In the Beginning
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made . . . My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” (Psalm 139:13-16)
“I oppose abortion. I do so, first, because I accept what is biologically manifest—that human life commences at the time of conception—and, second, because I believe it is wrong to take innocent human life under any circumstances.” (Dr. Landrum Shettles, pioneer in sperm biology, fertility and sterility, discoverer of male- and female-producing sperm)
In the comments from last night’s post, I reiterated that all forms of hormonal birth control have the possibility of being abortifacient. Before Steven and I were first married, we did what almost everyone does, with the encouragement of our pastor in premarital counseling: we visited the doctor to discuss birth control. We decided that birth control pills would be the easiest method for preventing children, and for about 1 1/2 years, before I became pregnant with Hans, that’s what we used. I didn’t hear until a few years ago that there was a possibility that I may have conceived—perhaps more than once—and caused the death of my own living child who would be unable to survive in my womb because the pill did not allow implantation. I was horrified to learn this, but grateful to finally know the truth. We have repented of our sin (and yes, even though we didn’t know it was wrong, it was sin for which we needed to repent when we realized), and I try to let others know about this when I have opportunity, so they can avoid the same grievous error.
Now the FDA (and don’t get me started on grousing on the unconstitutional alphabet soup bureaucracies!) is poised to allow the sale of the “morning-after pill” OTC—over the counter. Such a move is hailed as a way to prevent unwanted pregnancies and reduce the rate of abortion! Yet, one of the main purposes of the pill is to prevent a fertilized egg—a human life—from implanting in the lining of the woman’s uterus. If that’s not abortion, then I don’t know what is. It’s a chemical abortion, rather than surgical abortion.
For those who doubt what I say about birth control pills, the morning-after pill is just a higher dosage of birth control pills. In countries where this pill is already available over the counter, the rate of its usage has risen dramatically…60 percent in Australia. No studies have been done to determine the effect of the high dose of chemicals on the woman (or girl) who ingests them. Advocates are crowing about lower teen pregnancy rates, but it appears that some are using the morning-after pill routinely, rather than an emergency measure, and it is possibly contributing to a higher incidence of innappropriate physical contact (thinking of the censor here) among teens. Some of the possible side-effects from using this pill, besides killing a living baby, are:
- nausea
- vomiting
- infertility
- breast tenderness
- ectopic pregnancy
- blood clotting
Prolife activists have expended a lot of capital on the fight to ban partial birth abortion. Showing pictures of the gruesome procedure and describing it in detail has helped some to realize the heinous nature of such an act. One of the side effects of that battle, however, has been that people feel good about preventing the few hundred partial birth abortions each year while forgetting the over one million abortions each year of children who have just been conceived and who are as deserving of life as those babies who were killed at a later stage of pregnancy.
Just because the technology exists to conveniently dispose of an inconvenient baby at home, we must not be complacent and think it’s better than the trip to an abortuary. Both methods conclude with the same destination for the baby. Being prolife means realizing that God’s gift of life begins at conception, and with fear and trembling avoiding putting ourselves in the place of God who alone is the determiner of when life begins…and ends.
I’ll be discussing slippery slopes later this week.
January 19th, 2005 at 7:16 am
I can’t find it right now but I wrote a letter to our newspaper several years ago about the Morning-After pill. Your list is only about 1/3 of the known side effects. The one I remember most is shrinkage of the womb.
It’s side-effects are same as the pill because, as you said, it is just a really high dosage of the pill all in one. Actually, women have been using normal pills to make their own “emergency” contraception for years. I have a “recipe” for the dosage in one of my pregnancy books. (Isn’t that nice. : ( There have been women who have been young and healthy and only on the pill for a month or two who have died. Imagine bombarding your body with a months supply all at once!!!
January 19th, 2005 at 7:40 am
“shrinkage of the womb”
Wow. That’s very sobering and is downright Satanic.
January 19th, 2005 at 7:44 am
(besides the obvious sobering and Satanic side effect that the life of a unique creation of God is mercilessly snuffed out, of course)
January 19th, 2005 at 10:01 am
This hits home so much. I was born in July of 1973. Do you know what that makes me? First generation survivor of our national haulocost. Do any of us that are 32 and younger ever think, “That could have been me!” before we consider abortion? Not that I have ever personally considered abortion. I did “practice” birth control, although God providentially didn’t make the pill an option for us during that time.
When my husband and I were engaged he used to tell people that he wanted a baseball team (that translates loosely to 9, I think). I said he was marrying the wrong girl then. Since then the Lord has brought me to the point of thinking a baseball team would be fine. When people ask if we are done, I tell them that my husband always wanted a baseball team. Of course, I omit my stubborn, non-submissive response:) I would discuss these things in greater detail if it was someone that was truly interested in the subject.
