January 19, 2007 1:34 PM
Contraception: where the slippery slope began
In a post at No room for Contraception, Always Room for Love, Ruben Obregon makes the same point I make in Reaching the Left from the Right; Talking about Social Issues with People Who Don't Think Like You:
The Role of Contraception in Increasing AbortionIt’s a common assumption that contraception reduces the need for abortion in the United States. Yet the history of contraception and abortion in the 60s and 70s shows this assumption to be incorrect.
In the 60s, the legal status of contraceptives and the ability of married couples to use them varied from state to state. Most states had restrictions on how contraceptives could be distributed and who could use them. The United States Supreme Court would play a pivotal role in the increased access to contraception during this period by declaring various state restrictions unconstitutional.
Though it started much earlier, the sexual revolution started to make serious inroads in the mid 60s. The introduction of the birth control pill brought the revolution to new heights. The pill rapidly gained acceptance, and by 1965, 42.9 percent of married teens were using or had used oral contraception.1)Contraception became more accessible for married couples in 1965, when Supreme Court ended Connecticut’s restrictions against contraceptive use and possession by married couples. (Griswold v. Connecticut) This landmark case provided the framework for later contraception and abortion decisions. In fact, one could argue this very framework led to the court overturning state abortion restrictions. From a legal standpoint, the framework for legalized contraception led to legalized abortion in the United States.
Read the entire article here.
Here is a little snippet from my RTLFTR - actually, this is from my original manuscript which my publisher "softened" somewhat and I don't have time to look up and type out the final printed version. My thesis is that it was man's usurpation of God's sovereignty by seizing the reins of birth control that began the slippery slope to all the major moral dilemmas we currently face. Birth control was the first major step to a Have It Your Way! world which has led to abortion, feminism, homosexuality, IVF, stem cell research, designer babies, cloning, euthanasia. Not to mention materialism, overconsumption, and individual greed. We seem to have lost the idea of surrendering to the needs of others or to a plan greater than our individual desires:
Originally the entire church – all denominations -- forbade birth control. In 1908 the Bishops of the Anglican Communion meeting at the Lambeth Conference declared:
The Conference records with alarm the growing practice of the
artificial restriction of the family and earnestly calls upon all Christian
people to discountenance the use of all artificial means of restriction as
demoralising to character and hostile to national welfare.But by 1930, the Anglican Church became the first to change its tune, declaring at that year’s Lambeth Conference that “Each couple must decide for themselves, as in the sight of God,” about “scientific methods to prevent conception.”
The other Protestant denominations quickly followed suit – giving up any hope of affecting the world and instead becoming conformed to it – so that within 30 years there was no difference between the Protestant position on birth control and that espoused by Sanger’s followers. It was all about individual choice.
As a result, the concept of marriage in America changed, from an institution based on service – maintaining the well-being of the family and children – to a couple who are already complete and may or may not want children at all. There is actually a sizeable community of couples networked over the Internet who refer to themselves as CF – that’s childfree – some of whom are militantly anti-child no matter who those children belong to.
So perhaps the slippery slopes began before Roe v. Wade – back in 1930 when the church began to capitulate to world, rewriting church law away from the timeless spirit of the Bible and in the direction of accommodation of modern humans – modern but still tainted by selfishness and sin.
And those slippery slopes have led us to a world where:
• Abortion is rampant: over one quarter of babies conceived in the last 30 years have been aborted.
• The womb is the unsafest place for a baby to be.
• Aborted babies are harvested – whole or in parts – for testing and transplanting.
• Parents began aborting babies for such disabilities as spina bifida and Down syndrome, but by 2004 were aborting for cleft palate and wrong gender.
• Peter Singer, chair of Princeton’s Ethics department, preaches that parents of a child born with a disability should have 30 days to decide whether to allow him or her to live.
• Mothers seem more apt than ever to extend their “right to choose” to children already born, or so it would appear by the number in the news killing their own children.
It is here – in how we regard children – that we need to question the status quo, to raise our eyes from the things of the world to try to catch a glimpse of God’s perspective. The past century, while seeing many gains in the legal status and protection of minors (child labor laws, advances in education, punishments for those who do them harm), has also witnessed a steady devaluation of children, even among adults who still want to raise a few themselves.
Whereas in agrarian societies, large families were clearly a blessing and children were valued members who co-labored with their parents for the good of the family, in today’s families, children are considered economic burdens and liabilities.
