The Government Should Leave Women Alone

Wow!
The first few lines had me all angry, but it seems all the best arguments have been made already.

Id like to reiterate every single claim that the Reverend Doctor made against the Catholic Church are false.

Quote #1:
"Women's rights are already invaded by the Roman Catholic church, which says they should not use contraception. Excuse me? What is the basis of such a doctrine? And why is there no doctrine that tells men they ought to not be so footloose and fancy-free with their sexual habits?"
To quote the Bible that Protestants in general are so fond of taking literally, "In all things moderation." St. Paul was pretty clear on that one, and most Christians (including Catholics) base much doctrine off of it.

"But isn't it murder as well to let a hungry child go hungry, a poor child remain homeless, and a poorly educated child lose hope and end up in prison?"
Are you killing the child? What about the children who don't go hungry? The ones that succeed. If anyone looks in the general reader responses to the prompt, there will be several entire lists of adopted children. I have three very good friends and at least one teacher who are all adopted. "Crack babies"? How dare you!

I'd also like to urge a reading of Roe. It may already have been stated, but the Supreme Court did not endorse "choice". In fact, it specifically stated that it was against a woman's so-called 'right' to have an abortion at any time for any reason.

I'm curious as to how the Reverend Doctor would respond to all of these...

Finally, right on to all of you pro-lifers who posted already, especially Ken16! Woo!

"if Pope Benedictus wants me to be married, He must pay the debts and cancel the prayers, deal?"

No deal, the prayers will never stop and the debts are mine to pay anyway, no one needs to tell the responibilities I am accountable for. Mistake, to think that you have someone at a disavantage because of their circumstaces.

Unconditional love, unthinkable!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxbskIyq2WA

the end of the previous message in Turkish, it is about the mother and her disapproval. Hitler was a painter and cartoonist for children. and i had heard about his problem with his mother.

Rosh Hashanah
Rosh Hash Hannah

bir kisinin butunlenme tasarrufu, bir hikaye degil. kavramlarin sunuldugu ve butun olarak anlatildigi bir "proforma invoice".

Musa Aleyhisselam bir gun: Ya Rabbi, Cennet’te benim komsum kim olacak, bana bildir de gidip onunla goruseyim, dedi. Musa Aleyhisselama soyle vahiy geldi. Falan beldeye git! Orada carsinin basinda bir kasap dukkani var. O dukkanin sahibi olan kasabi gor! O veli bir kulumdur. Yalniz bilesin ki, onun cok onemli bir isi vardir. cagirirsan gelmez. Iste o senin cennetteki komsundur. Musa Aleyhisselam hemen bildirilen yere gitti. Kasabi buldu ve ona Ben sana misafir geldim, dedi. Kasap Musa Aleyhisselami tanimiyordu.Ona Hos geldin deyip bir kenara oturttu. Dukkanda ki isi bitince de alip evine goturdu. Evinin bas kosesine otur tup cok ikramda bulundu.

Musa Aleyhisselam, ev sahibini dikkatle takip ediyordu. Ev sahibi kasabin ocakta comlek icinde, et pisirdigini gordu. Et pisince comlekteki eti kucuk kucuk parcalara ayirdi. Bunlari bir tabaga koyup, bir kenara birakti. Sonra bir et parcasi daha cikartip, onu da misafiri Musa Aleyhisselam’a ikram ederek dedi ki: ‘Benim onemli bir isim var. Sen beni bekleme yemegini ye’! Sonra da yanindan ayrildi.

onemli bir isim var deyince, Musa Aleyhisselam, onemli isi nedir diye merak etti ve gizlice kasabi takip etti. Kasap Musa Aleyhisselam’in yanindan ayrildiktan sonra, yandaki odaya gecti. Duvarda asili duran buyuk bir zembili indirdi. Zembilde cok ihtiyar, mecalsiz bir kadin vardi. Kadina kucuk kucuk parcaladigi etleri yedirdi.Karnini guzelce doyurduktan sonra, altindaki kirlenmis bezleri aldi yerinetemizlerini koydu. Sonra kirli bezleri yikayip astiktan sonra ellerini yikayip Musa Aleyhisselam’in yanina geldi, Daha yemege baslamadigini goren kasap sordu.

