My opinion regarding birth defects and abortion

Many pro-abortions think that the question of allowing parents to abort children with known severe genetic and birth defects is the strongest argument for abortion in their arsenal. And I agree that it is there that the strongest temptation and intellectual rationalism exists. That is one reason that I felt that the medical procedure of abortion should not be illegal because there are faith non-believers who have a right to obtain an abortion in a genuine situation like this. However, Roe v. Wade was not argued on this basis, and the number of abortions of children with conditions such as Down's syndrome, while known, is hardly proudly trumpeted by the pro-abortions. This is because not only do they know this is a slippery slope to be proud of (I personally would agree to it only with a gun to my head, and probably not even then) but because they also instinctively know that this is not the compassionate response to a birth defect pregnancy that either God or moral men and women intended. Moral liberals encourage diversity except when it means allowing a child with severe defects to live and be cared for during their entire life.

My expectations all those years ago for how society would have responded to human's increase knowledge to diagnose birth defect and severe genetic conditions in the womb is entirely different than how it has turned out over these past forty years. I had a different vision and I have to be honest, so did God. God leaves decisions and free will up to humans, and even though in his wisdom and perfect knowledge of the flaws of humans and what they are likely to do, God continues to also "hope for the best." God hopes and encourages, through the Holy Spirit, for humans to make the better and more moral positions. Sadly, they often don't, and certain deep societal flaws (such as addictions) have skewed society even farther from God's vision and "hopes" for them. God is not surprised, since he is all knowing, but he is always "hopeful."

I had envisioned a society where medical prescreening, where desired by the parents, reveals conditions to be planned for in a kind and charitable way. I had envisioned a child health insurance system where the government and insurers had lifetime care for the birth of children with such conditions fully covered, and so parents would never have to worry that allowing a child with a genetic or birth defect would bankrupt them. I had envisioned a society where instead of abortions there were generous and loving adoptions, so that parents who give birth to a child with severe genetic conditions or birth defects could give up their child for adoption, should they feel that they could not emotionally support their child's upbringing, even if the financial means were there through the system I envisioned. Further, I thought that there would be specialized programs of adoption for these children that focused on providing adoption to prospective parents who felt a calling to love and take in these children. And where individual children could not be adopted they could live their lives in loving care communities. I had envisioned that the Catholic Church would have had a growth in vocations and callings to the faith of brothers and sisters, many of whom would serve their call to Christ by carrying his cross in these communities, tending to children whose parents at least said "yes" to life. And I envisioned ethical research for mitigation treatment, cures, nutrition, medication and technology devices to enhance the quality of life for all these children as they grow into adults. But we know that medical research goes in certain directions and not others.

So my vision and hopes of what would happen over the past forty years to respond to the quandary of humans being intelligent enough to test for severe genetic conditions and birth defects has not come to pass one iota. Instead of babies with genetic conditions and birth defects being a call for great humanity and greater morality, it has become the "slam dunk" of reasons to abort and forget. Humans have robbed themselves because of this "choice" that they have made. And as I said, I do not blame the parents because it is the area where an individual decision is fraught with pressure and lack of support for making the choice "yes" to life. I wish it were totally different and closer to my vision as expressed above about how humans could have made real choices for real love of life and mutual support.

A must read NYT article about Sudan orphans

What a terrific article. Kudos to The New York Times. And of course to the Islamic Council in Sudan who issued these correct and righteous fatwas that made this all possible.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/05/world/africa/05orphans.html

snip

But in the last few years a radical shift led by an unusual coalition of government officials, Western aid organizations and religious leaders has taken place here. It has rescued many infants of Maygoma from a grim fate by transforming religious and legal attitudes toward children born out of wedlock in this deeply conservative society.

Social customs here have traditionally passed the sins of the parent to the child, making adoption — already a complex issue in Islam, which emphasizes family ties of blood — largely out of the question. But under this new approach, Nariman, who last month lay burbling in a cot he shared with a pink teddy bear, gaining weight and being cooed over by nurses, waited not for death or a life of despair but for placement in a foster home and eventually a family to take him permanently.

“It is really a social revolution,” said Mona Abdullah el-Faki, a government social worker who supervises foster care of children from Maygoma. “It was very difficult to persuade people that adoption is not forbidden in Islam. There are a lot of misconceptions.”

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And the blessings of Allah to all who open their hearts and do their duty to these orphans, giving them love, care, homes and alms. A child who is abandoned by humans is truly an orphan and as such, remember that Allah considers them his own. That child through no fault of his or her own has only Allah to look toward for justice, and so men and women should be proud to adopt a child of Allah's rather than look askance at them and refuse a home. I hope that reminder helps people who hesitate to see the wisdom of the fatwas with even more clarity! Orphaned and abandoned children are still the guests and loved ones of Allah; even if desperate people abandon them Allah does not. Do have some pride in being host and good parents to one of Allah's needy children.

The Chinese example of my idea

As you should know the Chinese government limits couples to one child and will require and force abortions for couples who desire a second child. At the same time there are orphanages with children who have no hope of being adopted, especially if they are disabled or special needs. Gays also know that the Chinese will not allow adoption by gay couples.

I would like to see organization of funding an internal adoption agency where parents who truly desire a second child but who are forbidden by the government from having one naturally be allowed to adopt and receive financial support for that child. This is win-win. If an couple who already have a child wish to adopt a second child they should be encouraged to adopt and receive a financial incentive for the child's support. Most people, despite the booming economy, are still extremely poor, as the government admits, as they work on job creation and other solutions. Why could we not create a way to finance the adoption of children into properly vetted and loving families? This would be especially true for special needs children. Each couple that receives the money to care for a special needs child is changing the society's attitude and prejudices toward the disabled while at the same time growing a real family.

Gays have tremendous influence and access to resources (again, excuse my positive stereotyping). While adopting from China does not solve a prospective gay parent's fundamental objective of finding a child to adopt, I would think that the tender hearts of such gay advocates would be moved by seeing that Chinese impoverished couples are denied second children while special needs and abandoned children languish in orphanages, often without the necessary love, care and treatment. Why not apply your energy to this type of initiative in addition to your primary purpose of having a child? You can grow garden of life in your own patch in addition to helping others to do so on theirs.