But Christians should beware before accepting this narrow valuation. And Christian parents should beware of making decisions based on their convenience. God’s word tells us:
Sons are a heritage from the Lord,
children are a reward from him
Like arrows in the hands of a mighty warrior
are the sons born in one’s youth.
Blessed is the man
whose quiver is full of them. (Psalm 127:3-5)This means that in whatever context, we should see our children differently than those in the world. And yet, I’ve heard the same remarks from believers and non-believers alike:
“Two’s all I can handle!”
“No more for us!”
As though, using His language, we would say to God: “Two rewards are all I can handle!” “No more blessings for us!”
Unfortunately, Christians lost much moral high ground to deal effectively with any issue concerning children when they started regarding them with no more respect than the world.
Does that mean I think they shouldn’t stop trying to confront the terrible reality of abortion? No, not at all.
It just means that I think believers can be more effective if they don’t frame the issue in the black/white, liberal/conservative, Christian/secular polarities of the media. I think we could do better if we subjected our own lives, our own thoughts about children, our own ability to sacrifice, to intense scrutiny – laying all our presuppositions before the Lord and asking him to show us where we may have sinned and fallen short ourselves in not accepting His best for our lives.
So often I meet people who tell me they would have had or adopted more children if only their spouse had been in agreement. Sometimes it’s the husband who’s placed limits. But just as often it’s the wife. The sad result is all around me in the Christian community I see people who’ve limited their family size in conformity to the world’s ideas, and never tasted for themselves what it means to see children the way God intended us to see them – as rewards and blessings He has showered on us.
Just a little food for thought as we approach the 34th anniversary of the day our Supreme Court slid its way into its new legislative role in Roe v Wade.
Here are past articles I've published on this anniversary:
The Sisterhood, 27 Years Later
Thirty-One Years Later: Slippery Slopes Take a New Turn
Second Thoughts on Reproductive Freedom.
To me, one of the most disappointing aspects of Christianity is the conformity to the world of the Evangelical and Protestant Churches. I am drawn to the Catholic Church because of its absolute respect for life. Yes, I know that individual Catholics do not follow church teachings, but the church itself has never erred or strayed in this regard.
Let's face it: Many who call themselves pro-life are merely anti-abortion. Monday, the anniversary of Roe v. Wade is a time for each of us to reflect: When it comes to pro-life issues, what is God's will and where do we really stand?
Posted in Big families, Church Issues, Pro-Life Issues | Permalink
Comments
Unfortunately, Christians lost much moral high ground to deal effectively with any issue concerning children when they started regarding them with no more respect than the world.
Wow. Strong words. Worth saying and worth hearing.
I count myself among the guilty. (My tubes are tied) I'm not sure how to process the beliefs I have. I want to blame it on the fact that DH and I were raised to believe that 2 children is plenty and it was unwise to have more. But that really doesn't cut it does it? I want to not feel bad about not wanting any more children.
I think it is accurate to same I am anti-abortion but not necessarily pro-life. I also must take responsibility for the part my choices play in society. Have I unwittingly sent the message that children are to be viewed as a burden? I really want there to be a middle ground for me to comfortably stand in, but I'm not sure there is.
I wonder if God sees any difference in preventing a birth before conception or after? The socialized girl I am wants to say "of course there is. After conception you are stopping a life" But I honestly don't know. Is it really any better to stop it a few weeks earlier?
I'd rather not think about it. I hate to let those thoughts out of my head, because I don't want anyone to turn it around and think that justifies having an abortion.
Am I dooming another generation to the same errant thinking because I don't want to be honest about what I have done and pretending it's OK?
Or is it easy for me to say it's wrong and I shouldn't have done it, safely knowing it is almost entirely irreversible?
Much to pray about.
Posted by: whimsy | January 19, 2007 7:30 PM
Whimsy -
I'm so sorry for my harsh words. I'm indicting a culture which does not revere life or children. As individuals, we are all indoctrinated to one degree or another. The Protestant/evangelical church should have provided more of a moral compass in this area, as the Catholic church has done.
We all have attitudes that need adjustment as we get older. It wasn't until I had a child with a disability that I understood that disabilities were nothing to be afraid of. Fear of having a child with Down syndrome is another example of an attitude we unconsciously accept without question - until perhaps we hear someone say that there is really nothing to be afraid of.
