Femininity and abortion in the modern world...

QUESTION - What does the law say in relation to a man that assaults his partner by repeatedly punching her in the abdomen, causing a miscarriage because she wouldn't have an abortion? Surely more than just a common assault on the said partner.

Actually, I thought long and hard about it, but decided against it. I even went so far as to think about the best approach, settling on the gentle, straight-for-the-conscience appeal past her sin back to the virtue, femininity, and motherhood she once possessed, and what she'd done with it--sort of like our Lord's conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well. But I realized such honesty and vulnerability were unlikely to go down well in front of two other brash sorority women and a passive man-boy. Also, I'm sorry to admit that there was just enough revulsion in me at the scene, but more what had been said, that I feared I'd have no love in my heart if I spoke. And I knew that wasn't right. So rather than praying for love and speaking, I "wrote them up" as it were. So thanks for prodding me, dear Rebecca. Please pray I am faithful next time, and that my heart will love sinners.

As I read this sad account, it occured to me that perhaps the young man was the father of an unborn child and his silence said much more that we might assume. For every woman who aborts a baby, there is also a father somewhere and many of them are struggling and suffering because of "choice." Just a thought.

I've said something a time or two to friends. Never persuaded anyone to my knowledge, but I did speak up. One response was telling; being made to promise I'd never tell anyone. Those who claim there is no guilt involved are not exactly telling the truth, to put it mildly. Karen speaks well to one time I didn't speak up. A man I knew was answering why he'd write check to PP when they give out condoms for free--I didn't need to speak up. His guilt was written all over his face, and his girlfriend's sorrow walked into the room with her after the deed was done.

Robert & Karen reminded me of one of my patients the other day (I work at the county hospital) . . . a guy approaching middle age, in for alcohol poisoning, told me that he was old enough to be my father. So I asked him if he had any kids - turns out that 16 years ago, he got his girlfriend pregnant, she aborted the baby & then dumped him. He was still grieving (and still single) . . . it made me hurt for him. -Jess

Maybe the young man was the father of THAT unborn child? Just sad - the way people are totally immersed in the culture of death. I don't know that it's so much immersion as that men today are conditioned to regard matters of reproduction - or even sex in general -�as the sole prerogative of women. We think of ourselves as privileged, not entitled, to be involved in any decision-making in that area at all. (I tried to post a similar comment earlier, but I think I didn't get it through. If there's a duplicate, please delete it.)

Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. If you say, "But we knew nothing about this," does not He Who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not He Who guards your life know it? Will He not repay each person according to what he has done? Proverbs 24:11-12 (NIV)