Pulbished in the Wilson County News on September 5, 2018
This is an abbreviated version for publication in this outlet.
Scroll down for an expanded version that delves in greater detail on the subject matter.
Let me make myself perfectly clear; I AM PRO-LIFE, I have been and will always be pro-life, in particular-Human Life. I am pro-life from conception to natural death. This means I consider life to be the most precious thing that exists in the universe(s). And, that every step of the way in this journey of life cannot be any less precious.
Every step of the way; at the moment of conception that is derived from a sincere act of love, or that should be, is a gift given to us through a Divine Plan. Even if you don’t believe that a divine plan exists, you must admit that something special happens when that conception turns into a precious little one, especially if it is yours
Everyday you work hard to ensure that new life is protected, nurtured and given the opportunity to succeed. You want to protect him/her every step of the way including protection from eternal forces that may want to do harm. You particularly want to protect that thriving life from any health issues that may be encountered, provide for solid education in order to acquire the best of what life offers, and to contribute to the world until the last breath.
This is the total package.
What next? How does one accomplish such a task with only average resources available? Most can’t do it alone. So where can we turn for that support? Usually we turn to the government.
Is it not true that the concept of life is so basic that no one can deny that it is of paramount importance to the continuum of our existence? If you agree, then our Founding Fathers must have seen it in the same way and adopted this new paradigm for us to embrace and follow.
Through their vision we now can recognize that they clearly understood the concept cited, and also understood that the vast majority of the citizenry would not be able to solely, on their own, preserve and defend Life, and to the fullest extent as described as the total package. They would need help, and this country being born from a Christian background, would have to step forward with a lending hand.
This is the reason that Democratic Governments are created; so that together the people can enjoy those established unalienable rights. Now, this is what governments are supposed to do-serve the people-but to what extent? There is where the rub is, and they’re just as many opinions as there are stars in the night sky.
Obviously we cannot become a socialist society, yet we must strike a balance between being fiscally conservative, and being socially liberalistic enough in order to abide by our Christian roots. After all we do believe in a greater power that created it all, right? Right!
To explore the pros/cons of how to deal with this complicated issue and view it from multiple vantage points visit my website for some insight.
Link:
http://www.threelightsgreen.com/categories-2/untitled/lets-get-to-the-point-2.html
FULL ESSAY
(Unpublished)
This will become an expanded version delving into greater detail and is currently in the works and will placed here when appropriate.
Let me make myself perfectly clear; I AM PRO-LIFE, I have been and will always be pro-life, in particular-Human Life. I am pro-life from conception to natural death. This means I consider life to be the most precious thing that exists in the universe(s). And, that every step of the way in this journey of life cannot be any less precious.
Every step of the way; at the moment of conception that is derived from a sincere act of love, or that should be, is a gift given to us through a Divine Plan, as we experience it in a conscience awareness of our existence. Even if you don’t subscribe to the notion (or truth) that a divine plan exists, you must admit that something special happens when that conception turns into a precious little one, especially if that little one is yours.
Everyday you work very hard to ensure that the little life you have brought into the world is protected, nurtured and given the opportunity to succeed in life. You certainly want to protect that gift every step of the way including protection from eternal forces that may want to do harm. You particularly want to protect a thriving life from any health issues that may be encountered along the way.
Furthermore, to ensure a life full of joy and achievement we strive to provide the tools necessary to attain the goals that this new life is reaching out to obtain. Therefore, the next logical step is a solid well-balanced educational program that will allow for the talents and skills possessed by him or her to flourish in order to acquire the best of what life offers, and to contribute to the world as much as one can do so.
And as we all grow older we must accept the thought that if one is still breathing, then there is still a considerable amount of value to that life, thereby necessitating the proper care until the last breath.
This is the total package.
If we study the reasoning behind the rationale between Pro-Life and Pro-Choice, you will come to the conclusion that not enough was done to provide clarity on why many decided that it was more prudent to abandon a life for the sake of convenience. Perhaps we were too rapped up with a false sense of what life was really about, and that for those who chose abandonment, they were either too immature or grossly mis-informed to make a rational decision on the matter.
But to do this for the sake of convenience, while a defenseless life of another is taken away, is truly a tragedy of a colossal magnitude. What if that life was you?
Or was it that, even though we claimed to be pro-life and wish to protect life before birth, we really haven’t done much of anything to continue that protection beyond birth. Is it that we really don’t believe in life after birth? Apparently it has been easier not to deal with it – generally this is what happens with a society that loses its way, and it’s moral compass. History has shown that those civilizations reaching this point are basically on the down side of their existence and do not recognize that they are creating their own demise (i.e. the Egyptian Empire, the Greek Empire, the Roman Empire, just to name a few). Doesn’t it seem that today everything is going to hell in a hand basket, as the old expression goes?
Granted, there are some very important benefits that a person will gain through proper health care regarding the path to pro-choice. But these benefits can also be derived from the pro-life concept if only society, even those who claim to be Pro-Life, will fully accept the total package. And deal with the responsibility of caring for the sanctity of every life, for its duration and final conclusion regardless of conditions.