‘Nicin yemege baslamadiniz’? ‘Musa Aleyhisselam Sen bana zembildeki sirri soylemedikce bir lokma bile yemem’. Dedi. ‘Mademki merakettin anlatayim’: Ey misafir, bu zembildeki benim yasli annemdir. cok yasli oldugu icin takatten dustu. Evde bakacak baska kimsem de yok. Evlenecegim, fakat hanimim annemi incitir, onu uzer diye evlenemiyorum.

Ise gittigimde herhangi bir hayvanin kendisine zarar vermemesi icin onu gordugun gibi bir zembile koydum. Her gun gelip iki ogun yemek yediriyorum. Diger hizmetlerini de gorup gonul rahatligiyla isime gidiyorum. Bunun uzerine Musa Aleyhisselam dedi ki: ‘Ancak anlamadigim bir sey daha var’. Sen annene yemek yedirip su icirdikten sonra, dudaklarini kipirdatip birseyler soyledi, sen de AMIN dedin. Annen ne soyledi ki amin dedin ?

Annem, her hizmet edisimde Allah seni Cennette Musa Aleyhisselam’a komsu eylesin diye dua eder. Ben , hic ihtimal vermedigim halde, bu guzel duaya amin derim. Ben kimim ki, O buyuk Peygamberle komsuluk edebileyim. Onunla komsuluk edebilecek ne amelim var ki. O zamana kadar kim oldugunu saklayan Musa Aleyhisselam, buyurdu ki : ‘Ey Allahin sevgili kulu, ben Musa’yim. Beni sana Allah-u Tealâ gonderdi. Annenin rizasini kazandigin icin Cennet-i Â’lâyi ve orada bana komsu olmayi kazandin’. Kasap hemen kalkip Musa

Aleyhisselamin elini optu ve sevinc icinde yemegini yedi. Allah-u Tealâ sizleri ANNE sefkatinden mahrum etmesin ve ANNE bedduasindan uzak kilsin.

Rev. Smith:

Certain remarks you make in your essay prompt a few observations on my part.

1. "There is no way the court should overturn Roe v. Wade.

"Senator John McCain and Gov. Sarah Palin say that the historic ruling, which allowed abortion to be legalized, should be overturned. I do not for the life of me understand why the government should have that kind of power over what should be a personal choice of a woman."

I'm not sure if you realize this, Rev. Smith, but you’ve basically produced an essay in support of why the law OUGHT to guarantee a right to abortion. That has little bearing on the question of whether the Constitution actually DOES guarantee such a right, which is the only relevant issue in determining whether the Supreme Court should overturn Roe v. Wade.

2. "Is that the way a democracy is really supposed to function?"

Well, no. In a properly functioning democracy, choices about what the law SHOULD be – which is what your essay really addresses - are left to the legislature.

3. "I am so confused anymore [sic] about what the government can and cannot do, but this I am not confused about: I would resent it if my government prevented me from making a choice I felt I had to make."

Again, your resentment should arguably be a concern for a legislature, but why is it relevant to how a court interprets the Constitution?

4. "I can think of nothing more unfair to an unborn child than to come into this world unwanted."

Can you think of anything more unfair to a BORN child, or for that matter an adult, than to remain in this world unwanted? If yes, what’s the fundamental difference to the fairness analysis? If no, than shall we put unwanted people out of their misery?

Also, given that you appear to be a person of religion, when you say "unwanted" are you suggesting that there are children who arrive in the world utterly unwanted, even by God?

5. "Those who oppose Roe v. Wade say they are pro-life, but isn't life more than a fetus? Where is the outcry for 'life' when babies are born into poverty, unable to get good health care and education? If the concern is 'life,' then is it really the case that the definition of 'life' is so shallow that it only includes a fetus?

There is a tremendous outcry over things like poverty; I'm not sure how this has escaped your attention. Also, I'm not sure why you think that right-to-life folks include only fetuses within that definition. If they really did that, they'd probably be pretty relaxed about aborting, shall we say, post-fetal human beings – which clearly isn't the case.

Moreoever, I'm sure you would agree that although there is a lot more to human life than a fetus, life for the fetus is pretty much an absolute precondition for the rest of it.