I think the omportant thing isn't the mistakes we may have made - because we've all made them - but how willing we are to revisit our decisions and our openess to accepting that some may have been wrong. Not to feel guilty and burdened, but to experience the relief of knowing that God loves us no matter what - and that even if we've made mistakes, he will make something good of it. One way he does that is by people saying, "Yes, this was a mistake. Yes, I had an abortion and it was a mistake." Not to beat yourself up about it, but to provide a warning to others.
And yes, for the sake of the next generation, it's important to share with them what your mistakes have been. We can learn from the mistakes of others.
I really appreciate your sharing, because that's what a writer wants to accomplish - not providing people with pat answers, but provoking them to examine their lives and hearts.
Love,
Barbara
Posted by: barbara | January 19, 2007 8:56 PM
Barbara:
I read your words and I can see where the Church has lost ground in many aspects, comforming more to society than to the Word of God, and letting the world influence the Church instead of the other way around.
Your post however comes at a very crucial time in our lives. We are expecting our third baby in May; we always wanted more kids, but now we have been thinking that we might not be able to do so, not because we don't value kids, but for physical reasons.
I was diagnosed with Reumathoid Arthritis during my first pregnancy; I spent most of the nine months in pain, unable to take any medication, except Tylenol, and not too often. My second pregnancy was a little easier on me, because we were living in a different state, where the weather was more forgiving, but this pregnancy has been just awfull; most days am unable to move some part of my body, whether it's my arms, my legs, my wrists or sometimes I experience pain in my hips, which makes it really hard to walk. All in all I have felt unable to properly care for my two little boys (four and two) and my husband. My family is in Mexico and his family is not the most service-to-others oriented. We feel we are alone on this.
Such situation has made us rethink our original plan; my husband has talked about having a vasectomy, but we have not made a decison just yet. It does sadden me that by making a decision not to have more babies, we are sending God the message that we don't want any more blessings or rewards. I have prayed about it, but I have not yet felt peace about it either way. I know He knows our heart, and He knows we love our kids, and we value them, and we have made sacrifices for them, including selling our house and a brand new truck in order to modify our budget and be able to afford to be a stay-home-mom.
I'm not trying to sound like a victim, I know there are moms out there that have gone thru extremely more difficult circumstances than me, I'm just tired of the pain and the physical challenges I face when I'm pregnant. I just wonder, like Whimsy, if there is a middle ground or if everyone who has said no to more babies, for one reason or another, stand in the same category before God's eyes.
Again I agree with Whimsy, there's much to pray about.
Thanks for challenging our thinking and make us search our heart.
Posted by: LadyLovas | January 19, 2007 9:49 PM
I am Catholic, and do try to follow the teaching of the Church regarding marriage and family. My husband and I have been married 26 years and have 5 living children. Back in 1989, I had a very difficult pregnancy (a tumorous placenta) coupled with a baby with severe birth defects who died at birth. My husband and I practiced natural family planning for a couple years afterwards while the doctors monitored me for any tumor regrowth (thankfully there was none). By knowing the woman's natural cycle of fertility and infertility, the couple can space their pregnancies if serious reasons dictate... We went on to have our 4 children fairly close in age, and after 11 years of not conceiving a child (tho always open to it), I found myself pregnant at 45! What a shock! And when our youngest daughter was born with Down syndrome, I did wonder WHAT God must have been thinking! But oh, with all my heart, now, after 4 years, I THANK HIM for the love and mercy He showered on me and the whole family with the gift of this dear child. We do have to trust our Heavenly Father. He's in charge and He knows what is best for us. And I second Barbara, no matter what our past, God forgives us if we turn to Him--every saint has a past and every sinner has a future (said by Oscar Wilde, who became Catholic before he died!).
Posted by: Betty | January 20, 2007 8:18 AM
Thank you Barbara, for having the courage to write this! You say more eloquently what I try (and fail most times) to express to my Christian peers.
Posted by: Margaret | January 20, 2007 8:51 AM
I love it when you speak pro-life, Barbara! :) This is one area in which you are at your best! I always feel so encouraged by your strength.
Posted by: Holly | January 20, 2007 9:55 AM
Amen!
As a Catholic who ignored her Church on this for so long, then finally realized the freedom that comes with accepting our partner fully in sexual love (not only accepting their body, but accepting their potential for life), thank you!
I did want to address the point LadyLovas brought up. Here, I am going by the Catholic church's teachings. In a situation like yours, the church would say that you do have a grave reason to postpone more children, even indefinitely. The church would probably say that a procedure like vasectomy would be unadvisable. Instead, they would encourage you to learn natural family planning from a class, and practice the rules for postponing pregnancy to the letter. Who knows what the future may hold? It's possible that God may heal you. Or there may be a safe treatment developed. Or you may move back to a warmer climate, etc.