If we truly care there should not be any argument as to whether benefits can be derived from either choice. Then the need for abortion would not exist. Unfortunately, we can’t seem agree to on anything (always against) these days and therefore those that cannot afford those benefits on their own are not given much of a choice. Of course it would be saintly for them to bear with the rigors of life even though they are disenfranchised and not able to survive in a harsh environment that doesn’t seem to care.
Yet, is it not true for you, and I know for me, that the concept of life is so basic a Truth that no one can deny that it is of paramount importance to the continuum of our existence? If you agree, then it must have been the same truth that the Founding Fathers saw as a paradigm for this new fledgling country of ours to embrace and follow.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. ——“
From the United States Declaration of Independence
Through their vision we now can recognize that they clearly understood the concept cited above, and also understood that the vast majority of the citizenry would not be able to solely, on their own, preserve and defend Life, as we know it, and to the fullest extent as described as the total package. They would need help, and this country being born from a Christian background, would have to step forward with a lending hand.
What next? How does one accomplish such a task with only average resources available? Most can’t do it alone. So where can we turn for that support? Usually we turn to the government.
This is the reason that governments, especially Democratic Governments, are created; so that together we the people can all enjoy those unalienable rights cited in the United States Declaration of Independence, and where otherwise we were not able to avail ourselves under a government that at the time did not subscribe to such a notion.
We had to break away in order to establish a more perfect union, and in doing so insure that each and every individual would indeed be guaranteed the right to live out their lives in peace and harmony. Once upon a time and we still can see it today, the pioneer spirit that we adhered too, that made for good neighbors then and now, is what made America Great. And if we stick to the plan will forever be.
The Founding Fathers clearly recognized and understood that while it desired to please everyone, they knew that this would not be possible. So they built into the machinery of the government and our constitution ways and means to adjust the way we would peacefully conduct business. Amendments could be written into our constitution, rules could be changed, and new methods could be envisioned and implemented in order to improve our lives for the better. This is what governments are supposed to do-serve the people!
This is why our government has survived so long the riggers and complexities of self-rule, because we have handled such complexities peacefully (except for our Civil War). So far we have been blessed. Will it last? We cannot argue with history as we compare whom and what we are with others, and what they have done or not done for their survival. We can only hope and pray that we will continue to do the right thing. But in order to derive the best from the best we really need to deal with the problems at hand face to face and not shove them into the future, or sweep them under the rug.
Having said all that, what is most troubling about any argument regarding this pro-life concept is that all of the features listed; conception, equal protection under the law, ensuring proper health care to sustain life is readily available, and providing for adequate education so as to ensure that our country remains competitive in the market place, should be embraced and supported equally without one being favored over the others. This does not appear to be subscripted too or being followed today. But they all are essential to life (the total package) and cannot be dismissed.
Although, I do believe we can all agree that the total package does not mean that we should carry every single person that cannot carry their own weight in the overall processes of life and give them a free ride without some form of self-advancement. This is unreasonable. But how do we address this issue of Pro-Choice vs. Pro-Life along with all of the rationale applied to both, and truly find a way to adhere to our moral responsibility?
Consequentially, it does mean that with careful planning with those who are disadvantaged and not able to self-advance, that they can be given a ray of hope. This can occur through a process that will allow for developing a reasonable and plausible plan to establish a fair access to those things that are needed in order to achieve some measure of success and/or security. Now this not a new idea, the machinery is already there to achieve this, we just have to make it function properly.
Obviously we cannot become a socialist society, yet we must strike and maintain a balance between being fiscally conservative, and being socially liberalistic enough in order to abide by our Christian roots. After all we do believe in a greater power that created it all, right? Right!
We cannot be Pro-Life without accepting the responsibility for the entire concept. We cannot be pro-life and abandon the care of the whole person, every person born, and for the duration of that life, for to do so smacks of being politically dis-en-genuine and behaving morally reprehensible, especially when we decide to have tunnel vision on the subject at hand and only want to accept those elements that are to our liking.
Unfortunately, Human Beings as we are imperfect, tend to pick and choose what appears to be palatable to one self and not see the whole picture. Therefore, we all have to bear the consequences when we create a scenario that establishes a disproportionate access to life, liberty and happiness. This always leads to an imbalance of societal behavior. And this particular problem only exacerbates the results.
On the other hand, choosing to be pro-choice tantamount to want to play with a god-like attitude that interferes with the genuine Divine Plan, and possibly obstructing the natural stream of our existence. God only knows when the next Albert Einstein or Madam Curie will be conceived, and if so denied the gift of life through abortion will rob our world of the necessary progress in order for us to achieve the goals we have set for ourselves. There’s another saying that is applicable here-“don’t fool with mother nature”. Usually when we do, bad things happen.
There are many strong arguments for choosing the Pro-Choice to Perdition; lack of proper health care, lack of financial support for the new family unit, lack of moral support, and perhaps a lack of clear understanding of the consequences of such an act. But to act solely for ones convenience!
