First things first. One caveat: I am angry right now.
No, wait, let me rethink that and put down the flame thrower out of respect for what I have thought of you. Remember, I know people who are not and will probably never become Christians because of the actions of other Christians. Remember that two of my dearest friends were Fundamenalist Christians then became Atheists and are now Wiccans. Also remember that some of the cruelest people I have known in my life were devout Christians. Instead of inserting the epithet of my choice in response to that, I will say this: if Christ’s atonement was not sufficient for all, then it is the height of arrogance for me to assume it was sufficient for me. This is something I strongly disagree with.
Hell, yes. You see, as someone who’s been pro-choice for a couple of decades now, I know that several states have very few doctors who provide abortions (Link – it’s pro-choice, of course). I know that the number of doctors who perform abortion is dropping. I know that the restrictions being imposed on women who want abortions is increasing. I know that the gag-rule forbids doctors from discussing abortion with women who go to federally funded clinics, even when it might be the least bad alternative. I remember the days of Randall Terry and Operation Rescue and am aware that there are some people out there who not only oppose abortion, they also oppose contraception. I know that corporate funding for research for new and more effective forms of birth control has dropped, and I’ve read it’s out of fear of the anti-abortion movement, although I freely admit my sources are biased. I’ve also known at least one woman who, when she was going to a clinic to be treated for infertility, was accused of being a baby-killer by anti-abortion people who were protesting outside. I hope that people being that cruel, intentionally or not, were not doing so in the name of Christ and Christianity, but I doubt it. :rolleyes:
I am a Christian. I believe abortion is always morally wrong, and I used to believe in not having sex outside of marriage until my engagement to a wonderful man ended. We’d sworn vows to each other which I think we both thought were binding. Apparently they weren’t. I don’t regret having sex with the man, nor will I. I still don’t believe in having sex without a commitment, and I certainly don’t believe in having sex with a man with whom I couldn’t have the dreaded “What if I get pregnant?” speech, but that is me, my taste, and the way my life has worked out. I’ve certainly been strongly tempted enough to reconsider that position. I will fight to keep abortion safe, legal, and rare. If I’d had time and money, I would have been at that march on Sunday, shouting as loudly as anyone there, and I do have the power and knowledge to do so (I used to be able to drown out a 30 person choir single-voicedly:eek:).
I would love to see a day when no one ever has another abortion. The problem is, for me, the only ethical way for that to come about for there to be a day when no one ever had an unwanted pregnancy. Until that time, I will remain firmly and adamantly pro-choice, even though it’s a choice I hope no one ever has to make.
CJ