I am pro-life. I am compassionate. I'm not "unfeeling."

[3DOCTORS]

It hurts so much to be portrayed as lacking in compassion. I know Jesus said we would suffer persecution, but to be painted as a meanie is worse than being called ugly names. Disrespect me for defending human life, but don’t think I am unfeeling and don’t care about the mothers or those already born, because that’s just not true. I care about all.

Some cases are difficult and heartbreaking. My heart breaks too. The difference is that I don’t believe there’s a justification for direct intentional killing of a fetus or an elderly or handicapped person. The pro-choicers may think they’re being compassionate and may indeed be driven by good instincts in one way. I don’t judge them as people but they think I do.

 

[mark_a]

It hurts so much to be portrayed as lacking in compassion. I know Jesus said we would suffer persecution, but to be painted as a meanie is worse than being called ugly names. Disrespect me for defending human life, but don’t think I am unfeeling and don’t care about the mothers or those already born, because that’s just not true. I care about all.

Some cases are difficult and heartbreaking. My heart breaks too. The difference is that I don’t believe there’s a justification for direct intentional killing of a fetus or an elderly or handicapped person. The pro-choicers may think they’re being compassionate and may indeed be driven by good instincts in one way. I don’t judge them as people but they think I do.

Well put!

 

[3DOCTORS]

Well put!

Thank you for the support. Sometimes a person just needs it in this world. :grouphug:

So many people believe the pro-choice movement’s lies that the lies have become the new “normal.” Taking a different stance, we are more and more demonized. The mainstream news media loves to portray the Catholic Church as so terribly divided - they round up their usual dissidents to spout their venom and then sit back and wait for the fireworks.

:banghead:

Yes, I’m frustrated.

Yes, I need to pray. And I have been, more intensely than I have for a long time, this is just hurting so much when I see people being manipulated and then the consequences in real life.

Better keep praying.

 

[St_Francis]

Today I saw a part of a commentary on the “Catholic” hospital where an abortion was permitted and performed. The secular commentary was that the nun was condemned for saving a life.

But NO!!! That’s wrong!!! I wanted to shout. She was condemned for taking a life!!!

It is hard when so many people do not see their own lack of compassion and then criticize you where you disagree with them. What i do in those circumstances is try to come up with a kindly one- or two-sentence reply, maybe like “I don’t think it’s right to take a life, even to save the life of another.”

Remember, too, that those people have a utilitarian view of things–they look at the outcome to see if the action was good or not. In fact, they consider a sort of hapiness quotient to see if the oitcome was good. For them, the outcome that produces the most overall happiness is the right one to achieve. More people will be made more sad by a woman’s death because more people know her, and the baby isn’t even born yet, “just barely exists,” and so to them it is obvious that taking the one life to save the other is the “best” thing to do.

Forgive them, Lord, for they know not what they do.

 

[erine]

I had someone once say “ughhhohh!” in a viscerally shocked and disgusted way, when she overheard my mentioning pro-life work I had done. This is someone who otherwise liked and respected me, and who also was open to Jesus. She wasn’t even part of the conversation I was having, but was standing to the side talking to someone else at the time.

Her tone indicated a deep reaction to something so shockingly wrong as to be taboo.

In fact, this is the thought that went through my head later: she reacted to my pro-life actions exactly as I would expect someone to react to the statement, “I enjoy murdering babies.”

In short, this is a backwards, fallen world in which we live

 

[Bearontherun]

You are in my prayers, 3DOCTORS. I agree and have experienced this same attitude from so many “pro-choice” advocates. They continually insist that we care nothing for living people and only care about the babies before they are born. As well, they will claim that we ignore the suffering that people may endure at the end of their lives with terminal illnesses, etc. This attitude is so very prevalent…it is sad.

Christ will be your strength.

 

[3DOCTORS]

Today I saw a part of a commentary on the “Catholic” hospital where an abortion was permitted and performed. The secular commentary was that the nun was condemned for saving a life.

But NO!!! That’s wrong!!! I wanted to shout. She was condemned for taking a life!!!

. . .