What a can of worms you are a-openin’ again, Carmon. A good one, though! There was a good article on the Ladies Against Feminism site talking about accepting God’s Providence when it comes to children. Even if it means none or one. God has seen fit to bless us with 5 so far (and I am amazed at how He provides). My beloved sister-in-law prays and wishes for more than the one they have.
When I was praying/studying through the BC issue I was struck by a comment a friend had made. This friend had struggled with infertility. They wrote in their Christmas newsletter of that year that “God had gotten them pregnant again!” It really hit me. Why do we give praise and thanks to God for a child conceived only when the couple has struggled with infertility? Why don’t we (and I include myself in this category) say, “Wow, God got us pregnant again!” when we don’t have a “problem” with fertility? Every child is a blessing and a miracle. They should all be prayed for and joyfully received. Shouldn’t they? Now some of us struggle more than others to bring our children into this world. I know Carmon had to be on bedrest for some and we know of other moms that have struggled so. I personally am very sick the first four months or so. Longer with boys. Of course, it hurts to labor and deliver. I also complain a lot more than I should when I am round (and hot during the summer). I have never gone through all that and looked at my newly birthed baby and thought they weren’t worth it.
Even the after the fifth one I couldn’t believe that wonderful living person came from inside my body. I bet those with 10 would tell you the same thing.
I have to go edumicate some of those blessins’.
January 19th, 2005 at 10:08 am
Totally Off the Subject
I have been looking for dresses that I can nurse in easily, but are still pretty. I seemed to recall some ladies mentioning a few places to shop on-line. Could y’all remind me? I can’t find what I was looking for in the archives.
Really gotta run now.
January 19th, 2005 at 12:04 pm
Kendra,
Nice thoughts; thanks for talking the time to write.
(re: nursing dresses: google– elizabeth lee designs and motherwear.)
January 19th, 2005 at 12:16 pm
Wow, Kendra! I was born in November 1972. You know, I never really thought about that (about our generation). What a blessing that my mother “chose” me. I knew that my mom struggled with years of infertility, and I was her first baby brought to term alive, but you know, I never really thought any deeper about the choices my parents made. My mom never really wanted to talk about the past, so it’s something I honestly never even pondered.
January 19th, 2005 at 12:27 pm
Your prolife thoughts resonated profoundly for me, considering what the Lord enfolded for us this week (see holyexperience.blogspot.com) ….It was a divine appointment to read your words….Thank you for being used of Him
Ann holyexperience.blogspot.com
January 19th, 2005 at 1:11 pm
We are in Colorado where abortion has been legal since the 60’s. My husband was born in 8/73 and I’m sure it had become much more common by then. His mother had cancer while she was pregnant with him and was told to abort him or die. She told them she figured God would take care of things so they are both healthy and very much alive.
January 20th, 2005 at 11:02 pm
Speaking of birth control stuff, I am seeking counsel about what to do. We lost our baby in the womb (about 9 weeks gestation) last month, and I eventually had a D&C procedure by the advice of my midwife. The remains get sent to the pathologist, and the report back was that I had a partial hydtidiform molar pregnancy probably, with more tissue present then normal. The OB who did the procedure told me to not get pregnant for two periods before she found out the report. After the report she wants us to wait a year! Whoa-I haven’t figured out how we are going to work around the next few months as it is! Apparently with partial molar pregnancies, in 4-8% of cases the placental tissue does not go away but stays (and grows? At least it never goes away), eventually requiring chemotherapy to stop it, though it’s not a cancer. They want to see if I have this going on, and a pregnancy would mask this if I happen to have it. Any experience in this area? Would it be foolish to “just trust God” and remain open to His possible blessing? If not, is natual family planning reliable enough? (I am irregular and wonder if it would be hard to track..). I think it’s because there was more tissue than normal that the OB wants to check things out. Any wisdom here would be appreciated.
January 21st, 2005 at 12:16 am
Ann, I’m so glad your baby is okay.
Molly, I don’t know anything about that issue, though I think Tamara has dealt with it. Are you there, Tamara? Maybe Valerie J. has some insight, too?
January 21st, 2005 at 7:23 am
“Would it be foolish to “just trust God†and remain open to His possible blessing? If not, is natual family planning reliable enough? (I am irregular and wonder if it would be hard to track..). I think it’s because there was more tissue than normal that the OB wants to check things out. Any wisdom here would be appreciated.”