There is an array of services available today that can address these important issues for the benefit of all concerned. There is no real excuse.
In any case we can easily lose sight of a simple idea that addresses our very survival as a species; that when society decides, regardless of which side of the issue one stands on, that we are going to play God, and pick and choose just those elements of the subject at hand that we like, we are in essence stepping over the line of the natural order of things as established by the Creator (i.e., laws of physics, instinctive order of all other life forms, etc.), and dealing with them as we wish, thereby creating a barrier between us and that order.
When we intentionally abort a human life, or choose not to help our neighbor, we are setting into motion a series of happenings that we will not be able to control and will in turn place us in jeopardy in our survival. The first thing that we will see occurring is the loss of civility in our social behavior. Then this will lead to unrest and violence. As we lose control, it will predispose us to more complicated disorder; decease, famine, distrust, panic and finally the loss of purpose-demise will quickly follow.
All of these are easily reversible, if we only stop and listen to ourselves and recognize that we just need to acknowledge that no one single person can fix all the problems alone, it takes all of us working together to get it done. Or maybe with a lot of luck, that is if you believe in that sort of thing-luck or coincidence, it will happen by itself. How about asserting our God given reasoning abilities and be for and not against something, lets let it become what it was meant to be.
An interesting question comes to mind; if Jesus Christ were here today fulfilling His mission, would He be a conservative or a liberal?
My guess is that He would be a moderate with no political agenda, just as He was 2000 years ago, and definitely with no political agenda then, His only concerns were for all people. So, where do you stand? How can you not be a moderate? We must listen intensely and learn how to cope, for domestic tranquility is at sake.
Yes, agree to disagree, but stand up for what is right as our moral code, which comes from natural law and our Christian principles, demands.
When it comes right down to it, are we simply playing politics with such a volatile issue? If we are, it’s a sad day to finally admit that we are doing so. But we have to reach this point in order to start down the road, not to perdition, but to the evolution of the mind and soul.
The way I see it, this whole issue is about power. (1) For those who are Pro-Choice, in particular women, it is about the right to maintain the power over their own bodies, to protect their lives through adequate health care and to deal with reproductive rights, as they see fit. No one can deny that the gift of Free Will that has been given to us is a strong indicator that all opinions matter. Yet, as selfish as it sounds, especially regarding abortion, it is currently the law of the land. And no one of us should blame (2) them.
On the other hand those who are Pro-Life, as they purport, and rightly so in my opinion that the Pro-Choice regarding abortion violates at least the spirit, if not the command to protect a unborn life to some degree as they may believe, and to prohibit such an act of violence sounds reasonable-Right?
And here again it’s all about power. My will against your will, as the saying goes. Can I rightfully demand that you do what I say just because I believe in a certain way? No, not in a Democracy, (3) at least that’s how the Founding Fathers saw it and we all agree when we say the pledge of allegiance, pay our taxes, vote and cheerfully accept all of the blessings that we have been able to take advantage of all these years. Yes we have earned them, but we have to continue to earn them day after day one way or another.
Now what do we do? Perhaps retreat to our respective corners and maul over our options and how can we deal with a stalemate? Maybe we should consider that the matters concerning all elements of life as a process and not as a continual battle.
Lets begin by listening to each other, and for those endowed with an understanding of the subject matter here, and those gifted with the ability to put one word after another, can guide us to a successful conclusion.
My thought is that the answer to all our troubles is very simple; if your about to do something for or against your neighbor, and you would not want that done to you, then you will know that it is wrong-it’s usually illegal.
And as my Dad would always say: How about that!
In closing, the Founding Fathers also understood that a country to exist into perpetuity, it must be able to evolve in order to address the needs and wishes of it’s people. And that is exactly what we have done in the past 242 years since our country’s birth. We have had the whole pro-life concept (the total package) right in front of us, from the very beginning, and it has stood the test of time. We just were not aware of it, or didn’t want to know-we turned a blind eye as we wished
Yet we have come together, these United States (and stayed together so far), and pledged allegiance to our way of life, united in one spirit, one people, under God with Liberty and Justice for all, including the unborn.
If the whole pro-life total package concept (as a choice) is to be embraced and protected by our civil liberties, we can rest assured that our pursuit of happiness will be realized.
1 footnote; Absolute power, corrupts absolutely
2.footnote; those who are blameless can cast the first stone
3.footnote; governing through a representative process for the people, by the people, and through the people
Harry J. Perez, San Antonio, Texas-August 15, 2018
Harry, a technical writer by profession, and along with his wife Linda Kaye is also a freelance travel and aviation Journalist. Together Harry and Linda share a passion for traveling and writing, and discovering the very best in all corners of the world. Harry can be reached at n112mh@me.com or visit his website: www.threelightsgreen.com.
Come on, be that Good Samaritan!
You won’t regret it.
My God, bear with us for we have such a long way to go.
Someday we will finally listen.
