It is time to join the 40 Days for Life campaign in prayer to our most Holy God that He might end this horrific practice of abortion. I especially encourage young men and women to participate in this fight for life. There is a teen rally Saturday the 2nd of October at the Hilltop Planned Parenthood facility in Tacoma. This is your chance to prove that teenagers are not made of potato chips and actually care about what happens in the world around them and how people treat God's image. For more information go to the site below and click on the events tab. Scroll down and click on the Teen rally icon. At least one of our team should be there and it's possible we might bump into you and say "hi." See you soon.
www.40daysforlife.com/tacoma
Does living in Tacoma or being a teen have anything to do with participating? Absolutely not. This website is for everyone of all ages to read and is a nation wide movement. Click on the link to find out how you can participate.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Friday, September 24, 2010
4US
It’s a shame I didn’t remember to post this sooner, but here is a look at our schedule for tomorrow.
We plan to participate in the annual 4US event Sep. 25 at Owens Beach in Tacoma. If you are not familiar with this particular organization here are some informational tidbits to gather:
4US is split into many events from riding, to running, to reading, to baking. Its primary concern is to raise money to buy advanced ultrasound equipment for Care Net pregnancy centers (especially in the Puget Sound area). Participants must register since it is a fund raiser and can then join the pancake breakfast or whatever precedes the activities.
To learn more about future events hosted by 4US and how to contact them or donate, visit http://www.4us.org/.
Also, if you know of any other pro-life movement such as 4US in your area please let us know. Not everything happens in Tacoma or Seattle and perhaps we or our readers will find out how to participate in your events.
We plan to participate in the annual 4US event Sep. 25 at Owens Beach in Tacoma. If you are not familiar with this particular organization here are some informational tidbits to gather:
4US is split into many events from riding, to running, to reading, to baking. Its primary concern is to raise money to buy advanced ultrasound equipment for Care Net pregnancy centers (especially in the Puget Sound area). Participants must register since it is a fund raiser and can then join the pancake breakfast or whatever precedes the activities.
To learn more about future events hosted by 4US and how to contact them or donate, visit http://www.4us.org/.
Also, if you know of any other pro-life movement such as 4US in your area please let us know. Not everything happens in Tacoma or Seattle and perhaps we or our readers will find out how to participate in your events.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Christ and Choice
This is just a thought that came to me. Did Mary ever complain to God that she was a slave to her fetus Jesus? Did she gripe about her rights being ignored by a “forceful” and “unrelenting” God?
I’m sure there were plenty of inconveniences that came with having baby Jesus. Joseph had originally planned to call off his engagement with Mary so she wouldn’t be embarrassed. Why? Because they weren’t married yet! Mary was most likely shunned and or taunted from behind her back. In her day as in ours she would have been considered promiscuous and an adulteress (although it meant much more back then). In that context it was worse than being raped, because then she could have made an excuse for the pregnancy.
“Oh, God came to me and said I was to give birth to the Messiah.” Right. How many people do you think believed her? And would you believe a friend today if she told you such a thing after becoming impregnated?
So why did Mary rejoice instead of complain about this “good news?” I can imagine a pro-abortion friend saying to Mary, “You know, you don’t have to be embarrassed about this kind of thing. Our latest technology is so good Joseph won’t even know what happened.”
And it’s bologna to say that people thousands of years ago didn’t have options to having “safe” or fetal abortions. They were optional before Mary’s time by at least a couple centuries. For a Scripture reference, Ex. 1:15-17 comes to mind. “Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, ‘When you serve as a midwife to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him, but if it is a daughter, she shall live.’ But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live (ESV).” For historical evidence read the italics below.
Assuming that Mary underwent pressure to terminate a child born literally outside wedlock, and knowing that abortions were optional; is it just coincidence that she instead sang a song of thanksgiving and praise to God for His blessings (Luke 1:46-55 ESV)? Did she doubt the prophecy of the Messiah or resist God‘s purpose? No. Then why should a woman abort a child today? To me, “women must have a right to control their own bodies,” is not a satisfactory answer.
For historical references, type in “Abortion in Ancient Times” on the internet and you should get a long list. Maybe you have an encyclopedia with relevant information. All I will mention is that one of the main tools for abortion was poisonous herbs. The rest is for you to study.
I’m sure there were plenty of inconveniences that came with having baby Jesus. Joseph had originally planned to call off his engagement with Mary so she wouldn’t be embarrassed. Why? Because they weren’t married yet! Mary was most likely shunned and or taunted from behind her back. In her day as in ours she would have been considered promiscuous and an adulteress (although it meant much more back then). In that context it was worse than being raped, because then she could have made an excuse for the pregnancy.
