The number one challenge

“That’s the number one challenge: getting over the idea that there’s nothing we can do.”

–Gary Haugen, CEO and President of International Justice Mission (IJM), from DVD Not For Sale on sex trafficking

I don’t ever again want to hear myself think, on any topic of injustice or poverty or ignorance, that there is nothing I can do.

God did not make porcelain dolls.  He made His believers new creations to go out into the world and reach the lost for Christ. There is no darkness that can stand in His way.  We carry His light not only for our own sight, but for the illumination of all around us.

Who will go up against sex trafficking, slavery, abortion, starvation, persecution, domestic abuse, epidemics, homelessness, illiteracy, gangs, corruption?

Jesus!

The question is, Who is going with Him?

I raise my hand and cry out, Me!  Me, Lord!  I will go with You!

“You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill can’t be hidden. People don’t light a lamp and put it under a basket but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before people in such a way that they will see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16, ISV)

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Roe vs. Wade and Public Opinion

The argument can be made that the Supreme Court decision in Roe vs. Wade to legalize abortion reflected public opinion, and therefore upheld the Constitution’s emphasis on the will of the people.

There were definitely abortions taking place before Roe vs. Wade.  Even though abortion wasn’t legalized in the whole U.S., it was legal in certain states (usually with restrictions)[1,2].  In 1970, there were 193,491 abortions [2].  In 1971, there were 485,816 [2].  In 1972, there were 586,760 [2].  In 1973, there were 615,831 [2].  In 1974, there were 763,476 [2].  And in 1975, there were 854,853 [2].

Roe vs. Wade was argued December of 1971 [3].

It was reargued October of 1972 [3].

The decision was made in January of 1973 [3].

Given the number of abortions already being performed, it is clear: Many people were ready for abortion to be legalized.  We can tell that by the growth in abortion from 1970 to 1971.  Roe vs. Wade did not give people the idea to have abortions.  Roe vs Wade was a result of people wanting to have abortions.

Between 1971 and 1975, 3,500,227 abortions were legally performed.  If each abortion was represented by a dime, the total cost would be $350,022.70.

Why did I pick dimes as a representation?  Because the Center for Bio-Ethical Reform has rescued ‘remains’ from abortions and often uses coins to show the tiny size, yet incredible intricacy, of what is now called ‘the fetus’.

The graphic website Abortion No shows one dime with fetal remains.

Whether or not Roe vs. Wade represented the majority of public opinion is totally irrelevant, like asking whether American slavery represented the majority of public opinion in the south or whether extermination of the Jews represented the majority of public opinion in Germany.  Public opinion changes based on current leadership, the media, education systems, economic status, and popular philosophies/values.

And the thing about ‘public opinion’ is, it has a tendency to exclude the opinion of the people whose lives are being decided upon.

American slavery didn’t represent the opinion of African-Americans.

The Jewish Holocaust didn’t represent the opinion of Jews.

And abortion doesn’t represent the opinion of an unborn people who never get to come into the world to voice their opinion.

Life is far, far too valuable to be taken away from a people not allowed to have an opinion by the opinion of a people not living or dying by the decision made.  We are not formed by human opinion, but rather by the Creator God.

Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.  (Genesis 2:7, NASB)

The LORD God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. (Genesis 2:22, NASB)

Your hands made me and fashioned me; Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments. (Psalm 119:23, NASB)

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[1] Wikipedia, “Roe v. Wade”, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roe_v._Wade

[2] Wikipedia, “Abortion in the United States”, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abortion_in_the_United_States

[3] U.S. Supreme Court Media Oyez Project, IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law, http://www.oyez.org/cases/1970-1979/1971/1971_70_18

See Copyright Page for Bible translation information.

I Am Tissue

A fetus is said to be tissue.

AbortionNo.org

I am tissue, too.

He [God] gives everyone life, breath, and everything they have.

(Acts 17:25b, GW)

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See Copyright Page for Bible translation information.

Side effects

American Pregnancy explains the possible side effects of a suction aspiration abortion as including “cramping, nausea, sweating, and feeling faint[1].”

But what about the effect of separating ourselves from our children?

And what about the effect of separating ourselves from the God who creates all life?

Do not be far from me, O Lord. (Psalm 35:33b)

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[1] Surgical Abortion Procedures, American Pregnancy, http://www.americanpregnancy.org/unplannedpregnancy/surgicalabortions.html

Website accessed 8-12-11

Violence Against Women

One link on the pro-abortion site, feminist.com, caught my attention.  It’s name: “Anti-violence.”  One article on the link called “Until the Violence Stops”[1].  The article discusses how to stop worldwide violence against women.