6. "There is yet another side of this issue that is troubling. Republicans say, and have historically said, that they are against 'big government.' States and individuals' rights ought not to be trampled on, or dictated to by, the federal government, right? Then when does 'big government' really begin? Isn't it the height of 'big government' for the federal government to say to women that they do not have a right to choose whether or not they have a baby?

Leaving aside the fact that this argument isn't likely to resonate with the millions of non-Republican pro-lifers, you appear to have this exactly backwards. Were it not for Roe v. Wade, the federal government would have very little to say to women on this subject, because it was the Roe court that decided that the Constitution was not actually silent on the subject after all. However, the several states would then have something to say, whatever that happened to be.

7. "Women's rights are already invaded by the Roman Catholic church, which says they should not use contraception. Excuse me? What is the basis of such a doctrine?"

How is that an invasion of rights? Imagine, just as a hypothetical example, that I say you should not be airing your opinions about Roe v. Wade in print. Am I invading your rights by saying that?

As for the basis of the doctrine, it is explained in widely available texts produced by the Catholic Church. You may disagree with the explanation, but there’s no point pretending that the basis of the Catholic belief is a complete unknown.

8. "And why is there no doctrine that tells men they ought to not be so footloose and fancy-free with their sexual habits?"

Obviously, there IS such a teaching. Surely they covered the Catholic Church in at least that much detail at Yale Divinity School, Rev. Smith.

9. "But isn't it murder as well to let a hungry child go hungry, a poor child remain homeless, and a poorly educated child lose hope and end up in prison?"

In a word, no. Morally objectionable? I'll believe that. Murder? Not by any conventional definition with which I'm familiar. What purpose does it serve to muddy the intellectual waters in this way?

* * * * * * * * * *

Very truly yours,

Climacus

to the author: you cannot fathom the depth of my pity for the congregation of your church. What a waste . . .

http://www.seslisozluk.com/?word=hash
http://www.seslisozluk.com/?word=rosh

Hannah

Osethia, Scythians, Gog MAgog, Shape Changer, Prince with Celtic Lady.

1. (Hebrew) start, head, top, beginning (used in expressions such as "Rosh Hashana"). rosh(ezek. 38:2, 3; 39:1) is rendered "chief" in the authorized version. it is left untranslated as a proper name in the revised version. some have supposed that the russians are here meant, as one of the three scythian tribes of whom magog was the prince. they invaded the land of judah in the days of josiah. herodotus, the greek historian, says: "for twenty-eight years the scythians ruled over asia, and things were turned upside down by their violence and contempt." (see: bethshean)rosh the head; top, or beginning.

Israel, keep it as high as You can. do not judge with the lowest You may.

Wow! What a discussion! In essence, I am with MO.

When you say abortion should be permitted, the question to ask is, When, and for What reason? Do you want an abortion soon after you missed your period? Or do you want one because your health would be in danger? Or do you want to abort a developed foetus simply because you want to and it is "your body"?

A male foetus has a penis. Does it make sense to say that it is part of a woman's body?

Women do have rights, but they need to know that they are not the only ones on this planet, and they have to balance their rights with those of others. And for such a balance, we do rely on the government. If someone wants to hurt you, you ask the government to step in. If your ex-husband refuses to pay child support, you ask the government for help.

You cannot then turn around and say, "Keep the government out." There can be no civilized society without a government to enforce the laws.

"The Government Should Leave Women Alone" makes a nice slogan but you need to examine it to see if it makes sense.

Suppose a woman wants to take heroin, should the government "leave her alone"? Suppose a man does not want to pay to support his children, should the government "leave him alone"?

We live in society and we have debts to each other. When these debts are not paid, it is the job of the government to force people to pay their debts to others. The government cannot say, "He borrowed a thousand dollars from you, and he does not want to pay them back, but we are going to leave him alone and not make him pay." That is crazy!

There is the argument that the foetus is merely a part of a woman's body and she can do with her body whatever she wants to. But consider, half the foetuses are male and they have penises.

Does it make any sense to say that a penis is a part of a woman's body? Or if the foetus is female it has its own organs too. Does the pregnant woman have FOUR kidneys? Makes no sense. A foetus, whether male of female, has its own life and is not part of the woman's body, it is merely inside it.

A woman does have rights and her well being and her happiness do matter. But women should stop pretending that they are the only ones on this planet. There are others too and they too have rights - deal with it!

Let be begin by saying that I'm glad you weren't my mother. Choice is a funny word. You use it almost redundantly, though I'm not sure you know the meaning in its entirety. America gives every mother an initial choice. Now we are forced to give her another choice to compensate for her bluder of the first at the expense of another's choice to live. Confused? So am I.

As a Christian, I am appalled at the immorality that you, as a "pastor", have so forcfully embraced. As a woman, I am enraged that you, as a human gifted with life, consider a child less fortunate to be a social burden. Abortion is not a choice...it is an option between choices. It is to whom you choose to give choice that disturbs me so greatly.

BAsbakan Denilen, geceleri tarih yuklendigini goreceksin, hani geceleri kasetle yatmak gibi, islerin cok kolay olacak BAsbakan Denilen.

cocugunun neden nereye gittigini bilemeyeceksin, neden bu huyu gelistirdi bilemeyeceksin, ama sen BAsbakan Denilensin, az cok biliyorsundur.

hadi BAsbakan Denilen, o kadar da kotu birsey degil, canli canli yakilmaktan iyidir, karin basortusunu cikartir mesela, cocuklarin bambaska bir dille konusur, Kuzey Irak'ta verilen elli lirayi unuturlar. istersen cep telefonundaki masaustune duvarkagidi olarak kaydet.

cok guzel olacak, herkes tek ve bir, burasi orman olacak. en azindan.

tanidik geldi mi biryerlerden, BAsbakan Denilen? merak etme, ben buradayim.

anlatabildim mi?

cocuklarinizi hastane hastane dolastiracaksiniz, allahtan diyemeyeceksiniz. buyuk bir saskinlik olacak. en azindan.

gosterebildim mi?
yakinlastirabildim mi azicik da olsa?

guzel.

etrafindaki tarikat ehli insanlar cep telefonu kullaniyorsa, BAsbakan Denilen, su onumuzdeki yillarda pek bir zorlukla karsilasmayacaksiniz. hayatiniz cok kolay olacak, bir aracla tasiniyor gibi, ama biz ne halde oluruz onu anlatmaga calisiyoruz.

o elliden ellibire gecis var ya, onu bilmelisin once. ben Golcuk Degirmendere'de bobreklerinden rahatsiz birine masaj yapiyordum olmeden once, kendi esimden baska birine elim degmedi. Efe Turizmin yeri hala duruyorsa git orada bir harita olmali, BArtholomeos yazar.

istersen BArtholomeos %51 Zararsizlik ile basla, isterseniz Cumhurbaskani ile birlikte dinleyin. bir baska bakarsiniz hayata.

kac kelime dagarcigin var bilmiyorum ama, Recep Efendi, ya da etrafindakilerin ne kadardir onu da bilemem,

Valilik ifadesinin ilk harfinin altina da aydinlatma koydur, son harfi kadar aydinlik olsun.

bu aksamki Komedi Dukkanini da Guler Sabanci tercume etsin sana.

bu kadarini da ogrenmemissen, Azerbeycana git.

RAhmi Koc'a sor, pezevenklik orospuluk ve orospu cocuklugu neymis anlatsin sana. bir israilli arkadasina da sorabilirsin, Cumhurbaskaninin bir adim onunde giden hanimefendiye sor, ya da Uskuplu Selanikli birine sor, onlar soyler sana. kredi kartlarinin ustunde yazmaz.

pazartesiye kadar yuz elli lira paramiz var, Recep Efendi.

mesele uzayli olmak mi, sen de olacaksin, iki metrekup bedenin eder, sen nerede olacaksin cevap ver, istersen ruslara sor, piyale reklami verilebiliyorsa, baska seyler verilmedi mi, ekilmedi mi?

