tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20417751.post114221293104145600..comments2024-01-22T18:22:29.391-08:00Comments on hedera's corner: Thoughts on Abortion and Women's Historyhederahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01696592301686568456noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20417751.post-1142391084687181662006-03-14T18:51:00.000-08:002006-03-14T18:51:00.000-08:00My, this entry has produced some interesting posts...My, this entry has produced some interesting posts.<BR/><BR/>I certainly agree with both of you about self-control, and the problems (not limited to sexuality) caused by the modern lack of same. I certainly agree with Stephen that the consequences of rape are unfairly dumped upon the female. And it's almost always better if any given pair of adolescents don't have sex, but try convincing <I>them</I> of that!<BR/><BR/>I think I mentioned that I don't consider all Christians to be involved in the sort of discrimination I object to; you evidently belong to one of the more reasonable (to me) groups, who actually regard women as equal human beings. More power to you, Stephen, and to your wife. I'll never claim that a stay-at-hom mom is demeaned, and I'll <I>certainly</I> never claim she isn't working!<BR/><BR/>You're quite right that the demeaning attitude toward women stems from the early Catholic church; my point was that for most of a thousand years, Christianity <I>was</I> the Catholic church.<BR/><BR/>In general, though, I think Boggart has about summed the situation up, especially with regard to television, a point I missed because I don't watch it.hederahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01696592301686568456noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20417751.post-1142348112331947012006-03-14T06:55:00.000-08:002006-03-14T06:55:00.000-08:00Boggart, I couldn't agree more. Thanks, you said ...Boggart,<BR/> <BR/><BR/>I couldn't agree more. Thanks, you said what I was trying to better than I could have!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20417751.post-1142300741912021752006-03-13T17:45:00.000-08:002006-03-13T17:45:00.000-08:00Hmmm, in some ways I agree with Stephen about self...Hmmm, in some ways I agree with Stephen about self-control. It appears to be lacking in a fair amount of modern day life. Perhaps, it was always lacking, and with the fuel provided by the telly, the internet, the increased spending power of working adolescents, and fast food, the lack of self-control is more obvious. However, this lack of self-control, sexually speaking, should not be laid, (Only kinda sorry about the pun.), at the feminine foot. When boys are taught that an unsatisfied erection is neither life threatening nor a reflection of the female who failed to satisfy it, perhaps the need for abortion will dwindle and fade to only a few. Yes, I realize a few here and a few there would still be in the hundreds country-wide.<BR/><BR/>Along with this, girls, while they are still young enough to be influenced, need serious goals that will allow them to not value themselves in terms of boys' sexual interest. A long term goal for a profession rather than that of a wife, would help. Too many women want to believe the guy when he seductively whispers, "I love you. If you loved me..." Perhaps what we need is a little honesty here as well. <BR/><BR/>One of the problems is the child. Too often the guy scoots. With a little legal knowledge, the woman can still obtain child support, but usually she ends up being the day to day support, and that can be difficult, depending on the support system inherent in her family or culture. So the kid gets older, all too often, in a less than optimum emotional and financial situation. Lucky the kid if the woman has the the restraint (self-control?) to never look at him or her and think,"If it wasn't for you..." Giving a baby up for adoption may be extremely difficult. Surmounting all those cute Gerber baby faces plus your hormones would be difficult. Some women do it, and some adoptees seek them out later with an unspoken, Why"? Society seems to say, real women don't give up their babies, just as many young men think real men don't use condoms.<BR/><BR/>Leave Wade vs. Roe alone, I say. Increase the Just Say No messages. Churches that find success with the Promise to Wait for Marriage should keep that going, but we need secular messages as well. Unfortunately, the best messages come from home, which is why some of the churches do so well. Still, many young women do not get pregnant through good luck or good management of the delicate male psyche that wants to prove manhood. <BR/><BR/>Before anyone gets their knickers in a knot, think about the biggest influence in many homes: the television. You can tell your kids. You can set a good example. The telly shows life as the kids think it is: sexy is fun, sexy is cute, sexy appeals. And, adults know what sexy gets you - babies. Getting rid of legal abortion won't solve the underlying problem of getting pregnant when you thought you were just getting fun.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20417751.post-1142275923784977922006-03-13T10:52:00.000-08:002006-03-13T10:52:00.000-08:00Hedra,Interesting thoughts, although I have heard ...Hedra,<BR/><BR/>Interesting thoughts, although I have heard most of them before. I don’t want to argue either, but I would like to comment. To me, abortion is about control, self control. I won’t go into my religious reasons for why I believe we should abstain before marriage, and be faithful during marriage except to say that it applies to both sexes. <BR/>IMHO, one of the biggest problems in our society today is that we don’t know how to control ourselves. You see it at all levels of society, that’s why we are in Iraq. When did self discipline become a bad thing? My problem with abortion is that it removes the consequences of their actions from both the male and the female involved. Obviously this wouldn’t apply in cases of rape or incest, that wasn’t the woman’s fault and the man involved should be thrown in jail, maybe meet madam guillotine. If a man and a woman choose to have sex, and I agree with your odds about contraception, then they should have to face up to the consequences of their choice. If marriage isn’t what they want, then there is adoption or one of them has to take responsibility for the child. Abortion, to me, isn’t about making choice about what happens to you, it is saying, “Bad decision, where is my get out of jail free card?” You mentioned some of the bad things that result from single mothers, why not teach self-control? I teach my daughters abstinence because it is the only sure way to keep them out of a bad situation. My sister is one of those young, poor single mothers. Trying to go to college and work while raising her son. The father is a 17 year old drug addict whose only skill is playing video games. It would have been better if they had simply not had sex. It would be better, IMO, for my sister if she had put the child up for adoption. Now she and my parents are living with her decision. If men and women are old enough to decide to sleep together, or think they are, they are old enough to deal with the results.<BR/><BR/>Let me also say that I respect your opinion. Nor do I think you are evil or whatever for having it. I just disagree. I also have enormous respect for women in general and Eve and my wife in specific. To me the whole point of “an help-meet” is to have an equal partner. Rather than blame Christianity, I blame the early Catholic church for women’s “demeaned” role, although my wife enjoys being a stay-at-home-mom and a lot of people think that demeans her.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com