This Tuesday, January 22, hundreds of thousands
people who understand the value of a baby in the womb will arrive in Washington
D.C. for the March for Life. Yet, many of
those who fight for life are part of a culture that leads to abortion.
people who understand the value of a baby in the womb will arrive in Washington
D.C. for the March for Life. Yet, many of
those who fight for life are part of a culture that leads to abortion.
Abortion is not an evil that stands
alone. Rather, it is the culmination of
distorted values and behaviors that have become mainstream.
alone. Rather, it is the culmination of
distorted values and behaviors that have become mainstream.
Emily Stimpson, author of These Beautiful Bones: An Everyday Theology of the Body, describes abortion as the consequenceof removing God from the center of our lives with the result of confusion of
what real love is. “If we don’t know our own dignity– our own value–how can
we see beauty and meaning in the life of our children?” Stimpson asked.
In her book, she explains the warning in1968 by
Pope Paul VI in his encyclical Humanae
Vitae, that the consequences of artificial contraception would include abortion.
He warned us that by separating sex from
the possibility of life, couples with no desire to be parents together, would
be tempted to destroy life if it came into being.
Pope Paul VI in his encyclical Humanae
Vitae, that the consequences of artificial contraception would include abortion.
He warned us that by separating sex from
the possibility of life, couples with no desire to be parents together, would
be tempted to destroy life if it came into being.
Pope John Paul II elaborated on Humanae Vitae through theology of the body,
presented in small segments during his weekly Wednesday audiences at the
Vatican. It is this theology that These Beautiful Bones explains and has a
lot to say about the beauty of our everyday lives, lived in a body, moment by
moment with extraordinary opportunities for grace. Sexual intimacy between spouses is not the
only part of that theology, but Stimpson points out that it is a big part.
presented in small segments during his weekly Wednesday audiences at the
Vatican. It is this theology that These Beautiful Bones explains and has a
lot to say about the beauty of our everyday lives, lived in a body, moment by
moment with extraordinary opportunities for grace. Sexual intimacy between spouses is not the
only part of that theology, but Stimpson points out that it is a big part.
Failure to live in harmony with God’s plan for sexual
intimacy and creation decomposes sex into a matter of recreation, often
separate from marriage, love, and life. Contraception becomes the convenient means to
such an ends that has catapulted us into a culture of death.
intimacy and creation decomposes sex into a matter of recreation, often
separate from marriage, love, and life. Contraception becomes the convenient means to
such an ends that has catapulted us into a culture of death.
 |
| JPII during a Wednesday audience |
Rendering our bodies impotent to life through
contraception—many of which are abortifacients by allowing for a fertilized egg
but preventing its fertilization—is anti-life. Stimpson identifies artificial contraception,
such as the pill, as causing a deep-rooted confusion in our culture. An increase in adultery, divorce, sexually
transmitted disease, abortion, pre-marital sex, cohabitation, and declining
numbers of marriages has all followed its widespread use. In addition, it has the harmful effect of increasing
cancer, some certainly a consequence of the pill’s designation by the World
Health Organization as a class one carcinogen. All the way around, contraception is hurting
relationships, our health, leading to the killing of babies, and warping our
relationships with each other and God.
“As the
theology of the body makes clear, contraception messes with the marital act in
multiple ways, warping the language of the body and confusing what the body
says about man and God,” Stimpson writes.
“ John Paul II explained, it turns an act that is supposed to be a sign
of a total gift of self into a lie.”
theology of the body makes clear, contraception messes with the marital act in
multiple ways, warping the language of the body and confusing what the body
says about man and God,” Stimpson writes.
“ John Paul II explained, it turns an act that is supposed to be a sign
of a total gift of self into a lie.”
For the past two millennia, Stimpson notes that
the Catholic Church has articulated the difference between the two sides of
sexual love–good and holy, and the disordered and destructive. People began to
ignore these differences and even many Catholics fell by the wayside
and began to separate sex from its creative potential. John Paul II’s appeal through his theology of
the body was not a new teaching but a reintroduction of what the culture
decided to forget—that creation, life, love, marriage, and relationships are intended to exist in union with God.
the Catholic Church has articulated the difference between the two sides of
sexual love–good and holy, and the disordered and destructive. People began to
ignore these differences and even many Catholics fell by the wayside
and began to separate sex from its creative potential. John Paul II’s appeal through his theology of
the body was not a new teaching but a reintroduction of what the culture
decided to forget—that creation, life, love, marriage, and relationships are intended to exist in union with God.
The encouraging news is that the truth of theology
of the body has changed lives, marriages, families and thus parts of our
culture. It does not teach anything new
but is an approach from the Church to affect our sex-crazed world and help us
understand the sacramental view of life and relationships. It is an antidote to what ails us. Stimpson’s book is one of many that explain this teaching so that to know the truth is to love it and live it.
of the body has changed lives, marriages, families and thus parts of our
culture. It does not teach anything new
but is an approach from the Church to affect our sex-crazed world and help us
understand the sacramental view of life and relationships. It is an antidote to what ails us. Stimpson’s book is one of many that explain this teaching so that to know the truth is to love it and live it.
The mainstream media will mostly ignore the
expected 600,000 that attend the March for Life, the largest gathering of
protestors in our country’s capitol. This
is nothing short of bizarre since it is newsworthy with a capital “N”. It is a case of simple denial because so many
are afraid to look at the truth. But pro-lifers must also be willing not to deny the truth.
expected 600,000 that attend the March for Life, the largest gathering of
protestors in our country’s capitol. This
is nothing short of bizarre since it is newsworthy with a capital “N”. It is a case of simple denial because so many
are afraid to look at the truth. But pro-lifers must also be willing not to deny the truth.
To fully stand for life, our values must run
deep. Abortion is not an isolated tragedy; it is only the ultimate consequence of separating from God’s plan in ways that lead to abortion.
deep. Abortion is not an isolated tragedy; it is only the ultimate consequence of separating from God’s plan in ways that lead to abortion.
There is great hope. So many willing to travel long distances, walk in harsh weather, and protest abortion, are surely open to rejecting everything thing connected to it. Many already have. The rest are our next best hope.
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Check out Big Hearted: Inspiring Stories From Everyday Families a collection of stories on love and life. Children’s books, Dear God, I Don’t Get It and Dear God, You Can’t Be Serious are fiction that present faith through fun and exciting stories. Follow Patti at Twitter and like her Facebook pages at Dear God Books, Big Hearted Families.
