tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59599611488056490982024-02-07T06:08:45.894-08:00The Unborn VoiceCreated to give unborn children a voice in a world which has greatly ignored the plight of the youngest and smallest members of our society. Dare to challenge your preconceptions regarding "choice."Tonal Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03198001091701514327noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5959961148805649098.post-76979057837898409062017-06-12T18:12:00.001-07:002017-06-12T18:12:22.019-07:00The Absurdity of an Argument: Men Not Allowed<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The argument I am going to argue against is as follows: men should not have any authority regarding issues surrounding pregnancy, especially moral issues. According to this argument, the reason men should not have any authority over this subject is because men cannot experience pregnancy and thus cannot understand what it means to be pregnant. It is also argued that pregnancy issues do not affect men as it does women.<br />
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From a pro-life perspective the response to this argument is simple: all human beings have an obligation to defend the lives of other human beings regardless of their size, level of development, place of residence, and amount of dependency. Indeed, it is widely viewed that all people are obligated to actively oppose the killing of innocent people regardless of largely uncontrollable variables such as gender, ethnic background, and religious affiliation. Therapeutic abortions are the intentional killing of human beings because of their young age, location, level of dependence, and how they inconvenience other human beings. In the United States, the number of unborn human beings purposely killed has reached the millions long ago and continues to this day; indeed, 730,222 unborn human beings were killed in the United States in 2011 alone not including California, Florida, and four other states (CDC, 2014). Including California's 184,552 abortions in 2011, using Guttmacher's numbers, the total comes to 914,774 (<a href="https://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/sfaa/california.html">Guttmacher Institute, 2015</a>). Thus, if it is the case that this many human beings are being killed then this must be diametrically opposed until it comes to an end.<br />
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The argument from the preceding paragraph is the one that I subscribe to. However, the argument should be delved into more deeply. The reason for this is that an emotional argument many people subscribe to has stripped away the humanity and "person-hood status" of the unborn no matter how ardently it is debated. This is important because if the converse is true (if an abortion does not kill a human being) then a massacre of grand scale does <i>not</i> exist. Thus, the following rebuttals to the argument that men have no right to an opinion regarding therapeutic abortion does not take into account the humanity of the unborn. Sound argument follows from both logical and experiential perspectives.<br />
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<b>Rebuttal from Logic</b><br />
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We, as humans both male and female, have the capacity for reason. Reason results from utilizing logic. All people have experienced many things but not all people can experience all things during their life time (i.e. not all women experience pregnancy). What reason would there be to disallow a group of individuals from using their capacity to reason to form an opinion although one has not had certain experiences? It is true that one who has had a previous personal experience related to the subject in question will often lend more credibility on the subject the experience is related to. For example, if I ate 10,000 calories every day for five years and became obese then I would be able to speak from experience when I say that overeating results in weight gain, numerous health problems, and many inconveniences; this experience has then created increased credibility to my opinion regarding overeating. However, is it a necessity that I have this experience to have enough credibility to hold the opinion that overeating results in a negative outcome and should be avoided? It is possible to have known this probable outcome without first experiencing it by using facts and logic. Therefore, gaining credibility through an experiential background is important but not a requirement prior to forming an opinion. Indeed, those who have experienced a therapeutic abortion can provide vital insights into the subject but that experience alone cannot be <i>the</i> basis for an opinion.<br />
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By utilizing this frame of thought, if one group cannot biologically experience something it does not logically follow that the group cannot have an opinion regarding it. Experience certainly adds credibility but lack of experience does not, in itself, remove the ability of a human to utilize sound reason, logic, and facts to form a credible opinion.<br />
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Consider also that it is highly possible that someone who has experienced something may actually have a biased opinion, particularly from an emotional stand point. For example, say that a man had a brother that died from a skiing accident. This man also has no prior knowledge of the required safety precautions already in place for skiing safety. This person would likely be angry, justifiably so, about the dangers of skiing even without knowing anything about existing skiing safety precautions. Would it then follow that it would be acceptable to make skiing illegal based upon this man's emotionally charged experience? While a case can be made to create laws that provide additional safety for skiing, an argument purely from an emotional stand point is weak. For example, what exactly could have prevented the accident? Was their a failure in the mechanism of the ski equipment or was there user error involved? A position would need to be formed following a proper investigation from impartial experts in the field. The man's stance on skiing is so heavily weighed on emotion that this opinion must only be considered in light of other compelling arguments derived from facts and logic. Naturally, then, a woman who has had an abortion but has a poor grasp of the facts should not be the sole basis of forming your own opinion on the subject.<br />
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Another argument at play here is that there is no experiential difference regarding pregnancy between the following two groups: women whom have never been pregnant before and men. Should it follow, then, that it is not only men that should not have an opinion regarding pregnancy health and therapeutic abortion but also those who have never been pregnant? It would then follow that the only people entitled to an opinion are those who have experienced that said thing for themselves? How else could one know how it feels to then form an opinion of it? This line of reasoning is absurd. For example, can only those who have experienced the process of parenting have an opinion regarding what constitutes child abuse? Just because someone has experience surrounding the subject matter does not make them experts in the field. A child psychologist is not unqualified merely for not having his or her own child just the same as a man is not unqualified merely for not having a uterus. Ultimately, someone who has had a therapeutic abortion can become so steeped in emotion that what actually transpired may be ignored (i.e. the death of an unborn child). It is not always true that those who have directly experienced something are the best experts regarding the related subject.<br />
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<b>Rebuttal from Personal Experience</b><br />
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Logically, it is not only experience that lends itself to logical conclusions. However, experience plays a large role in discovering the truth. My own experiences illustrate that it is important that all people, both men and women, become involved in the debate over pregnancy related health issues and therapeutic abortion. Human lives are literally at stake.</div>
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<i>Experience as a teen</i><br />
I decided very early on in my life to very actively pursue the truth. As a 6th grader a teacher angrily called me a liar regarding the details surrounding a skirmish that happened during recess. I was being very honest. It hurt me so deeply that I felt physical pain which resulted in me ditching class and running home crying. It made me want to fight adamantly against lies and to discover the truth no matter where it was to be found. This experience also gave me an underlying distrust of others.<br />
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Due to this formative experience, I felt dedicated to deeply discovering the truth even in the most controversial and unpleasant topics facing us as a society. Subjects ranging from birth control, homosexuality, government structure, basic morality, faith, and abortion peeked my interest. Abortion became the most important topic because of the gravity of the subject; if abortion is the intentional killing of our fellow human beings then our country has been experiencing a massacre without many of us realizing it! Conversely, however, if abortion is benign and akin to a toenail removal then I could care less. The more that I learned about the subject the more that I could not ignore it. Legalized and widespread killing of our country's unborn children made me very sad and, rightfully so, very angry. I tried so very, very hard to prove myself wrong. I very much did not (and still do not) want to believe this truth. Who in their right mind would want to think that countless children are being killed and torn to tiny little pieces while everyone tries their best to ignore it? Unfortunately, I had no choice but to accept the truth. After all, I reasoned, the truth was, and still is, the most important thing to me.<br />
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<i>Experience as a young man</i><br />
Good life decisions and hard work do not guarantee that a person will not fall into times of great need. Immediately after graduating high school, I went to college. At the time I majored in music. In time, however, I lost confidence in my future goals. Eventually, I was inspired by the great interest I took in the difficult Anatomy and Physiology class. I also met many pre-nursing students. Alongside meeting my future wife who also provided inspiration, these factors led to my decision to become a nurse. I have always wanted to have a more concrete means to help other people. To work in a job where I have a direct and very positive effect on other people in a physical, emotional, and spiritual way fit my personality well.<br />