Another pro-abortion site, Now.org[2], also talks about the violence against women.  The site says, “Despite the fact that advocacy groups like NOW have worked for two decades to halt the epidemic of gender-based violence and sexual assault, the numbers are still shocking[2].”

They are right.  They are referring to the 1,181 women who are killed by their lover each year in 2005 in the U.S.[2].

From there I researched and found a total of 3,155 women murdered in 2005 in the U.S., and possibly more, because 22 people could not be identified as male or female[3].

Supposing all those unidentified people were female, that would be 3,177 women murdered.

Supposing 1,000 women who were either not discovered to have been missing and murdered, or were incorrectly labeled as suicides/accidental manslaughter, that would bring the number to 4,177 females murdered in 2005 in the U.S.

Each one of those women is a precious soul before God, a life ended because of someone’s selfish choice.

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Statistically right now, there are 100 girls born for every 105 boys in the U.S[4].  That’s 48.78%.

48.78% of the 820,151[5] abortions performed in the U.S. in 2005 would be (rounded down) 400,069 girls.

Including the 400,069 preborn women murdered and the 4,177 (number adjusted for possible unknown victims) women murdered in the U.S. in 2005 gives a staggering total of 404,246 women murdered that year.

1.04% of women were murdered after birth and 98.96% (rounded down) were murdered pre-birth.

It doesn’t matter when they died: each one of these 404,246 women is a precious soul before God.

Abortion is a serious issue in our determination to end violence against women.

LORD, you know the hopes of the helpless.  Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them. You will bring justice to the orphans and the oppressed, so mere people can no longer terrify them. (Psalm 10:17, NLT)

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[1] “Until the Violence Stops” by Eve Enlser, http://www.feminist.com/violence/vday.html

[2] Violence Against Women in the United States, National Organization for Women, http://www.now.org/issues/violence/stats.html

[3]Crime in the United States, U.S. Department of Justice: Federal Bureau Investigation, 2005, http://www2.fbi.gov/ucr/05cius/offenses/expanded_information/data/shrtable_02.html

[4] Boy or Girl? It’s in the Father’s Genes, Newcastle University, Science Daily, December 12, 2008, http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081211121835.htm

[5] Abortion Surveillance–United States, 2005, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion: Division of Reproductive Health, November 28, 2008/57(SS13);1-32, MS Sonya B. Gamble, MA Lilo T. Strauss, Wilda Y. Parker, MBIS Douglas A. Cook,
DVM Suzanne B. Zane,  MD& PhD Saeed Hamdan, http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5713a1.htm?s_cid=ss5713a1_e as cited in Abortion Statistics in the United States, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abortion_statistics_in_the_United_States

All websites accessed 8-11-11.

See Copyright Page for Bible translation information.

The Best

I clicked on an ad on an abortion-promoting site, Feminist.com, because the motto interested me: “Women in Power: Our Time to Lead.[1]”  The website has the faces of many smiling, beautiful women.

I wonder if they know that the reason they can have a photo of women on this site is because these women were once daughters, and these daughters had mothers who chose to keep them.

The words at the top of the website read, “Awakening the best in the human spirit.[1]”

I wonder.

Have we awakened the best in human spirit?

Or the worst?

Those who would tell us, I am afraid, cannot.

Rescue those being taken off to death,
    and save those stumbling toward slaughter.

If you say, “But we didn’t know about this,”
    won’t He who weighs hearts consider it?
    Won’t He who protects your life know?
    Won’t He repay a person according to his work? (Proverbs 24:11-12, HCSB)

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[1] http://www.eomega.org/omega/wi-power

See Copyright Page for Bible translation information.

Better, Safer

According to Feminist.com, in the history of U.S. abortions before they became legal, “Some abortionists were rough and sadistic[1].”  The exerpt goes on to explain that we now have “better, safer abortion services.[1]”

You need only go to (and these are graphic sites) http://www.abortionno.org or http://www.priestsforlife.org/images/index.aspx to ask, “Better and safer for who?”

With new abortion techniques, only one person usually dies . . . but is that good enough?   Safe enough?

Suppose we all drove cars with no seat belts.  Whenever a driver crashed into something, it would be likely both the driver and any passengers would die.  As time progressed, seat belts were created for drivers, so that, when they crashed into something, they would be protected.  But there was still no seat belt installed for passengers.  Would we call this a “better, safer” car?

Maybe.

But we can do a lot better than that.

If 2 people go into surgery and 1 comes out alive, it is better and safer than 0 people coming out alive, but it surely isn’t good enough and it surely isn’t safe enough.

50% isn’t good.  And 50% isn’t safe.

50% just isn’t acceptable.

