(1) You have stopped abortion by the Reversal of Roe? The experience of
other countries (and our own) will testify
that you have not.
Columbia, Mexico, Haiti, The Dominican Republic, and others—all
are used to feed the United States’ appetite for drugs—35 billion dollars a
year and has been going on for nearly 40 years. Of course, the problem is not a
lack of laws against drugs. Passing laws
and dealing with symptoms will simply never bring lasting results.
Outlawing abortion with the reversal of Roe will not solve the problem or stop abortion. Instead such action would multiply the problem, distracting and tying up energy needed for the goal of reducing abortions. Romania had the most stringent anti-abortion laws--abortion was punishable by prison and torture. Yet when freedom came, record showed that Romania had a high abortion rate. Latin American countries also have strong anti-abortion laws and yet multiple dangerous illegal abortions are still performed.
The Reversal of Roe
is not the way to go!
(2) Observing the
suffering brought on by alcoholism, there were those who worked hard and long
for Prohibition, the 18th Amendment. The worthy goal was to protect
families, women and children from the evils of alcohol and to bring down
crime. But instead it just brought in
new gangs and gangsters who bridged the gap between supply and demand. So after 13 long years, (1919-1932) it was
repealed by the 21st amendment. (See Prohibition documentary, Ken Burns, PBS)
However Bill Wilson’s Alcoholics Anonymous, which began in 1935,
continues to this day. Why the
difference? Because it addressed root
causes and brought results.
The Reversal of Roe
is not the way to go!
2. (3) Overturning Roe would
have limited effect. Douglas W. Kmiec, a constitutional scholar who headed the Office
of Legal counsel under Presidents Ronald Reagan and George bush, said:
“There is a widespread misconception that
overturning Roe is the only way to be pro-life. . . I doubt that many of our
non-legally-trained pro-life friends fully grasp the limited effect of
overturning Roe. . . Senator Obama is articulating policies that permit
faithful Catholics to follow the church’s admonition that we continue to
explore ways to give greater protection to human life. Consider the choices. . .continue on the
failed and uncertain path of seeking to overturn Roe, . . Or Senator Obama’s approach could be followed,
whereby prenatal and income support, paid maternity leave and greater access to
adoption would be relied upon to reduce the incidence of abortion. . .There are
clearly partisan forces that want nothing more than to manufacture or stir up
faith-based opposition to their political opponents.”
The Reversal of Roe
is not the way to go!
3. (4) Laura Bush in her book, Spoken
from the Heart, says that she believes abortion should remain legal for medical
reasons and other reasons. People who have thought this through outside
the single issue focus, come to this bi-partisan conclusion.
The Reversal of Roe
is not the way to go!
4. (5) Richard Stearns, the director of
World Vision, wrote in his book The Hole in our Gospel, after a visit to
Uganda said: “What sickened me most was this question: where was the
Church? Where were the followers of
Jesus Christ in the midst of perhaps the greatest humanitarian crisis of our
time? Surely the Church should have been
caring for these ‘orphans and widows in their distress.’ (James 1:27). Shouldn’t the pulpits across America have flamed
with exhortations to rush to the frontlines of compassion? How have we missed it so tragically, when
even rock stars and Hollywood actors seem to understand?” (See Learning from
the Sin of Sodom, by Nicholas Kristof, New York Times,
February 27, 2010.)
What
was the reason? Too many Evangelicals have
been so focused on the useless effort of reversing Roe. Since it’s been a distraction from caring
about and addressing the needs of dying children, this so called “Pro-Life”
campaign actually has really been “Pro-Death.”
"There certainly needs to be a public outcry!" How can we pretend to be so concerned about
silent screams when we are deaf to audible screams?
The Reversal of Roe
is not the way to go!
5. (6) T.W. Wilson in his book, The
Key to Lasting Joy , writes:
"I
also believe that if we’re going to stand against abortion, we have a further
responsibility to provide alternatives to women who are pregnant and don’t want
the children they’re carrying. This
means counseling and encouragement, medical help, financial aid, and assistance
in placing children for adoption once they are born. All these services must be offered in love
and without condemnation."
Roe prevents none of the above. Efforts should be given to positive steps to reduce abortion.
The Reversal of Roe
is not the way to go!