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Finally I got admitted to the nursing program at my local community college. This program was very difficult and life consuming. At the time I had no idea what nursing specialty I would have the most interest in. However, once I experienced labor and delivery nursing that summer I had my answer. I was so intensely excited in helping moms during their pregnancy and while birthing their children. All nursing students are very nervous and freeze up during their first clinical rotations; I was no different. However, the first laboring woman that I was assisted was very receptive to me. She was so happy to have a student be so willing to help and so excited to be involved. She eventually gave birth to her beautiful baby and thanked me very sincerely for all of my help. At that moment I knew that no matter the barriers to becoming a male in labor and delivery that obstetrical nursing was in my future. I cannot thank this woman enough for the inspiration and determination she instilled into me.<br />
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Midway through nursing school I married my beautiful wife. My wife then became pregnant with our first son. Shortly thereafter, during the final year of nursing school, I lost my job and source of income. Eventually, no food was left and no money was left for gas, bills, and rent. After what seemed like forever I found a minimum wage per-diem job and a small amount of monetary assistance from my parents that kept me going. I also obtained food-stamps once every single last article of food was gone. This was indeed a very difficult time of my life. At times I was uncertain if I could continue nursing school. My doubts were starting to accumulate whether or not I could provide for my wife and new child. During this tumultuous time I realized that one answer to my problems suggested by pro-choicers would be therapeutic abortion. What better way to ensure that I'd be able to continue my education and be successful in life than to remove one major barrier to that? Indeed, it would have been a great idea! However, I already knew that my wife was pregnant not with a parasite or something similar but with my own son! Never did it cross my mind to ever utilize therapeutic abortion to kill my son and help ensure a brighter financial future for myself and my wife. For a more detailed account of this experience please read <a href="http://theunbornvoice.blogspot.com/2010/12/my-own-pro-life-walk.html">My Own Pro-Life Walk</a>.<br />
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Finally, I graduated nursing school and became a Registered Nurse. As a new graduate nurse I, like so many others, felt the need to get a job to support my family very strongly. The job market was difficult for new graduates at the time. I applied to many maternal units throughout my area as well as Versant programs in maternal health. However, I was not unable to find a job. Soon, out of necessity, I placed applications in different fields of nursing.<br />
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Eventually, I was hired for my first Registered Nursing job. This job was Registered Nurse Case Managing in hospice. I worked in this capacity for upwards of three years. The people I worked with were amazing! I also got to experience the opposite spectrum of the life issue, the end of life. There is no better an illustration of the beauty of life than to care for those at the end of life. Indeed, the end of life, as the last part of life's experiences, is such a difficult thing. Yet the people I have met, the stories I have heard, the amount of help that I have provided, and the degree of love that I experienced is tremendously powerful. If it was not for my determination to be a labor and delivery nurse then I might have well stayed in that specialty. I found, through experience, that the end of life needs to occur in dignity, compassion, and help, rather than in a falsely placed sense of sympathy through euthanasia. Please read my articles regarding this topic: <a href="http://theunbornvoice.blogspot.com/2010/10/hospice-nursing-embracing-end-of-life.html">Hospice Nursing: Embracing the End of Life</a> and <a href="http://theunbornvoice.blogspot.com/2011/11/experiencing-death-in-hospice.html">Experiencing Death in Hospice.</a><br />
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After leaving hospice and finding my only means of working in the hospital as a medical-surgical nurse for another three years. As time marched foward I felt significant ambivalence regarding my future in labor and delivery. I had to consider that it is women who almost exclusively work in that specialty and that all of the patients in labor and delivery are women. Amidst this time of ambivalence I left a hand-written note (of all things) for the maternal-child health department manager at a time that I heard of numerous full-time openings regarding my interest. That one fateful action led to me landing an interview to work in labor and delivery.<br />
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<i>Experience as a labor and delivery nurse</i><br />
After nearly eight years after discovering that labor and delivery nursing was in my future as a nursing student I was finally going to have an interview to work as a Registered Nurse in the department! I studied mother-baby nursing in my nursing textbook and delved myself deeply into the world of labor and delivery nursing. Although I had such a positive and inspirational experience in labor and delivery in nursing school that was nearly eight years prior, the experience was brief, and my responsibilities were limited. No amount of preparation could enlighten me as to what experiences were to follow. Most pressing on my mind was the fact that I am a man desiring very much to care for women as they are giving birth to their own children which is something quite rare. Indeed, giving birth is a very vulnerable and personal experience for women. There are many men who are obstetricians but it is nearly impossible to find a man working as a nurse in obstetrics. I also gave great thought to the difficulty that may arise out of the attitudes and beliefs of all of the women nurses that would be my coworkers. I was getting quite nervous!<br />
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My interview consisted of some hard clinical knowledge questions and critical thinking. I felt good about my answers and I conveyed my passion for labor and delivery nursing properly. The manager, assistant manager, and two clinical educators were present for the interview. Following a brief private discussion held between the four of them they decided to hire the very first man as a labor and delivery nurse the hospital has ever had. I was speechless. For a moment I had a blank look on my face. Shortly thereafter I came to my senses and expressed how amazing being hired was.<br />
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I thought about about the first day I started on the unit. How would my coworkers, all women, and patients, all women, respond to my presence? To the meat of the issue, would my coworkers and patients respond with disgust and distrust that a man would want to be a labor and delivery nurse? Would they respond akin to the animus I experienced from the stringent argument that men have absolutely no right to even have an opinion regarding the issue of therapeutic abortion? From the pro-choice perspective, therapeutic abortion is equally as personal a decision as is the decisions surrounding the birthing process. With glee I discovered that patients and fellow nurses were comfortable with my care as long as I had their best intentions at heart, provided competent care, showed and provided respectful and loving care, and remained, always, an advocate for patients. I remember very distinctly one of my first patients encouraging me to provide her care after I had expressed that I was very nervous about it. In my experience, patients refusing my care due to my gender has been an extreme rarity. My coworkers have been and continue to be awesome colleagues with whom I share the same goal of providing safe, competent, and compassionate care for mommies and babies. I have experienced what it means to truly love them both-- both mothers and babies. It is a beautiful experience that has never been hindered by the fact that I am a man. At the time of writing, I have been working in labor and delivery nursing for two and a half years.<br />
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I have more experience caring for those with whom are dying and women who are giving birth than most people have ever had in their lives. These beautiful experiences lend to my credibility surrounding life issues. It also does provide a bias towards protecting and defending mothers and their babies. It is of great gratitude that my experiences have confirmed my previously held opinions concluded solely from a logical and factual framework. In my career, in my words, and in my life I will defend, care for, and protect mothers and babies every time that opportunity is provided.<br />
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<b>Conclusion</b><br />
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I share with you my logic and experience to better understand my perspective that gender is not a barrier when it comes to the need to protect the lives of innocent babies. While there is certainly disagreement regarding what it means to be a human being from the philosophical means (this has been argued to begin from conception, as <a href="https://theunbornvoice.blogspot.com/2008/10/right-choice.html">I argue</a>, all the way to toddler-hood, as <a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/jun/16/peter-singer-princeton-bioethics-professor-faces-c/">Princeton Bioethics professor Peter Singer</a> argues) it does not change the fact that we are all called to protect and defend the lives of our fellow members of humanity.<br />
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Summarily, us humans, regardless of gender, have the capacity for reason. Therefore, gender should not be grounds for the dismissal of a person's opinion. Also, those who have had the experience surrounding the issue may have a bias that effects their opinion that is not grounded in an objective and logical conclusion considering the facts. Regardless of this possible bias, those who have experienced that which concerns the subject (i.e. a post-abortive woman in regards to the abortion debate) does have increased credibility once that bias is properly understood. Further, those who have the capability to experience that which is related to the argument may have not partaken in it; it does not follow that these people who have had the ability but did not partake should be granted more credibility than those who have no ability to partake (i.e. women who have no had a therapeutic abortion as opposed to men who have no ability to have a therapeutic abortion). Finally, as illustrated by my own experiences, those who cannot personally partake in the experience related to the subject may have other very compelling experiences that are related; this, then, may increase said person's credibility to speak on the subject so long as the bias is considered.<br />