Cumhurbaskaninin karisi kitap okuma fikrini nereden buldu?

if Pope Benedictus wants me to be married, He must pay the debts and cancel the prayers, deal?

otherwise, He shall pay money for me to be somewhere else, if He has given already, then Prime Ministry and Presidency should render to me.

if He is a Pope and i am a Human, then why is He addressing to me?

i dont know much about Suudi Arabia and USA in Bursa, city of HAnnibal, but it is much more than normal degrees, and this city was the capital of Ottomans and Istanbulers.

i never talked about the satellite of Greece, VAtican Queen Russia Israel and Turkey are in Bursa, i have the right to complain about the experiemnts and broadcasts.

there are two scars still bleeding on top of my head, for months. just thank, Nikolas SArkozy that You have a Wife that has found Love with You, i always admired.

i am not a speller, i dont know french, in a news in Turkey, SArah PAlin is Lithuanian Jewish and in Irish registry.

in these two days, there are scars on my forehead, Nikolas Sarkozy, do not hurt people, i am frankly writing here.

Nikolas Sarkozy

i saved Your Wife, i gave Aphrodite in the Shell to You to see in Her Photos.

So you all may know who I am this is Greg Wilkins.I'm one of the Ministers at God's Healing Center in Missouri. The reason i said this first is because i stand for God. This minister will not compromise what the word of God says. So those who want to say they haven't heard the truth at the rapture will be a liar. Do you all think God gives life so mere man can take it away? I don't think so.Do you think God wants so call preachers and pastors preaching a word that goes totally against his word. I don't thing so. I want you to all stand by and watch what is happening to our country the United States of America. Sin is rampant in our society.you can't watch TV without seeing sexual immorality and thats on every station.Good teachings for our children right? Not at all! It says in the Bible that we are to obey the laws of the land, Thats mans law. Where does man ever say we are to obey Gods law? I will even if you all don't because at the time of my salvation i was not of this world. If you love the world your an enemy of God. I pity all you preachers and pastors that don't teach God's word in truth and you can't say you don't know because you read it too. There is only one reason that abortion has got the publicity it has recieved and thats because they want to use the stem cell research. Both go directly against Gods law. I pity you all in the end. Sure hope God can save your soul.

The chariot of your tirade is pulled by galloping non-sequitors. Your incomprehension of the issues is stunning.

"the historic ruling, which allowed abortion to be legalized" No, Roe v. Wade prevents state governments from prohibiting abortions subject to certain restrictions by inferring a right nowhere found in the plain language of the Constitution.

"I can think of nothing more unfair to an unborn child than to come into this world unwanted"

I can. Killing it.

"isn't life more than a fetus?"

It certainly isn't less.

"there are times when a woman becomes pregnant when she has been raped or molested."

Tragedies that are compounded, not nullified by abortion. Abortion doesn't unrape anyone.

"States and individuals' rights ought not to be trampled on, or dictated to by,(sic) the federal government, right?"

When the Supreme Court prohibits states from passing legislation, big federal government is trampling on the rights of the states. Your argument opposes you here.

"the moral question of when life begins'

When life begins is a biological question and it is irrefutable that abortion destroys the life of a genetically distinct human being. The moral question is whether such life is immune from state protection or subject to the desires of one other human being.

"And why is there no doctrine that tells men they ought to not be so footloose and fancy-free with their sexual habits?"

You can't be that seriously out of touch with Catholic or Protestant Biblical doctrine?

"the government ought not be allowed to dictate whether or not a woman has a baby"

Not the issue at all. Biology dictates whether a woman has a baby. The government is interested in whether or not she gives birth to it or kills it.

you write: "I do not for the life of me understand why the government should have that kind of power over what should be a personal choice of a woman."

Using that logic, why should the government have that kind of power over the life of the unborn child?

Think, people!

eger sizi de bu ulkede birileri rahatsiz ediyorsa, Guler Sabanci, gidin bir seyler yapin. Ipek Tuzcuoglu ile Mehmet Ali Erbil ile baslamisti. Pepsi kutusunda reklamlari var.

ReemsRJ,

"We do not honor God nor do we honor life, by bringing children into a world that we, nor society, have the resources to take care of."

---> If you don't have the resources to take care of a baby, DON'T GET PREGNANT. Get it? It's really not that complicated. I'm assuming, of course, that you know where babies come from.

---> And since when did "society" not have enough resources? What "society" are you talking about? We live in the richest, most advanced country in the world and you're moaning about resources? Enough with the whining already.

yapmayacaksiniz kardesim, siz hic yayin olmayan bir yerde yasayacaksiniz, sonra sehirlerde yayin yapacaksiniz, olur mu bu?

Guler SAbanci, aldirmaga degil de tanitima yonelik olursa kabul edebilirim, ama aldirtirsa o zaman baska yerde yazarim, Piyale Corbada katki maddeleri var.

if there were no inquisition because of Agartha, i would be singing in my throat. and i shall not help any more in this Israel Vatican Turkish case, deal?

Nikolas Sarkozy,

i have read about SAcha Cohen with his blond hair, homeless and drunk. someone in prison has been shot by a sniper in France, prison is a reminder from Charles Chuck Colson. and You are Archbishop besides Pope Benedictus.

i may leave here OnFaith, but i want free choice and Pope Benedictus shall leave me free, deal?

snow in MArs may mean Socialism in Turkey, but other than Snow Grandfather of Russia, manna is at the moment the subject in Anadolu Turkey.

http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=849267

Mar is saint in Armenian. MArs is Saints, that is Anadolu.

Snow for MArs is MAnna for Turkey, so precious and gift and grace. i had never seen the door of Sinagogue in Bursa open. it has been great hospitality and welcome.

if antimone in Myanmar is silver, then am i Myanmarian? what is the relation with Egypt Silver Moon? is Phoenix the animal on the flag of Myanmar? "turkey burns and from the ashes comes the phoenix" is this true?

the door of the sinagogue in Bursa was open the whole day. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosh_hashanah

snow for MArs is manna for Turkey. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manna

Dr. Smith,

What choice does the child have? Those crack babies, those abandoned babies, those abused babies have one huge advantage over the aborted babies. They are alive. They have a chance.

All those children you just mentioned are not really an argument for your side. Those were all born to women who did have a choice. Abortion is legal. No one made those mothers carry their children to term. If they later abused them or abandoned them, its hardly an argument in favor of abortion.

Perhaps what you meant was that you think there should be more abortions. Perhaps we should force abortions on those we deem unfit to care for their children. While we are at it we can sterilize them. It works in China. It worked in Germany. The state of Virginia made a good go of it once. I guarantee you this will greatly reduce the number of neglected and abused children. Since this is what you value above all else I assume you would support it.

Dr Smith,

I salute you for everything you said. I have not read such a good article for long time. Thank you for your wonderful article!

Dear Dr. Smith,

I must say, as humbly as I can, that I found your defense of Roe vs. Wade very conflicted.

First, I would challenge your interpretation and understanding of democracy and the tenants upon which this nation was founded. You said that you would "resent it if my government prevented me from making a choice I felt I had to make." Dr. Smith, our government prevents us from making hundreds of choices every single day. The government says that we can't murder, rape, steal, enslave a fellow human being, use or sell illicit drugs...the list goes on and on. Do you resent the government for preventing you from making these choices? A nation in which morality is a matter of "choice" is no nation at all. It's anarchy. I thank God that we live in a land where our government prevents us from making "choices".

Second, you said that "there are times when a woman becomes pregnant when she has been raped or molested". I agree with all my heart that rape, molestation, and incest are crimes that are despicable and tragic to the utmost. I know as a man that I could never fully understand the unbearable pain of being raped and then having to give birth to a boy or girl as a result. However, this worst case scenario is not cause for the complete, unequivocal legality of abortion — any woman, any reason. If my home is broken into, and my family is endangered by the intruder, and I kill this man to protect the life of my wife and children, I will not be charged with murder. It's self-defense. However, should we legalize murder — any person, any reason?

Regardless of the circumstance in which a woman finds herself pregnant, Dr. Smith, I must ask you, what does it take to be a human being, a man or woman? Does it take a completely unique genetic code? At the moment of inception, the fertilized egg has genes that are all his or hers, not those of the mother. Does it take a beating heart? Three weeks after conception, the fetus' heart begins to beat. What about a brain? By the sixth week the little girl or boy's brain is emitting brain waves. Brain waves that register on an EEG. What does it take to be considered a human being, a man or woman? What does it take to be granted, endowed by our Creator with the "certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness"?