6. (7) Amnesty International:
I It's appalling how many women are dying in the United States from complications due
to pregnancy and childbirth. The
shocking truth behind these numbers is that half of these can be
prevented. These women are dying because
they have no access to health care or maternal care. In fact, 1.3 million women between the ages of
15-44—that’s 1 in 5 women of reproductive age—have no health insurance at
all. Many begin pregnancy with untreated
or unmanaged conditions that only get worse with pregnancy.
All of these are surely life concerns and
should no longer be neglected.
The Reversal of Roe
is not the way to go!
(8) I have eight grandchildren--Noah, at two years, is on the cover of La Verde de la Vida. ( He is now five and has a brother, Nathaniel Charles.). I took care of
him several days a week since his birth.
I have been so aware of what an explorer he is, seeing and learning
things for the first time. Other
children, so fresh from heaven are also learning for the first time--children
like Noah, but unlike Noah, they learn what hunger, thirst and fear are. Shouldn't we be concerned about these children?
Children are dying from preventable
causes, with no health care, no nutrition, no safe water, and no birth attendants. Little boy soldiers are forced to carry guns
and kill. If we are for life, what kind
of life is this? Hunger is
Afghanistan’s biggest killer—greater than violence. To feed and educate their children, parents
surrender their children to the Taliban where they are taught suicide bombing
is favored by Allah. Then that boy grows up and lands in
Guantanamo Bay. Where there is no redemption—a place to be tortured and
punished for being so wicked as to have been born to poor parents who had no
food. “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the
soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in
hell.” (Matthew 10:28) Endeavoring
to see the whole picture, we don't just observe the end result, but consider
how a person came to be at Guantanamo Bay or a suicide bomber. How
can we pretend to be so concerned about the unborn, but have no concern for the
souls of Guantanamo Bay? They are all
terrorists and deserve to be tortured?
That’s the redemption Jesus paid for?
You’ve investigated? We have no time for investigation, because we have
to spend wasted time seeking to reverse Roe.
Many of these prisoners have neither been charged nor tried and some
have been acknowledged innocent and sent back—though they were tortured. With
such treatment we have threatened our own security and have created terrorists
with revenge in their hearts. Please see the research. ( http://www.shiningriver-sheilah.blogspot.com/2009/10/if-your-enemy-hunger_03.html http://www.shiningriver-sheilah.blogspot.com/2009/09/behind-walls.html
http://www.shiningriver-sheilah.blogspot.com/2009/08/what-shall-we-do-with-prisoners-of.html
)
"I
was father to the poor and the cause I knew not, I searched out" (Job
29:16).
The Reversal of Roe
is not the way to go!
(9) Where is the Christian outrage
about this? We have to drown out all
thinking with screams of “Baby Killer” at anyone who thinks beyond the reversal
of Roe?
However, we no longer are held hostage, for
the sword of truth has revealed this taunting Goliath yelling "Baby
Killer" to be in actuality the "Baby Killer" itself consuming
our center of attention instead of preparing for healing and restoration and an
environment of love and safety for children.
“There needs to be a public outcry!” "Glory to God in the Highest and on earth peace,"
the angels sang. What an opportunity
lost to show the love of Christ! "By this shall all people know you are My
disciples by the love you have one for another. .. Love your enemies, bless
them that curse you, do good to them that hate you and pray for them that
despitefully use you and persecute you.. ." ( John 13, Matthew
5) I wonder what our world would be like
had we applied these principles after 9/11 along with really helping the birth
and lives of mothers and children instead of demonizing people and shouting
distortions at each other?"The
weapons of our warfare are not carnal but are mighty through God to the
bringing down of strongholds.. .for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but
against principalities and powers of darkness. . ." (II Corinthians 10; Ephesians 6)
" We met the enemy and
it was us."
"Our
Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come, Thy will
be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day, our daily bread, and
forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead
us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for Thine is the kingdom and
the glory and power for ever. Amen."
(10) Do we want to stop abortion?
Then we must prepare for the babies.
Keep hospitals like St. Vincent’s open and prepare for the 24/7 care some
babies may require. Until we are ready
to listen to the audible screams of children, leave Roe alone. Let the unborn return to God and play on the
grassy slopes of Paradise, or wait in the Garden of Souls. Is there a Garden of Souls? I don’t know.
There are things we don't know.
My first baby, Lori Leigh, lived only 25 hours. I have three living children, but I also had
two miscarriages and a tubal pregnancy.
