Whose Womb Is it?

I haven't blogged much about abortion through the years, nor did I ever preach on the subject -- not even once. That doesn't mean that it wasn't a meaningful topic for discussion and in fact I did so on a number of occasions with members of my congregations. In some instances it was with those who were contemplating an abortion, and in one circumstance it was a woman who had an abortion and was wracked with guilty afterward, convinced that it had been an irresponsible choice based on convenience. I always attempted to be non-judgmental and supportive in the decision-making process and prayed with these individuals. I also had members who were former Roman Catholics and bewildered that this was virtually the only taboo topic in the United Church.

This is a tough subject for me because I have strong convictions about the sanctity of life. As an undergraduate student I took an ethics course with a wise professor who noted that humans are most vulnerable at the beginning and end of life and saw it as a moral and ethical and, I think, sacred responsibility for society to care for the vulnerable. I've never understand the hard and fast rules individuals and cultures establish about when life begins. I've mourned with couples who are devastated by the death - I use the word death -- of fetuses they considered children, even though they were still within the legal parameters for abortion.



All this noted, I am appalled by what it happening in the United States as legislatures, usually comprised of powerful, aging men are passing punitive and restrictive laws around abortion. Alabama has passed legislation which all but makes abortion illegal and could punish women with lengthy prison terms, even in situations of rape and incest, including minors.

In the debate sanctimonious men waxed on about the preciousness of the life God had created. Meanwhile, Alabama has the highest rate of infant mortality in the United States and a high rate of maternal mortality.  Pro-life in many states appears to be pro-birth, with little regard for the safety of children and women. The day after the governor (a woman) signed this legislation into law an inmate was subjected to the death penalty. Again, pro-life seems to be pro-birth.

One woman legislator who had the courage to oppose this legislation challenged the men saying "now you're in my womb, and I want you out" - great line.  She wondered if they would propose a "castration bill" for the men who sexually assaulted women.

This situation is bizarre, yet not surprising given that the president makes up stories about women sitting with doctors planning infanticide. These are terrible lies, yet Trump's "base" which includes many evangelical Christians swallows them whole.

Here in Canada the number of abortions has declined steadily with the provision of freedom of choice, access to birth control, and clear sex ed in schools. However we might feel about the sanctity of life, we can't impose our values on those who will give birth to children and be entrusted with their care.

Perhaps this is the time to enter into honest conversation about abortion in this country, especially as Conservative governments are being elected in provinces and MPP's and MLA's (yup, men) are emboldened to publicly oppose freedom of choice.

What do you think, dear readers? Could this happen here?