I shy away from the topic of abortion. In fact, I've only written about it once in the 5.5 years I've had this blog. When people share links about how horrible abortion is, I don't read them. I know it is horrible; I don't need a reminder. I especially don't need a visible reminder, and really don't appreciate the images that are pretty easily found on street posters (both from protesters and on billboards) across the Midwest. Horrifying my child with those images isn't helping your cause, anti-abortion campaigners, and it makes this mamma bear quite angry! I already have to shield their eyes from so much vulgarity. I don't need that in their heads.
I do however, appreciate the campaign signs that reach out to women facing difficult choices. I love the spiritual messages on some signs, that remind us God is the creator of all life.
I have known fabulous individuals with dark pasts. I've even known loving husband and wives, already raising several children, who have faced that horrible decision and made choices they regret.
The message of the Gospel is that there is always repentance. From an LDS perspective, I think it is important that we know people who have committed abortion can enter the waters of baptism without too much of a waiting time and without having to seek permission from general authorities. When I discovered this as a young missionary it really put the whole thing in perspective. God knows our trials, and He weeps with us as we endure them.
Yes, abortion is the wrong choice. But more compassion is needed. We must try to understand why abortion is ever anyone's choice.
Poverty. Lack of a hope.
I am heartbroken for men and women who feel so torn down by their circumstances that they don't dare bring life into this world.
Yes, there are also instances of riotous living and individuals who believe they deserve no consequences. But those who think they can abort a baby as a solution for avoiding consequences are wrong. They will carry the consequence of their choice as a giant burden on their back for the rest of their life. Few people are so entrenched in sin that they can easily forget that visit to the Doctor's office.
When I hear people calling these men and women murderers, murderers who deserve the most fiery spots in hell, my heart breaks. Not because of the thousands of lives that have been aborted, but because of the lack of compassion we have for those that suffer.
I do not wish hell in the afterlife upon anyone. Especially not upon those who could find nothing to hope for in this life.
I have hope in the atonement of Jesus Christ. And I know He offers forgiveness to anyone who is willing to repent. We must show others compassion, so that they might know what it is they can hope for.
I do however, appreciate the campaign signs that reach out to women facing difficult choices. I love the spiritual messages on some signs, that remind us God is the creator of all life.
I have known fabulous individuals with dark pasts. I've even known loving husband and wives, already raising several children, who have faced that horrible decision and made choices they regret.
The message of the Gospel is that there is always repentance. From an LDS perspective, I think it is important that we know people who have committed abortion can enter the waters of baptism without too much of a waiting time and without having to seek permission from general authorities. When I discovered this as a young missionary it really put the whole thing in perspective. God knows our trials, and He weeps with us as we endure them.
Yes, abortion is the wrong choice. But more compassion is needed. We must try to understand why abortion is ever anyone's choice.
Poverty. Lack of a hope.
I am heartbroken for men and women who feel so torn down by their circumstances that they don't dare bring life into this world.
Yes, there are also instances of riotous living and individuals who believe they deserve no consequences. But those who think they can abort a baby as a solution for avoiding consequences are wrong. They will carry the consequence of their choice as a giant burden on their back for the rest of their life. Few people are so entrenched in sin that they can easily forget that visit to the Doctor's office.
When I hear people calling these men and women murderers, murderers who deserve the most fiery spots in hell, my heart breaks. Not because of the thousands of lives that have been aborted, but because of the lack of compassion we have for those that suffer.
I do not wish hell in the afterlife upon anyone. Especially not upon those who could find nothing to hope for in this life.
I have hope in the atonement of Jesus Christ. And I know He offers forgiveness to anyone who is willing to repent. We must show others compassion, so that they might know what it is they can hope for.
2 comments:
Loved your post sis and your perspectives. Personally, I am pro-life, but politically I am pro-choice. A wise person once said, "Teach them correct principles and then let them govern themselves." We are given agency -- sometimes for our good and sometimes for our not-so-good. You cannot legislate morality and those who think they can are seriously flawed in their thinking.
Love, Pa, your left wing liberal!
I think I love your political posts because of your honesty and the way you mix in religion. I think almost every woman I met in Russia had had an abortion. One woman in particular had carried that burden for 50 years and was so relieved to repent and be baptized and be rid of that guilt. That being said, I wish women, especially when they're so young, could be more educated and counseled about their decision to abort. I doubt many of them know the burden of guilt they are about to carry.
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