Remember, too, that those people have a utilitarian view of things–they look at the outcome to see if the action was good or not. In fact, they consider a sort of hapiness quotient to see if the oitcome was good. For them, the outcome that produces the most overall happiness is the right one to achieve. More people will be made more sad by a woman’s death because more people know her, and the baby isn’t even born yet, “just barely exists,” and so to them it is obvious that taking the one life to save the other is the “best” thing to do.

Forgive them, Lord, for they know not what they do.

You nailed it. :sad_yes: It was a discussion with a lapsed Catholic friend this morning about that very incident that got me going. My friend does, however, acknowledge my compassion, and I’m definitely praying for her and want the best for her. It’s just that . . . it’s so hard when I find myself in these discussions to respond calmly and charitably and thoughtfully. There are so many assumptions made about pro-lifers and you have to correct so many misconceptions, or at least attempt to, before you can even get to the real heart of the matter.

Besides sad, it also just makes me tired. And I’m tired in a general sense, so good night for now, :yawn: and thanks for the understanding, everyone. Y’all rock.

 

[ToeInTheWater]

Unfortunately, this topic has become so politicized that people on both sides sometimes care more about scoring points against the other, and demonizing everyone on the other side, than really listening to what they have to say. The “you only care about babies before they’re born” accusation might be an accurate description of some people who claim to be pro-life, but certainly not all. It certainly doesn’t hold true for most pro-life Catholics that I’ve met.

Also, it is unfortunately the case that the mainstream media tends to portray pro-lifers as violent, angry extremists who hate women, and show people who fit that stereotype. Instead of portraying the abortion issue as a legitimate subject of debate and disagreement, they tend to portray the debate as having long since finished, much like the civil rights debate. Pro-choice is portrayed as the logical, reasonable position, which of course makes pro-lifers knuckle-dragging “right-wing extremists”. So, even charitable efforts like CPCs and Rachel’s Vineyard are seen as just providing cover for the “real agenda”.

In a way, even though being pro-life is “conservative”, to many people who have only known a post-Roe world, it is actually radical and revolutionary.

 

[Mudgely]

It hurts so much to be portrayed as lacking in compassion. I know Jesus said we would suffer persecution, but to be painted as a meanie is worse than being called ugly names. Disrespect me for defending human life, but don’t think I am unfeeling and don’t care about the mothers or those already born, because that’s just not true. I care about all.

Some cases are difficult and heartbreaking. My heart breaks too. The difference is that I don’t believe there’s a justification for direct intentional killing of a fetus or an elderly or handicapped person. The pro-choicers may think they’re being compassionate and may indeed be driven by good instincts in one way. I don’t judge them as people but they think I do.

You are “pro life” precisely because you are compassionate. Abortion is not the solution to our social problems. It reminds me of listening to a Holocaust survivor talking about the prevalence of suicide in the camps. She made the observation that “suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.” Abortion is like that, it does solve the problem of an unwanted child, but there are much better solutions.

 

[Soldier_Of_God]

Thank you for the support. Sometimes a person just needs it in this world. :grouphug:

I applaud you for your stance. You are standing for life and are showing the utmost compassion! Those who condemn who are ironically, lackiing in compassion… for their fellow human beings.

 

[3DOCTORS]

Unfortunately, this topic has become so politicized that people on both sides sometimes care more about scoring points against the other, and demonizing everyone on the other side, than really listening to what they have to say. The “you only care about babies before they’re born” accusation might be an accurate description of some people who claim to be pro-life, but certainly not all. It certainly doesn’t hold true for most pro-life Catholics that I’ve met.

Also, it is unfortunately the case that the mainstream media tends to portray pro-lifers as violent, angry extremists who hate women, and show people who fit that stereotype. Instead of portraying the abortion issue as a legitimate subject of debate and disagreement, they tend to portray the debate as having long since finished, much like the civil rights debate. Pro-choice is portrayed as the logical, reasonable position, which of course makes pro-lifers knuckle-dragging “right-wing extremists”. So, even charitable efforts like CPCs and Rachel’s Vineyard are seen as just providing cover for the “real agenda”.

In a way, even though being pro-life is “conservative”, to many people who have only known a post-Roe world, it is actually radical and revolutionary.

So, so true. :sad_yes: