Abortion rights: The heinous crime of politics

I have always enjoyed following politics and the decisions that are made by our elected leaders. Part of that interest comes from my training and former professional career as a journalist. Most journalists are curious folks who like to follow the trail of a story. Even though I’m now two-years removed from that career, I continue to visit news websites, blogs, watch the evening news, read newspapers and magazines. That part of my journalistic nature will never cease to remain.

My political views have always leaned more closely to the conservative side; however, I hate to be pigeon-holed as a right-winger. I truly see myself more as an independent. I have voted for both republicans and democrats. I vote for people and ideas I can support, not just a political party. I also highly respect friends who disagree with me. While we can have engaging and heated debates, the value of a friendship should never be defined by our politics.

That brings me to the crux of this op-ed.

On both a national level, and in Salem, the political climate is anything but mundane. With democrats now in power they are taking advantage of their majority status to pass legislation that has been blocked by republicans for years. Let me tell you, this game goes both ways. When the pendulum swings the other way (as history proves it will) republicans will do the same to democrats. It’s part of the ugly reality of politics.

Another ugly reality has reared its ugly head in Oregon in recent weeks. A woman in the Portland area has been charged with the murder of a pregnant woman (the mom and baby both died). While the crime itself is unfathomable, what happened next is equally as disturbing.

Instead of focusing on charging the accused appropriately for her crimes, there’s a debate brewing about whether or not the District Attorney should charge the suspect with the murder of both the woman and her baby.

Huh? Come again? Really?

This is where the reality of politics is especially heinous.

Abortion advocates are afraid that if the suspect is charged with the murder of the fetus it would call into question the legality of abortion; therefore, setting a precedent that could take down or radically change Roe V. Wade.

I’ve been debating this issue with a woman from a particular blog. Part of our quick exchange went like this:

My question: “So someone kills a wanted fetus and there are no repercussions or consequences for it? I don’t understand. And all for the sake of making sure abortion rights, to your liking, stay in-tact?”

Her response: “Jason – the accused is in custody and probably facing capital murder and a host of other things. How exactly are there no repercussions?”

What bothers me most about her position (and she is outspoken as an abortion proponent) is that she is completely obfuscating the issue at hand: the value of the unborn child. Why? It’s blatantly obvious that her support of abortion rights takes priority of an innocent child who was brutally murdered. And the argument that the woman is already facing serious charges, so why does it matter if she faces charges for the baby’s murder shows the callousness of people who are so concerned about a law rife with politics and moral controversy that they ignore the intrinsic value of human life.

As a husband and father I’d want the suspect to face charges for killing both my wife and my child. By only prosecuting the defendant for the murder of one human, it automatically makes the life of the mother more valuable than the child’s. My son and daughter were no less important as six-week old fetuses than they are now at four and six-years-old.

Also, let’s say the mother lives. Then what happens? Do we still negate the responsibility of the crime in the name of abortion rights? I’m sorry but that’s just flat wrong. By not charging the woman with the murder of the child, you are setting a precedent that the unborn child is worthless and has no value. If there’s no value, there’s no crime.

This is where politics goes too far.

As I said before, the argument from abortion proponents is that they fear what could happen to abortion rights if the D.A. is allowed to prosecute for the murder of the child. So where’s the concern for the unborn child? What about his right to live? What about the father who now mourns the loss of the two most important people in his life?

Are we, as a society, so steeped in depravity that we’re willing to put a higher price tag on a practice that takes a life rather than seeking justice for one that was wrongly taken?

This very issue illuminates the moral problem with abortion in the first place. To avoid charging someone with a heinous crime in the name of protecting abortion rights and your own political ideology is equally as heinous and sickening as the crime itself.

Feeling Void

I usually enjoy writing. It’s an outlet and release for me, and I thoroughly enjoy it. 

However, my thoughts are void at the moment. I think it’s just the natural ebb and flow of life. Sometimes I’m motivated with lots to say, and other times I’m silent.

Worshipping Routine

I was reading in Oswald Chambers today and he talks about the trap of being too comfortable with routine. That’s not to say that routine and consistency in life aren’t healthy – they definitely are. But when we worship our way of doing things without regard to God’s calling then we are missing the point. 

