Good Choice, Bad Choice --- Let God Decide

Sex is natural. Often resulting in conception. This is life. And life is full of choices and consequences.

Both of our children were planned, and because of our planning, we were never presented with that monumental dilemma of an unplanned pregnancy.  Had we have, we might have three children -- or the unthinkably, we might not have had our Lauren or even Megan.  The reality of the situation is that an early pregnancy could have resulted in totally different outcome for us.

So when I consider how circumstances could have resulted in such a universally different life for us, I also better appreciate our planning.  At that time we weren’t as young as most.  We were more educated that most.  Maybe that was why we never had to face an unplanned pregnancy, or maybe we were just lucky. Not everyone is so prepared or lucky though.  Sometimes people just aren’t in a position to start a family. Then a pregnancy can be a tragedy.
  

Before I go any further, I need to say, I hate the idea of an abortion, and I also reject the idea that anyone rejoices in the idea of abortion.  It’s physically and mentally strenuous on the woman.  The abortionists and any assistants can’t take pleasure in their work except as a medical service provider.
So if anyone could present a situation where someone likes the idea of an abortion, I think that individual would be dealing with mental illness. Therefore in my logical world, abortion is a choice of last resort. No one is “pro” abortion, except as an alternative to a lesser desired outcome.

In the world I live in though, total strangers believe they are in a position to decide what any woman should do about a pregnancy.  Some of these strangers even think any family planning is abhorrent, often starting with the abolition of sex education and extending through restricting or denying contraception to fertile couples.  Usually these strangers express their divine knowledge of God’s wishes to justify their positions.  I’m personally satisfied with letting God decide who’s overstepped His wishes.  Really as far as I’m concerned the religious arguments are unfounded. God never really talked about abortion except to say life in general is precious --- and except for those children of the Bible who were terminated for pissing Him off.  Anyway I too think life is precious.  Children are precious.  But children are a tremendous responsibility and becoming a parent is not for everyone, at all times.
  

I advocate sex education as a tough love subject. There’s good reasons to advise children to delay sexual activity, but in any case, educated people make better decisions.  And we should give those who are going to be sexually active easy and “free” access to the medically appropriate, contraceptive methods. Only when education and planning fail, does the option of abortion become that choice of last resort.  But even though it’s a viable and legal option, it’s still necessary to address the ugly facts of abortion. Medical procedures in general are ugly with abortion one of the most ugly.  Even uglier though is the suffering of an unwanted, unloved, ignored, or abused child.
   

Politicians feed off opportunities to take the moral high ground, and the abortion debate is a perfect case for them.   But the recent political call to defund Planned Parenthood is a classic political opportunist’s contradiction of proposed purpose to actual consequence.  Because spending of federal government funds on an abortion is already against the law, defunding Planned Parenthood does nothing except take away their ability to provide service like family planning and supplying contraception, thereby forcing more women to face a choice of abortion. To me that’s crazy, but so is politics.  I just wish I could convince others that it is best left up to God to judge the decision of a mother.

Bob Rank
September 2015

Subnote: Around a month after beginning our relationship, Kathi and I visited a Planned Parenthood facility in Long Beach.  I’m ashamed to say I waited in the car, but I’m thankful that Planned Parenthood was available and that Kathi was so wise.