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Ultimately, the most important factors surrounding an issue are the facts and logical argument while experiences serve to complement. These arguments illustrate that men can have a voice in regards to pregnancy-related health and therapeutic abortion. A person's gender must not be the basis for silencing a person's opinion.<br />
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Please leave comments regarding your own thoughts, experiences, and logic regarding this issue.<br />
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<b>Bibliography</b><br />
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<li>State facts about abortion: California. (n.d.). Retrieved July 10, 2015, from Guttmacher Institute website: https://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/sfaa/california.html</li>
<li>Center for Disease Control. (2014, November). Abortion surveillance: United States, 2011 (K. Pazol, <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A. Creanga, K. Burley, & D. Jamieson, Authors)</span></span><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Chasmar, J. (2015, June 16). </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Princeton bioethics professor faces calls for resignation over infanticide support. Retrieved June 12, 2017, from http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/jun/16/peter-singer-princeton-bioethics-professor-faces-c/ </span></span></li>
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Tonal Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03198001091701514327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5959961148805649098.post-58406909965159110362012-06-03T22:37:00.002-07:002012-06-04T00:04:52.094-07:00A Plea to Understand Thee<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I have too often been mocked, impugned, ignored, misunderstood, misinterpreted, and even threatened for being an outspoken advocate for unborn human beings. Oftentimes I wonder why this is so. My mind has thought through the topic of abortion in every way that I can imagine. Nights were spent trying my best to think in a mindset opposite of my own, the mindset of a "pro-choicer." I do this to refine my own beliefs, to ensure the certainty of my own thoughts, and to understand the perspective of "the other side."<br />
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However, no matter how hard I try to re-think this topic, the unshakable truth continues to insist in presenting itself to the forefront of my cortex. Then the truth repeatedly tears my heart in two. With blood trickling onto the floor, my body is called into action to defend the lives of the unborn and to assist the women and men most affected. If you do not fully understand how I feel then this post is for you.<br />
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<center><b>Simile</b></center><br />
Imagine, if you will, that one mile down the street, in the town that you grew up, is a place of continual horror and mayhem. Imagine, too, that this place slaughters approximately 20 young children weekly. This has been something that those in your town know is occurring yet choose to do nothing about. People go to the store, go to school, go to church, and go about their daily lives without ever talking about it. It's taboo.<br />
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Could you allow the slaughter to continue without saying anything? Could you go to sleep every night knowing that countless children are being brutally slaughtered one mile down your street while you do nothing? Over time you start to forget about this topic. You do everything you can to ignore it. You start to be just like everyone else; you go about living your life as if it is not happening. Then, one day, you see photographic proof of what occurs at this place that slaughters countless children. The photos are gruesome, nasty, yet entirely reflective of the truth. It moves your brain and your heart to action!<br />
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The next day you tell your friends that you are planning on doing what you can to stop this horror. Your friends tell you "it's the parents' choice!" Your friends tell you that this topic is something that is so personal that it should not be something to do anything about. Your friends tell you, even, that "if you don't like children being killed, then don't have your own children killed!" One of your longtime friends tells you that she never wants to talk to you again because of how "heartless" you are.<br />
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Aghast, you press on. You stand in front of the building where these children are slaughtered. You peacefully plea with the parents walking to this place to not kill their own children. A security guard yells at you, he reminds you, quite forcefully, that it is the right of these parents to come here. A father comes up to you and yells at your face "how about YOU try to care for these children!? You have the choice, so let us have OURS!" You calmly respond that you really want to care for these children, especially if it saves their lives. You ask parents going into the building if you can adopt their children. Rather than the parents accept the help you offer the father yells profanities at you.<br />
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You know that trying to prevent the killing of children is extremely important. You have one more idea. You start writing articles about this topic publicly. You really have a passion to save children's lives and you start to really share it with others. Rather than receive any encouragement, you are impugned. Others say that you are a disgusting human being, against parental rights, and are bigoted. You're not too sure how anyone could think so, but they think so nonetheless.<br />
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After a while you realize that there is really not much that you can do to resolve this problem in its entirety. Not only is it happening in your own town, it is also happening all throughout the country. Just to do the little that you can do has such a large cost: you lose your friends, others threaten you, some demean you, and still more ignore you entirely. With no recourse, you know that there is no other option but to keep going. You know that there just are not enough people that wish to save these children's lives. Even if you are one the few lone people to do so, these children need someone to defend them!<br />
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<center><b>Reality</b></center><br />
My pro-choice friend, the way you would feel in the circumstance that I have described above is often the way that I feel as an advocate for unborn human beings. People call me sexist, bigoted, hateful, mean, judgmental, amongst other things. In trying to offer the most help to women I am cussed at. Even in peacefully defending the unborn publicly I am threatened to be beaten up. In offering my help to adopt the children who were scheduled to be brutally slaughtered I get yelled at with the worst kinds of profanities. Some old friends wish to no long talk to me anymore because I defend the unborn. Many others just plain ignore me.<br />
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Please, I plead thee, understand how it is that I feel. The slaughtering of born children in the scenario that I presented may make you feel the same way that I feel about the slaughtering of unborn children. Our federal law allows the legal killing of over one million unborn children annually. Yet what can I do about it? I will continue to do what little I can in my own life to stop the bloodshed. Furthermore, I will do so with love, kindness, faith, understanding, and with as much patience as possible. May God bless you.</div>Tonal Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03198001091701514327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5959961148805649098.post-83317422114539109462012-02-07T15:03:00.000-08:002012-02-07T15:10:40.989-08:00In ResponseI recently had a discussion with someone who was pro-abortion-choice. I wish to publish part of my own words in the discussion here because of the highly informative facts contained therein.<br />
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Topics touched were of mother and unborn as separate human beings, placenta as a pseudo-organ of the unborn, role of hormones in pregnancy, problems with vague definitions of personhood, conception as the start of a human being's life, and the fact that one should be in favor of making abortion illegal past 6 weeks gestational age if brainwave activity is one's defining moment of personhood.<br />
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<center><b>Separate or Same Human Being?</b></center><br />
An unborn baby is an entirely separate human being than his or her mother. This is scientific fact. The two organisms (mother and unborn) have a mutualistic symbiotic relationship (it has been documented that bother mother and unborn benefit from the natural state of pregnancy). This means that the unborn do not share blood with their mothers. Also, the only hormone provided by the mother that is essential for an unborn child's survival is progesterone. The placenta also produces progesterone on it's own which signals the mother to continue progesterone production. It is progesterone levels that tell a woman's body to go into menses (a "period"). Indeed, the progesterone levels drop in late pregnancy to help labor begin (I sometimes refer to labor as a massive period). The other hormones, such as HCG and HPL, are also created by the placenta (<a href="http://www.vivo.colostate.edu/hbooks/pathphys/reprod/placenta/endocrine.html" target="resource window">SOURCE</a>)<br />
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The placenta is a pseudo organ that is made by one layer of the unborn embryo and one layer of the mother's uterus. Indeed, it is an organ of BOTH the mother and the unborn. Thus, the great majority of hormones are made by an organ that could be considered belonging primarily to the fetus.<br />
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<center><b>Conception</b></center><br />
Science clearly shows that a human being's life begins at conception. "[The Zygote] results from the union of an oocyte and a sperm. A zygote is the beginning of a new human being. Human development begins at fertilization, the process during which a male gamete or sperm … unites with a female gamete or oocyte … to form a single cell called a zygote. This highly specialized, totipotent cell marks the beginning of each of us as a unique individual." The Developing Human: Clinically Oriented Embryology, 6th ed. 1998, pg. 2-18.<br />
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The mother <i>does</i> provide nourishment that sustains an unborn child's life. So does a mother provide nourishment that sustains a born child's life. Nature provided breasts to allow a newborn to survive. Much like a marsupial is born and must fully depend upon it's mother in her pouch, so does a newborn human being fully depend upon the breast. This has only recently changed due to the advent of man-made formula that mimics breast milk (thank goodness for the human race's intelligence) and that of human milk banks.<br />
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<center><b>Further Proof that Life Starts at Conception</center></b><br />
"Biologically speaking, human development begins at fertilization."<br />
The Biology of Prenatal Develpment, National Geographic, 2006. [A video documentary] The start of human development means that a human being exists. How can a person's development start before he/she exists? For example, science doesn't consider spermatogenesis or the development of oocytes in an unborn girl's ovaries to be the beginning of human development. Rather, conception is the starting point of human development for the very reason that a new human being exists.<br />
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"Almost all higher animals start their lives from a single cell, the fertilized ovum (zygote). ... The time of fertilization represents the starting point in the life history, or ontogeny, of the individual." Carlson, Bruce M., Patten's Foundations of Embryology, 6th edition. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1996, p.3.<br />
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"The development of a human being begins with fertilization, a process by which two highly specialized cells, the spermatozoon from the male and the oocyte from the female, unite to give rise to a new organism, the zygote." Langman, Jan. Medical Embryology. 3rd edition. Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins, 1975, p. 3 ... do understand that we born people are also single organisms just the same as a conceptus or zygote is.<br />
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"Fertilization is a sequence of events that begins with the contact of a sperm (spermatozoon) with a secondary oocyte (ovum) and ends with the fusion of their pronuclei (the haploid nuclei of the sperm and ovum) and the mingling of their chromosomes to form a new cell. This fertilized ovum, known as a zygote, is a large diploid cell that is the beginning, or primordium, of a human being." Moore, Keith L. Essentials of Human Embryology. Toronto: B.C. Decker Inc, 1988, p.2. Emphasis on the word "new" in "to form a new cell." It is different and separate than the two originating gametes (spermatozoon and oocyte).<br />
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It is through this process that a new human being comes into existence. There are two other way a new human being can come into existence, that is, through asexual reproduction to produce identical twins and through in-vitro fertilization (IVF). Even human development classes that my wife has taken also state the a new human life begins at conception.<br />
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<center><b>Problem with Vague Philosophies</b></center><br />
[This person subscribed to a philosophy that human beings must meet a list of 5 special criteria to obtain "Full Moral Status (FMS)" to then be considered a human being or person. He got these criteria from a philosophy class and they are as follows: 1: Sophisticated Cognitive Capacities, 2: Capacity to Develop Sophisticated Cognitive Capacities, 3: Rudimentary Cognitive Capacities, 4: Member of a Cognitively Sophisticated Species, 5: Special Relationships. He also argued that no animal was capable of "Full Moral Status (FMS)" and are thus agents considered to be capable only of "Partial Moral Status(PMS)"]<br />
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The problem with your argument is that you subscribe to a vague and undefinable definition of personhood. Your five tenants to define a moral being has no basis in reality or truth. Are human beings suppose to protect the lives of other human beings? Then we must not use subjective definitions made by man. Rather, we should use the objective and verifiable reality that science provides. Science proves without a doubt that a human being's life starts at conception. It does not, however, provide some other marker for the start of our lives. When my first baby Adam was discovered to exist, he was a "clump of cells" (all of us are clumps of cells, really, and an unborn clump of cells is just as organized a clump as we adults are). Yet, even at that very early stage, we loved our son the same then as we do now.<br />
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You see, those who are pro-abortion-choice use emotional arguments. However, a human being can be loved at one time and then not at another. Some human being's lives are lost yet are not mourned. Other human being's lives are lost yet are mourned. What attributes these persons' values? Other people. Those who are pro-abortion-choice use definitions with vague and undefinable meanings to discriminate an unrecognized portion of the human race. Just the same as slave owners used subjective definitions to dehumanize blacks! If we truly want to have a equal society, our society needs to unite together and defend all people from conception until natural death based upon the facts that science provides.<br />
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"Although my five tenants which I learned in my class are man made, we still must go by the definitions..." I truly dislike man made things like this. The reason is that all men are imperfect. Using an imperfect system will then lead to imperfect decisions. Why does a newborn child (which cannot communicate in any complex way nor be able to have self recognition) be classified as FMS and full protection under the law whilst a <i>much smarter</i> 10 year old dolphin (which amazingly communicates through a complex language) can only have PMS and not have the full protections under the law? African Grey parrots can have a vocabulary of hundreds of words and has been classified as being just as smart as a human toddler yet cannot be classified as FMS as a human neonate or disabled human adult can? The contradictions are aplenty and illustrate the fallacy of your Full Moral Status system.<br />
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There are days that I wish that I could believe the same as you. You know why? Because if I did believe like you then I would be able reason away and make insignificant the million babies that are slaughtered every year in this country. I <i>very badly wish</i> that the truth was <i>not</i> the truth! I really wish I could say "it's her body, her choice." It brings tears to my eyes that I cannot truly believe that. I cannot ignore the truth. I cannot ignore science. I cannot ignore how abortion has ravaged our nation. I also cannot sit idly by while fellow human beings are discriminated against and slaughtered. I must be a voice for the voiceless! I must defend the defenseless! It is for this reason that I am a nurse today.<br />
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<center><b>Start of Brain Acitivity</b></center><br />
One last thing. You said "And if the brain activity begins fairly quickly, then I believe this also supports my belief of having an abortion quickly." According to ehd.org, "the embryo has brainwaves by 6 weeks, 2 days!" This is scientifically true! Thus, according to the CDC, you would oppose over 37% of all abortions! 37% of all abortions are done past 8 weeks gestation, which is over 450,000 abortions annually according to the Alan Guttmacher Institute. Would you be willing to make illegal over 450,000 of the surgical elective abortions that happen annually in this country today? [He never answered this question]<br />
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<b><center>Unborn and Neonates Must Rely on their Mothers for Survival</b></center><br />
Fetuses that are born become neonates. This nomenclature only changes with the change of a human being's environment. As demonstrated by <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17237979/ns/health-childrens_health/t/earliest-surviving-preemie-remain-hospital/#.TyXoOoF-duI" target="resource window">this story</a> (which is one among many), fetuses are surviving earlier and earlier. This one story shows a 22 week fetus surviving at being born at such an early gestational age. Science has been helping prematurely born neonates survive earlier and earlier.<br />
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To answer your contention that without the advances of science then these prematurely born would otherwise die: the same can be said of term children who are unable or unwilling to breastfeed. Prior to the advent of scientifically discovered and created formula and human milk banks, many more babies died than do today. Breastfeeding is the natural means of mother providing 100% sustenance to the neonate and who would die without it. You argue that the 100% sustenance from the mother is one reason support killing the unborn. Could it, then, also be a reason to kill the born?<br />
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<center><b>To be Pro-Life is to be Feminist</b></center><br />
"I'm a huge feminist and I will always be. Women get the short end of the stick and quite frankly it pisses me off." I'm a huge feminist too. I also get pissed off when I think of all of the times that women were discriminated against throughout human history. Christians throughout history have also been guilty of discrimination. So have Hindus, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Shintoists, and practically many other other groups of people throughout the years of history.<br />
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I have protested in front of abortion clinics off and on for some years now. Guess which gender I see protesting and/or sidewalk counseling the most? I see women a whole lot more often fighting against abortion than men. In fact, I run into more men who are adamantly pro-abortion-choice than I do women.<br />
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I support equal wages for equal work, gender protection laws in hiring practices, and everything that truly allows women and men to be equals in our society. A ton more unborn GIRLS get aborted than do boys. That is an abomination!<br />
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Being a father, a nurse, and a human being all direct me to be pro-life and to stand for the lives of women and children whenever I possibly can.<br />