Finally, you said, "If Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin had a plan to help the babies once they were born, a plan that virtually eliminated the suffering too many babies go through once they are here, then I might not be as adamant as I am about Roe V. Wade not being overturned". Dr. Smith, if the unborn are human beings, which I believe with all my heart, then that argument is illogical and immoral. If you had lived in the days of slavery would you have argued, "If the president has a plan to help the slaves once they're freed, a plan that will virtually eliminate the economic suffering that these newly free men and women will surely face, then I will support the abolition of slavery. If the president doesn't have that plan, then I will not support the end of slavery"? I agree that we must do all that we can to bring an end to poverty, but we can't wait until that end comes to grant the unborn the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Dr. Smith, I am a Christian and I believe, as the Bible declares from page one, that all life is gloriously precious. The unborn deserve every second of life that God grants them. Let no one take that away.

Dear Dr. Smith,

I must say, as humbly as I can, that I found your defense of Roe vs. Wade very conflicted.

First, I would challenge your interpretation and understanding of democracy and the tenants upon which this nation was founded. You said that you would "resent it if my government prevented me from making a choice I felt I had to make." Dr. Smith, our government prevents us from making hundreds of choices every single day. The government says that we can't murder, rape, steal, enslave a fellow human being, use or sell illicit drugs...the list goes on and on. Do you resent the government for preventing you from making these choices? A nation in which morality is a matter of "choice" is no nation at all. It's anarchy. I thank God that we live in a land where our government prevents us from making "choices".

Second, you said that "there are times when a woman becomes pregnant when she has been raped or molested". I agree with all my heart that rape, molestation, and incest are crimes that are despicable and tragic to the utmost. I know as a man that I could never fully understand the unbearable pain of being raped and then having to give birth to a boy or girl as a result. However, this worst case scenario is not cause for the complete, unequivocal legality of abortion — any woman, any reason. If my home is broken into, and my family is endangered by the intruder, and I kill this man to protect the life of my wife and children, I will not be charged with murder. It's self-defense. However, should we legalize murder — any person, any reason?

Regardless of the circumstance in which a woman finds herself pregnant, Dr. Smith, I must ask you, what does it take to be a human being, a man or woman? Does it take a completely unique genetic code? At the moment of inception, the fertilized egg has genes that are all his or hers, not those of the mother. Does it take a beating heart? Three weeks after conception, the fetus' heart begins to beat. What about a brain? By the sixth week the little girl or boy's brain is emitting brain waves. Brain waves that register on an EEG. What does it take to be considered a human being, a man or woman? What does it take to be granted, endowed by our Creator with the "certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness"?

Finally, you said, "If Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin had a plan to help the babies once they were born, a plan that virtually eliminated the suffering too many babies go through once they are here, then I might not be as adamant as I am about Roe V. Wade not being overturned". Dr. Smith, if the unborn are human beings, which I believe with all my heart, then that argument is illogical and immoral. If you had lived in the days of slavery would you have argued, "If the president has a plan to help the slaves once they're freed, a plan that will virtually eliminate the economic suffering that these newly free men and women will surely face, then I will support the abolition of slavery. If the president doesn't have that plan, then I will not support the end of slavery"? I agree that we must do all that we can to bring an end to poverty, but we can't wait until that end comes to grant the unborn the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Dr. Smith, I am a Christian and I believe, as the Bible declares from page one, that all life is gloriously precious. The unborn deserve every second of life that God grants them. I pray that you will have a change of heart. Let no one take that away.

I am constantly amazed by all the comments and posts. It is amazing that we care so passionately care about this issue from two different vantage points. For those who are for abortion it is all about women's rights and the rights of fellow Americans being violated. Yet for those against abortion it is all about saving the lives of millions or at least preventing those lives from being started in the first place.

To me, in my experience, abortion does so much damage, and causes so much pain for everyone involved. Yet we as humans love pain so very much. I don't think there is much hope for this issue uniting anyone. I don't think there is much hope in this issue pleasing anyone. I think abortion will happen over and over and over again. The more it does the more pain we will incur in one direction or another.

