Roe v. Wade

 Way back in 1973, the US Supreme Court decided that the intentional abortion of babies within the womb should be legal.  For what seemed an eternity for many people, there have been millions of babies in that category -- aborted.  For nearly 50 years, many people sought and fought to get the Supreme Court to reconsider this landmark decision.  There were many years during this anniversary week of the original decision that pro-life members (those who believe that every human being has a right to live from conception to natural death) organized protest marches in Washington DC to the Supreme Court building.  These were peaceful in nature as one might expect from Christians.  I attended two in my years of ministry and I have to say it was a powerful experience -- to see so many people with a common goal to defend the human beings who were not SEEN to be human beings.  To some, when conception happens in the womb, a new THING is created.  Yet, scientists have indeed shown that NEW DNA is created -- a whole new and unique set of chromosomes that are human.

There are two papal documents (encyclicals) written on defending human life.  The first was written in 1968 by Pope Paul VI (now a Saint) called Humanae Vitae (On Human Life).  The second (and arguably a better message) was written in 1995 by Pope John Paul II (also now a Saint) called Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel of Life).  Maybe "better" isn't a good choice of wording, but John Paul II's encyclical is more thorough than Paul VI's document.  Still the content is similar with the message that all human life must be shown the dignity associate with being made in the image and likeness of God.  God CHOSE to become one of us from the very beginning and from the dust of the earth.  As I have said for some time (and don't think of me as crude in saying so), just add water.

Others have tried to make people believe that (as stated above) a new THING is created that is not human.  Human beings are body and soul.  The Greek word for "soul" is anima.  From it is derived the word "animation."  In cartoon animation, characters are given "life."  The new human being created is definitely human as there is movement with purpose from the very beginning of the NEW life.  The new human being seeks food for survival and finds it in the womb of their mother.

Defending children in the womb is just the beginning of defending life.  We use the terminology "at all stages from conception to natural death."  There are many people who remain confused about how to handle situations where someone is being kept alive purely by artificial means.  What is our responsibility toward them?  Even some of the best doctors with Christian values can be unsure.  When does the soul leave the body?  Is it brain function that determines whether there is life?  Is it whether or not someone can move?

Have you ever wondered why a doctor might open an unconscious person's eye and use the flashlight?  The eye usually reacts to the brightness of a direct light, but if an eye doesn't react, it's most likely that there is no more brain function.  Even the eye of a blind person reacts to a direct light even if it cannot SEE the light.  From there, however, people tend to try to decide whether or not they still have a moral obligation to keep breathing tubes in and a feeding tube for nutrition.  Those are artificial and EXTRAordinary means.  It means that no matter how long that body has air pumped into it, out of it, and nutritional needs enter the body, other organs are following the brain function and begin shutting down -- no lungs, no kidneys, no heart, no liver,...death occurs naturally.  IF someone is simply suffering and just doesn't want to deal with the pain any longer, there should still be hope that the person can make a full recovery with the aid of medicine.  So if that occurred, and the person asks for the machines to be simply turned off, that is euthanasia.  That is simply saying there is hope for me, or them, or me,...

Capital punishment is probably one of the most under-rated and misconstrued issues in defending life.  The opinion that still pervades this one is that if there is someone in prison for murder, then they should be executed.  That is still man trying to overstep God's authority on taking life back to Himself.  It's harsh in thought, I understand.  However, God will be their judge on His time.  Sometimes I don't like it any more than anyone else who may believe "an eye for an eye."  Then I can only work at stopping myself, trying to remember my own sinfulness.

Defend human life.  That is the gospel message.  If appropriate, follow Jesus' example and sacrifice your own for someone else's benefit.