Molly, I have strong opinions here but I would just like to say to study the scriptures. I think you will find that it is not foolish but indeed what God requires of you. For a good list start at http://www.valerieslivingbooks.com/heritage.htm. God will not be taken by surprise if you become pregnant – indeed He will have ordained it from before the foundation of the world and made it come to pass. Valerie J. has much wisdom here and one thing I clearly remember her telling me was that when we want to make exceptions to the rule it is because we assume that death to us or a child is the worst possible thing that can happen to us, but it’s not. Assume you trust God. What are the possibilities? 1)You never conceive. 2)You conceive and everything goes fine. 3)You conceive and have severe complications. 4)You conceive and you or baby dies. Is there anything in scripture which tells you that you are free to ignore the command to be fruitful in order to possibly avoid the above situations, all of which can, and often do, still occur with birth control use.
It is foolish and presumtious for a man who is hungry to sit on his couch and watch tv all day and expect God to feed him. He has been commanded to work if he wishes to eat! We on the other hand have been commanded to pursue fruitfulness, to seek a godly seed. We are to “be fruitful” just as we are to “be kind” and “be Holy”. We trust God to deal with the increase of all of these things, as He is pleased, as we joyful obey Him. We know from scripture that for the Christian death is not the worst thing that can happen to us. We are required to uphold life but not to avoid death and/or injury at all cost. I heard something the other day on the radio about a child whose father had been killed in some sort of martyr situation and someone told him that it was better his daddy was dead than dishonored before God.
As for NFP I believe it is unbiblical. See 1 Cor. 7. They do boast a 98% “success” rate but I’m not sure that matters – God does as He is pleased. If He is pleased to give you a child you are going to forget the schedule or the condom or whatnot and conceive. You are going to be that 2%.
January 22nd, 2005 at 5:45 pm
Dear Molly,
It can be so overwhelming to have a physician tell you not to get pregnant for a year. I don’t know your “condition.” The thing to do is be praying and reading the Word with your husband. Talk about your fears and everything with your husband. I know my husband often has a great way of dealing with the facts. The other thing I would urge you to do is get a second medical opinion. That OB is not the only one out there. You need a practitioner that will respect you and your Biblical view. I am particularly blessed to have a christian midwife. I miscarried a “bilighted ovum” once. It basically means that the child conceived died almost immediately after conception, but the placenta and amniotic fluid kept forming. If I had a OB, I would probably have been advised to not get pregnant for at least three months. I conceived right away and got a wonderful daughter out of it. I did have twice the amnionic fluid with that pregnancy. I have a few friends that after they have miscarried they are advised to wait at leat three months before “trying again.” I have always wondered why. That is another thing. If you are unclear on why you should wait a year, get that answered! Find out what your OB fears could happen. You might find that their reasoning does not agree with yours. Never leave a practioner’s office without all your questions being answered. If you can’t think of any at the time, call back when you do have some. Write them down if you need to. Remember that they are doing you a service and you (or your insurance) is paying them for it. They are not your mother, your husband or your god no matter how they try to make you feel that they “know best.” The best way I have dealt with a dr. on an issue is a)talk to my husband and that we agree to ask (and get answered) certain questions b)meet with the dr. c)take the list d)have the physician answer my husband. Hope this helps you. I will be praying for you and your husband on this.
January 22nd, 2005 at 6:14 pm
Thanks so much, Nickey and Kendra, for your counsel. You have encouraged me along where my heart is-to trust in God’s omnipotence and sovereignty in this. I think the dr.’s concern is that if I happen to have this persistent-(placental)-tissue thing, a pregnancy would not allow them to discover it (and control it?). I’ll check into things more and talk with my husband about the whole thing.
January 23rd, 2005 at 11:58 am
Kendra, I was told by a friend who had several miscarriages that her OB, who was a Christian, said it was perfectly fine for them to continue trying right away and that the only reason most OB’s say not to is because they are concerned for the mother’s emotional well being. I have never had the sorrow of a miscarriage but from friends I know it seems that being open to God’s will in this area and conceiving another child right away is a tremendous help to them rather than a burden. God knows us and knows what we need. He alone can search our hearts and determine whether another child right away is a good thing.
January 23rd, 2005 at 4:00 pm
Dear Nickey,
I agree with trusting the Lord even after a miscarriage. I just had never been told to wait three months so never knew the reasoning (if there was any) behind it. I always ask why when a dr. or my midwife tell me anything (usually out of curiosity). We have friends that also have a “large” family. They miscarried a child about a year and a half ago. They were told to wait for three months, but they didn’t and got a great baby girl too:)
Dear Molly,
I have been praying for you.