Posted by
EFuller on Tuesday, May 08, 2007 9:23:34 PM
Cheryl and Jen, young women in their twenties, stroll together through the park.
"Spring is such a beautiful time!" exclaims Jen.
"All the flowers and greenery just renews the hope in my heart," says Cheryl.
"Oh, I agree – especially in your condition."
Cheryl laughs lightly and replies, "You mean in our condition."
The women giggle and continue walking, comparing notes on their early pregnancies. Suddenly, Jen whispers, “Look!” and tilts her head toward a third woman a short distance off the walk, playing on the grass with six children of varying ages.
"Are they all hers?" asks Cheryl.
"They have to be," adds Jen under her breath. "They all look alike and the ages are right."
"How selfish to have so many children. Does she know the carbon load she’s adding to the planet?"
"She's probably some fundamentalist Christian fanatic," replies Cheryl.
"People just refuse to see the negative impact having babies has on the environment!"
"Selfish," they say in unison.
They exchange glances and fall silent as they approach a fourth woman. She is seated on the bench beside the walk, smiling at an infant on her lap. She makes eye contact as Cheryl and Jen pass. They smile politely and walk on.
After a few steps, Cheryl mutters, "Speaking of selfish!"
"I know!" says Jen. "Wasting her pregnancy on a birth!"
"Think of the people she could have helped by donating her tissue!"
"Oh, Cheryl, I'm so glad we are not so selfish. We're going to help so many by donating the products of our conception to research!"
"Absolutely! Our donation will help dozens. What's wrong with these women?"
They exchange looks and say in unison, "Selfish!
How far are we from this surreal scene? Closer than you may think, consider:
- Being a stay-at-home mom (motherhood) has been devalued.
- Marriage has been severely weakened and remains under assault.
- Abortion is legal because it seems normal for a mother to have the right to kill her
unborn child.
- Embryonic stem cell research is now justified because the embryos are unwanted.
- Some environmentalists are already calling children “bad” for the planet.
How long before shame and condemnation is leveled at those who conceive children instead of spare parts?