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By the way, I really do think that dolphins would be able to achieve "full moral status" as this person has described it. Dolphins are awesome! :)Tonal Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03198001091701514327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5959961148805649098.post-2984948052511855942012-01-22T15:43:00.000-08:002012-01-22T15:43:11.024-08:00What do they mean by "choice"?Today is the 39th anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade United States Supreme Court decision that universally legalized elective abortion in our country. Alongside the sister case, Doe vs. Bolton, Roe vs. Wade legalized elective abortion for any reason in the first two trimesters of pregnancy and for the health of the mother in the last trimester; in the Doe vs. Bolton case, "health of the mother" was broadly defined to include mental health; finally, the term "mental health" was also broadly defined to include financial hardship or relationship difficulties. Thus, abortion was legalized on the federal level through all nine months of pregnancy for practically any reason. The unborn were effectively removed from any and all protections afforded them in the 14th Amendment of the United States Constitution.<br />
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National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL, formerly ARAL-- Association to Repeal Abortion Laws) is the sponsor of an annual "Blog for Choice Day" which is held every year on the Roe vs. Wade anniversary date. However, what choice is NARAL and participating bloggers advocating for?<br />
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<b>CHOICE</b><br />
The word itself means having the ability to choose. The word "choose" is defined as the ability "to select from a number of possibilities; pick by preference." Does this definition help us to understand which choice NARAL intends to allow? No, it does not; yet they are supposed to be blogging about it today. I will now discuss about choice.<br />
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There are certain choices that are clearly allowed in a society. A restaurant has a menu from which to choose a particular dish for a meal. A electronics store has a plethora of products from which customers are able to choose. All of these, and a plenty more like them, are choice of which practically everyone is in agreement to allow freedom to choose. Furthermore, society often will protect choices such as ability to own property, freely speak and protest peacefully, travel, amongst others.<br />
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However, there are also certain choices that are clearly NOT allowed in a society. A restaurant does not have a choice in offering contaminated foods that will make their customers sick. An electronics store has policies in place to disallow their employees from choosing to steal from store cash registers. Furthermore, society disallows choices such as prostitution, slavery, human trafficking, personal drug abuse, drunk driving, rape, amongst so many others.<br />
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Thus, the issue that NARAL and bloggers are addressing in "Blog for Choice Day" is NOT about choice in and of itself. Indeed, all people of all backgrounds believe that some choices should be allowed whilst others should not be. Rather, the topic is about what <i>specific</i> choices should be allowed and what <i>specific</i> choices should not be allowed. Indeed, it is about one choice and only one choice.<br />
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Being "pro-choice" does not specify which choice someone is in favor of allowing. One could be "pro-heroine-choice" whilst another "anti-heroine-choice" in regards to public and personal policy. Most people would most likely be "anti" in regards to the choice for heroine usage. Even more-so would one find it ridiculous and even laughable that we, as a society, should have a debate that is regarding the legalization of the "choice" of murdering another human being. Could someone "agree to disagree" regarding legalization of murder since "it's a personal decision" and one cannot "force your religion on me" and that, indeed, "it's a choice!"? Heck, "don't like murder, then don't murder anyone!"<br />
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<b>THE ACTUAL CHOICE</b><br />
The choice of which NARAL and those blogging for "Blog for Choice Day" is clearly one thing and one thing only: <i>abortion</i>. Hiding behind the word "choice" helps cover up the pro-abortion movement's true motivation which is, in fact, abortion itself. It's truly disingenuous to use the word "choice" in this matter.<br />
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Since the actual choice is abortion itself, then the debate is NOT about choice but is, rather, if abortion kills a human being or not. Refer to my previous article <a href="http://theunbornvoice.blogspot.com/2008/10/right-choice.html">The Right Choice</a> as a start then go to the website for <a href="http://www.ehd.org/">The Endowment for Human Development</a> for in-depth, scientific, accurate, and awesome information about fetal development. To determine if abortion is a viable choice, we must look at who it affects the most: the unborn human child. Those who are pro-abortion-choice wish to skirt this conversation by omitting the word "abortion." If they are trying to hide it, don't you think that would be perfect place to start looking?<br />
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Demand that those who pro-abortion-choice start discussing what they wish to defend: abortion!Tonal Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03198001091701514327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5959961148805649098.post-86652624592030100152011-11-12T22:59:00.000-08:002011-11-12T22:59:55.664-08:00Coping More than Two Years Following an Elective AbortionFocusing on Lazarus coping theory, I wrote a term paper discussing the need for health coping strategies for women who have had a previous abortion. As a nurse, this focuses on many nursing interventions and even has a paragraph noting appropriate nursing diagnoses. This term paper was an assignment for a nursing writing and theory class. Please read through it. If you have any thoughts or corrections, please comment!<br />
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<hr><center>Introduction: Lazarus’ Theory on Coping and Relationship to Elective Abortion</center><br />
<hr>      Richard S. Lazarus is a theorist that has been at the forefront at developing research and published works regarding coping. Coping literally means the ability to deal with stress; it is defined as malleable and practical actions to resolve stress by resolving daily problems (Lazarus & Folkman 1984). Lazarus has described coping as being based in reality and able to adjust freely to lower stress levels associated with difficult events. Lazarus states that coping is different for all people and that there are many different forms of coping that result in the successful ability to deal with stress. Furthermore, stress is different for all people and for all situations; indeed, two people can experience a same event and experience related stress in different ways. Stress can be good and it can be bad. Forms of coping with these stressors are far and wide.<br />
There are a multitude of situations that require coping. The death of a father, an upcoming wedding, and a new addition to a family are all stressful events that require the use of coping strategies. Among the situations in life that require healthy coping strategies is an elective abortion. Indeed, an elective abortion is a stressful occurrence that requires a healthy coping reaction to allow recovery and resolution (Goodwin & Ogden, 2007). <br />
      There are many coping strategies that can be applied to the stressor of an elective abortion and that of other stressful life events. There are four key coping strategies. One is Type A and B personalities, a second is healthy coping, a third is denial or avoidance and a fourth is defensive coping.<br />
<hr><center>Coping: Type A and Type B</center><br />
<hr>      Type A coping involves heavy work towards a goal, high competitiveness, and a fixed faith system (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984). This coping requires a person to make efforts to control the person’s environment because a particular event allowed no control. This attempt at control is a compensatory mechanism. It aids in the coping process but leads to an unhealthy physical and mental lifestyle. This behavior may be exhibited in what many people call “workaholics.” Working excessively hard and being an over-achiever can help someone cope with a person’s history of elective abortion by aiding the person in a sense of “fixing” problems or “making up” for possible wrong doings; for example, it may help a woman who has regretted the decision to abort to “make up” for this wrong. These actions may also serve the purpose of the person attempting to not remember the elective abortion and remain distracted.<br />
      Type B coping is essentially the opposite of Type A. Whilst Type A is motivated by intense competitiveness, lofty goals, control of the environment, and a fixed system of faith, Type B is motivated to receive reduced work-load, wish to achieve goals in an extended time frame, feels largely unable control of the environment, and does not usually believe in a fixed set of values or beliefs (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984). Also, this group of people may be seen as vulnerable to being withdrawn and use this as another coping mechanism. It is easier to visualize this group as avoiding conflict to reduce their stress level. Those whom have had an abortion may use this coping mechanism to avoid situations that may remind them of their abortion (i.e. remaining stagnant keeps them away from different situations that may trigger displeasant memories).<br />
<hr><center>Coping: Denial and Avoidance</center><br />
<hr>      Another form of coping is denial or avoidance. Denial can also be described as the reluctance or lack of ability to admit or deal with spiritual or emotional hurt is termed denial (Burke & Reardon, 2002). Further, denial or avoidance is not based in reality (rather, denial denies reality). There are many different forms of denial or avoidance. Indeed, the many different forms of denial are meant to help cope with an uncomfortable experience or reality.<br />
      Many women are at a very difficult time of their lives when they decide to have an elective abortion. It has been found to be common in women who have experienced an elective abortion to utilize avoidance and denial as coping mechanisms (Cougle, Reardon, & Coleman, 2005). With the multitude of stressors pressing on them, the reality of an elective abortion (death of the fetus) is oftentimes not realized and placed as the accomplishment of an elective abortion procedure. Many problems facing women that lead them to the decision of elective abortion does not negate the emotional reality that it produces in the short-term and, especially, long-term aftermath of the procedure. One long-term study demonstrated most post-abortion women involved used avoidance as a coping mechanism to deal with the memory of abortion (Hess 2004). The ineffective coping strategy of denial or avoidance oftentimes occurs due in large part to lack of familial support and societal acceptance (realized or perceived), deemphasizing the problem, and personal shame.<br />
      Lazarus’ studies led him to eventually conclude that denial can have a lessened negative effect if occurring immediately after an event but are illustrative of ineffective coping in the long-term (Lazarus & Folkman 1984). The lacking desire to appropriately address, understand, and accept a problem contributes to ineffective coping. The desire to appropriately grieve can be assisted by aiding in the reversal of a woman’s thought processes of shame, misplaced guilt, perceived lack of support, and dehumanization of the fetus.<br />
Defensive coping may manifest as being mad, using substances to numb the emotional pain, and removing oneself from societal dialogue regarding the stressor of problem. This unhealthy form of coping can be seen in those who have no extensive support system due to not having known access to healthy channels to funnel stress and, thus, healthily cope. Some studies have shown women who have had elective abortions to have an increased risk of substance abuse, mental health problems, and mood disorders (Cole, Coyle, Shuping & Rue, 2009).<br />
<hr><center>Healthy Coping</center><br />
<hr>      Healthy and appropriate coping is characterized by a person’s active participation in the process of coping. It takes recognition that there is or are problem(s) (acceptance) to cope with and a rigorous cognitive effort. The effort of coping following acceptance is different for each situation. There are many different coping mechanisms. Lazarus openly admitted that there is no one healthy coping strategy but many different ones that may lead a person health coping. Lazarus and Folkman (1984) wrote that the appropriateness of a coping strategy is illustrated by how it positively affects the person in the long term. Folkman later wrote with Moskowitz that only the coping processes that maintain an encouraging affect in response to chronic stress could possibly involve meaning to a person (2000). Thus, women who have had an abortion in their past must illicit positive coping strategies tailored to their own needs that will result in a healthy view of themselves and who they are today. However, one common healthy coping mechanism related to past elective abortion, following its acceptance, is grief.<br />
<hr><center>Focus On Long-Term Coping vs. Short-Term Coping</center><br />
<hr>      Many studies that have been published have one glaring fatal flaw. This flaw is that many of them use a very small time of follow-up (two years or less) (Trybulski 2006). In addition to this glaring flaw, many studies on the subject of women’s reaction following an abortion have had poor design, selected samples resulting in bias results, inability to control confounding, and misuse of subjects’ prior mental health (Fergusson, Horwood, & Ridder 2006). Rosanna F. Hess, a Registered Nurse (RN) and Nurse Practitioner (DNP), stated that a woman’s elective abortion resolved and held a different perspective regarding it “as the woman matured;” short-term studies will not capture and have not captured this aspect (Hess, 2004).<br />
      Tybulski published a study that involved one to two hour detailed interviews of women immediately following an elective abortion; the study illustrated that the 16 people interviewed had reported relief (Trybulski, 2006). The term “relief” sounds like an entirely positive response. However, Lazarus states that the feeling of relief is not always a positive emotional response (Lazarus 2000); whilst the immediate response of some women is certainly relief, it does not ensure that the experience was wholly positive. Rather, it indicates that many immediate stressors have been relieved. These stressors are due to the person’s current situation and include such things as pressure from family and mate, lack of support structure, belief that birthing a child would hinder personal and financial achievement among others. Placed in the perspective that women’s view of an elective abortion changes over time, this feeling of relief may transform into other emotions that may or may not be positive. Furthermore, Hess explains that her studies have illustrated that a women’s immediate reaction to abortion can also include “guilt, a sense of loss, and anger” (Hess, 2004).<br />
      Long-term coping is important since there are many ineffective coping skills, such as denial that was mentioned by Lazarus, that can benefit a person in the short-term but not truly resolve the stressor. This results in a stressor needing to be dealt with in the long-term; when a stressor is “put-off” using coping mechanisms such as avoidance, denial, defensive, Type A and Type B it results in increased difficulty in resolving the stressor. Using such coping mechanisms prevents the most appropriate coping mechanisms which is acceptance and grief.<br />
<hr><center>Signs of Ineffective Coping</center><br />
<hr>      Burke, a psychiatrist who started his career specializing in eating disorders, found that many women have found elective abortion to be a traumatic occurrence resulting in ineffective coping (Burke & Reardon 2002). This ineffective coping has led to the finding that elective abortion is associated with rates of mental disorder (Fergusson, Horwood, & Ridder, 2006). Recognizing the possibility of unhealthy behaviors may be exhibited in women who have had elective abortion is important. Some of these unhealthy behaviors including using passive-aggressive behaviors to gain control, keeping an elective abortion secretive, conjuring up images and fantasized situations if the women did not have the abortion, and involvement in ceremonies (Hess, 2004). Another sign of ineffective coping is the lessened ability to choose healthy relationships. Some may choose to remain in abusive relationships with the father of the aborted unborn child to help maintain the only remaining connection.<br />
<hr><center>Emotional Responses Triggered by Events</center><br />
<hr>      Avoidance and denial may exhibit by strong emotional reactions that are triggered by events that remind women of their elective abortion. Worden (2009) described succinctly that, in his experience, a negative response, such as grief, may be displayed at the due date of the pregnancy and even when infertility occurs. Furthermore, when a woman who has had abortion discovers the more human features of the fetus that was killed in the abortion procedure, it will often result in increased negative reactions (Goodwin & Ogden, 2007).<br />
<hr><center>Nursing Intervention: Discussion</center><br />
<hr>      Nurses in Labor and Delivery are often unlikely to allow assignment to care for women who have are scheduled to have an elective abortion (Marek, 2004). This indicates the extreme moral issue surrounding elective abortion that nurses have been uncomfortable with. No matter how uncomfortable a nurse is with elective abortion, it is important to remain impartial and nonjudgmental to women who have had an abortion. It is important to remember that once an elective abortion has taken place, nothing is going to reverse what happened.<br />
      Open and non-judgmental discussion regarding difficult aspects of a person’s past that has been difficult to cope with has been proven to be successful. Nurses and all professionals in contact with those using coping mechanisms dealing with stressful situations need to be sensitive in their approach. Being non-judgmental, allowing the person to lead conversation, giving him ample time for discussion (not “over-talking”), expressing concern over the appropriate concepts at appropriate times, and not interjecting a personal opinion into the discussion all can help a person appropriately and healthily cope. Gentle guidance to help people accept the reality of what has happened is important since denial is generally an ineffective coping mechanism and a barrier to a healthy grieving process.<br />
<hr><center>Nursing Intervention: Referral</center><br />
<hr>      Nurses and other professionals, once gaining the trust of a person, can then refer them to appropriate counseling groups, organizations, and events. One such organization that provides support for women who have had elective abortions Rachel’s Vineyard. Founded in 1995 by Doctor Theresa Burke, Rachel’s Vineyard now holds over 700 weekend retreats annually to provide group counseling for women who have had elective abortions (Rachel’s Vineyard 2010).<br />
      Referrals are important because they provide a resource for those in need. It also provides concrete evidence to post-elective abortion patients that not only is there support for them, but that there are other women who have had similar experiences and are willing to help. Hess (2004) has written that nurses need to discuss with women who have had an elective abortion regarding utilizing therapy and group counseling. Support is indeed important in healthy coping.<br />
<hr><center>Nursing Intervention: Prevention</center><br />
<hr>      Since many women have reported negative reactions in the long-term following an elective abortion, it is important to teach women and men techniques for primary prevention of pregnancy and, thus, elective abortion (Hess, 2004). If the destruction of the unborn child is desired to be avoided, it is important to teach patients one possible mechanism of action of low dose birth control; this mechanism of action is changes in the endometrial lining leading to the reduced likelihood of an embryo properly implanting resulting in embryonic death (Bayer Pharmaceuticals, 2011). Furthermore, teach patients that intra-uterine devices (IUDs) also have a similar mechanism of action. Educate patients regarding all of their birth control options such as barrier methods, natural family planning (NFP), and abstinence.<br />
      When discussion prevention strategies with men, it is important to teach men to provide support and assistance to their mate especially when she is pregnant. It has been demonstrated that pregnant women who have been abandoned or left without support by their mate were much more likely to have an elective abortion (Kimport, Foster, & Weitz, 2011).<br />
<hr><center>Nursing Intervention: Teaching Healthy Coping Skills</center><br />
<hr>      For those patients that you encounter that have an elective abortion in their history, teach these women techniques to appropriate cope. Stress the importance with the patient of surrounding herself with supporting family and avoiding negative contacts; it has been shown that a lack of support from others results in an increased negative coping (Goodwin & Ogden, 2007). Hess (2004) also suggested suggesting to women to name, give a gender, and dictate a letter to the fetus that was aborted to solidify the importance of using the grieving process as a healthy coping mechanism.<br />
<hr><center>Appropriate NANDA Nursing Diagnoses</center><br />
