No Choice but to be Pro-Life

I am trying to figure out what’s going on with our country around the abortion issue.  Seeing New York and Virginia in the news lately legislating and promoting late term abortions and even in some cases infanticide has been downright shocking.

I am pro-life.  I am pro-life unapologetically so.  And by pro-life I mean that I am against abortions.  I see abortion as the taking of a human life so that should not surprise you.  What scares me is the thought that some people might see abortion as the taking of a human life and are still pro-choice.  I tend to give people who are pro-choice the benefit of the doubt that they must see what’s in the womb as not a human life (even though it’s not long before what’s in the womb happens to have a heart beat and is able to feel pain). 

And if it’s okay with you I can do without the argument that people who are pro-life are not so pro-life when it comes to issues after a baby has been born.  All that does is confuse the issue.  Everyone should know by now that the term pro-life refers to being against abortions only.  I am happy to have a good rigorous discussion with pro-choicers about all those other issues, but they have nothing to do with the pro-life stance. 

To me in an ideal world everyone would be pro-life.  It wouldn’t even be an issue. Then all the politicians could have their ongoing discussions about what to do with health-care, gun control, welfare, and all sorts of other issues affecting the quality of our life, but everyone would agree that babies deserve the chance to be born into this world and not killed.

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.  Psalm 139:13-16

Here’s another reason I am pro-life.  I’m an adoptive parent.  I am eternally grateful to a woman in Vietnam and a woman in Russia who I will never meet, because those two women gave birth to my son and my daughter.  Giving up a child for adoption when you don’t feel like you will be ready to take care of that child is one of the most courageous, selfless, and beautiful acts imaginable.  I’m quite sure it was inconvenient and hard for the birth-mothers of my children, but I sure am glad they did the right thing.  Adoption is a choice everyone should be able to get behind.  Actually, I long for the day when pro-choice would mean something entirely different.  I long for the day when pro-choice would mean either the child is kept or the child is put up for adoption.  That’s a pro-choice stance I could get behind.

So why am I writing this blog?  As a pastor I felt like I had to.  I felt like not somehow speaking up in an environment that is growing more and more toxic towards the unborn would go against my role as a Christian leader.  God put it on my heart to speak up for those who can’t speak for themselves, and I’m glad I did. 

Is Tom Brady Becoming Likable?

I’ve got my hometown football team on the mind after yet another Super Bowl victory last night.  It looks like that passage from Daniel came true. I saw it (the goat) attack the ram furiously, striking the ram and shattering its two horns. The ram was powerless to stand against it; the goat knocked it to the ground and trampled on it, and none could rescue the ram from its power. (Daniel 8:7-8).  I suppose we shouldn’t be surprised.  Daniel is after all a prophet. But let me be clear; I’m not writing this blog to gloat as a Patriots fan.  I’m more wondering about the possibility that Tom Brady is actually becoming a likable guy.  When I say “likable” of course I am not talking about New England fans.  We all love him.  I’m talking about what the rest of the country thinks of him. Was it just me or did Brady come across like an older, wiser, more humble version of himself during this Super Bowl run?  He seemed more thankful and almost dumbfounded that he was playing in his 9^th Super Bowl.  I heard him more and more talking about family and good friends and the things that really matter in life.  And who can forget this classic answer from a young kid’s question about what to do with the haters?  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFOxHlyoocY He tells him you have to love the haters and wish them the best. It reminds me of Romans 12:20. On the contrary: If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this you will heap burning coals on his head.

Look, I get why people outside of New England don’t like the Patriots and are a little tired of Tom Brady.  I’d imagine if I wasn’t from the New England area and I was rooting for another team I might feel the same way.  But I would like to think that Brady is giving fans outside of New England more and more reasons to at the very least respect him, and maybe even like him.  In an honest moment, I always liked Drew Bledsoe more as a person than I did Tom Brady, but I find lately Brady is giving me more reasons to like him as a person and not just as the greatest quarterback of all time.  I can remember about 3 or 4 years ago the N.F.L. brought out their all-time greats to be introduced before a game.  To me it ended up being a fascinating lesson on the condition of our society.  Ray Lewis, a likely accessory to murder, received a rousing ovation, and Tom Brady got booed. Unbelievable! At that time I think the fans just saw the arrogant pretty-boy quarterback who is married to a supermodel, who is tainted by spy-gate and deflate-gate, and who they were sick and tired of seeing win.  Today I’d like to think they are starting to see him a bit different; as a genuinely good guy who is thankful and even a little bit astounded by his success.  That’s how I seem him anyways. 

In Defense of Masculinity

With the latest Gillette ad causing lots of acrimony I thought I would throw in my two cents. First of all, I’m glad they did it.  It’s not that I agree with every single part of the ad.  And let me just say I’m not a big fan of any ad that leaves me feeling like I’ve just been sanctimoniously lectured.  That being said, I feel like the ad has started a meaningful conversation about men and their behaviors.  The buzz-phrase these days is toxic-masculinity.  In the past we’ve used terms like chauvinistic, sexist, and boorish, and if that is what toxic-masculinity is then count me as being against it one hundred percent.  Except that I think on the part of some, these more obvious obnoxious behaviors are not what they are talking about.  I think some are simply equating masculinity with toxic.  As in anything that happens to emphasize your manliness is a bad thing.  That is where I would part company.  You see I believe that God created me as a man and along with that there are certain masculine aspects of being a man that God intended; the good things about being a man.  The bad things happen when our sin screws up what God intended.  I have a verse that I use at the bottom of all my communication with our men’s group that I think sums up what Godly masculinity might look like.

Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love. 

1^st Corinthians 16:13-14 (E.S.V.)

Even beyond the obvious command to act like men, you can see how the rest of that verse encourages what I might call a healthy masculinity.  The watchful part brings to mind being protective.  We are on the lookout for people or things that might bring harm to those we love.  The more we stand firm in our faith the more we become men of character and integrity; men who do the right thing when it’s easier to do the wrong thing.  And yes we are called to be strong and that’s okay.  Obviously that is referring to more than just physical strength.  It’s also about being dependable, reliable, and courageous.  Of course we can’t rely on the first group of characteristics without the last and most important part of that command; to let all that we do be done in love.  Therein lies the challenge for all men (and women too for that matter).  When we forget the love part, we start doing things out of self-interest and selfish ambition, and yes, that sometimes can lead to a toxic form of masculinity as opposed to the masculinity God calls us to; the masculinity that this verse calls us to.  Let’s embrace the masculinity of 1^st Corinthians 16:13-14.  And come on ladies; isn’t that the kind of man you want in your life?  It’s anything but toxic.  Its men as God intended.