Who determines a person’s value or worth? Under what circumstances is it acceptable to coerce, lie to, force, manipulate, and/or shame someone into doing something they don’t want to do? Who determines what options people have, are educated about, and which ones they take? Are people who feel trapped, alone, without resources, who feel they have no choices likely to make the best decisions?
I know a number of people who identify themselves as pro-life and actually live it. I am related to and friends with many people who say they are pro-choice.
This list is a compilation of the beliefs and principles I’ve found that most of my family and friends who call themselves pro-choice usually have in common with those of us who are pro-life:
· Everyone deserves access to affordable health care.
· Each woman’s dignity is to be respected and protected.
· Women deserve to be given thorough, accurate, and truthful information about all of their choices when it comes to their reproductive rights and the options available to them.
· Women need safe places where they can talk through their issues and concerns in a confidential environment and have access to resources that can help provide them with maternity care, financial, and moral support, parent education, and adoption services. This type of assistance ought to be widely available, accessible to people of all races and socioeconomic backgrounds, and receive government funding.
· All health clinics ought to be held to the same health standards as other medical offices and hospitals who provide the same and/or similar services to preserve the safety of the clients as well as the doctors and nurses.
· Forced abortion (like they use in China) is morally and ethically wrong.
· Exploitation of women needs to be reported and stopped. This includes, but is not limited to, that which is observed by medical health professionals in a clinical setting. Other physicians, nurses, etc. are mandated reporters by law, and those working in any form of health clinic ought to be held to the same standards.
· Ultrasounds ought to be part of the free and/or low-cost services available to and provided by all ob-gyn doctors’ offices and/or health centers where pregnant women receive care.
· Sex trafficking of men, women, and children is completely unacceptable and must be stopped.
· Medical practices who serve low-income families ought to receive funding grants for women 35 and over and those who are at high risk for breast cancer to receive free or low-cost mammograms once each year on location or at a nearby facility.
· Harvesting organs and selling body parts of human beings is both immoral and unethical.
Planned Parenthood has been selling the organs and other body parts of aborted fetuses. I have watched some of the videos, but I honestly can't bring myself to watch all of them at this point. Regardless of what “camp” people are in, I have yet to speak with anyone who finds such practices anything besides immoral, unethical, horrific, and disgusting.
My Prayer for Each of Us: Lord, help us turn to You in times of confusion, concern, sadness, outrage, questioning, and seek Your guidance and Truth above all else. You who formed each of us in our mother's womb and knit our inmost being alone know the worth and value of each human life. Have mercy on all of us for the ways we have not protected or respected the dignity of human life from conception to natural death. Give us the courage to stand up for Truth, speak for those who have no voice, and offer help and hope to all who are suffering in mind, body, and/or spirit. Amen.
