Reflecting on an anonymous comment
Back on March 7, I wrote about a local Wegmans store with a sign that read "Women's Health," below which, among sex-related items, was birth control.
On March 21, I noted that the sign had disappeared. I applauded the change, then added the wish that just as the Catholic-owned chain had stopped selling cigarettes on moral/ethical/health grounds that it might stop selling birth control.
Recently, "anonymous" posted this comment: If birth control was to stop being sold, which it will never, I would just get more abortions.
I have no way of knowing if anonymous has had one or more abortions already - or that anonymous is even a woman. It could just be someone's attempt to be clever.
But it could indeed be from a woman who might have had one or more abortions, and might consider more in the future. It could be from someone who is in pain because of what has been done and is avoiding those feelings. Or it could be from someone who while not yet having had one might do so or be party to one.
It could be from someone who considers herself or himself a good Catholic and who does is nor fully aware of or does not understand the Church's teachings. It could be someone who has not been properly catechised, or who stopped attending church, or who attends a church where the priest(s) have not made the Church's teachings clear. It could be a University of Notre Dame trustee for all I know.
My response was: anonymous - It saddens me to hear that you may have already had abortions. I will pray for you and your babies at this morning's Mass.
I did pray for anonymous and any babies who might have died. I prayed for all the men and women out there who are like anonymous.
I pray that anonymous and all the others like her/him might have a conversion of heart, and, if they have had abortions, that they might experience healing and forgiveness. I pray that they begin to recognize that no matter what they have done, no matter what they feel about themselves, God loves them.
On March 21, I noted that the sign had disappeared. I applauded the change, then added the wish that just as the Catholic-owned chain had stopped selling cigarettes on moral/ethical/health grounds that it might stop selling birth control.
Recently, "anonymous" posted this comment: If birth control was to stop being sold, which it will never, I would just get more abortions.
I have no way of knowing if anonymous has had one or more abortions already - or that anonymous is even a woman. It could just be someone's attempt to be clever.
But it could indeed be from a woman who might have had one or more abortions, and might consider more in the future. It could be from someone who is in pain because of what has been done and is avoiding those feelings. Or it could be from someone who while not yet having had one might do so or be party to one.
It could be from someone who considers herself or himself a good Catholic and who does is nor fully aware of or does not understand the Church's teachings. It could be someone who has not been properly catechised, or who stopped attending church, or who attends a church where the priest(s) have not made the Church's teachings clear. It could be a University of Notre Dame trustee for all I know.
My response was: anonymous - It saddens me to hear that you may have already had abortions. I will pray for you and your babies at this morning's Mass.
I did pray for anonymous and any babies who might have died. I prayed for all the men and women out there who are like anonymous.
I pray that anonymous and all the others like her/him might have a conversion of heart, and, if they have had abortions, that they might experience healing and forgiveness. I pray that they begin to recognize that no matter what they have done, no matter what they feel about themselves, God loves them.
posted by A Secular Franciscan | 11:03 AM
8 Comments:
You should pray for you, too. To be able to open your heart to people with different points of view.
I do.
I am always open to - and in need of - prayer.
And I am always open to other people who have differing viewpoints.
I don't see how saying what they believe is wrong is a rejection of them.
As a parent, I have offered correction to my children many times, but that does not mean I love them any less or that I reject them.
Being open to other's views does not make those views correct. Lee was gentle and kind, but remains strong in the truth. I commend your gentle approach to the spiritual works of mercy, particularly instructing the ignorant and admonishing the sinner. Your approach to anonymous was Christian in every sense.
Thank you David.
anonymous - state your name.
I don't mind the charge against me of not being open minded. That I can argue about. But the promotion of abortion does not pass muster. That's what got you deleted.
anonymous - "you won't even let me state my side, yeah your open minded."
That's not stating your side - that's making a personal attack.
As for the rest, you spouted a slogan. State why you supportt abortion - and your name.
I've had people post who support abortion - but who debate the data, the facts, etc. That's fine. That's discussion, not name calling. Their posts stayed.
As for being "open-minded," you are only targetting one issue - abortion - two if you count birth control. But accusing me of not being open-minded is a broad stereotype of me that crosses issues. What are my positions on those issues that would get me called closed-minded? Where do I stand on the Death Penalty? Natural Family Planning? Foreign Aid? The War in Iraq? Health care? Support for women who've had abortions? Immigration? Prescription drug costs?
Come back when you are ready to talk.
Anonymous - Back to the insults and slogans?
Here's a response to a couple of things you said:
"And honestly, I could care less about your views on anything and I'm sure I can predict what they are given your fundamentalist views."
Sorry you don't care. And sorry that you stereotype in that way.
By the way, if you did care to check, I've written against the death penalty and the war in Iraq - I even took part in prewar protests. I support some sort of universal health care, etc.
Pretty fundamentalist, eh?
As for abortion saving women's lives, women have died as a result of legal abortion. The story about how so many women died because of illegal abortions, by the way, was a lie made up by the pro-abortiontist side to get it legal -as folks like Dr. Nathanson later admitted. Some did die, sadly, but nowhere near the number Nathanson and others made up.
Plus, there's the matter of more than 50 million babies' lives lost since abortion became legal.
Abortion is legal - true - but then so was slavery, child labor, discriminatory laws against women in the U.S., discrimnation against Native Americans, and more. In Germany, the government was acting according to the law when it persecuted and kllled Jewish people.
I'm afraid the pro-abortion arguments just don't hold up in the face of facts.
You were not respectful in how you presented your views - unless you consider name calling, stereotyping and insulting your opponent respectful.
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