Do these pregnancies represent souls without a chance to be born? God knows and I'm sure God has ways of taking
care of things. "As the heavens are
higher than the earth so are His ways than our ways.. ." (Isaiah 55)
One thing we can know
for sure. Something that is always right—Love.
My daughter, Rebecca, said long ago as I was writing my first paper
about peace for the abortion war:
One
problem: Love denied. One solution: Love
applied.
”Judge not, lest ye be judged. . .Judge
not according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment,” (Matthew 7, John 7) More love.
Less judging.
7. (11) The extreme elements that have been
hijacking our legislative process need to be depleted of energy. As Nicholas
Kristoff says in his article, Sister
Margaret’s Choice, New York Times,
May 26, 2010, “There needs to be a public outcry.” What kind of religion—what kind of thinking
ex-communicates a nun like Sister Margaret for saving the life of a mother when
both mother and child would have died?
What kind of religion consigns a little 79 pound, nine-year-old girl,
pregnant by the rape of her stepfather, to continue and endure the pregnancy? (Amid Abuse in Brazil, Abortion Debate Flares
by Alexei Barriionuevo, New York Times, March 27, 2009) No wonder some people
say they are atheists. They reject the
god that has been presented to them.
There are those who seek to push through their views that abortion is
always wrong. Every situation, every
pregnancy is unique. For
decades we have allowed ourselves to remain hostage to this kind of thinking. “The letter kills, but the Spirit gives
life.” ( II Corinthians 3:6 ) Rigid rule keepers know little of the Spirit
of God—they cannot. Jesus said the
Spirit is like the wind (John 3). If you
put the wind in a box, there is no wind.
The Word of God has to be living and breathing and flexible—moment by
moment. Just as today, the greatest
trouble Jesus had was with religious leaders.
He had to tell them that “the Sabbath was made for man; not
man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2) He
also said, “I thank Thee, Father, that Thou hast hid these things from the
wise and prudent and revealed them unto babes.”
(Matthew 11) Addressing religious leaders He also said:
" "You are your father, the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks form his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it." (John 8:55)
" "Woe to you , scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men,but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness." )
8. (12) We are not debating when life begins or
disputing the miracle of birth or the sanctity of life for we acknowledge
these. The Pro-Choice view leaves itself
open to wrong arguments as T.W. Wilson points out in his book, The Key to Lasting Joy:
"One
of the arguments often used by the so-called pro-choice advocates is that the
unborn is only a fetus that represents “potential” life, and that it is not a
fully human person until it is viable—that is until it is able to survive
outside the womb. Until then, they say,
the fetus is only a part of the mother, a group of cells growing inside her
with which she can do as she pleases.
Using this criterion, they conclude that he fetus is not a child and
until late (at least six months) in a pregnancy, and that abortion is therefore
permissible at least up to the point of viability."
When people say, “A woman’s
right to choose”, immediately Roe opponents say, “A woman’s right to choose
murder? Her body ends where the child’s begins.” We hear such words as, “Baby
killers.” Calling a baby a “fetus” gives the impression one gives too little
value to the unborn child. Instead focus (1) on the conditions leading to
abortion instead of legislation.
Focusing on the needs of the people and root causes is the quickest way
to fewer abortions and more wanted conceptions. (2) Focus on the fact that outlawing abortion
will not solve the problem or stop abortion. That’s all we have to agree upon
to end this quagmire. We don’t have to get into such questions as to when the
soul enters the body, etc. Don’t distract by saying, “A woman’s right to
choose.” If people are against abortion, don't seek to persuade them otherwise.
Focus together on the above two points. Then everyone’s goals and needs are
better met..
The Reversal of Roe
is not the way to go!
(13) There are many wonderful organizations promoting life
In 1974, Dr. Catherine Hamlin and her late
husband Reginald established the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital in Ethiopia. She says, “The vaginal fistula from
obstructed labor is one of the worst injuries that a woman can ever suffer
from. She's been in labor, she's suffered tremendous pain and long, long labor,
she's lost her baby—the baby is stillborn in nearly every case. Then she is
left with urine and body waste leaking from the vagina. This is a most terrible
tragedy for a beautiful young girl. Her life is ruined.” When you think of little girls forced to give
birth, think of labor for a week to give birth to a still born and then her
body leaking urine. . . Is this
life? Is this God’s will?