I can tell you from my own experience using it, if you really really follow NFP rules to the letter, the liklihood of pregnancy per year is less than 1%. Just like the pill. And, vasactomy has a small, less than 1% failure rate too. Yet NFP still lets God work in your lives for children at some point, easily. You just stop following the postpone rules. Vasectomy? Difficult to reverse and not always effective.
Posted by: Jill (colicmommy) | January 20, 2007 10:05 AM
I'm so sorry for my harsh words.
No apology necessary! If anything just the opposite. We need to apologize for NOT speaking about this.
Posted by: whimsy | January 20, 2007 2:56 PM
At the risk of offending - and if you think this is offensive, don't post it! - I've thought a while about the Roman Catholic "respect for life" and I want to point out that, as a denomination, they've had their failings, too -
the Inquisition
robbing the poor for Indulgences
some collaboration with the Nazis (admitted to)
and passing molesting priests around instead of removing them from office. . .
this is NOT to Catholic bash, as I know many of them have done great good and kindnesses, so please understand, I am just pointing out that ALL of our denominations are spotty at best - mine included.
Posted by: Marie | January 21, 2007 8:24 AM
Lady Lovas -
I am so sorry to hear how hard this pregnancy has been for you. Will pray for you each day.
Jill -
Thanks for setting us straight on how the Catholic Church would view LL's situation!
Marie -
You brought up
the Inquisition
robbing the poor for Indulgences
some collaboration with the Nazis (admitted to)
and passing molesting priests around instead of removing them from office. .
I really don't want to go there. First of all, I would need to research the Inquisition to understand the motives that lay behind it. Some of our perception may be biased just as the public perception of the McCarthy era is biased. They were trying to keep Muslims from infiltrating the highest offices in Spain, according to my very vague memory. And torture was (and is) still common in just about every culture but ours.
There is definitely wickedness and evil and sin involved in the Catholic Church - just as there is wickedness and evil and sin in the Protestant church. It's always hard to accept. But we are humans and fail at everything we do. Even Bible heroes had their dark sides.
However, I'm speaking of official church doctrine. The Catholic Church - in its docrtrine - has always upheld marriage, the family, and the sanctity of life. Those seem VERY BIG to me - much bigger than issues about Mary for instance. When I go to the March for Life, it is attended in overwhelming numbers by Catholics, not Protestants or evangelicals. I always feel like a token pro-life evangelical there.
Posted by: barbara | January 21, 2007 8:26 AM
Barbara....
I couldn't agree with you more concerning the official Catholic church doctrines concerning abortion, contraception & marriage. While I am not Catholic....their views on & passion for life have always been where I have felt most "at home".
There is no "perfect" denomination....if I could find one that --
Was truly pro-life like the Catholics
Had the liturgical, rich heritage & traditions as well as beautiful sactuaries of the main line Protestant Churches I attended as a child.
The solid Bible teaching, evangalism emphasis & great programs of the fundamentalist churches I was blessed to be involved in during college.
A mix of the best Pentacostal worship service and awesome theological hymns that I love.
The heart for the poor, destitute & needy and the willingness to "do something" for them like many more liberal denominations & social religious organizations.
And of course fellowship in the true Koinania sense of the word....where they came together regularly for teaching, communion, fellowship and truly had all things in common so there was noone in "need".
Ahhhhh....but then I'd probably be in heaven! :)
Posted by: Beth Lambdin | January 21, 2007 7:36 PM
Several times since the birth of our 3rd, we have felt confirmed in the idea that our family is "complete," a deep sense of peace, actually. But I cringe to imagine the words of some people who would call 3 too "selfish" or restricting.
I wrote a post in response to the discussion on another blog, and had some new thoughts while writing it.
Mainly, that the two most common scriptures used to support having babies (Gen 1:28 and Mal 2:15) are weakened by the fact they are presented in isolation (out of context).
I agree entirely with needing to maintain an attitude (and practices) open to life, but let us be very careful what we call scriptural mandates, and how we view others' choices; we don't know where God is leading them.
