Soapbox

Yesterday, I was sitting in the observation loft at gymnastics talking with a couple of other gymnastics moms as Martin crawled around on the floor, being his adorable self. One sweet mom, with whom I've had a great many surface conversations over the years, casually mentioned a news story she saw on a major news network.

"Did you hear about this doctor over in Pennsylvania or something who did those awful things to those babies?"

Um, yeah. I think I may have heard something about that.

So a conversation ensued between me and this mom and another mom, and the three of us talked about the horrors of what had gone on there. I had, by far, the most information (having followed the story before the news networks finally decided to cover it), and the other two moms were shocked at some of the things that had been done. We discussed the arbitrary nature of calling what Gosnell did "murder" while doing something that achieves the same result only a few minutes before, while baby was still in the birth canal, is considered legal and acceptable behavior in our society.

I mentioned that some lawmakers believe that infanticide should also be legal, probably also because of that arbitrary line.

One mom looked at me and said, "Well, clearly that is wrong. Even when babies survive abortion. Because, obviously, if they can survive that procedure, then God must really want them here."

I held my tongue. But what I was thinking was this:

No, the evidence that God wants these babies here is not the fact that they survived an horrific procedure designed to end their lives, but the fact that they exist at all. God is the creator of life. HE created these lives, whether we think they are convenient or wanted or desired...or not. What happened with Gosnell is a tragedy for all women and babies involved...ALL of them. Not just the ones who survived the abortion only to be killed later, and not just the women who were overdosed and given inadequate medical attention. Women and babies deserve to be treated better than this. God has a plan for each and every little human life if we just look to Him to try to find out what that plan is.

End soapbox rant.