Abortion is not the problem, but a manifestation of it

[livingwordunity]

The bad tree is contraception. It has borne a host of bad fruit, from promiscuity to fatherless families to the disintegration of marriage to abortion. It will also bear the bad fruit of homosexual marriage. The bad tree will continue to bear bad fruit.

But we can’t convince the secular world of this truth because they are blinded by the smoke of Satan’s lies and confusion.

 

[Elizabeth502]

Abortion is not the bad tree that bears bad fruit, rather it is the bad fruit bore by the bad tree.

I completely agree with that.

However, I don’t think I can agree that we can get secular culture to do this:

Until man again submits to God, instead of himself, and woman again submits to man, instead of herself, intrinsically evil acts will gain prominence under the guise of freedom and liberty.

Nevertheless, I think that other philosophical approaches which appeal to people who are outside a formal belief system can have an impact. I also think that there are incentives and disenctives that can be implemented (on the front end) to discourage abortion on the back end.

What do you think is the underlying cause of abortion, and how do we oppose it?

The separation of sex from marriage/commitment.

When you look at the statistics of who has abortions (in this country), it is overwhelming: abortion among the married is rare. That is very logical to me. Parenthood is not lightly and eagerly entered into alone, for most people – especially outside of adoptions by single people for positive reasons (compassion for orphans, desire for an heir, etc.) When you compound aloneness with youth (late teens to early 20’s – which is the highest incidence of abortion) and poverty (factors which also magnify the incidence of abortion), pregnant women are not overjoyed to consider the consequences: likely greater poverty (especially if she is already poorly educated and without good prospects for her future), a father detached – not bonded with either her or the child. For a slightly more educated and ‘older’ woman (mid 20’s, the second largest group), it foretells the interruption of an incipient career, the premature end of independence & life choices at a young age.

“Fear” or “desperation” is often cited or assumed to be the “cause” of abortion, but those are also mere symptoms of the basic practical reality of no long-term mate. She has mated with someone immature and/or irresponsible and/or selfish, engaging in fornication with her for short-term pleasure with no intention of long-term commitment. There are couples who conceive prior to marriage but who are on a marriage track to begin with; most of those couples, having the emotional commitment to each other (and generally older & more mature than the typically “frightened,” clueless younger pregnant woman) simply marry and bear the child. In those cases the mother is not experiencing a sense of aloneness; she knows she has a committed partner.

(An aside of this reality is that many couples who are older and concerned about her fertility begin having sex prior to the wedding, knowing that it sometimes takes awhile for a successful pregnancy, and that miscarriage is often the result of the very first pregnancy. This is not uncommon for women.)

It’s a fornication culture. Women and girls (there are studies on this) tend to feel pressure from young men, and consider sex to be the price of “keeping” him, even when she would much rather not do so. It has come to be an expected part of the dating scene. The irony is that of course he is not “kept” at all if a pregnancy results (most times). He is out of there.

Women have a lot of power to say No – a power they refuse to use. Men are exercising enormous licence with zero consequences.

 

[timotheos]

We need prayer AND action.

OK. But prayer comes first, in the middle, and at the end, or it won’t work.

We used to have laws against abortion. Even the non-Catholic Christian denominations denounced contraception, for a while anyway. On the surface, we did have, years ago, exactly what you would like to attain.

And we already had it, as law. How did we lose it? Not enough action? I know of a few folks in town who were very involved in warning all who would listen the dangers of Roe v Wade, back in the mid 1970s. Oh, there was plenty of action. But the heart of the culture was already lost. I grew up in this era. The ship had no rudder. I was in a Catholic school, and you were considered a real oddball if you actually believed in God, or actually prayed. Oh, the Church was into action all right, mostly race relations and poverty. But true prayer, obedience, fidelity, humility? No way.

Prayer is our cornerstone. Prayer is communion with God who made everything in existence. I for one do not put prayer on the same level as action, I put it way above action, and for a good reason.