Please listen to the documentary Walking to Beautiful. Your heart will be touched by little girls
and women, their bodies too small, too young to be giving birth, with no
maternal care and too far from the hospital.
See the sweet light on their faces when they are cured and given back
their lives.
An
extraordinary story is that of Irene Gleeson’s who visited Uganda in 1988 and
was touched with the plight of the children there. In 1991, she sold her Sydney beachside home
in Australia, said goodbye to her four children and grandchildren and went to
the war zone of North Uganda. Here she
gathered 50 war traumatized children under a mango tree and began to teach and
feed them.
Today
10,000 children are given
Full Day Care/Schooling/medicine and Feeding in 5 CKS schools.
Now CKS Provides:
- Medical
and malnourished feeding clinic
- Gloryland
Junction AIDS hospice & infant orphanage
- Community
Churches
- FM
Radio Station
- Cultural
Arts Studio
- Water
bores
See the story for yourself with the Award winning
documentary -
The Real
Diamonds of Africa—God’s Children
Whenever
I picture Irene Gleeson—a lady standing
there with food and books and little ones, skinny legs running toward her, hope
and wonder on their little faces, I feel like crying and wish all children
could have such a lady come. But what is preventing it? How many people have never heard of Irene
Gleeson? We hear of this abortion
war—this false compassion, this consuming battle tying up our resources,
shouting “Baby Killer” to those outside their narrow view—the belief that the Reversal of Roe is the answer. Again
and again abortion is the most
heated topic of presidential primaries.
All these years and there haven't been enough of us realizing how we
have been hijacked?
“There needs to be a public outcry against
this travesty.” Irene Gleeson is another
example of a person promoting life. Think of doing more work like she is doing.
1(14) In our political debates it is imperative for
our democracy that we respect truth in presenting our opponent's view. I do not
support all of President Obama's policies, however, he does not deserve to be
portrayed as the worse of persons--in many ways he is outstanding and most
admirable. In my lifetime (and I have three children and seven grandchildren) I
have never known anyone to be criticized so much who so little deserves it as
President Obama. The oil spill spewing
endlessly seems an appropriate metaphor.
(
http://shiningriver-sheilah.blogspot.com/2010/06/president-obama-and-poetic-
significance.html) What if we got the
President some say we have? There were
the birthers saying the President was born in Ghana and therefore, disqualified
to be President. Glenn Beck, Rush
Limbaugh and other TV and radio hosts leading a mentality comparing the President
to Hitler, Stalin and calling him a Communist or a Nazi. President Obama
couldn't even give an inspiring speech to the school children about staying in
school and working hard without some thinking he was contaminating the
students. Newt Gingrich and his speech
writer Vince Halley falsely accused the President of taking Jesus out of his
Easter message.
(http://www.2010/04/obama-edits-jesus-out-of-easter. html) It seems as though the assessments of the
abortion issue permeate our whole
culture.
The President was invited to give
the commencement address at Notre Dame.
This caused a tremendous uproar demonizing the President, calling it a
scandal--which is an example of how out of balance our society has become. There were letters and protests from 350,000
people--all because of the abortion issue.
President Obama is not pro-abortion anymore than I am. It is past time
to do some meditating as to how the fringe has pushed right over reasonable
people.
I pray that blind eyes be open and
deaf ears unstopped to truth.
Here are the opposing views--The
President Speaks at Notre Dame:
Listen
first to Fr. Corapi of The Cardinal
Newman Society—You Tube: Obama Notre Dame Scandal or NotreDameScandel.com
www.CardinalNewmanSociety.org
Then listen to President Obama:
In Praise of Fair Minded Words at Notre Dame posted by Jess Lee—The Whitehouse:
Obama answers Notre Dame Hecklers with ‘fair-minded words. . .
www.whitehouse.gov/.../Remarks-by-the-President-at-Notre-Dame-Commencement/ - Cached - Similar
May 17, 2009. . .The speech
underlined the president’s desire to elevate public discourse on issues such as
abortion in order to find common ground.
www.csmonitor.com/.../obama-answers-notre-dame-hecklers-with-fair-mionded-words
You will be impressed with Notre Dame’s enthusiasm
for the President... His speech is
masterful. As you listen prayerfully
with your heart, you will know God's answer.