Chambers says many of us will ignore God’s voice while making sure we are praying at the right time or “getting into the word” on a schedule. I see what he is saying. I’m now in the habit of getting up around 6am, getting my coffee, reading the paper, my devotional, and a few chapters in the Bible. Some mornings I don’t even think about it, I just do it. 

I love my routine. But what if God all of sudden asked me to step outside that routine for a moment? Would I hear him?

What Chambers said this morning won’t change my routine, but how I approach it. Routine often makes me comfortable, and allows me to hide. It’s a safe place where I can avoid the insults and daggers that life often hurls my way. Do I really grow when life is stagnant or when everything is the same? In my opinion – no way! The greatest moments of growth in my life have come through difficult times, when life wasn’t so easy – or routine. 

God is in the business of shaping and molding us; growing and changing us. We need to be careful that our routine(s) doesn’t hinder God’s ability to speak  into our lives and reveal just a little bit more of who He is.

Fruits of My Labor

I can be at work all day and come home and spend time in my yard. For many yard work is a chore; for me, it’s relaxing. I love being outside and getting my hands dirty.

So far I’m enjoying the results from over a year’s worth of planting and building.

Enjoy…

  

Redemption Indeed

I wasn’t sure how the Blazers were going to respond after their embarrassing loss to Houston in game 1 of the playoff series – but I was more than pleased with last night’s outcome.  A 107-103 victory that saw Portland take control of the game in the final few minutes, which says a lot about this team given the fact that Houston is older and more experienced. 

Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge were stellar. Roy had 42 and Aldridge had 27 and 12 boards. They remind me somewhat of how Clyde Drexler and Jerome Kersey used to play together. Thankfully, the Blazers came out on top and tied the series 1-1. 

If only they can steal one from Houston on Friday or Sunday and come back to The Rose Garden with home court advantage again!

Update: I Love This Game!

 

 

I’ll never complain when I get a chance to the see the Blazers in person – but that was one of the worst games I’ve ever witnessed. The Blazers lost at home by 27 points. That was their worst loss of the season, and the worst playoff loss in franchise history. Ouch!

It wasn’t even fun to watch. Yeah, it was that bad. 

Oh, well. At least I won a $20 gas card and watched a Chinese lady on a tall unicycle balance bowls on her leg and then toss them up on catch them on her head. That was more exciting than the game!

Tomorrow night at 7:30pm I’ll be sitting in the Rose Garden Arena in Portland watching the Blazers in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. 

My wife took time out of her day to find affordable tickets for me. I’ve been a fan for years, and I know the atmosphere will be electric! The cool thing is she found pretty good seats in the second level that were very affordable.  

Thanks, honey – you’re awesome!

Revolution

George Barna, a well-known, and highly credible pollster and researcher, is calling the latest spiritual change in American Christianity since The Great Awakening the Revolution. You can read about the movement in this article which also has links to the book. 

Basically, Barna predicts that Christians will continue leaving the institutional church in droves to find a more organic, community-oriented, less structured and leadership-driven way of knowing and having a relationship with God and fellow believers. Currently, Barna says 75% of those who profess to be Christians in the U.S. attend a church in a building. By 2025, Barna believes that number will drop to 35%.

The book is amazing, and I’d recommend it to all Christians, including the preceding book Pagan Christianity.

Of course, not everyone will like what Barna has to say – especially church leaders and pastors. Basically, he says the Revolution is a real movement that will have profound social and spiritual impacts for decades to come.

Random Thoughts

1. I decided to delete my gardening blog, because it’s too much effort to maintain two blogs. Most of the traffic I get is on my original page anyway, so that’s where I’ll post future gardening tidbits. 

2. I finished my Master Gardening Program. I got a 93% on the final exam, and a 95% average on quizzes and assignments. I was pretty happy with the outcome. But I’m not finished yet: In order to get my official certification I’m required to have 60 hours of volunteer time through the local extension office. That’s 40 hours of volunteering at the help desk (answering gardening questions over the phone, etc.) and then another 20 hours at various gardening events. A mentor will be assigned to me, and I’ll also become a member of the local Master Gardening Association. 

