I hadn't posted a "Sadie Frown" for a while, but the news today most certainly deserved double Sadie and Mae frowns. The stories were just that bad:
This was one of those mornings where I checked facebook and began seeing links to various stories that made me feel physically ill. They're the kind of stories that leave no doubt that evil is real, very, very real... and they're also the kind of stories that make one wish they could rinse out there eyeballs with bleach (there's the warning... it's really that bad...).
First I saw this story. Over the years I've heard outrage over rhino and elephant tusks being sawed off for various supplements, and seahorse populations plummeting for the same reason, yet apparently this horrifying story broke back in August there was hardly a murmur. Maybe that's because people would have to admit that the steps that lead up to powdered supplements made of 90-something percent dead babies, is also a grave disgusting evil (abortion) and that the taking of sweet innocent life, which so many condone in our country, is just as unimaginable as what these "supplement" makers are doing.
I mean logically does it make sense to be horrified by what's happening to the dead bodies, but be totally fine with the act of murder? And let's face it, even in this morally relativistic culture we live in, ingesting dead babies is still going to turn the stomachs of most of us, right? I like to believe that we're not so far gone that that's starting to sound okay to anyone who isn't a sociopath (although some people think that using them in skin care products is okay).
This post on NCRegister also talks about the similarity between these pills and the hotly debated stem cell research and wonders how disgusted we'd be with dead-baby-pills if they actually worked.
Another story popped up at the bottom of the page on the baby pill story, which I can't even manage to link to (instead I'll link to a fellow blogger who shares her disgust and a portion of the article). It also sickening. It's about the horrendous abuse of a five month old baby girl, who's mother was apparently running for worst-mother-of-all-time. All I can say is that we should pray for that sweet little baby, who's now three years old and living with her adoptive mother.
After that I saw a link to a story about the founder of Calvary Chapel stating that children are no longer "assets," but "liabilities," because they no longer help bring in the dough for their parents. Apparently if you really twist scripture so that it's no longer recognizable and you disregard other parts of the Bible and say "they don't matter anymore... God only meant that for them... not me..." you can come to that conclusion. It also helps to begin with a belief that what God really wants for you is to be rich in this lifetime to reward you for your awesomeness, even if that disregards quite a few of Jesus' words, because that probably was also just meant for those people back in the first century and couldn't possibly apply to us now when he wants us all to have nice houses and at least three cars just for being our super awesome selves.
And here's why that story is lumped here with the others:
Maybe the message in that last story, that children are only blessings if they bring about financial gain, isn't that different from the sick message in the first story, where children weren't seen as blessings (at least by their government, depending on the circumstances of the abortion), but were seen as something that could be converted into currency ("assets" if you will). Even the mother in the second story thought, through some convoluted logic to somehow gain and keep men by using her daughter as an "asset." As long as we keep missing the point, that children are always blessings and that life is always a beautiful gift, regardless of the circumstances, we can't really be shocked when evil like this unfolds and is brought to light.
Even though this is all horrible, thank you for sharing. It's so tempting to push all of this away, but we need to know. We've all got a lot of praying to do.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you 100%. All three stories are linked together. Human life is precious and priceless in and of itself. Once we put a price on it, life is indeed only a commodity and not a gift.
ReplyDeleteI have family that go to Calvary Chapel and I can't believe they think it is a good church. Their beliefs are insane, especially in regards to Catholics. And most of the people that go there don't know about it or won't admit it. Trying SO hard not to share this story because I don't want to tick off my aunt. But ughhhh...
ReplyDeleteI agree completely. Children are seen as a burden by at least 90% of our society, and so many parents and children are missing out on a wonderful time and relationship together! We have four children under the age of 6 (5, almost 4, 2.5, and 16 months) and we wouldn't have it any other wayl In fact, I look forward to the time when we will welcome number 5 intro our growing family. Your website has been such an inspiration to me and I want you to know that your posts help me stay grounded in our Faithl God Bless you, your DH, your girls, and your baby surprise!
ReplyDeleteAssets? I mean, there was a time when many hands may have been needed to run the family farm, and thus children were needed labor-hands...but assets? People don't have children for their own personal gain (I hope!), they have them because they have so much love to share.
ReplyDeleteIf people aren't able to provide for them...maybe it's because our economy has gotten so horrible that people are having to postpone having families until they can move out of their own parents' homes, for example. Have you seen student loan rates lately? Not to mention the absurd costs of health care in the U.S., even if you do have insurance. Yes, let's call someone an infidel because they're struggling in a horrible economy. Ok, I'll get off my socialist soapbox now... :)
I'd *really* hoped that the dead baby pills were some kind of urban myth based on a horror story, like "Dumplings". Sadly it's real...I have no words.
...I hav "friends" who frequently describe their children as problems, financial drains or burdens. As someone unable to have children, the language and sentiments are alien to me. I know other people who see their offspring as a means of claiming extra family-related benefits or getting onto the social housing ladder. The repetitive comments like "All you do is eat, drink and play" are a sick joke. What would one expect one's child to do? Get back up that chimney perhaps. Yes, children eat, drink, play and all that costs money. But can any price be placed on a child's love, trust and wonder? Thanks for posting, however unsettling the stories. God bless x
ReplyDeleteMy mother started working when she was nine. Her family was just too poor to allow anybody but the baby to be idle. Everybody contributed. Today, things are different perhaps that's what the Calvary guy meant.
ReplyDeleteI'm absolutely sure that's what he meant. But to believe that that is a child's only value? And that if they can't be used in that way they aren't valuable? There's something sick and twisted in that way of thinking that reflects a broader trend in our culture.
ReplyDeleteI don't think it's that children are idle. They're learning. That's quite a bit of work!