Recently I have heard lots of conversations on people being pro-life. Of course with the upcoming election this is always a big deal breaker for some people. Our church talked extensively about it on Sunday. I hear about it on the news. It was something I was very interested in when researching candidates.
For me personally, I would consider myself a pro-life person. I think that life should be preserved. I think that we as mortal humans do not have the right to choose when someone lives or dies. I can personally say that I would never have an abortion, but I can also come up with a few “what if” scenarios in my mind that would make me question my stance.
For this election abortion does mean something to me in who I vote for. Don't get mad at me, but it is not the main thing I'm looking for in a candidate. Important, yes. Most important, not so sure.
I found this great article the other day by Shannon at ROCKS IN MY DRYER and loved it. Go here to see the article: Blogher – why I'm pro-life
One question that I always want to ask people when they picket outside abortion clinics and want to kill anyone that has had an abortion is how they feel about the death penalty.
For me I grew up believing in the death penalty. That is what I was taught and that was all I knew. I remember a time in high school when my friend Emily challenged these ideas. It was the first time I had ever heard anyone not believe in the death penalty. Keep in mind I grew up in the great state of Texas where we have executed more than any other state.
Going through college I decided I wasn't for or against it. I just wasn't sure. I mean how could we kill someone? But what if that someone killed my mom? Then what would I think?
I would have to say that now my views have changed. I'm just not sure that Jesus would really want us to kill anyone. I by no means am a bible scholar, but I'm thinking that line of thinking doesn't line up well with what Jesus taught while he was here on earth. He was about love. He was about restoration. He was about forgiveness. He was about life. He was never about death. (I am not saying no consequences for actions, I am saying no death for actions)
A question that has come up often in my head these days is, what if it was my son on death row? Then what would I think? Would my opinions and views change? We know a man who his son is on death row. Bart was convicted of orchestrating a plan to kill his whole family. His dad lived and is now his biggest advocate. Why? He loves his son. I am pretty certain he detest what his son has done, and I'm sure they've had many heart to hearts but in the end he has forgiven him and he loves his son.
This is such a hard topic. I by no means write this blog to try and change anyone's mind. No way is that my agenda here. I would like to open up a healthy and good discussion to people. Do you think you can be pro-life and pro-death (penalty)? In my eyes it doesn't add up and doesn't make sense, but I want to hear from you. Don't be shy. I have many people that I love dearly that don't agree with me, no hard feelings. That is the best thing about America we can have our own opinions and we have the freedom to do so.
I was shocked to see that only one candidate buying for our votes to run our country is against the death penalty. Anyone know who it is?
I have been thinking on this pro-life concept a lot lately. I am pro-life but I am also pro-love for those who have chosen abortion. I have been battling with the way Christians come across in the media and such. The picket lines and adamant behavior just boggle me. I know that is an extreme and not all Christians are like that (obviously) but sometimes the picketers are who the world defines as “Christians”. I so desperately want the world to see the LOVE of Jesus.
The death penalty has always been a hot topic around our home. It is so touchy. I am not an advocate for the death penalty.
pro life on both sides.
I am interested to read the comments on this post.
(I clicked on your link to “Bart” and I remember visiting that site after I watched his story on Television.)
Also something to consider/ask is, “Can one be pro-life and pro-war at the same time?” I think there is a bumper sticker that ask the same question (maybe worded differently).
I know who is opposeded to the death penalty. 🙂 (lol the smiley doesn’t necessarily mean I’m voting for that canidate, it means that I’ve done my research.)
Abby
Abby – GREAT question about pro-life and pro-war. That is a hard one too. I struggle with the war, but still have questions. It’s like there is always a “what-if” attached to everything. Isn’t that weird. I want the war to be over. I want lives to be saved on our soil and on other soils. I would think I would be anti-war too.
Debra – I agree about the “crazy Christians” and hate being associated with them. I think we need to overflow with love for women who have had to make this horrible decision. I would not want to be in their shoes. You know it wasn’t easy for them.
yeah the bart site … I should have warned people that it is REAL and some things may make you feel uncomfortable when you read it. BUT he is a REAL person and has REAL feelings and it sitting on death row in TExas where there is no doubt he will be killed sooner than later.
Keep the comments coming … great discussion.
Jamie well you know my view but i thought i would share my point of them. I would say that I am pro-life, now I would like to see the choice taken away for just anyone who wants to get an abortion. I do think that if the situations is a life or death for the mom, then let the family and the doctors figure out what to do. But I cant understand how people can get so upset over the high school girl who leaves her baby in a trash can after birth, but those same people don’t have a problem with doing the same thing before birth. We just had a baby, your baby is a person so early on. I dont understand it. I know I am not a women but thats how i feel. I guess Iam pro-DEATH as well. not just b/c i grew up in TEXAS, I think that God will forgive you you from all of you sins, but that doesn’t mean that you’re not still held accountable by the laws of man. I again have a hard time differing from to points of view, LETS SAY……….. Your in a mall and a gun man is on the loose shooting everyone in sight, you, a cop or somebody esle has a chance to shot him or kill him the only way to stop the situation. what is the difference from killing him in that situation or death row. I know if he doesn’t get death row you can witness to him but should anyone be able to kill anyone? WAR, POLICE, I mean i dont know were does it stop or start? What makes one correct and the other wrong? I know iam harsh I am sorry I am not trying to be harsh towards you just some questions of my own I dont know???? O’well i am sure we could go cirles on this. love yall jordan
Jordan thanks for commenting! For you that don’t know this is my sweet little brother who lives in Texas and is proud of it! He even has tattoos on his body of the Texas flag!!! I love Texas too, but don’t have a Texas tattoo yet. Jordan, although you know we clearly don’t agree on this issue I love you and am glad you left a comment.
Everyone has their right to their own opinion.
I have an opinion on your comments …. anyone else?
This is always a hard issue for me, too. I believe that life begins at conception, but I also don’t like the idea of the government telling me what I can or cannot do with my body. I had pre-ecclampsia with Chloe – and thankfully we are both okay. But, I have more than one friend who was forced to choose between her life and the life (lives in one case) of her child (children) due to HELLP and pre-ecclampsia. I also have a friend who was told at her 20-week ultrasound that her baby had anacephaly – no brain. They chose to terminate rather than carry for the remaining 20 weeks. There are always exceptions to rules, and I would rather those painful choices be left to the people involved rather than to a politician.
Leah – I see all that you are saying too and that’s what makes it hard for me … it is all the “what if’s” that drive me crazy!
Another thing to consider: If someone states to be “pro-life” and stands against abortion and even the death penalty, what about war? Do innocent people die in war? Is war pro-life? Can you claim to be pro-life while support the killing of innocent people during times of war?
Here is a pretty well-reasoned (I think) blog posting explaining being pro-life and pro-death penalty:
http://www.boundlessline.org/2008/01/toward-a-consis.html
And here’s some articles on what’s called “doctrine of just war”:
http://www.trueu.org/Academics/ProfsOffice/OfficeHours/A000000577.cfm
http://www.boundless.org/2002_2003/regulars/office_hours/a0000733.html
I’m putting links because, while I’ve studied the topics on my own, these are similar to the conclusions I’ve drawn…and they’re much more eloquently stated than I could do, plus they have scripture references handy. 🙂
Although I will not put ALL my opinions on this, I will say that we are in a world where Satan is the master of confusion! Because it is a world full of sin, we have to have laws. It is hard to interpret God’s word sometimes. Call me crazy, but sometimes I think it would have been easier to live back when we didn’t have the medical knowledge to know that either the baby will die or I will die. Then…we’d just have to trust in God. Hmm. Seems anymore we don’t have to call on the Holy Spirit for guidance. We have medicine. I’m NOT saying I’m not thankful or really want to live in the old days! Believe me, doctors, surguries, and medicines have been my friend over the last few years, but…sometimes I want to place it ALL in His hands and not try to make so many decisions on my own. WHICH brings me back to the Presidential thing. I’m voting for whomever I feel has the closest relationship with God. Is that being judgemental? Fortunately, most of the candidates haven’t been shy about where they stand. Because they are in the public view, we can also see fruit or no fruit. (sounds like deal or no deal 🙂 I know some look only at the way they feel about foreign policy, health care, moral issues, economy and more, but I keep remembering that true wisdom comes from God. I even know that I may sometimes be voting for the known underdog and that could harm the other persons chance. Switch something or other…but after praying about it, I decided to vote for the one that I thought wouldn’t rely on himself as much as he relied on God. I’m the daughter of a politician. I’ve seen government pull godly men in every direction to where they didn’t know if there was a god or not! I want someone who is strong, so that he can withstand (with God’s help) what the next 4 years throws at him.
I may be a little too politically correct here, by not giving my exact opinion. I figure we can talk privately if you want to know that. I’m a middle child, the peacemaker ; )
Shawnah
I am pro-life all the way. Abortion really messes with the mind long after it is done. It sticks with you forever. How can that be good for any woman?
Great discussion guys!
Keep it up!
heres my thoughts…
Pro life- Pro death penalty….
There is a big difference between a yet to be born, innocent child, who hasn’t had a chance to live life and a person who has lived life and done something terrible enough to be given the death penalty. Can we still have a hope for restoration for those people? Sure, thats part of loving your neighbor…genuinely hoping for and looking for a chance for their redemption. That redemption comes in Christ and can be fulfilled in eternity. Meanwhile there are consequenses for our sin, in some places thats one of them. There are places that have the death penalty for nonsense. At least here we reserve it for the most hanis of offenders.
Pro life also means aggressively attacking poverty (not having money to raise a child causes desperation in women), providing health care for lower incomes at minimal to no cost, and showering love on the unloved. All views that the Christian Right has ignored in politics.
I am also against the death penalty, but my mom and I just had this discussion this weekend. For the first time, I understood why Christians would think this is a good thing. Her view is that you commit crimes knowing the penalty of the law. That penalty is imprisonment and death. Even Paul knew this. The consequences of sharing the gospel could mean beatings and death, regardless of the system being “unfair.” I happen to feel that if you have a system that puts one innocent man in prison or to death, that system should be changed. Immediately, and completely. The death of one innocent man should not be counted as “the cost of doing business.” So until the system is fixed, the death penalty should not be an option.
jen: Is our judicial system perfect? No. It is flawed. There is innocent people who are on death row right now. Innocent lives lost due to a flawed system. If the system were perfect and innocent lives weren’t taken, then maybe there is an argument to keep the death penalty. But that is not the case. We can’t support a system that kills innocent people due to flawed or inconclusive evidence.