From The Audacity
of Hope by Barak Obama
“. . .weary of the dead zone that politics has become, in which narrow
interest vie for advantage and ideological minorities seek to impose their own
versions of absolute truth. . .8,9
“No, what’s troubling is the gap
between the magnitude of our challenges and the smallness of our politics—the ease with which we are
distracted by the petty and trivial, our chronic avoidance of tough decisions,
our seeming inability to build a working consensus to tackle any big problem. .
. 22
(15) story of the firing of Shirley Sherrod. Her speech to the NAACP was edited by a
blogger, Andrew Brietbart to make it sound exactly the opposite of what she was
really saying. This video was gleefully
put on Fox News and the Secretary of Agriculture also became aware of it. Uncharacteristic
in its haste, the Obama administration--actually the Secretary of Agriculture-- fired Mrs. Sherrod without investigating the false
evidence. The distortion of truth is commonplace and certainly Mrs. Sherrod should not have hastily
been fired. However, one good thing to come out of this is that had not this
administration fired her, most people would still be in the dark as to the true
situation. The media climate is at
fault setting up people for these wrong judgments. This sort of thing should be
a criminal offense. How can people know
what they believe or how to vote if they are not given the truth? "Death
and life are in the power of the tongue" (Proverbs 16).
(16) It is vital to
end this abortion war, which is tearing our country apart, wasting so much time, money,
and energy without result or solution and fomenting hate. Causing havoc in our
political process and draining our resources, this internal impasse touches us
all. In our mistaken focus we are weakening our whole society in neglecting the
problems and suffering that need to be addressed.
The Reversal of Roe
is not the way to go!
If
our energy is consumed with the Reversal of Roe (which is fruitless effort to
stop abortion), then it will not be sufficient to attend to the audible screams
of children in our own country and all over the world. This futile
argument is rather like arguing about whether to clip the hedge or let it grow
free when there is a bulldozer down the road apace that will mow the whole
thing down, clipped or free. Together we
focus on the bulldozer.
The Reversal of Roe
is not the way to go!
(17) If
the same energy and passion that has been given to the organizing of protests,
legislation and trying to reverse Roe had been dedicated to real solutions and the
conditions leading to abortion, we could be having utopia by now. However, we no longer are held hostage, for
the sword of truth has revealed this taunting Goliath yelling "Baby
Killer" to be in actuality the "Baby Killer" itself consuming
our center of attention instead of preparing for healing and restoration and an
environment of love and safety for children.
We wish for our brother and
sister's children what we wish for our own children. It all goes together. As I help the children of the world, I help
my own. We love children and want the best for every precious baby. We visualize it and do God’s work God’s way. We leave Roe alone. There are plenty of
projects to put our hands to. The terms:
Pro-Life, Pro-Choice, Pro-Abortion, Anti-Abortion are worn out. We throw them in the river with a “No
Fishing” sign.
Will you be a part of: La Verde de la Vida?
Our declaration:
We accept La Verde de la Vida. Knowing that the Reversal of Roe not only provides no answers, but
actually prevents solutions, we support real efforts to reduce abortion and
promote life, such as: clean water, nutrition, health care, maternal pregnancy
care, adoption, an end to child soldiers, and child sex trafficking. We do not support the manipulation of our
society by this unproductive single issue focus on the Reversal of Roe. We
are La Verde de la Vida.
“And the streets of the city
shall be full of boys and girls playing. . . “(Zechariah 8:5)
After
President Clinton’s Second Inaugural Address, a reporter, when asked if he
thought he heard anything really quotable said, “No, I don’t think so.”
However, I did:
“The greatest progress needs to be made in the human heart.”
--President William Jefferson Clinton
Note: Much of this is from my book, La Verde de la Vida (The Green of Life), which can be gotten from Amazon or Barnes and Noble or downloaded for free at this website: www.ladylibertyqualityoflifebrigade.com
LA VERDE DE LA VIDA
By Shining River (Sheilah Hill)
A Review by
John Santosuosso,
Ph.D.
(retired professor of
political science at the University of South Florida—
also lay Episcopal
priest)
I found your
wonderful book in the lobby of the YMCA. . .I just wanted to tell you that it
is a very beautiful book filled with healing and common sense. I just can’t say enough wonderful things
about it. I wish the message could be
given to every American and everyone in the world. It goes far beyond the abortion issue. It’s for healing the hearts and souls of all
of us. The world is crying out for this
message. . .
66 million children under 5 die from preventable diseases