For he will deliver the needy when he cries; the poor, who has no helper.

He will have pity on the poor and needy.  He will save the souls of the needy.

He will redeem their soul from oppression and violence.  Their blood will be precious in his sight. (Psalm 72:12-14, WEB)

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See Copyright Page for Bible translation information.

[1]Our Bodies, Ourselves for the New Century http://www.feminist.com/resources/ourbodies/abortion.html

Amillia

Amillia, the world’s most premature surviving baby, was born the length of a “ballpoint pen”[1].  You can see a photo of her as a baby.  Amillia, born at 22 weeks old (actually, a day less), could already breathe on her own.

An article on her birth says, “Doctors are cautious about saying whether Amillia’s survival is good news or worrying[1].”

Another article has a photo of her at two years old[2], and I think the verdict’s in:

Amillia is good news.

But actually, the verdict was in about 2 years and 22 weeks ago.

You alone created my inner being.  You knitted me together inside my mother. (Psalm 139:13, GW)

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[1] The Age, http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/florida-girl-worlds-most-premature-baby/2007/02/20/1171733764459.html

[2] Just News, “World’s Most Premature Baby Turns Two”, http://www.justnews.com/2008/1025/17801088_240X180.jpg

Seed

Is a fetus like a seed—something dormant ready to become life, but not life itself?

The truth (these photographs are difficult to view, because the fetus does not look like a seed):

http://www.abortioninstruments.com/

http://www.abortionno.org/

http://www.priestsforlife.org/images/index.aspx,

If you are not ready to look at imagery of abortion or if you think they might be hoaxes, you can go to any site that shows images or contain descriptions of fetal development, like The Endowment for Human Development or any other you wish.

But let’s suppose for a minute that the argument is right, that a baby is somehow a “seed”.  Would this make abortion acceptable?

If you read a science book or go online to search plant life cycles, you are going to have a hard time finding the following concept: “A flower begins its life cycle as a flower.”  What you will find is this idea instead: “A flower begins its life cycle as a seed.”

Again, you would have trouble finding: “A tree begins its life cycle as a sapling” and you would have an easy time finding, “A tree begins its life cycle as a seed.”

We learn these plant concepts in elementary school.

We know from gardening that seeds grow in soil not because the soil makes them alive, but because the soil provides nutrients they need to develop.  A seed is not a dead thing.

This teacher’s website has a very simple illustration of the inside of a seed showing the food and baby plant inside.

Some people prefer to use the word embryo.  Whatever you choose to call it, it is a life, already established, waiting to grow.  No condition is needed for the seed to become alive, because it is already alive.  You would flunk a (serious) science test if you wrote that an embryo needs soil, water, and sunlight to come to life.  An embryo does need soil, water, and sunlight—that much is true—but not to come to life.

An embryo needs support not just because it is a very fragile, very young little plant, but because it is a plant.

All plants have to have soil, water, and sunlight to grow.

An embryo is certainly more delicate than an adult, but that doesn’t make it less alive, that just makes it weaker.

Going by that argument, all baby plants, including saplings, are weaker than their fully developed counterparts and must therefore be “not alive” or “less alive”.  If that is so, why do we find a new sprout from a plant so exciting and why do so many environmentalists focus on this new sprout as a symbol of renewal and peace?

Isn’t it interesting that so many humans plant seeds?

I like gardens.

Again [Jesus] said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground.  Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch in its shade.” (Mark 4:30-32, NIV)

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Photograph by Dyogi, profile on http://www.flickr.com/people/30014417@N04/

Photograph is under Creative Commons License.

See Copyright Page for Bible translation information.

Of the Ten

Of the Ten

Tyrone.

Emma.

Anthony.

Madison.

Jayden.

Nevaeh.

Camryn.

Alyssa.

Jacob.

Chloe.

If these children are not miscarried, Tyrone, Emma, Anthony, Madison, Jayden, Nevaeh, Camryn, and Alyssa will have a chance at life.

Jacob and Chloe won’t.

Because 22% of U.S. pregnancies end in abortion[1,2].

Children are an inheritance from the LORD. They are a reward from him. (Psalm 127:3, GW)

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[1] Facts on Induced Abortion in the United States, Guttmacher Institute, http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/fb_induced_abortion.html#2

[2] This does not include emergency contraceptives, which can prevent the fertilized egg from attaching to the uterine wall.  The term “pregnancy” is defined as after the fertilized egg attaches.  For more information, see Plan B blog.

Note: EMedicine Help,“Abortion”, http://www.emedicinehealth.com/abortion/article_em.htm states that over 40% of women will choose to have an abortion in their lifetime.

See Copyright Page for Bible translation information.