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October 27

I just read an article that disturbed me and in true Pete Cantelon fashion I thought I would pass on some thoughts and disturb you too.

CNN.com has a very informative and interesting article about the state of the Pro-Life versus Abortion cultures in the United States (and by extention elsewhere). The article can be found here: http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/10/27/abortion.war/index.html

I must start out by stating that for various reasons I am unequivocally against abortion under any circumstance. I consider it morally and ethically repugnant. I should also state that I recognize my limited ability to enforce that persepctive as a man (which might sound ironic to some). My perspective is not one born out of simplistic moralistic thinking or breeding (I was against abortion long before I was a Christian). My perspective (and I suspect many other's) is one made up of a complex interweaving of experience, knowledge, wisdom (I hope) and faith. That being said there are those whose perspectives are simplistic in nature and perhaps stem primarily from emotion or upbringing or a mixture of those and other factors. I believe that those who support abortion are not always simplistic or amoral/immoral in their thinking but rather have arrived at their place after a long and arduous journey through experience and their own version of faith.

My position stems out of a deep seated belief that human life begins at conception and I have not the time nor inclination to fully expand on that except to say that it has to do with God and the potentiality of humanity as much as imago dei etc.

A few things I am not:

- I am not against contraception (which sets me apart from my Catholic brothers and sisters)

- I am not a person you will find waving placards or posting pictures of ripped up foetuses as I think it does the opposite of its intended effect - it numbs us to the horror of what abortion is. I also believe this form of lobbying appeals to a very animal attribute within our natures and fails to address the reality that the arena of Pro-life/abortion is rapidly moving from the clinic to the pharmacy. If we believe in life from conception then we must value such life even when it is a single cell seconds old and not simply because it looks like a human being.

- I am not a person who advocates any form of violence in response to abortion

- I do not hate (or even dislike) those who had had abortions or perform abortions and welcome their friendship

A few things I am/believe:

- I believe the only truly effective tools in a campaign for life are genuine love, forgiveness, compassion and relationship

- I am a father of three children

- I am a brother of five sisters and two brothers

- I am a son

- I believe God loves Dr. Henry Morgenthaler and the mother who has had an abortion exactly the same as he love me and Christ.

- I believe that abortion is an industry with little difference from the car industry in its goals - profit first, welfare of people second. Take for example the case of Dr. LeRoy Carhart who runs an abortion clinic in Nebraska. He claims to have performed more than 60,000 abortions (400 beyond 24-weeks which is the estimated point at which the baby can live outside of the womb). Dr. Carhart charges between $430 to $10,000 for an abortion depending upon how late in the term the mother is. At the most conservative estimate Dr. Carhart has earned $25,800,000 dollars over the course of 21 years or $1,228,571 annually. A more realistic estimate would place his earnings at between $30-$40 million with an annual income in accordance.

- I am the Chairperson of the Pembina Valley Pregnancy Care Centre; an non-proft organization that offers counselling to anyone impacted by pregnancy. Our website is www.pvpcc.com

- I am a pastor

- I am a hypocrite. I hold many values that are likely conflicting in nature for various reasons. My hypocrisy however does not change truth and it would be unwise to allow any person's hypocrisy to change your perception of the truth when they speak it.

I find the above article compelling because it tells the story of two created children of God and think you should read it. You should be informed. Dialogue should occur between all sides and I encourge you to express your own doubts and critique of my position.

4:14 PM | Blog it

Comments (1)

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Keith Turnerwrote:

Well spoken!

Oct. 27

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