“Oh, God came to me and said I was to give birth to the Messiah.” Right. How many people do you think believed her? And would you believe a friend today if she told you such a thing after becoming impregnated?
So why did Mary rejoice instead of complain about this “good news?” I can imagine a pro-abortion friend saying to Mary, “You know, you don’t have to be embarrassed about this kind of thing. Our latest technology is so good Joseph won’t even know what happened.”
And it’s bologna to say that people thousands of years ago didn’t have options to having “safe” or fetal abortions. They were optional before Mary’s time by at least a couple centuries. For a Scripture reference, Ex. 1:15-17 comes to mind. “Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, ‘When you serve as a midwife to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him, but if it is a daughter, she shall live.’ But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live (ESV).” For historical evidence read the italics below.
Assuming that Mary underwent pressure to terminate a child born literally outside wedlock, and knowing that abortions were optional; is it just coincidence that she instead sang a song of thanksgiving and praise to God for His blessings (Luke 1:46-55 ESV)? Did she doubt the prophecy of the Messiah or resist God‘s purpose? No. Then why should a woman abort a child today? To me, “women must have a right to control their own bodies,” is not a satisfactory answer.
For historical references, type in “Abortion in Ancient Times” on the internet and you should get a long list. Maybe you have an encyclopedia with relevant information. All I will mention is that one of the main tools for abortion was poisonous herbs. The rest is for you to study.
Conversation: The Bad Kind
Even though I’ve just started on this series it can be difficult to pick illustrations that are not only applicable but also within reason. This next article will be drawn not just from informative imagination but from experience.
Let’s say that somebody has unabashedly decided to ignore my warning about gossip (don‘t worry, I‘ll forgive them). In fact it’s not just one but two people firing comments about an issue over a friend. You unhappily are caught in crossfire as you pass by. I have nothing against people with the names Sarah and Kim, but for the illustration’s sake we’ll use these ones.
Sarah: “Can you believe that…broke up with her boyfriend?”
Kim: “No way! What is she going to do with the baby?”
Sarah: “Do you think she of all people is going to let her parents know? They’ll flip!”
Kim: “Totally, I mean with that kind of problem she should have an abortion really soon.”
Sarah: “She’s such a moron! If she handled things better this might not have happened.”
Kim: “I mean, what if she actually…”
As you exit the premises you hear the two of them giggling. Now I have not heard conversation like this in the same context, but in some ways it was very similar and just as repugnant. But you’re probably thinking, “Yea, I’ve heard this one before. Beware of Lady Folly. Get the point over with Jonathan.” Ha!
Actually this isn’t a story about Sarah and Kim. Replace these two with masculine or one masculine and feminine name of your preference (say…John and Ryan) and read the script over again. Does it seem even more ugly than the original? Why or why not? And has anyone ever heard a guy’s giggle? I have.
I’ll explain why this may be more repulsive than a Sarah/Kim incident and then we’ll discuss why you should do absolutely nothing. Zip, nada, nine. Let’s get started.
First, the facts.
I don’t care what your religious view point is on the matter, but to Christians the man is always the leader. Whether it is in the household or the church pulpit, men take the role of the higher authority. God created man first. God created a woman from a man. “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, His body, and is Himself its Savior (Eph. 5:22-23).” Am I sexist? No. Do men and women have equal rights? Yes, but men are the head. There are some distinctions between rights and leadership. We are to submit, “to one another out of reverence for Christ (Eph. 5:21).” What is my point? John and Ryan are the epitome of callousness. They have taken for granted what everyone except a few psychopath feminists knows to be true. It is contemptible for a man young or old to laugh at abortion and at the one responsible for it; ultimately the woman. I’ll reiterate my point with some statistics.
How much influence do you think males have in an abortion decision? This can be the father, grandfather, husband, boyfriend, etc. Statistics from polls as far back as 1987-1988 showed that 14.1% of women were encouraged (or threatened) to have an abortion by a family member(s) or partner of the opposite sex. That number rose to as much as 40% in 2003 and is currently hanging (to the disappointment of some) at about 39-43% (Although some sources claim higher). I say they’re disappointed because, whoever they are, they prefer more men to take a stand with the pro-abortion feminists. To me, numbers haven’t dropped significantly enough. Think about it. 40% of millions of abortions have been induced by men who care nothing for God’s image. In spite of that, whether they know it or not, John and Ryan can only jeer.
Now here might be the hard part. Whether it is Sarah and Kim or John and Ryan, have nothing to do with this discussion. Many will feel obligated to butt in (I know I would), but you may not know the subject of the discussion, nor have you heard the entirety of it. Perhaps you misheard. And even if somehow you did hear the whole discussion, do you think that people with minds as focused on mischief as these will listen to your well intentioned impromptu arguments? Not likely. Only God can change the heart.