<hr>      Appropriate NANDA nursing diagnoses include Anxiety, Moral Distress, Ineffective Coping, Ineffective Denial, Defensive Coping and Complicated Grieving. Anxiety is appropriate due to some research that has indicated generalized anxiety surrounding the elective abortion (Cougle, Reardon, & Coleman, 2005). Moral Distress is appropriate due to the question of a fetus’ humanity in the mind of a post-elective-abortion woman and her surrounding support systems. Ineffective coping is appropriate due to the use of unhealthy coping mechanisms such as denial, avoidance, Type A and Type B personalities, personal shame, among others. Ineffective Denial is appropriate because the higher levels of denial lead to ineffective coping. Defensive Coping is appropriate because it employs unhealthy tactics to remove negative feelings of the mind such as substance abuse (Cole, Coyle, Shuping & Rue, 2009). The last appropriate nursing diagnosis is complicated grieving; this diagnosis is specifically appropriate because it fits the portions of this topic where grieving for a fetus that is legally and socially accepted to kill without consequences is taboo.<br />
<hr><center>Conclusion</center><br />
<hr>      Richard Lazarus describes that coping is unique for all people and changes depending on the situation. However, he also described that there are general types of coping such as denial, avoidance, defensive, healthy, and Type A and Type B. When women have an elective abortion it may result in a period of relief among other emotions. As the woman matures or is separated from the experience, a clearer image of what occurred surfaces. Many of these reactions in the long-term, and sometimes short-term, are negative due to the utilization of ineffective coping strategies.<br />
      In conclusion, it is important for nurses to teach the use of effective coping strategies, use of conception prevention and elective abortion prevention strategies, remain nonjudgmental, allow patients to lead conversation, refer women to appropriate support groups, among other interventions. To appropriately help women following an elective abortion that has happened years in the past, it is important to recognize signs of ineffective coping. Nurses have a responsibility to assist patients in properly coping with an elective abortion that has occurred in their past.<br />
<hr><center>References</center><br />
<hr>About us. (2010). Retrieved November 11, 2011, from Rachel's Vineyard website: http://www.rachelsvineyard.org/aboutus/ourstory.htm<br />
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Burke, T. K., & Reardon, D. C. (2002). Forbidden grief: The unspoken pain of abortion. Acorn Books.<br />
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Coleman, P. , Coyle, C. , Shuping, M. , & Rue, V. (2009). Induced abortion and anxiety, mood, and substance abuse disorders: Isolating the effects of abortion in the national comorbidity survey. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 43(8), 770-776.<br />
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Cougle, J. , Reardon, D. , & Coleman, P. (2005). Generalized anxiety following unintended pregnancies resolved through childbirth and abortion: A cohort study of the 1995 national survey of family growth. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 19(1), 137-142.<br />
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Fergusson, D. M., Horwood, L., & Ridder, E. M. (2006). Abortion in young women and subsequent mental health. Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry, 47(1), 16-24. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7610.2005.01538.x<br />
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Folkman, S. K., & Moskowitz, J. T. (2000). Positive affect and the other side of coping. American Psychologist, 55, 647–654.<br />
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Goodwin, P., & Ogden, J. (2007). Women's reflections upon their past abortions: An exploration of how and why emotional reactions change over time. Psychology & Health, 22(2), 231-248.<br />
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Hess, R. (2004). Dimensions of women's long-term postabortion experience. The American Journal of Maternal Child Nursing, 29(3), 193-198.<br />
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Kimport, K. , Foster, K. , & Weitz, T. (2011). Social sources of women's emotional difficulty after abortion: Lessons from women's abortion narratives. Perspectives on Sexual and Reprod Health, 43(2), 103-109.<br />
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Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S. (n.d.). Stress, appraisal, and coping. (Original work published 1984) Retrieved from http://books.google.com/books?id=i-ySQQuUpr8C&dq=Coping+lazarus&source=gbs_navlinks_s<br />
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Marek, M. J. (2004), Nurses' attitudes toward pregnancy termination in the labor and delivery setting. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, & Neonatal Nursing, 33: 472–479. doi: 10.1177/0884217504266912<br />
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Trybulski, J. (2006). Women and abortion: the past reaches into the present. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 54(6), 683-690.<br />
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Worden, J. W. (2009). Grief counseling and grief therapy (S. Sussman & J. Rosen, Eds., 4th ed.). New York: Springer Publishing Company.<br />
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Yaz official FDA information, side effects, and uses. (2011, March). Retrieved November 11, 2011, from Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc via Drugs.com website: http://www.drugs.com/pro/yaz.htmlTonal Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03198001091701514327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5959961148805649098.post-35110411359280625562011-11-07T19:51:00.000-08:002011-11-07T20:54:52.331-08:00Experiencing Death in HospiceI have not been writing much on this blog due to being extremely busy. I am working full-time, going to school, and taking care of two sons alongside my wife. This is a post that I made in the online portion of a nursing class. It is regarding how me, my coworkers, and our hospice organization deals with the deaths of our patients.<br />
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<hr><br />
Death. At times it is a relief. Even in times of relief, there is always an element of grief. Death of a patient is never easy no matter how much it was expected nor how much suffering was experienced by the patient. Every human being's life is a blessing and is eternally valued. After experiencing many deaths with whom there is an element of compassion, nurses and other health professionals "may...experience a state of exhaustion and a biological, psychological, and social dysfunction called...compassion fatigue" (Papadatou 2000).<br />
<br />
In experiencing a death, I pray, reach out for support from my immediate supervisor, discuss the experience with other nurses, get a hug from my wife, and watch my children be happy. Other times the endless amount of paperwork and other job responsibilities distract me from being required to appropriate grieve.<br />
<br />
In supporting a coworker who has experienced a patient loss, I direct conversations regarding the patient to them. I ask my coworker what the patient was like. If I know the patient, then I mention the positive qualities that I noticed regarding the patient.<br />
<br />
Our organization is a small business and has a lot of work to do. Admission, death, admission, death... it never seems to stop. I have asked management a number of times to institute a biweekly meeting for all of the staff to give support to one another regarding patient death. However, nothing has yet been implemented. There is such a great need for this type of institutionalized support for our workers. I have felt the need for such a meeting a great number of times. I can tell that the stress of paperwork, patient care, time-management, overtime, and patient death has put a heavy burden on many of my coworkers. It is sorely needed and I will again make the suggestion. Our company does not allow any paid time off to attend funerals although they are always very willing to grant time-off.<br />
<br />
Grief is something that all people will experience. It is not always from the loss of a loved one. However, the loss of a loved one is one of the most dramatic losses. The loss of a patient can also be very dramatic and requires support systems from coworkers, family, and institutional assistance. Our organization needs to address the compassion fatigue that many of us have been experiencing.<br />
<br />
This is a long quote, but Suzanne Rich in 2005 published words that explain my feelings really well:<br />
<br />
<blockquote>When a patient under our care dies, we may feel an acute sense of loss, both professionally and personally. Professionally, if a particular treatment or intervention fails, and a patient clearly shows signs of dying, we may feel eesponsible, guilty, angry, depressed, or helpless. On a personal level, if we are unable to relieve or control a patient's symptoms, such as nausea or pain, we may feel incapable of dealing with a dying patient.</blockquote><br />
<hr><br />
Papadatou, D. (2000). A proposed model of health professionals' grieving process. Omega: Journal of Death and Dying, 41(1), 59-77.<br />
Rich, S. (2005). Providing quality end-of-life care. Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, 20(2), 141-145.Tonal Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03198001091701514327noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5959961148805649098.post-50661626121518235342011-01-22T15:39:00.000-08:002011-01-22T15:40:18.148-08:00The Protest Experience RevisitedI was sidewalk counseling outside of Planned Parenthood in Riverside with my son Adam and my wife Heather today. I was able to talk to many people today regarding the issue of abortion that this Planned Parenthood commits.<br />
<br />
I spoke to a Satanist who believes that pro-lifers are strictly religious zealots and recited a lot of pro-choice talking points; I was able to educate him that there are many pro-life organizations and individuals that are not religious at all and that the scientific reality of human life is the reason why many people are indeed pro-life.<br />
<br />
I met some very nice elderly women who stood by to pray the rosary. They were one of the nicest people I have ever met; they were so kind to us and our son Adam. They were very peaceful and patient.<br />
<br />
I also elicited a response from a clinic worker about my son and how he was "planned" just like they are helping people "plan" in their clinic. I told them that my planning was remaining abstinent until marriage and that their services are not necessary. I only had a few seconds to speak since they were trying to ignore me. I should have also said that planning does not require the killing of innocent babies.<br />
<br />
