In the opinion section of the Northwest Arkansas Times Friday, there was an article entitled “The anti-life movement.” The writer of the article, Christian Beenfeldt, has a masters degree in philosophy and writes for the Ayn Rand Institute. However, I think Mr. Beenfeldt has missed the point of the movement he calls “anti-life.”
First, I take offense at Mr. Beenfeldt’s language in the article. He says that abortion “(means) women who wanted to terminate a pregnancy (kill a child) would be forbidden from doing so …,(forcing) them to endure the misery of unwanted pregnancy and the incredible burdens of child-rearing.” He goes on to liken parenthood as “18-year terms of enslavement to unwanted children.”
The author speaks of the woman’s needs, the woman’s future, and her dreams. What of the life that she would be carrying? What of the baby’s needs, his future, and his dreams? He would never have the chance to live a life because his mother would not want to be “burdened” with an unwanted child from an unwanted pregnancy.
The author uses statistics to try make a point. I want to know how many abortions have taken place that can be blamed by the lack of morals in today’s sex-driven society. I believe most abortions take place because people want to party and not pay the check. The author agrees with me by calling the babies “unwanted.”
Second, I take offense at Mr. Beenfeldt’s comparing an embryo to “a pile of acorns” that is less “primitive than a fish or bird.” This proves Mr. Beenfeldt is an atheist. God created the world and placed man in dominance over the world to care for it. God did not place the Earth on equal footing with man. We are the ones made in His image (and that includes the babies, Mr. Beenfeldt.)
Lastly, I take offense at Mr. Beenfeldt’s saying the protecting the sanctity of life from conception is nothing more than religious dogma promoted by the Church. I am not Catholic and do not subscribe to any particular “dogma.” I do know that all life is sacred and that life begins at conception. I know that the taking of any life is wrong and, therefore, stand against any killing, including abortion.
I praise God that my wife and I never thought of killing our son in the womb. I praise God my parents let me live. Mr. Beenfeldt should be thankful as well his parents let him live. That is the point of the movement Mr. Beenfeldt calls “anti-life.”