Social norms, abortion and some thoughts

 

Choose life, and life will be your portion.

Choose death, and death will follow you all your days.

For a long time I have wanted to write about abortion. I will state here and now that I unequivocally support life from conception to natural death.

As I prepared to write about abortion, I realised that one must begin with a much broader conversation about social norms, of which abortion is only one aspect. As in centuries past “all roads lead to Rome” so must all considerations lead to God and His word. If one does not believe in God, one will not behave in His ways.

Since the end of World War II there has been a massive upheaval in social norms that were static for centuries. The extended family transitioned to the nuclear family, then the single parent family to the blended family. The pill and contraceptive advances changed sexual behaviour. Same sex marriage has been legalised. Partnerships replaced marriage. Divorce is commonplace. Gender identity has become fluid.

Technology influences like never before. The internet explodes with information and ideas across the world. Mobile phones allow instant communication.

As never before, children and young people are influenced not be a cohesive family unit consisting of two loving married parents, grandparents, uncles and aunties but by media and friendship groups. The examples of relationships demonstrated to them may be unstable and impermanent. Yet they are expected to make good choices in their own lives.

An era of economic affluence in the western world following WWII ushered in the reign of two “gods” now pervasive in our society- the god of self and the god of sex. We are encouraged to amass far more than we need with status assigned to money, clothes, material possessions and travel. We hear phrases such as “follow your dreams” and “don’t settle for anything less”, not inherently bad in themselves but can be used at the expense of others and which can ultimately lead to disappointment a depression. Women in particular are encouraged to “have it all” – career, relationships and family. Economic systems are now designed so that two working people are needed to rent or buy the family home.

 Sex has become glorified in advertising, pornography and myriad forms outside of marriage. The words chastity and celibacy are hardly ever heard. Casual sex and serial monogamy are commonplace.

So we come to abortion, the disposal of the unwanted product of sex for the advancement of self. I grieve to even write these ugly words.

We have a complex society with complex issues and solutions and without doubt there is no going back to the lifestyles of previous centuries. How do we negotiate the world as it is and more to the point, how do we help our children to negotiate this world?

All roads lead to Rome.

All considerations lead to Jesus Christ, the only hope for this world.

Without a moral compass one is adrift in a sea of conflicting values. Relative morality does not bring relief, or peace or satisfaction. The is only one positive hope.

Christianity in our modern world, for those who are not Christians, is often misunderstood, is stereotyped and is mocked. At this point we as Christians gently ask that others consider the precepts of Christianity and you may find it very different to what you might expect. Yes, it may impact on your life. You may think it will change your lifestyle for the worse, but amazingly, it may change it for the better. That is where programs such as Alpha, available to the public through churches or online, are a great resource for considering Christianity.

Many in the western world fail to appreciate that the most stable and prosperous societies were founded and built on Christian values. The tenets of western law, medicine, business dealings and charitable institutions can all be traced back to the Bible. Moral principles and social directives found in the Bible have withstood the test of centuries. The Bible is clear- when we follow the precepts that God determined for His people, your life is blessed.

Rejection of God does not lead to peace and lasting joy. Ultimately it leads to unhappiness, confusion, sin and death.

The Bible, God’s word, is all about life. People are created in the image of God. The world, from the sky above to the waters below was wonderfully created, in its myriad abundance of living forms- plants, animals, mankind and all the inanimate creation that amazes with its complexity and interrelationships. The Bible is the history book of humanity encompassing creation, sin, complex problems and relationships and redemption through Jesus Christ and the hope that is found in Him.

God’s word is also all about love. The love of God for His people and His desire to bless and uphold them through good times and bad. This redemptive love is contained in perhaps the most well -known verse of the Bible:

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (NIV) John chapter 3, verse 16.

Life and love, that is the promise of those who follow Christ. It’s not just an insurance policy for the afterlife as some might imagine, but a reality here and now- that being a Christian ensures the best possible life to live now. God says

“I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ¹² Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. “  NIV Jeremiah 29: 11-13