I am sure glad my mom didn't have abortion as an option. I was born two years under the gun, or knife, or whatever you called it. I hope I am not too much of a burden for her.

Thanks, Rev. Smith, for this lucid and compassionate defense as a woman, a Christian, and a minister of Roe vs. Wade and its importance to women. We are not cows who are victims of our reproductive cycles/organs. As women we insist upon our right to decide how many children we have and determine the spacing of our childbirths.
We do not honor God nor do we honor life, by bringing children into a world that we, nor society, have the resources to take care of.

Mrs Smith,
United Church of Christ

i know what "loan" is when i hear from the mouth of a woman, more than virginity and dedication. or is it being by her own in the motherhood, without governmental government?

whichever, men wants to give protection and guidance to this grace in motherhood but they dont know the amount and limit. and the council in Peru will comprehend better than i may say.

Dr Smith,
I whole heartily agree with you. Working in the child welfare system I’ve seen children being abandon, neglected, severely abuse both physically and sexually. Children who have been prostituted out by addicted mothers for crack and ultimately contracted the HIV virus. Children who have been murder and thrown in trash dumpsters. Children who have been tortured, Children placed in microwaves ovens. There are so many children that are not being adopted and going from foster home to foster home with no true stability. Children who have been abuse while in foster care by foster parents that are trained and paid to provide an alleged loving, secure home for the children. I’ve seen children who have become teenager, within the child welfare system and are now prostituting, addicted to drugs, selling drugs, involved in gangs as a form of family and who have been involved with murder themselves. Children, when looking in their eyes, who have lost hope. What kind of life is this? Pro-life? Senator John McCain and Gov. Sarah Palin should focus on what needs to be implemented to help the children who are here now instead attempting to dictate what a woman can do with her body. Because we are sincerely, losing this generation of children

This is a powerful pice. I hope lawmakers read it with honest eyes and sensitive hearts!

According to some politicians and theologians choice means taking away a woman’s power, her right to think--judging the merits of multiple options and selecting one of them for action.

Like you Rev. Dr. Smith, I don’t get it! I would like to see a published list of all the names of those who advocate the over turning or Roe V. Wade or picketed an abortion clinic, who have adopted a child or sponsored a child from birth to adulthood.

It is curious to me that as soon as the fetus is “saved” the mission am accomplished. What about the child? While many are born into poverty, many are born into middle class and wealth. No matter the socio-economic place of ones birth, everyone deserves to be wanted.

Finally, many women like Sarah Palin and her daughter had the power, right and liberty to choose to have their babies.

All women deserve the same- choice!

Whether you are pro life or pro choice, you should be offended that anyone would infringe on your right to live. I'm tired of the "morality police" dictating how other people should live. I'm decidedly pro life... that means... I WON'T HAVE AN ABORTION. I'm also decidedly pro choice...that means...WHO AM I TO DICTATE TO YOU WHAT THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION IS FOR YOUR LIFE. If people spent more time taking care of home and less time trying to dictate the life of others, we'd get along much better. Spend time cultivating your relationship w/ God, your family and friends and less time worried about what I'm doing.

Dr. Smith~

Your article literally had me on my feet. I agree wholeheartedly. and I applaud you.

Yep again and ditto! You have rightly exposed the issue for all its worth as well as the duplicitous slight of hand of our government. Unfortunately, this government suffers from dichotomous thinking in hypocritical dimensions. There are too many babies born into uncertainty in this land of the free. Pro-life is what we believe as believers. Yet we have lived to hear the original architects of Roe v Wade change their minds about it. Perhaps they realized that not everyone can or will behave responsibly with their freedom to choose. Maybe they did not anticipate the ongoing dumbing down of a people. Marvin Gaye's melodic question still haunts us, "What's Going On?" Donny Hathaway's lyrical optimism eludes us, "Someday We'll All Be Free." Someday parents will teach their children to understand womb potential. Someday we will understand that hormones are habitual not responsible. Someday perhaps some of this madness will begin to make sense. Someday the decisions (government) made in Washington will soar above that monument which stunts the city. Until then, our development will continue to be arrested. Though that government claims to want less of itself, it still has too many of its original pioneers--men out of touch with women,people of color, and reality. Like Dr. King, I have a dream that one day ...