Fruits of the "Culture of Life"
by Janet Brazill
"By their fruits ye shall know them." As
Matthew 7:16 further explains, "every good tree gives good fruit;
but the bad tree gives evil fruit." |
Our country has many religions calling themselves "Christian."
But the denominations with greatest influence with government officials,
the ones helping set the policy of our present leaders, are Catholic
and Evangelical. These two groups, diverse in ritual and doctrine,
have joined in advancing their concept of a "culture of life,"
demonstrated by their devotion to the unborn of the human species.
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This concern for the unborn consistently takes precedence
over the needs and welfare of the born, leading many to question whether
such teachings yield good or evil fruit. Let's examine the evidence.
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In the 1960's, as world population grew at a phenomenal
rate, straining resources and creating more poverty and suffering,
scientific research derived a solution -- the birth control pill.
Had it been promoted worldwide, it would have enabled couples to match
the size of their families with their income and space out their children,
improving both maternal and infant health. It would have reduced consumption
of scarce resources and lessened the present effects of global warming.
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The Catholic religion, which had fought early contraceptive
measures in this country, actually considered changing its stance,
convening the 1966 Papal Commission on Population and Birth Control.
A lay member told the Catholic Reporter that the Commission's tacit
purpose was to find a way for the Church to approve contraception
without undermining Church authority. Even though the Commission voted
overwhelmingly that a change was both possible and advisable, some
Cardinals convinced the Pope to retain the ban against artificial
contraception. The resulting ''Humanae Vitae'' encyclical forbade
''any action which either before, at the moment of or after sexual
intercourse, is specifically intended to prevent procreation.''
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Fast forward to the 21st Century. The Church's opposition
to contraceptives has required it to redefine the medical definition
of pregnancy, naming the point of fertilization as the beginning of
life rather than implantation of the fertilized egg. But now clinics
performing in vitro fertilization are left with thousands of excess
fertilized eggs. Limited by the self-serving definition it created,
the Church must oppose any use of these excess eggs that doesn't lead
to birth. |
Scientists believe that by extracting stem cells from
these eggs, they have the potential for curing many of our worst diseases
and even reverse spinal cord injuries for our Iraq veterans. By opposing
such use, the Church shows that it values a 5-day-old clump of cells
more than a suffering human being. |
Religion, traditionally considered to help people cope
with illness and inspire concern for one's fellow humans, does neither
when it demands adherence to this "culture of life" thinking.
This mindset opposes anything that would threaten its religious authority,
even research to cure disease. It insists that sexual acts be unrestrained
by artificial contraception regardless of personal consequences or
the devastating effect population growth has on our planet.
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Helped by Evangelicals, the Church gradually acquired
influence over high government offices, blurring the line of separation
between Church and State. Since 2001we have seen embryonic stem cell
research effectively halted in this country, cuts in our nation's
aid to family planning programs worldwide, and HIV-AIDS programs diluted
with religious requirements. |
"Evil" fruits, indeed! |
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