Is Abortion A Compassionate Alternative For Less Than Perfect Children?

"I am a man with Down's Syndrome, and my life is worth living."

John Franklin Stephens

(Click on the article to read it in its entirety,)

Tom Ed used to come by our house on his way home. His genetic disorder forced this man to ride a tricycle rather than drive a car as he made his rounds selling Grit newspapers. He would save one of the papers for my dad to buy. I really liked Tom, even though he always wanted me to fix something on his trike. My memory fails me, but I'm sure I wasn't always kind to him. I'm sure I joked with friends about the way he talked or looked as he made his way down the streets of our little town.

I'm also sure I will never forget him, and I'll never forget the day he did a flop off the high diving board at the city pool. Tom wore a life preserver, because he couldn't swim. The crowd dared him to jump off the high board, and he took the dare. All of us want the approval of the crowd. When he hit the water, he hit flat since he lacked the coordination to dive. Some gasped, most laughed and cheered. 

I hope I never forget that day. I hope I never forget the guilty, sinful pleasure of laughing and cheering with the crowd. I hope I never forget the shame I felt when Tom came up out of the water crying out in pain from the sting of the water. I hope God continues to use that day to remind me that He loves all of the children He sends into the world, that all of them are precious in His sight, and that we must love and value them all as well.

One argument for free, frequent and unrestricted abortion is that it is a woman's right, that what a woman does with her womb is none of our business. On the one hand, I agree. I do not believe that a society has any business telling people whether they can have children, telling a woman if she can or should not have a child. What if one day our nation decides that no one can have a child without permission from the government, our government determines that Christians are mentally ill, and therefore cannot be given permission to have children? For a Christ following woman, the issue of who controls her womb is settled. She follows Christ, and so He and His teachings will inform all her decisions. But, for the rest of society, there is no such guide. That is why we have laws. We have laws because society only functions if there is an external standard. We have laws because we are not surrendered to Christ. 

What a woman does with her womb is her business, but what she does with the person within her womb is another issue. The rights that extend to the mother must also extend to the child, whether surrounded by a womb or a receiving blanket. That child must be allowed to decide for himself or herself what life they will lead, how they will live. That child, regardless of genetic predispositions or limitations, is a human being, a person, who deserves the same protection under the law as you and I and its mother now enjoy.

We must not allow the mother, upon the advice of a physician or any other, to remove that right. As citizens of the United States who enjoy the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness we must assure that those rights extend to all citizens in this country including those in the womb. We must not accept that the mother or her physician are soothsayers. They do not know what the future holds for the child in the womb. They cannot predict what Trisomy 21 (Down Syndrome) or any other genetic disorder will mean for that child or for our society. We must not advocate laws that place the rights of the mother above the rights of the child.

Tom Ed is one reason. John Franklin Stephens is another. He has starred in award winning movies. He has spoken before presidents, congress, the United Nations, and hundreds of thousands through TV and personal engagements. He was a global messenger for the Special Olympics. He is a remarkable human being who has Down Syndrome, and in one way he is remarkable because he was born with that disorder. Please do not overlook the phrase, "because he was BORN."

Many argue that abortion is a compassionate choice to end a life of suffering. If you follow that logic, then you must choose to abort all babies and euthanize all people since all of us suffer. Yes, genetic disorder make life more difficult, but they do not make life less than life. Caring for a special needs child is a great weight, and so the followers of Christ must come alongside and share that burden. Caring for anyone with increased needs limits choice, increases costs, and transforms lives. However, life without struggle is bland, meaningless, and flat. The greatest in the kingdom of God are those who serve. All suffering in service is rewarded eternally, and it is also rewarded temporally. Even those who do not believe in God understand that there is no real meaning or purpose in life if there are no trials or challenges to overcome.

Neither of my children is genetically perfect, nor are you or yours. My daughter's heart was far from perfect, and my son's eyes required surgeries to function properly. Neither of them has had a perfect life, nor have their parents. No, I have never had to make the kinds of decisions that many women and men have to make. I have never heard from a physician that my child would be born with severe disabilities. I have also never experienced the pain of losing a child to homicide to know that laws should be made that forbid murder. When I hear someone say that abortion is the compassionate end of a life that would have to suffer, I think about my daughter's heart, my son's eyes, and I think about Tom.

I think about Tom and dozens of people I know with genetic abnormalities. I think about how they have so blessed my life and enriched this world. (I don't name them here out of respect since they are still alive). I am moved by the courage, contribution and humanity of hundreds of patients I served through a mental health center in Texas. I realize how significantly they have contributed to my life and to the lives of thousands. 

You may not disagree with much I have written, but would you do one thing? Would you watch John Franklin Stephens' testimony before Congress in 2017? Then, if you want to know what he's talking about, read the article here about the research being done to cure Alzheimers:  Downs Syndrome And Alzheimer's Disease), I've watched it several times as I've written this article here in my study, and I've been moved deeply every time. 

(Phone used with permission from:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQJEoRhkapw )