Judgement

This has been a heavy week of news for everyone in the US and beyond. It has been a week of disappointment for some and a week of jubilation for others. The Supreme Court of the US has made some historic decisions that will impact the future of this country for decades and I know that we all are still processing these and their impact on our own lives and families, so I won't muddy those waters. I do, however, need to write about how I understand the process and the outcomes of these momentous outcomes and what they mean to me.

First, let me say that I abhor abortion. I don't base this on any religious or political thoughts or beliefs I have, but rather on my personal belief that once sperm interacts successfully with a human egg, life is born. I have done research from medical journals and all that I have read agree with my assertion that a human is created at conception. I will die before I allow any harm to come to any human child, so I view abortion as harming a human child and thus, I need to do all I can to protect that life.

Now, I also love and want to protect all women. I believe with all my heart that women are at least equal to men and deserve every consideration that are given to men (e.g., pay, opportunity, corporate positions, freedoms). I think that it is illogical to believe that women are less than what they were created to be and that is an equal partner with men. Women should not have to compete on an unequal field with men. Period.

So, given these two beliefs, I have had a lot of conversations with myself over this past week. Do I value human life over a woman's freedom to choose ? Do I protect a woman's freedoms over the human life she carries ? Where is accountability for the other partner in this life-creation activity ? Why isn't the equality scenario carried to the biological father of this human life ? Why isn't there consequences for that half of the equal partnership ? Why are women equal except when a pregnancy is involved ?

I have read and listened to many "talking heads" on both sides of the battle. I have agreed and disagreed many times during these debates, so I have come to my own decision on how I see this overturning of Roe v. Wade. I think it's a rational decision for me, but I also know I have friends on both sides of the debate. I respect everyone's right to believe how their own conscience is guiding them. I believe in non-judgement, although I know that all will be judged by a God who had little to say about abortion specifically. Since He had little to say, I think it's left up to us to come to our own conclusions....

My belief is that a small human is alive inside a woman's body after conception. I believe that it is my responsibility to do all I can to protect that small human and I believe that the mother of that small human has that same responsibility. I also believe that the biological father has the same responsibility and should be held accountable for the same term as the mother; i.e., for the life of that human until they're of legal age to be on their own. This means monetarily, emotionally, and spiritually.

I will vote for any political candidate that believes the same and will oppose any candidate that believes differently. This is my main determinate for voting, regardless of party. I didn't vote for either of the main candidates during the 2020 election because I couldn't agree with either of them philosophically or practically, so I wrote in a name of a person I could get behind. I will most likely do that again in 2024 and I'm OK with losing as long as I held my ground on my beliefs and my judgement. I hope we all do that so we can sleep at night. Follow our beliefs, no matter what they are.

Those are my thoughts.... I hope we can still be friends.