I said before that you should do nothing, but the one thing you should do is pray. Pray for the victim of the conversation. Pray for the gossipers behaving badly. Pray that the Lord will pour out His saving grace like a waterfall on every one of these people. Don’t be surprised if you see results.
http://www.theunchoice.com/pdf/FactSheets/ForcedAbortionFactSheet.pdf
http://www.pollingreport.com/abortion.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abortion_in_the_United_States
http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/reader-diaries/2010/02/11/where-have-all-prochoice-men-gone
http://www.elsevier.com/authored_subject_sections/S06/S06_351/misc/freearts/art11.pdf
http://www.stopforcedabortions.org/forced.htm
Let’s say that somebody has unabashedly decided to ignore my warning about gossip (don‘t worry, I‘ll forgive them). In fact it’s not just one but two people firing comments about an issue over a friend. You unhappily are caught in crossfire as you pass by. I have nothing against people with the names Sarah and Kim, but for the illustration’s sake we’ll use these ones.
Sarah: “Can you believe that…broke up with her boyfriend?”
Kim: “No way! What is she going to do with the baby?”
Sarah: “Do you think she of all people is going to let her parents know? They’ll flip!”
Kim: “Totally, I mean with that kind of problem she should have an abortion really soon.”
Sarah: “She’s such a moron! If she handled things better this might not have happened.”
Kim: “I mean, what if she actually…”
As you exit the premises you hear the two of them giggling. Now I have not heard conversation like this in the same context, but in some ways it was very similar and just as repugnant. But you’re probably thinking, “Yea, I’ve heard this one before. Beware of Lady Folly. Get the point over with Jonathan.” Ha!
Actually this isn’t a story about Sarah and Kim. Replace these two with masculine or one masculine and feminine name of your preference (say…John and Ryan) and read the script over again. Does it seem even more ugly than the original? Why or why not? And has anyone ever heard a guy’s giggle? I have.
I’ll explain why this may be more repulsive than a Sarah/Kim incident and then we’ll discuss why you should do absolutely nothing. Zip, nada, nine. Let’s get started.
First, the facts.
I don’t care what your religious view point is on the matter, but to Christians the man is always the leader. Whether it is in the household or the church pulpit, men take the role of the higher authority. God created man first. God created a woman from a man. “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, His body, and is Himself its Savior (Eph. 5:22-23).” Am I sexist? No. Do men and women have equal rights? Yes, but men are the head. There are some distinctions between rights and leadership. We are to submit, “to one another out of reverence for Christ (Eph. 5:21).” What is my point? John and Ryan are the epitome of callousness. They have taken for granted what everyone except a few psychopath feminists knows to be true. It is contemptible for a man young or old to laugh at abortion and at the one responsible for it; ultimately the woman. I’ll reiterate my point with some statistics.
How much influence do you think males have in an abortion decision? This can be the father, grandfather, husband, boyfriend, etc. Statistics from polls as far back as 1987-1988 showed that 14.1% of women were encouraged (or threatened) to have an abortion by a family member(s) or partner of the opposite sex. That number rose to as much as 40% in 2003 and is currently hanging (to the disappointment of some) at about 39-43% (Although some sources claim higher). I say they’re disappointed because, whoever they are, they prefer more men to take a stand with the pro-abortion feminists. To me, numbers haven’t dropped significantly enough. Think about it. 40% of millions of abortions have been induced by men who care nothing for God’s image. In spite of that, whether they know it or not, John and Ryan can only jeer.
Now here might be the hard part. Whether it is Sarah and Kim or John and Ryan, have nothing to do with this discussion. Many will feel obligated to butt in (I know I would), but you may not know the subject of the discussion, nor have you heard the entirety of it. Perhaps you misheard. And even if somehow you did hear the whole discussion, do you think that people with minds as focused on mischief as these will listen to your well intentioned impromptu arguments? Not likely. Only God can change the heart.
I said before that you should do nothing, but the one thing you should do is pray. Pray for the victim of the conversation. Pray for the gossipers behaving badly. Pray that the Lord will pour out His saving grace like a waterfall on every one of these people. Don’t be surprised if you see results.
http://www.theunchoice.com/pdf/FactSheets/ForcedAbortionFactSheet.pdf
http://www.pollingreport.com/abortion.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abortion_in_the_United_States
http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/reader-diaries/2010/02/11/where-have-all-prochoice-men-gone
http://www.elsevier.com/authored_subject_sections/S06/S06_351/misc/freearts/art11.pdf
http://www.stopforcedabortions.org/forced.htm
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