Because we don't have cable, sattelite or even proper reception for the local channels, I am probably the LAST person on the planet to have heard about the amazing family of Jon and Kate Gosselin! I am encouraged by their testimony and the strong prolife message they represent.
After receiving some assistance to conceive, they discovered they were having six (SIX!) babies. They already had two twin daughters. While offered a pregnancy "reduction", they staunchly refused. Many facing a high order multiple pregnancy such as theirs have opted to abort several of thier babies. Not the Gosselin's.
Now on a regular basis the spotlight is shone on them and we get to see on international television each of these little children's faces that conventional medical "wisdom" said should be aborted . It begs the question, "If they opted to abort 1, 2, 3, or 4 of these babies, who would be missing?" Praise God that Jon and Kate chose the wisdom of God and walk the challenging road He laid before them when He blessed them with 8 children!
An old lady walking down the street, children in the backyard laughing and shouting, a young man driving along the freeway on his way to work, a woman pushing her grocery cart up down the aisles of the store, a nursing baby reaching for his mother’s face, a tiny little baby no bigger than a dime dancing in her mother’s womb – all bear the image of God like a coin bears the image of a nation’s queen or king or president. This is what it means to be human, and what sets us apart from all other creatures; we are stamped with the image of our creator.
It is this very truth that makes the murder of another human being such an affront to God. It is an attack on God himself. And when that murder is of an innocent child, nestled deeply in the safest place he could be – his mother’s womb – that affront is all the more devastating because he cannot fight back and that little, tiny child is innocent. A man may murder another man in defence of his family; a convicted criminal may be executed by the state as a means of upholding justice. There is a guilt that rests upon the victim but with the victims of abortion there is no sin to condemn them with, no guilt we can lay upon their heads to justify their murder. And so, we must speak for them or we will find ourselves guilty of the sin of silence.
I have been burdened to speak up but this comes at a cost. I know women who have had abortions. I know them, not just of them. I know a man who at the age of 16 got his 14 year old girlfriend pregnant and together they sought an abortion. He knows he would have had a grown son or daughter by now. When we speak of abortion and the horrors of it – these people hear. And their guilt weighs heavily upon them.
My temptation is to avoid acknowledging or discussing abortion, excuse the action, shift the blame, plead ignorance but it is a weak attempt to save face and maintain dignity. I don’t want to humiliate someone by pointing out their sins and the guilt of silence resides within me.
But as John Stott wrote, “a full acknowledgement of human responsibility and therefore guilt, far from diminishing the dignity of human beings, actually enhances it. It presupposes that men and women, unlike the animals, are morally responsible beings, who know what they are, could be and should be, and do not make excuses for their poor performance....Sin is not only the attempt to be God; it is also refusal to be man, by shuffling off responsibility for our actions.”
Along with bearing the image of God, intrinsic to our humanity is our moral conscience that cries out to be cleared. Stott goes on to say that, “to say someone 'is not responsible for his actions' is to demean him or her as a human being. It is part of the glory of being human that we are held responsible for our actions. Then, when we also acknowledge sin and guilt, we receive God's forgiveness, enter into the joy of salvation, and so become yet more completely human and healthy. What is unhealthy is every wallowing in guilt which does not lead to confession, repentance, faith in Jesus Christ and so forgiveness."
Just as murder is an attack on the image of God, so too is our failure to accept moral responsability. And so, in defending the unborn I risk ofending another, I risk showing them thier sins, I risk exposing their shame. In an attempt to break the silence and open my mouth to speak up for those who can't speak for themselves, my words will be tinged with condemnation. But if Stott is right (and I think he is) it through this provocation of conscience that we can lead our friends to the Cross of Jesus Christ.
It is not my intention to condemn anyone for their past sin of abortion or thier present sin of silence. In conclusion, I want to echo the words of John Piper from his recent sermon on abortion, that accross anything I write is "the banner of the cross of Christ. Its color is crimson. Because the blood of Christ takes away the sin of abortion and the sin of not caring about it.”
