Sanctity of Human Choice
by Denise Morris on 01/10/2007 at 4:27 PM
When Steve mentioned YouTube earlier today, I was reminded of some current pro-life videos on the site. They show 4D footage of pre-born children in the womb.
First of all, the ultrasound images are amazing. These are 16-17 week fetuses, nowhere near ready to come out of the womb, yet they look like fully formed babies. It really makes the answer to the question, "What is it?" quite obvious.
Since it is obvious that a child in the womb is more than a lump of tissue, the debate really comes down to one thing: choice. Last year I wrote an article called, "Sanctity of Human Choice." In it, I address the reality that a woman's right to choose has become the most important factor in the abortion debate.
Honestly, I think the idea of choice goes way beyond abortion. In our society we have exalted our "right" to do what we want above others' feelings, our own good and, in the case of abortion, above the sanctity of life itself. The way so many people think about abortion is really just a symptom of a culture that has become obsessively self-involved.
January is Sanctity of Human Life Month, and I think it's so crucial for us to take the issues of life and choice seriously. For more information, you can check out the Web site, Be A Voice.
Also, here are the links to those YouTube videos; they're pretty amazing:
1. Ben said the following at 5:04 PM on Jan 10:
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Sadly, impressive videos like these, which give evidence to the beauty and sacredness of life in the womb, will not convince many pro-aborters. For many pro-aborters, the issue of life is not a determining factor for abortion. Live birth abortion is a cause supported by a growing number of people (including, it would seem, the much heralded Sen. Obama, http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=51121). When life is considered nothing more than a chemical reaction (instead of a sacred creation of God) it is easy to justify reasons to snuff it out.
2. Amy Jane said the following at 5:01 PM on Jan 11:
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Bob Mayer (in an excellent book, The Novel Writer’s Toolkit), observes that most decisions are made at an emotional level, and it is after we’ve already made up our minds that we go back and look for support for the position we’ve chosen.
His context was the accepting or rejection of manuscripts, but I feel it is more broadly applicable, and this issue of abortion (or "choice") rights is a sterling example.
3. Farley said the following at 7:45 AM on Jan 12:
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FYI ... On Sunday evening, the National Geographic Channel will be showing "In The Womb: Multiples." This 4D-based program might be the best opportunity we have to support the pro-life position. Why do I say "best opportunity"? When you have one child in the womb, nothing much happens in isolation ... kicks, punches, maybe sucking a thumb. When you have multiples, you can see more clearly how these babies react to one another.
The preview I saw last night on tv, showed what looks to be basic infant social behavior -- reaching out and grabbing. Interaction between multiples could be the key to changing hearts and minds, and the 4D scans show this interaction that we have never before been able to see.