Posted by: Amy Jane | January 21, 2007 8:06 PM
Amy Jane,
I think what Barbara was saying is that God never leads His children in a direction away from his clear teachings in Scripture. For us to "feel complete" or a "deep sense of peace" about anything at all in life must always be held up to scrutiny against God's Word. His ways are not our ways. That's clear in Scripture. The things that we feel at peace about, since we're sinners, will often be things that are in total opposition to God's ways. Which is why we must guard against sinful messages from the world and from our own sinful ways of thinking. Which is why, if we claim to be His children, we must hold our ideas and approaches to everyone and everything up to the unchanging measuring rod of Scripture. You said some people use scriptures out of context to support having babies. What about this one: "Sons are a heritage from the Lord,
children are a reward from him
Like arrows in the hands of a mighty warrior
are the sons born in one’s youth.
Blessed is the man
whose quiver is full of them." (Psalm 127:3-5)
Our feelings are subjective. They can change like the wind. They are subject to sin. They are not to be our leader. God's Word is not subjective, it is true. Always. It does not change. It is more steady and immovable than the foundations of the earth. If you want to know where God is leading you or anyone else in this area, He has already made it clear in His Word for all of us to read. And if we don't "feel a peace" after reading what His will is about welcoming children as blessings, then we must not lean on our own understanding or feelings, because we can be certain that our feelings are deceiving us!
Posted by: Jenny Abrenica | January 22, 2007 12:43 AM
I loved this article. Though my dh and I weren't always pro-life (though we have always been anti-abortion), we have come to see how society hasn't valued children for a very long time. We no longer practice any form of birth control because we feel that God should be in charge of how many children we have. That doesn't necessarily mean we will have a very large family though we are expecting our fifth child in September. It just means that God will decide how many children to send to us.
I only have one other thing to say. I agree that at least a quarter of my generation and beyond are missing but I think this misses the mark just slightly. The missing children are not just the ones who have been aborted. They are also the ones who were never conceived to begin with. Imagine how different society would be if all the missing were here.
Posted by: Sandrad | January 22, 2007 11:38 AM
I confess to all of you that my husband and I didnt let God decide how many children we would have. We decided. My husband got a vasectomy shortly after my son was born (our children are less than a year apart) I regret this decision. I would just like to say to anyone who may be reading this, let God bless you without taking matters into your own hands and wrecking His plan for your life. I regret it so much...
Posted by: kayls | January 24, 2007 6:32 PM
I'm so glad to see an evangelical writing this! My husband and I were raised Mennonite/evangelical and became Catholic four years ago. One of the things that has most enriched our marriage is the Church's teaching on the meaning of marriage: bonding and babies!
We used the Pill, Depro-Provera, condoms, etc. for the first number of years of our marriage (we were never taught there was even a question about the use of contraception). Imagine my anger when I discovered that the hormonal contraceptives can all act as abortificants (sp?)! We had to find another way. Eventually we began using Natural Family Planning, but since we were trying to learn it on our own, it wasn't easy. Once we were properly instructed, we found it to be very effective--both in seeking to conceive or not depending on where we believed God to be leading us.
A couple years ago we became instructors and now have the privilege of teaching other couples NFP. (Our diocese requires it as part of marriage preparation.) Although we deal with many couples who aren't open to learning it, we've had some surprises. I think we'll see more openness as time goes on.
For those of you who've considered sterilization, please know that you can still conceive. Vasectomy carries a high risk for developing prostate cancer and many women who have their tubes tied end up with hysterectomies due to complications (and often no one connects why those complications exist). If you have serious reason to avoid pregnancy, NFP will work for you. And it will develop in you and your spouse self-control (fruit of the Spirit!) and deepen your marriage in ways you cannot imagine.
God bless you for having the courage to write on this topic in a time when it isn't well-accepted.
Posted by: Tracy | January 24, 2007 10:53 PM
Thank you for this poignant article.
As Christians we too often view our liberty as "since we are under grace, what am I able to do for me?" instead of viewing our liberty as the power to live in the way God has directed us in scripture.
It saddens me when I think of the women I know in church who have been sterilized or if not them, their husbands. God refers to children as blessings, yet we want every blessing there is except children. To be barren is a reproach and a curse according to scripture; but now we ask for the curse voluntarily and applaud our "wise" decision.
If the sovereign God of the universe took on flesh to die for our sin, how much more is He able to provide for the children He gives us?
We think too much in the pragmatic and not in the eternal.
How many children are we missing in our Christian homes who could have been raised to have a valuable, godly impact in our society?
Sadly, we sacrificed them to the gods of convenience and materialism much as the Israelites sacrificed children to Molech and Baal.
The world will always live as the world dictates, but we in Christ should live according to the patterns and precepts given to us by God.
Again, thank you for this article and may we all repent and choose life that we may live.
Sincerely,
B.G.
Isaiah 30:1
Posted by: Bette | January 26, 2007 1:30 PM
I am truly seeking advice here...here's my situation. My dh and I decided a few years back when we first came to Christ we wouldn't use birth control anymore. I have recently been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, and the medication I'm on (as well as most of the meds for MS that I know of), they say do NOT get pregnant while taking it, as there is a good risk of deforming or even miscarriage. You have to stop taking the med for 3 months before you even start trying to get it out of your system completely. I already have 2 boys (5 and 1), and this disease has already shown itself to be fairly aggressive in my body, and I would be no good to my boys by not taking these meds and getting a lot worse than I would be, sooner. I know that if I did get pregnant and miscarried, I know that it might have happened anyway, since I have had 2 miscarriages before my 2nd boy, but I will also feel horrible that it would be a very good possibility it could be from the meds. Dh and I haven't done anything other than "being careful" at certain times of the month, as we are still struggling with praying about what to do with this situation. We both feel that carrying on as if everything were normal would be irresponsible given the statistics of miscarriage rate, but we're also struggling with the question, if we DO do something (non-abortifacant, of course), does that mean our faith in the Lord is wavering? Then again, if we do nothing, we could be irresponsibly harming who knows how many children? I haven't found any information about this on the internet anywhere. Like I said, when I am off this medication, my lapses come much more frequently where I am useless, not to mention, each time I have another one, it is very possibly permanently damaging to me, which does no good to my 2 boys. We have prayed a lot about this, and I have told my dh I will go with whatever he thinks we should do, as I totally trust his judgment and his faith and submission to the Lord.
Posted by: Lisa | January 28, 2007 9:05 PM
Lisa! My heart breaks for you. To be perfectly honest I'm a pro-choice birth control pill-using feminist -- but a Christian, and I was lurking here to see the views of "the other side" and I just had to comment on your story.
Are barrier methods of contraception against your beliefs? (i.e. condoms, cervical caps). Because if you used that in addition to NFP, it seems very unlikely you would get pregnant. I really don't think God wants you to suffer, deteriorate, or die! Have you talked to anyone at your church about this? Even if you are not Catholic, I'm sure your local Catholic church would be happy to talk to you, since it sounds like your beliefs on contraception are pretty well aligned to Catholic beliefs. Many priests hold office hours and I'm sure you could drop in for counsel. And of course, prayer to God. I really don't think it's going against God's will to want to preserve your health and prevent miscarriages/ damaging another baby. I think it's obvious that you are open to life, and it's always more important to God what your heart-attitude is. You are alive and here right now. I think God wants you to be as health y and happy as possible, I don't think he expects you to be open to more children in this situation! Please consider barriers. Keep hope and keep praying and seek counsel.
For what it's worth from someone like me!
Posted by: Jane | January 30, 2007 6:46 PM
Dear Lisa, I, too, have a disability and American Life League helped me in my search for answers. Check out their website.
My Mom was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthiritis and was told that she would be in a wheelchair in a year and there was nothing that could be done for her; this was over 30 years ago. She approached her problem from a nutritional standpoint using vitamins, minerals, and healthy foods and the prognosis never came to be. I also give credit to this same approach with my disability. Although my disability didn't reverse itself, it did not get any worse.
You are in my prayers,
Lela
Posted by: Lela | February 2, 2007 2:28 PM
I read the previous comments from two ladies - one with rheumatoid arthritis and one with multiple sclerosis.
Please let me encourage you to look into the possibility of a Vitamin D deficiency. Please visit www.vitamindcouncil.com . There is important researched information available there on both diseases.
This may be the answer you are looking for, and I truly hope you find some relief!
Posted by: Anna | February 2, 2007 9:13 PM
While I appreciate your views, I find that it isn't always that cut and dry. First off, I do believe that children are a blessing from the Lord-my son is the most wonderful gift I have ever been given. Unfortunately, I have since then had two miscarriages and three ectopic pregnancies, leaving me with only half of a falopian tube. In these situations, the baby must be removed. My chances of conceiving naturally are slim. IVF is my best option. Is this a sin in your eyes if I were to have that procedure? Is it not God's plan? I think these are hard questions to answer. I'm sure that there are many Christian women out there with similiar problems. Just something to think about when you post a blanket statement about how a lot of us are anti-abortion, not pro-life.
Posted by: Tracey | February 13, 2007 11:46 AM
