes to make abortion illegal should be willing to do the same.
first, the government isn’t going to make abortion illegal anytime soon. the current presidential candidates do not care. they are not going to push the issue in any way. second, if it is made illegal, women will still have abortions. that’s not to say by any means that it shouldn’t be made illegal just because people will still do it. but pro-life people need to be aware of the fact that a law isn’t going to solve the problem.
so my point is that in order to decrease the number of abortions, what needs to happen is for the people who support pro-life to support women with crisis pregnancies. that may mean that they donate money to an organization, that they help paint a house that an organization has for teenage mothers, that they teach classes for teens on sex that encourage abstinence, that they teach self defense classes for girls (try to protect them against rape), that they talk to girls at a counseling center for crisis pregnancy, and i could go on and on and on with a whole list of things that people could do.
but instead, most people who are pro-life sit around and talk about the fact that it should be made illegal. what about if it is made illegal? are they going to sit around and talk about how it should be enforced better?
if anyone wants the number of abortions each year – each day – to decrease, step up and take real action in helping and supporting these women, and stop waiting for the government to take action!
i mentioned the church because that tends to be a place with many pro-life people and a group that fellowships together and has great number of resources and gifts to offer this cause. and this is the kind of thing that Christians are called to do.
LBC:
Well, yes, abortion definitely won’t be illegal any time soon. But that seems to have little bearing on the mileage it receives in debates, discussions and protests.
I also agree that outlawing it won’t keep women from having abortions. I guess my hope is that we offer enough education and support that ideally, they will no longer be needed. I mean, in an ideal world, we wouldn’t need abortions because couples would make smart decisions about sex, men wouldn’t rape women and contraceptives would work 100% of the time.
I think what I’m getting at is, I don’t think that the majority of people who call themselves “pro-life” have actually considered what the term means and the implications of saying that women shouldn’t have abortions.
My criticism of pro-forced-maternity is that it’s advocates are gung-ho about making it illegal, but show little willingness to accept the responsibilities of the aftermath of that scenario.
I never said that abortions should be illegal. I said I believe they are wrong. I believe that we should discourage abortions in any way we can. I’m not convinced that making it illegal would do that. (I’m not convinced it wouldn’t, either).
Wow.
I’m nearly speechless.
I am not Christian, and I am Pro-Choice. I don’t write this to enter into an attempt to alter your views.
I usually don’t even care to comment in these discussions because they tend to be so full of rhetoric and so lacking in real thought, but I have to say “Thank you”. Thank you for this articulate and well reasoned and responsible post.
Thank you and your commentors for speaking from your hearts; from a place of love.
Being on the opposite side of the fence, so to speak, I have often cited the very issues that you present against the use of the term “Pro-Life”, and your words: I guess my hope is that we offer enough education and support that ideally, they will no longer be needed. I mean, in an ideal world, we wouldn’t need abortions because couples would make smart decisions about sex, men wouldn’t rape women and contraceptives would work 100% of the time. might be my own.
Your blog is simply amazing. I hope you won’t mind if I link to you and express my delight in discovering a Christain blogger that epitomizes (in this Pagan’s opinion), true Christian concepts.
Aw, thanks Thorne. While I can come down pretty harshly on trolls, I absolutely appreciate anyone who is interested in respectful dialogue. I try to cultivate a healthy diversity among the visitors to my blog. In that spirit I’d sincerely appreciate some good Pagan input here. You’re welcome any time.
Thank you for the welcome, Davo. I’m very interested in reading about your experiences living in your intentional Christian community I believe you called it? Your Ashram? I have a 40 acre ranch in the high desert of Southern California that we are hoping to offer as a non denominational spiritual retreat. We are putting up a non traditional sweat lodge and building labyrinths to begin.
In Light and Shadow,
Thorne