3. I love my kids. Cameron cuddled with me for a while when he first got up this morning and Kaylee drew me a picture. Those speshle (as Kaylee spells it) times you have with your kids truly brighten your day. 

4. My job is becoming way more political than I ever thought it would (I can’t say I enjoy that part of it all that much). I used to think I’d enjoy politics – but if the opportunity ever arises I think I’ll say, “No, Thanks!”

5. The Blazers are doing way better this year than I ever thought. They are at 52 wins and 28 loses for the season with two games left. Even though I’ve been an avid fan for years, I never expected this. In fact, I’ve learned no team in NBA history with four rookies getting a lot of playing time has ever reached 50 wins. The average age of the team is about 24, so I have a feeling this team is going to make some noise for years to come. 

5. I’m ready for consistently nice weather. It doesn’t even have to be hot. 65 and sunshine would suffice right now.

6. With all the projects going on around the house we haven’t had a quiet weekend in about a month. My wife and I were talking about how we are looking forward to this weekend (I know it’s only Monday) – as we have NOTHING planned.

DIY project finished…almost!

Well, the fence is finished. My friend Dwayne came over today (Sunday) to get it all finished. We had the gate to build and a few other boards to put in place – plus a few fixes to make. But other than a fresh coat of stain, we are done!

Here are some updated pictures…

Why the Old Testament Brings Clarity

Last fall I decided to take my time and read through the entire Bible. I started in Genesis and Matthew and have been reading a few chapters of each testament almost daily. I’ve made it through most of the NT (I’m currently halfway through Revelation), and I’m beginning 2 Kings.  

The one aspect of reading both testaments at once is all the parallels that exist, and how connected they are. Circumstances in the NT make more sense when first learned through the context of what happened in the past. The last two mornings I’ve been reading about the prophets Elijah and Elisha. What struck me most came in the following versus:

2 Kings 4:42-43

A man came from Baal Shalishah, bringing the man of God twenty loaves of barley bread baked from the first ripe grain, along with some heads of new grain. “Give it to the people to eat,” Elisha said.

“How can I set this before a hundred men?” his servant asked. 

But Elisha answered, “Give it to the people to eat. For this is what the LORD says: ‘They will eat and have some left over.’ “ ⁴⁴Then he set it before them, and they ate and had some left over, according to the word of the LORD.

Sound familiar? It should. Remember Jesus feeding the five thousand?

Any Jewish person living in Jesus’ day would’ve understood what was going on. They would have read about it or remembered their parents or grandparents telling them about the stories of Elijah and Elisha. Certainly, when Jesus had his disciples break the bread and hand out the fish, the words in 2 Kings resonated with the people – a reminder that God always provides. 

What’s so amazing about Jesus is that he never went against the original intent of God’s Law or purpose. He just lived it out faithfully, following the decrees and commands God had set forth among his people.

Jesus understood the difference between the intent and the spirit of The Law, and judged accordingly. He understood that without loving God first, and others second, The Law was useless. Jesus taught that sacrifice and religious orders or traditions were useless if love and mercy were absent. 

Jesus says in Matthew 9:13 that, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.”

That same statement was first made in Hosea 6:6.

By reminding people of the past and what God had already done, Jesus was reminding people that he is the Lord and that, “I’m the same yesterday, today and forever.”

Reading through the Old Testament has also made me realize that The Law God created was perfect. It was flawless. It’s just that we as humans are so prone to depravity that we warp everything God makes good. God coming to earth in the flesh and dying on the cross (another parallel to the OT sacrifice) tells me that God loves us so much, despite our filth, that He’s willing to change course and make new promises and covenants to bring us closer to Himself. 

It’s not that The Law wasn’t good enough, it’s that we’re not good enough for The Law. That’s where the sacrifice of the lamb comes in to bridge that gap.   

I truly believe that every Christian should take the time to read through the Old Testament – for it will bring you clarity and understanding of why Jesus did what he did.