Related Poll: Should taxpayers' money be used to make birth control more freely available?
So, I have this bad habit. Sometimes, when I'm really into a certain topic on someone else's blogpost, I'll comment and respond to comments. What's bad about that? Nothing. The problem is, my comments can get nearly as long as the blogpost itself. Like today, at Live Action News and Opinion Blog, on Kristen Walker's post "Jezebel Founder Vs. 'Paternalistic Middle-Aged White Guys'." It's a pro-life blog that I follow. This particular post isn't the best example of Walker's work, but it's interesting.
Sometimes, pro-choice people comment on the posts. These comments may or may not be thoughtful (and comments on controversial topics are often, unfortunately, not at all thoughtful, no matter what side you're on). Today, after reading one person's comment, I wanted to comment in return. The following near-essay is the result. I hope I wasn't rash in posting it. -_-;
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Okay, speaking as a Christian, a pro-lifer, and a young adult fresh out of relatively sheltered childhood (in response to both this comment and your other comments)...
First of all, Ms. Walker said straight out that she knew she was going to get "angry and bloggy" - so, I guess if she wants to rant, then you can rant, too. I hope you both feel better after doing so. If I'd only ever read Ms. Walker's more ranty blogs, then I'd have a hard time taking her seriously, too, no matter how many truths were in her rants. Fortunately, I've read some of her other posts, and I know she is a rational person.
I hope you don't mind me replying to your comment myself. And I hope you haven't already lost interest in this particular discussion.
I, a Christian and pro-lifer, am perfectly okay with birth control IF the following is the case:
- It prevents pregnancy, not ends it. I can't support anything that could possibly kill an innocent human being, no matter how small of an embryo he/she may be.
- It doesn't hurt the woman. Or, if it does, there is a big warning label on the box and she knows exactly what it could do.
- I don't have to pay for it through taxes. Though I won't complain quite as much if it's guaranteed to be safe for everyone involved and follows the first condition.
I think Ms. Walker would agree with me on the above points. Hopefully she will correct me if I am wrong.
The only belief I want to "force on people" is that killing unborn children is just as wrong as killing born children. Actually, you don't even have to believe it, so long as you don't kill them. Put yourself in our shoes. If you saw something as murder (for example, the stabbing of a 14-yr-old innocent), and it was considered acceptable in many social circles, you'd be pretty riled up, right? You would definitely want to force your belief that killing is wrong on the killer and on anyone who accepted the killing. Many of us feel just as strongly about killing unborn babies. Can you really blame us for wanting to force that belief?
While I personally plan to save myself for marriage, I understand that not everyone will do so. I have reasons behind my decision (and yes, the reasons go beyond "Because-God-and-Daddy-and-Mommy-said-so," though I trust God enough to consider that plenty reason). I will not go into those reasons here. This is a blog about abortion, not chastity. And It's not my place to judge those who have sex before marriage, though I may express my concern and disagreement.
Further (*blush* - I can't believe I'm writing this), I don't think Christianity (that is the religion you're pointing fingers at, right?) holds the "belief that sex is only for procreation." Check out Song of Solomon in the Bible if you don't believe me (you can find it online if you don't have a Bible). It just holds the belief that this particular pleasure is best saved until after marriage.
While I can't convert the world to my beliefs on chastity, I can ask that I don't have to pay for people to have "safe sex" (is any sex outside of marriage really safe? Aren't there at least emotional, if not always physical, complications?). I can ask that either they pay for their own condoms/pills/etc., or get them from a place that doesn't run on taxpayer money.
I can also ask that people remember that sex can lead to sperm and egg coming together, which tends to lead to babies (or, as you said, procreation). The most reliable way to avoid pregnancy is not to have sex. That's science, not religion.
I decided to ignore the more ranty parts of your comments, and your responses to the more ranty parts of Ms. Walker's post. I hope I didn't loose you - I have a bad habit of making my comments way too long.
