Call the Midwife

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There is a new program running on PBS. It is called “Call the Midwife” and it is the story of a small convent in bombed out post WWII London that is running midwifery services for the poor. The story features both nuns and non-religious midwives who are young women.

This is a real tear jerker. It is so profoundly pro-life and they actually use real new-born babies in some of the scenes.

The episode last night told the story of a young Irish girl forced into prostitution, who gets pregnant and, knowing her pimps would abort the child, seeks out one of the midwives who helps her get shelter. It was a beautiful story, but bitter in the end when the priest in charge of the shelter for unwed mothers explains that the child had to be given up for adoption despite the tears of the young mother.

The young girl describes another prostitute who got pregnant and got aborted and the bloody fetus in a porcelain bowl.

I am very impressed that PBS is running such a pro-life message. I wonder if it is intentional.
 
First season has just finished in my country.
It is based on the memoirs of Jennifer Worth, thus gains poignancy in having been drawn from truth
 
It is an excellent series, based on the true story of Jennifer Worth, a young midwife in East London in the 1950s.

The nuns were an Anglican order, devoted to providing care for women and their babies. The books it is based on are worth seeking out and reading. I hear there is going to be a second series out shortly - it was a big hit on the BBC.
 
I have to say that hearing they were Anglican brings me great joy. Instead of looking just to Rome, I can look to the Anglican church the way it was and (I hope) will be again.
ora_pro_nobis said:
It is an excellent series, based on the true story of Jennifer Worth, a young midwife in East London in the 1950s.

The nuns were an Anglican order, devoted to providing care for women and their babies. The books it is based on are worth seeking out and reading. I hear there is going to be a second series out shortly - it was a big hit on the BBC.
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Watched episode 3 last night. I LOVE this show. Most than Downton Abbey which I also loved.
 
What did anyone think of the episode that was broadcast Sunday, April 28? I was a bit uncomfortable during the abortion scene, but also thought it was a “yay for legalized abortion” promotion… Thoughts?
 
Yeah, I was disappointed. It is based on a true story though (I’m reading the books but haven’t gotten to that part yet) so because of that I wasn’t completely turned off to the entire series. Will have to see how it goes… this is the only tv show I watch anymore since most of them are awful. 😦
 
originally posted by Kally616
What did anyone think of the episode that was broadcast Sunday, April 28? I was a bit uncomfortable during the abortion scene, but also thought it was a “yay for legalized abortion” promotion… Thoughts?
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I saw it and it was totally pro-choice. A mother of many children gets pregnant and then she has an illegal abortion. The nun cleans her up and sends her to the hospital, saying it was a miscarriage and luckily she does live. They show a great deal of sympathy for her because she is poor with appoximately 8 children all under 12. The show then goes on to say how lucky that the next generals will be because they will have contraception and will not have to deal this so much.

Another younger nun is have feelings toward a man who kisses her hand.
 
Ok good, I’m glad I’m not alone in my thinking it was blatantly pro-choice! I will keep watching for now also and see how other episodes turn out…
 
Usbek_de_Perse said:
There is a new program running on PBS. It is called “Call the Midwife” and it is the story of a small convent in bombed out post WWII London that is running midwifery services for the poor. The story features both nuns and non-religious midwives who are young women.

This is a real tear jerker. It is so profoundly pro-life and they actually use real new-born babies in some of the scenes.

The episode last night told the story of a young Irish girl forced into prostitution, who gets pregnant and, knowing her pimps would abort the child, seeks out one of the midwives who helps her get shelter. It was a beautiful story, but bitter in the end when the priest in charge of the shelter for unwed mothers explains that the child had to be given up for adoption despite the tears of the young mother.

The young girl describes another prostitute who got pregnant and got aborted and the bloody fetus in a porcelain bowl.

I am very impressed that PBS is running such a pro-life message. I wonder if it is intentional.
Click to expand...
I was watching it, but sometimes the series gets too intense for me.

There was an episode this season which mentioned contraception in a positive way (so I heard, I didn’t see it).
 
Kally616 said:
Ok good, I’m glad I’m not alone in my thinking it was blatantly pro-choice! I will keep watching for now also and see how other episodes turn out…
Click to expand...
Yes, sadly an illegal abortion was portrayed as the only alternative available to the woman struggling with her 8 children. Contraception was also discussed as a sort of “miracle” on the horizon.

It was interesting that, in the same episode, however, there was mention of how valuable children are. The elderly sister, Sister Monica Joan, wondered whether “children are now more valuable because they survive, or if they survive because they are now more valuable.”
 
Yeah, I know what you mean. I think the episode wanted to stay neutral on the question of abortion, but the writer’s sympathies came through.

Although I would say that the episode was unabashedly pro-contraceptive (in the contraceptives were super-duper and amazing kinda way) it did present abortion (performed by a rip-off artist) as an ugly last resort, only sought when other avenues were closed, and probably a morally wrong choice, given Nrs. Lee and Sr. Julianne’s reaction.

In this way, the episode was anti-abortion - in the sense that it made out that abortion was bad in some sense.

Although I think the point of the episode was “Yay contraception and socialized medicine!” and this is in part because it saves women from abortion (which is of course horse ****, but whatever; it’s better than what you get from most of the media).
 
Just watched 4 episodes in a row from Netflix. Totally addicted.

I just couldn’t get into “Downton Abbey” but I’m loving this so far.
 
My wife and myself watched all four seasons on Netflix.

This is an excellent series, and it shows how the BBC productions like this, put American network TV to shame.

Anyway, for those who like it, season 5 starts April 2 on your local PBS Station.

We ended up liking this slightly better than Downton Abbey, although we love that series as well.

Jim
 
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