What is becoming of the sanctity of life?

I must admit that this is not what I was going to write about today. I have a couple other posts in the draft stages, one on youth ministry and another about my first Valentine's Day where I get to celebrate with someone, but this post could not go by.

Let me explain why I am writing this. I got into work this morning, and as always we had the television tuned to Fox News, and one of the major headlines was this: More women using the morning after pill. I missed the majority of the segment so I jumped online to try and track down what this wall about. I am an ardent support of life at conception and I am strongly supportive of the pro-life movement, and this stirred something deep within my heart as I began to dig deeper.

I went to foxnews.com, bbc.co.uk/news, and abcnews.com and all of them had the story. Although with one of these sites you need to dig through some of the backwater pages to find it. I also was a bit shocked to find some major news outlets weren't carrying the story, and perhaps they have yet to publish it as I am sure there is other news happening and stories they feel are of greater value to the readers.

But in reading these articles a study has found that 1 out of every 9 women, between the ages of 15 (yes 15!) and 44 are using a morning after pill. This is a 4% rise since 2002. This is appalling to me! For those of you who do not know, the morning after pill can terminate a pregnancy. Proponents of this pill claim that it is different from a the "abortion pill" because it is not terminating a pregnancy and is taken only in the first 72 hours following a romantic encounter.

Those opposed to this pill would point to the fact that life is founded at conception which happens once an egg is fertilized, and that this pill can terminate a pregnancy that has just started. Those who support this pill would argue that in the first few days there is no life within the woman and that you are not seizing life from a child. They argue that life does not begin until a certain trimester or in some cases until birth.

But let me explain what I believe. I believe in life at conception, and yes my view is based in my theology, my faith, and my personal conviction. I hold to the Word of God as the one and only source of knowledge and truth, and within the Bible it says "You knit me together in my mother's womb" (Psalm 193:13) and how at that point God knew us (Jeremiah 1:4-5). The fact is this, to be known there has to be something. One cannot know of something that does not exist, therefore in accordance with Scripture since we were known in our mother's womb we existed and life was evident!

I am well aware that this stance is not culturally acceptable in our society and that is looked down on as hindering the life of the woman and her choices in life. I understand that, but who has the right then to make a decision for that unborn child? Who is allowed to grant them life or death? Is it us? Are we judge, jury, and executioner? I say no. I report to a higher authority, to one who governs all things, both in this life, and the life to come.

I am not in anyway attempting to malign or criticize those who have or are using these pills. I want those who do or are considering to use them to instead think about what God says about life, and to ponder how different our world would be if your pregnancy had been terminated. If you weren't here you wouldn't be reading this blog, your friends wouldn't know you, you wouldn't have impacted others, and this world would be very different.

Life is life. We cannot allow for this pill to be something that defines our society and our morals. We, as believers and supports of life, need to take a stand for what we believe in and not shy away from sticking to our guns and faith. However, let us not become full of ourselves, and resort to tactics of assault and verbal attacks, nor let us condemn others, for we are all fallen and disgraced individuals in our own ways, and many of us, myself included, worse than the majority of our population. We need instead to reach out in love, support, compassion, understanding, grace, humility, forgiveness, and restoration. Let us be a new generation that seeks to right wrongs, ease burdens, support others, and live and love like Christ.

Let us support life, follow Christ, live like His children, and let us befriend the lost and hurting just as our Savior befriended and saved us (John 4:1-26, Matthew 26-28, Luke 19:9-10).

If you chose to comment in the debate surrounding this blog, I ask that you please keep it civil and respectful to both sides involved. Thank you.