A few weeks ago I posted a breif history of how abortion came to be leagalized in Canada. It was throught the obstinate persistance of one man who repeatedly challenged and broke the law by performing thousands of abortions. After several appeals, his trial was before the supreme court where it was determined he could not be convicted because the law itself was unconstitutional. But if one were to think that Henry Morgentaler shrunk back into his Montreal abortion clinic they would be wrong. But that is a story for another day.
There are those think Morgentaler deserves to be awarded the Order of Canada:
"The Order of Canada is the centrepiece of Canada’s honours system and recognizes a lifetime of outstanding achievement, dedication to the community and service to the nation. The Order recognizes people in all sectors of Canadian society. Their contributions are varied, yet they have all enriched the lives of others and made a difference to this country. The Order of Canada’s motto is DESIDERANTES MELIOREM PATRIAM (They desire a better country)."
Nicole tagged me for this questiony meme:
1. Were you named after anyone? My middle name is Anne which is my mom's and my oldest daughter's, my desceased daughter is Anna and my mother-in-law is Annie.
2. When was the last time you cried? not sure, I'm not a real crier
3. Do you like your handwriting? it could be worse, but no I don't admire it
4. What is your favourite lunch meat? corned beef
5. Do you have kids? yes! 4 living and one with the Lord
6. If you were another person would you be friends with you? Of course! We'd agree about everything...then again that might get annoying!
7. Do you use sarcasm a lot? less and less...evidence of God's grace in my life!
8. Do you still have your tonsils? yes.
9. Would you bungee jump? an emphatic NO!
10. What is your favourite cereal? Cheerios or Shreddies
11. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off? My winter boots require it which is what I wear out these days...but in general I buy shoes that slip on or off
12. Do you think you are strong? yes
13. What is your favourite icecream? pralenes and cream
14. What is the first thing you notice about people? their eyes and overall composure (open and friendly or closed and stanoffish)
15. Red or pink? Red
16. What is the thing that you like least about yourself? my tendency to procrastinate
17. Who do you miss the most? I wish my maternal grandfather were still alive and I could have known him as an adult. I have two very dear friends from childhood who live in different towns that I miss and wish we could be closer so we could enjoy one another's families.
19. What colour pants and shoes are you wearing? Blue jeans and white Croc's - the ugliest shoes going, but being in my stocking feet all day (Canadians don't wear shoes indoors) was killing my back.
20. Have you ever re-gifted? yes
21. What are you listening to right now? Geography Songs (blaring out of my daughter's CD player). I have The Wonderful Cross in mine (just not playing).
22. If you were a crayon what colour would you be? yellow (though Red is my favourite!)
23. Favourite smells? coffee and vanilla
24. Who was the last person you talked to on the phone? my husband
25. Do you like the person who sent this to you? yes - she has a great blog, though I don't know her in person
26. Favourite sports to watch? I haven't an ounce of appreciation for any kind of sport (thankfully my husband doesn't either)
30. Favourite food? Food? I LOVE food - all kinds
31. Scary movies or happy endings? happy endings
32. Last movie you watched? The Bourne Supremacy
33. What colour shirt are you wearing? Brown
34. Summer or winter? Spring and Fall.
35. Hugs or kisses? hugs
36. Favourite dessert? cheesecake or tiramisu
39. What book are you reading now? A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving, Home Education By Design by Cynthia F. Lavoie, plus I have a bunch of others on the go
40. What is on your mousepad? I use a laptop
41. What did you watch on tv last night? we don't get any TV programs - not even a single channel
42. Favourite sound? ocean waves crashing on shore, the wind blowing through the trees - I try to imagine these as how the voice of God may sound
43. Rolling stones or Beatles? The Stones
44. What is the furthest you have been from home? Phoenix, Arizona
45. Do you have a special talent? no
46. Where were you born? Vancouver, BC
In turn I'll tag Leslie, Loreana and Mrs. M
