D
dennisknapp
Guest
My lovely wife posted this on her blog the other day. It was so good I thought I would share it with you.
A Troubling Issue: Part I
I typically don’t like to use this time and space for airing my more controversial personal beliefs, but this one has been bugging me for a while now, and I feel it needs to be documented here for our future child to read and consider…
The other day, I had a disturbing email conversation with a friend of mine who is struggling with infertility – or perhaps just a misalignment with God’s timing and her & her husband’s desire to get pregnant. Although they don’t believe in artificial insemination, fertility drugs or test tube treatments, they are taking the genetic testing route. After a discussion as to the reasons why a couple might choose that option, she shared with me that they believe in a practice, now called “selective termination.” In short, it means if a child has a chance of being imperfect with Down’s syndrome or other oddly-named syndromes and/or abnormalities, the pregnancy is “eliminated” – call it what it is: abortion. The real key in that definition, too, is the noun: CHILD. The practice “eliminates” a life, “terminates” a child.
Now, no offense to my friend and her husband, but I was and still am fascinated by society’s belief that we have the authority to pick and choose, and with modern DNA technology, “engineer,” perfect babies. I cannot stand alone in noticing the obvious absurdity in this thinking! There is not one educated, intelligent argument that supports the practice, yet people continue to do it every day. Heck, we customize our cars, our burgers, our clothes, our homes – why not throw our kids in the mix, too. The selfishness behind it is painfully and deeply saddening, yet considering America’s pitiful values system of self-centeredness, materialism and superficiality, not surprising.
It’s interesting – a current hot topic for Special Olympics is how the organization is going to be affected in future years because the Down’s Syndrome and special needs population is declining due to this phenomenon. Think about that for a minute. And, check out this Christianity Today article that talks about a “perfect society,” one without disabled and special needs members: http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2005/007/2.49.html
Here are some hypotheticals to think about… My mother was 44 when I was born. Her doctors told her that because of her age, I would either have Down’s Syndrome or be mongoloid (whatever that means). She spent the rest of that day weeping and miserable. But, my parents had me anyhow, and while the jury is still out some days on how “normal” I turned out to be, I’d argue I’m pretty A-OK. Could they have predicted my ankle defect? Probably not. It makes me imperfect, but, has it come between my leading a nearly 100% normal life? Absolutely not. I was a perfect candidate for this “selective termination” gig, but thank GOD my parents were wise enough to decide otherwise. Imagine the joy Dennis and SO many others would be denied in this world without my existence… (Note the sarcastic humor there.)
Then take Dennis… He was born 100%, A-OK. Not so much as a birthmark to give a sign of imperfection. Flash forward ten years, and he had to wear an eye patch for an eye issue, and was put in special education classes (although he was neither officially tested nor qualified to be there). Beam another fifteen years, and he began experiencing his crippling potassium condition, which he still struggles with daily. Could ANY of that be predicted in utero? Absolutely not. If his parents, or other parents like his, had a crystal ball and knew that’s what he would have to deal with later in life, should they have considered “eliminating” their pregnancy? I am grateful every day of my life that they didn’t.
To be continued…
A Troubling Issue: Part I
I typically don’t like to use this time and space for airing my more controversial personal beliefs, but this one has been bugging me for a while now, and I feel it needs to be documented here for our future child to read and consider…
The other day, I had a disturbing email conversation with a friend of mine who is struggling with infertility – or perhaps just a misalignment with God’s timing and her & her husband’s desire to get pregnant. Although they don’t believe in artificial insemination, fertility drugs or test tube treatments, they are taking the genetic testing route. After a discussion as to the reasons why a couple might choose that option, she shared with me that they believe in a practice, now called “selective termination.” In short, it means if a child has a chance of being imperfect with Down’s syndrome or other oddly-named syndromes and/or abnormalities, the pregnancy is “eliminated” – call it what it is: abortion. The real key in that definition, too, is the noun: CHILD. The practice “eliminates” a life, “terminates” a child.
Now, no offense to my friend and her husband, but I was and still am fascinated by society’s belief that we have the authority to pick and choose, and with modern DNA technology, “engineer,” perfect babies. I cannot stand alone in noticing the obvious absurdity in this thinking! There is not one educated, intelligent argument that supports the practice, yet people continue to do it every day. Heck, we customize our cars, our burgers, our clothes, our homes – why not throw our kids in the mix, too. The selfishness behind it is painfully and deeply saddening, yet considering America’s pitiful values system of self-centeredness, materialism and superficiality, not surprising.
It’s interesting – a current hot topic for Special Olympics is how the organization is going to be affected in future years because the Down’s Syndrome and special needs population is declining due to this phenomenon. Think about that for a minute. And, check out this Christianity Today article that talks about a “perfect society,” one without disabled and special needs members: http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2005/007/2.49.html
Here are some hypotheticals to think about… My mother was 44 when I was born. Her doctors told her that because of her age, I would either have Down’s Syndrome or be mongoloid (whatever that means). She spent the rest of that day weeping and miserable. But, my parents had me anyhow, and while the jury is still out some days on how “normal” I turned out to be, I’d argue I’m pretty A-OK. Could they have predicted my ankle defect? Probably not. It makes me imperfect, but, has it come between my leading a nearly 100% normal life? Absolutely not. I was a perfect candidate for this “selective termination” gig, but thank GOD my parents were wise enough to decide otherwise. Imagine the joy Dennis and SO many others would be denied in this world without my existence… (Note the sarcastic humor there.)
Then take Dennis… He was born 100%, A-OK. Not so much as a birthmark to give a sign of imperfection. Flash forward ten years, and he had to wear an eye patch for an eye issue, and was put in special education classes (although he was neither officially tested nor qualified to be there). Beam another fifteen years, and he began experiencing his crippling potassium condition, which he still struggles with daily. Could ANY of that be predicted in utero? Absolutely not. If his parents, or other parents like his, had a crystal ball and knew that’s what he would have to deal with later in life, should they have considered “eliminating” their pregnancy? I am grateful every day of my life that they didn’t.
To be continued…
(just don’t talk to any of my brothers and sisters, o.k.??)