 

[Marc_Anthony]

OK. But prayer comes first, in the middle, and at the end, or it won’t work.

We used to have laws against abortion. Even the non-Catholic Christian denominations denounced contraception, for a while anyway. On the surface, we did have, years ago, exactly what you would like to attain.

And we already had it, as law. How did we lose it? Not enough action? I know of a few folks in town who were very involved in warning all who would listen the dangers of Roe v Wade, back in the mid 1970s. Oh, there was plenty of action. But the heart of the culture was already lost. I grew up in this era. The ship had no rudder. I was in a Catholic school, and you were considered a real oddball if you actually believed in God, or actually prayed. Oh, the Church was into action all right, mostly race relations and poverty. But true prayer, obedience, fidelity, humility? No way.

Prayer is our cornerstone. Prayer is communion with God who made everything in existence. I for one do not put prayer on the same level as action, I put it way above action, and for a good reason.

I don’t completely agree, but I can get behind this post.

Prayer is ABSOLUTELY essential in everything we do. I’m not so sure if I’d put action behind it, though (I certainly wouldn’t put it AHEAD of prayer). It just has to be the right action; that doesn’t just mean doing the right thing, but doing the right thing for the right reasons.

And, of course, we need the guidance of prayer.

 

[FaithBuild18]

I completely agree with that.

However, I don’t think I can agree that we can get secular culture to do this:

Nevertheless, I think that other philosophical approaches which appeal to people who are outside a formal belief system can have an impact. I also think that there are incentives and disenctives that can be implemented (on the front end) to discourage abortion on the back end.

Keep in mind that the vast majority of Americans do in fact believe in God. Transforming our culture then, suddenly does not require secular means. For those that don’t believe in God, we shall evangelize, and spread the good word of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. It has been done in centuries past, when paganism had a much firmer grasp on the West than secularism does now. It can be done again.

All it takes is brave men and women who are open to multiplying the size of their family, spreading the Gospel, and preaching the truth contained in that Gospel. More appalling than the small amount of Americans who believe in no deity, is the large amount of Christians who are entirely unaware of what the Gospel actually contains, and it is that latter statistic, in my opinion, that is becoming the most destructive. We are failing to tell the truth to our own brothers and sisters, and our own sons and daughters. We are more concerned with the secular politically correct than we are with the Lord Jesus Christ’s ultimate correct. Do not succumb to fear, but rejoice in spreading the truth, without having to disguise it or cloak it in order to appeal to the interests of the few, but let it be heard as it is written, untainted, pure, and true, just as the Lord gave it to me and you.

 

[JRKH]

Keep in mind that the vast majority of Americans do in fact believe in God. Transforming our culture then, suddenly does not require secular means. For those that don’t believe in God, we shall evangelize, and spread the good word of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. It has been done in centuries past, when paganism had a much firmer grasp on the West than secularism does now. It can be done again.

Amen -

All it takes is brave men and women who are open to multiplying the size of their family, spreading the Gospel, and preaching the truth contained in that Gospel.

And more than “preaching” we need people who live their faith fully and as perfectly as possible. For there is nothing more hypocritical than one who preaches that which they do not live themselves.

More appalling than the small amount of Americans who believe in no deity, is the large amount of Christians who are entirely unaware of what the Gospel actually contains, and it is that latter statistic, in my opinion, that is becoming the most destructive.

Bulls-eye!!!

We are failing to tell the truth to our own brothers and sisters, and our own sons and daughters. We are more concerned with the secular politically correct than we are with the Lord Jesus Christ’s ultimate correct. Do not succumb to fear, but rejoice in spreading the truth, without having to disguise it or cloak it in order to appeal to the interests of the few, but let it be heard as it is written, untainted, pure, and true, just as the Lord gave it to me and you.

Amen -
This - along with the differing beliefs even among Christian denominations - is doing even greater damage than the various scandals that we have been suffering through…
How can the Truth of Christ shine through when Christians cannot agree on what that truth is…?
How can this Truth be taken seriously when those who claim the title Christian do not live the faith?

“Cultural Christian” is by far more troubling and dangerous than secular culture…

Peace
James

 

[Tigg]

And we are inflicted with every “ism” known to man - it is a disease and very contagious. Moral relativism, individualism, solipsism, athe-ism, post modern-ism…

We are also living in an age of apostasy as Satan rages among God’s people. Christians seeking to be de-baptized ?? (the very thought makes me shudder and quite honestly is surreal to me.)

The good news, I believe, is that the more the evil increases, so too, the grace of the Spirit. Thanks be to God, we are on our knees in Adoration of the Eucharist, more now than ever before in the past 40+ years.

 

[JRKH]

And we are inflicted with every “ism” known to man - it is a disease and very contagious. Moral relativism, individualism, solipsism, athe-ism, post modern-ism…

Reminds me of a scene from a great movie called, “You Can’t Take it With You”…(1938)

Grandpa Martin Vanderhoff: Penny, why don’t you write a play about Ism-Mania?
Penny Sycamore: Ism-Mania?
Grandpa Martin Vanderhoff: Yeah, sure, you know, Communism, Faschism, Voodoo-ism, everybody’s got an -ism these days.
Penny Sycamore: Oh
[laughs]
Penny Sycamore: I thought it was some kind of itch or something.
Grandpa Martin Vanderhoff: Well, it’s just as catching. When things go a little bad nowadays, you go out, get yourself an -ism and you’re in business.
Grandpa Martin Vanderhof: Lincoln said, “With malice toward none, with charity to all.” Nowadays they say, “Think the way I do or I’ll bomb the daylights outta you.”

 

[edwest2]

It is beyond all measures of distinct clarity, that I have come to recognize that we tend to overlook the underlying principles surrounding contemporary political issues. We are so focused on the issue, as merely an issue, whose existence is independent of everything else, whose cause is irrelevant so long as we vote for or against the issue, that we have become blind to the greatest truth ever prophesied. We go out into the world, chanting “no more abortions,” but then we persist in fostering the demands of our culture, enabling our culture to facilitate such grave acts of evil.

Amen we side with the Church on the issues, because She knows the truth. But we ignore Her philosophy, Her cause, Her reason. Abortion is not the bad tree that bears bad fruit, rather it is the bad fruit bore by the bad tree. What good is its defilement, if we praise its cause, and render its origins to be harmless? What good is its rejection, if we stimulate its demand? It is our insolence, our insubordination, our pride, our refusal to submit to truth and morality, our total rejection of authority, that leads to terrible acts such as abortion. Until man again submits to God, instead of himself, and woman again submits to man, instead of herself, intrinsically evil acts will gain prominence under the guise of freedom and liberty. Do not feed the fires of hell; reject those things which are evil, embrace only what is good. Tear yourself apart from the present age; exist only in the age of God. Listen not to what modernity says is true, but suspend belief, for even though we may not see or feel what is around us, we know it is there.

For some people, the problems are these:

1. Their political party affiliation sometimes leads them into error. It would be difficult for some people to vote outside the political party of their father and grandfather.
2. To the secular world, issues are like mathematics. Plug in the right-sounding arguments and you have a solution. Religion is regarded as an unwanted, sometimes hated addition.
3. Our so-called Popular Media was in line with Christian values in the 1950s and 1960s. As the decades passed, it slowly, gradually poisoned us. It went from being a welcome guest in our home to the foul-mouthed pimp on the corner, trying to sell his wares.

I was there in the late 1960s when the Sex without love Revolution began. We were told to reject all authority. We would be our own gods. The Hippie saying was, “Hey man. If it feels good, do it.” Hedonism was the order of the day.

Now, I have to reject most media. My TV was thrown out years ago. However, there are people, especially the young, who are growing up in a culture that has rotted terribly. We must find ways to reach them and if they refuse to listen, to pray for them.

Remember, no matter how bad it gets, God always leaves a remnant.

Have hope.

Peace,
Ed

 

[Tigg]

Reminds me of a scene from a great movie called, “You Can’t Take it With You”…(1938)

Grandpa Martin Vanderhoff: Penny, why don’t you write a play about Ism-Mania?
Penny Sycamore: Ism-Mania?
Grandpa Martin Vanderhoff: Yeah, sure, you know, Communism, Faschism, Voodoo-ism, everybody’s got an -ism these days.
Penny Sycamore: Oh
[laughs]
Penny Sycamore: I thought it was some kind of itch or something.
Grandpa Martin Vanderhoff: Well, it’s just as catching. When things go a little bad nowadays, you go out, get yourself an -ism and you’re in business.
Grandpa Martin Vanderhof: Lincoln said, “With malice toward none, with charity to all.” Nowadays they say, “Think the way I do or I’ll bomb the daylights outta you.”

 

[TimothyH]

The bad tree is contraception. It has borne a host of bad fruit, from promiscuity to fatherless families to the disintegration of marriage to abortion. It will also bear the bad fruit of homosexual marriage. The bad tree will continue to bear bad fruit.

This is the point that everyone needs to understand. The root cause of abortion is contraception.

The root cause of all sin is self love and rejection of God. I think that was the OP’s point.

Contraception however, is the gateway sin which leads society to other sins. Widespread acceptance and use of contraception has created a culture of recreational sex. This culture of recreational sex naturally demands abortion and has as its result port addiction, 40% of all children born into homes without fathers, homosexuality, divorce, and a whole host of other social ills.

Even the high number of anullments find’s its root cause, in part, in the culture of recreational sex.

Every child murdered is one too many, and every child saved is of infinite value to God. But I fear that the sourge of aborion will never be stopped until we address the root cause which is contraception.

Contraception: The Bacteria Devouring America’s Soul

-Tim-

 

[JimG]

But we can’t convince the secular world of this truth because they are blinded by the smoke of Satan’s lies and confusion.

Possibly, but it’s time to become unblinded, if the society wishes not to self destruct.

I keep recommending this book because it details the damage. But a society truly intent on self destruction will ignore the evidence and continue on the path of destruction. Prepare for the new dark ages.

 

[FaithBuild18]

The root cause of all sin is self love and rejection of God.

This. This is it.

And rejection of all of His order. All of it.

Americans hate hierarchy. We’d rather crumble beneath the oppression of self-rule before we humble ourselves before a superior. God is the supreme superior.

I’ll believe the claims - that abortion is rooted in contraception, when I see an advertisement that argues on abortion’s behalf as anything other than a woman’s right. It is only talked about, by the pro-choice, as a woman’s fundamental right over her own self. Contraception is described as reproductive health, abortion is not. Abortion is a choice. A woman’s choice. Abortion is an empowerment of self. When you deny a woman of abortion, you are not denying her of reproductive health, you are denying her rights and her self(they argue).

We hate justice. We love equality. We’d rather be told that we’re all the same, that animals are all the same, that we’re mere animals, and that we don’t have to submit to anyone or anything. Because under this atrocious and repulsive lie, we can feel good about ourselves. And hedonism after all, is the principle virtue of the modern. Our petty feelings and emotions are more now important than our actual spiritual well-being.

Justice demands that the winning team receives a win, and the losing team receives a loss. Equality demands that both teams receive a win. Justice demands that the strongest wolf is placed at the front of the pack, and looks after the good of the rest of the pack. Equality demands that wolves take turns, and that ultimately each wolf leads itself. Justice demands that leaders lead, and followers submit. Equality demands that we are all leaders. Justice involves inequality, therefore we hate it. We lie about it. We discard it. And if you try to make an honest case for it, you will be hated by all, even your own fellow Catholics.