Rick Warren recently interviewed both John McCain and Barak Obama. Both men seemed well prepared and articulate. In the interview Rick asked both a question about abortion. When does a person warrant human rights? John McCain’s answer of “from conception” was firm and decisive. Barak Obama took a more philosophical approach and claimed a higher authority, a “higher pay grade”, was better qualified to make such a determination. I will let you decide which candidate gave a better answer. I have my opinion but want to turn your thoughts in a different direction.
When does a person warrant human rights? If I might slant the question in a different direction, let me ask when life begins. Let me turn your thoughts to John 17:3 and suggest true life for humanity begins the moment we come to know God through His Son Jesus Christ. We might call that moment conversion. Prior to that moment I am said to be lost in my sin, condemned to death and eternal separation from God. That is certainly not life as I want to define it, know it, or desire it.
Jesus saw and understood life to be more than biological existence. He came to bring us life in all its fullness (John 10:10). He talked about the joy of salvation, not merely the reality of existence. He brought hope and light into a world of despair and darkness. He not only raised the physically dead such as Lazarus, but made “new creatures” (2 Cor. 5:17) out of a Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well (John 4) and a thief on the cross (Luke 23:43). He gave them life beyond biology, beyond human understanding, but not beyond human faith and hope.
When does life begin? At conception? At birth? I will stake my claim that life begins when I am born (John 3) again into the Kingdom of God, a child of God. Anything else, anything outside this is not life as God understands it or as I desire it.
I’ve always found the abortion discussion interesting because what I bring to the discussion is an interesting perspective that causes people to think. You see, I was born in 1966 to a 17 yr. old unwed mother who was a victim of a date-rape by an 18 yr. old boy that her entire family knew. He denied it completely and she was somewhat ostracized for being a bad girl. This was 1966 so it was kept hush-hush by the family and she went from her hometown in Illinois to live with an Aunt in Minneapolis and have the baby there. I was born in Minneapolis and was given up for adoption. My birthmother never actually saw me or heard me cry — as I was born Caesarean. She did know that I was a boy, but she only found that out because one of the nurses let it slip out accidentally. Her mother had seen and held me, but again, this was hush-hush to get the family from embarrassment.
Move forward to 1972 and Roe vs. Wade is passed. Wow! Had that passed in 1966, I could have easily been aborted based upon the circumstances of my conception and the overall family situation. When I tell people this, it always makes them very quiet because you have to really think about it. Sure, in 1966, my birthmother could have gotten an abortion, even though they were illegal, but she didn’t.
I was adopted at six weeks of age by my mother and father — two absolutely wonderful Christian people. I was very blessed to have them adopt me. They had already adopted a girl in 1963 so I had an older sister and then, as luck would have it, my mother finally got pregnant and they had my little brother who’s their natural child. Our family blended well and my parents were always very open about my sister’s and my adoptions. I never once felt any less loved than my little brother my entire life. In fact, my mother and I had a very special friendship all my life and in December 2005, I was holding her hand as she passed away and left to be with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Step back a few years to 1993, my middle son was born with some medical issues that warranted me checking with the Children’s Home Society of Minnesota (from where I was adopted) to find out some medical background information. I was 27 years old at the time and my file only showed that I was born to a 17 yr old unwed mother. A medical search was started which meant that the Home Society would try to make contact for medical reasons only. Here’s where the Lord works in mysterious ways. As the social worker was trying to find a starting point in my file for where to look for information she decided that my file would take some time and set it aside to try and run through some of the easier files in the pile. The next file she picked up was a request through the City of Minneapolis looking for a baby boy born in November 1966. The social worker thought that date sounded familiar and looked back to my file which showed – November 1966. Coincidence?
She began to examine the request and both files and within hours had determined that the request had come from my birthmother looking for me. After giving me up for adoption, my birthmother had gone back home and finished school and then met and married a young man who entered the Army. They had 2 daughters together and moved all over the world. Unfortunately, she had caught him cheating on her after 20 yrs of marriage and they divorced. She remarried an Air Force Officer, but before she married him, she had to let him know that she had a son when she was 17 that she had given up for adoption. He understood and asked what her daughters thought about it, and she told him that they didn’t know. Her entire family, including the 1st husband, had kept this adoption a complete secret. Well, this new husband said that both girls are in their 20’s and would certainly understand the situation, so they sat down and told the girls. They all decided to see what they could find out about me and also find out if I was okay.
The Social Worker made a phone call to my birthmother and then she called me. About two hours later, I was on the phone with my birthmother. It was a very strange feeling. I told her from the start, that I was not looking for a mother because I already had a wonderful mother (and father) and she assured me that it was not her intent to pursue that. She told me she was a Christian and that she felt that God had opened a door that had closed 27 yrs ago. Remember, she had never seen me, nor heard me cry but only knew I was a boy. And in this instant that she was able to speak to me and find out that I was healthy, happy, and living a good life, all her prayers had been answered and all her doubts about giving me up for adoption had been relieved. In her heart, she knew that she had to give me up because she was too young and that she couldn’t give me the life that I deserved. Wow! I was speechless.
In time, I was able to introduce her to my mother and father. We were all nervous and scared and not sure what to think. However, when my birthmother said thank you to my mother for giving me the life she couldn’t, the ice was broken and it was a very special moment. I’m still very close to my birthmother and speak with her often. Ours has always been a unique and interesting story to tell. I have never pursued finding my birthfather. He’s denied to this day that he was the father so I’ve felt that as positive an experience it was in finding and meeting my birthmother, it would probably not be so for finding my birthfather.
I wonder what would have happened had abortion been legal in 1966? I may have never even existed. I contend that my life started immediately at conception and that even before that, the Lord had my entire life planned out. So, as you can see, if a person is willing to discuss abortion and is willing to listen to my story, the abortion discussion changes. I don’t think I’ve ever changed anyone’s mind but I’d like to think I’ve at least made them think a little.
Comment by Chris Board — August 25, 2008 @ 4:22 pm |
It is very difficult to tell from your writing weather or not you are against abortion. This is very concerning to me considering how much respect I have for the man who married me 11 years ago. And believe it or not I am still married. please Email me so we can catch up.
Comment by john capozzi — October 17, 2008 @ 2:04 pm |