I also spoke to some women and men who were going into the clinic about fetal development, the fact that Planned Parenthood commits around 350,000 abortions yearly versus around 3,000 adoption referrals yearly. Planed Parenthood's business is one sided--it is focused on the killing of innocent children and the damaging of their mothers in the process.<br />
<br />
On November 21, 2004 I wrote an article titled "The Protest Experience" that I have never published on this blog. It was a very good article so I wish to share it with you.<br />
<br />
<hr><br />
<b>The Protest Experience</b><br />
<br />
It was in the middle of the night. I was sitting at the computer browsing the internet. The day was an ordinary day. This night was also an ordinary night. Then I found some images and movies of murdered children. Images of atrocities have called people to act to stop the atrocities o the images depict. A picture of a gruesome lynching of an African American called people to act against lynch mobs and racism. Pictures of death camps in Nazi Germany called people to act in favor of eradicating Nazism. “Most of us would neither understand nor believe the extent of the Holocaust were it not for the pictures” (Alcorn 241). That night, the pictures I saw called me to act against the mass murder of children: the atrocity called abortion.<br />
<br />
Just a few days after I saw these images I went to the city of San Bernardino in California to attend a protest in front of an abortion clinic named “Family Planning Associates.” My parents drove me to the clinic and participated in casual discussion with other protesters and a man whose wife had gone into the clinic to have an abortion. My mother talked to this person. She told him that we were here because we believed in the life of the unborn and wanted to save lives. The person stated that even though he respected his wife’s decision, he secretly did not want his wife to have an abortion. After he told my mom this, he looked at his four year old daughter standing next to him and started to cry. It was too late for his baby to live. This person understood that his child had been killed that day.<br />
<br />
I walked towards the protesters at the front of the abortion clinic. The group that was there was called Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust (<a href="http://www.survivors.la/" target="resource window">survivors.la</a>) and represented the youth involved in spreading the pro-life message. The first conversation I started with somebody was a discussion about the television show “The Simpsons” and how some portions of the show had illustrated the point that abortion was, at the very least, wrong. My conversation with him showed me that not all protesters were “extremists” that the media portrayed. This person was someone just like me that felt compelled enough about the lives of unborn children to do something about it.<br />
<br />
After I finished talking to that person I walked towards the entrance to the clinic and saw a Catholic priest praying the rosary for the women and children inside the clinic. He was not there to stop anyone from entering but, instead, to pray for their safety and the lives of the unborn. After he prayed the rosary, the priest talked to the protesters and encouraged them to continue doing God’s work while remaining peaceful and loving. I was again surprised. Here I saw that pro-life protesters were not the people I was lead to believe that they were. I have seen on the news that pro-life protesters were violent and wished to force women to not have an abortion. What I saw at this protest was completely contrary to the notion that pro-life individuals very often became violent and vile.<br />
<br />
I then saw somebody holding a large display detailed with high quality pictures and text. The pictures on the display showed the development of the unborn human child. The pictures showed pictures from the first week, fourth week, eighth week, and all the way until birth. The text was placed next to each photo and gave facts about fetal development. For example, there was a fact like that was stated by the intrauterine photographer and author of <u>A Child is Born</u> Lennart Nilsson, “Though the embryo now weighs only 1/30 of an ounce [at 6 ½ weeks old (when many women do not yet know they are pregnant)], it has all the internal organs of the adult in various stages of development. It already has a little mouth with lips, an early tongue and buds for 20 milk teeth. It’s sex and reproductive organs have begun to sprout.” Seeing this was, again, a great service to me. The facts that I have so often seen on the internet, stated in books, and published by doctors were being shown to those walking into the abortion clinic. These facts were not presented by force. Instead, the facts were viewed by choice.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, this was when I saw the reaction by those that disagreed with the pro-life position. This reaction did not appear to be rational. A person walking into the clinic yelled to “get out of [her] face;” another yelled at us from inside the clinic and called us evil people. Soon thereafter, I was holding a sign showing one of the pictures I saw on the internet of a sixth month abortion (a picture of <a href="http://www.priestsforlife.org/resources/abortionimages/babymalachi.htm" target=resource window">Malachi</a>). Numerous cars drove by and yelled profanities directed at me! A couple even drove by and flipped me off. Of the few hours that I was at the clinic that morning I was repeatedly yelled at and called evil. Am I evil because I want to save human lives?<br />
<br />
I can only hope that people can see photos of induced abortions for themselves so that they can understand what I understand. I have been repeatedly told that I cannot show these images. People have continually stated that they do not want to look at these photos because they are very gruesome. Politicians and debaters have been attacked whenever they use these photos to prove a point. Documentaries and news stories will freely use pictures of the Holocaust to show what truly happened yet they will not use pictures of abortions to show what abortion really is. If induced abortion was not something bad then why are these pictures not allowed to be used to prove that point? Countless Americans have either not seen these pictures or have chosen to ignore them. When people attack me for showing these pictures, the photos have an effect. When people immediately look away from the photos once they see them, the photos have an effect. This effect is to show that we are killing over a million children every year in the United States. No one wants to realize this atrocity and the photos help them to realize it. Once an individual realizes than an atrocity is taking place then they will be more likely to help end the atrocity. Protesting against abortion is one way to help end this atrocity.<br />
<br />
Going to protest once has compelled me to continue protesting. I went to Long Beach to show the pictures of abortions and hand out literature to educate the public. Again, I was yelled at. A handful of pennies were thrown out of a car traveling about 35MPH aimed to hurt me. They missed, thankfully, but their intention was aimed at hurting me because of my message. I have protested at an abortion clinic near in my city of Riverside numerous times. Each time I have been there I have been yelled at. One time I asked what an individual’s job was as he was walking out of an abortion clinic. This person walked up to me and threatened to beat me up just because I asked him that question.<br />
<br />
There have also been moments that made everything worth while. While protesting, I have seen one person change her mind about having an abortion. While protesting, I have seen numerous people driving by looked extremely surprised by the pictures we showed allowing them to realize what truly happens. I prayed the rosary in front of a clinic and had one person change from being angry at me to being thankful to me. These things alone, amidst those yelling, threatening, and throwing things at me, have made it all worth it.<br />
<br />
By doing this, I have been making a difference. People have seen what development an unborn child goes through. Because of my action, more people have seen what really happens by the abortion procedures. The more minds that we change the greater the chance we will have upon changing our culture into one that values human life at all stages of development. Having these values will change the amount of people having abortion and to also elect government officials that are pro-life. In 1990 there were approximately 1.6 million abortions. In 1997 there was a drop of abortions to approximately 1.3 million abortions (according to Planned Parenthood's own The Allan Guttchmacher Institute). If the pro-life message continues to spread we can continue to limit these numbers. I, personally, will not stop spreading the truth about abortion until all induced abortions end (thus, I will never stop!).<br />
<br />
The first major step to ending abortion is by making it illegal. Abortion was illegal in most states in the United States before 1973. Many people believe that abortions done before 1973 were done as “back alley abortions” or “coat hanger abortions.” This is largely untrue. Planned Parenthood, in 1960, stated that “90% of all illegal abortions are presently done by physicians” and also said "abortion, whether therapeutic or illegal, is in the main no longer dangerous" (American Journal of Public Health, 1960--found at <a href="http://www.clinicquotes.com/site/story.php?id=151" target="resource window">ClinicQuotes.com</a>). Again, people state that 5,000 to 10,000 women died from illegal abortions but Bernard N. Nathanson, M.D., one that helped to fabricate this number in NARAL (National Abortion Rights Action League), states today that “[he] knew the figures were totally false” (Aborting America 193). The truth, by looking back at the numbers, shows that that the average amount of deaths caused by illegal abortion every year was 250, with a high of 388 in 1948 (Aborting America 48). Some people state that deaths do not occur from legal abortions yet the three clinics I have protested at have had women dying at them (<a href="http://realchoice.0catch.com/library/deaths/bl07egoode.htm" target="resource window">Edrica Goode</a>, <a href="http://realchoice.0catch.com/library/deaths/bl04cbryant.htm" target="resource window">Chanelle Bryant</a>, <a href="http://realchoice.0catch.com/library/weekly/aa010803a.htm" target="resource window">Tami Suematsu</a>)! The courts have legalized the killing of our unborn children. We must not keep the murder of unborn children legal just to make the killing process a little safer (although this might not even be true).<br />
<br />
We must work together in our effort to understand the issues of the day. I protest so that I can spread what I believe. If what you believe is that abortion is not the killing of innocent children then I would also like to hear from you rather than being yelled at and threatened like I was at the abortion clinics I protested at. We must gather together. We are brothers and sisters in Christ.<br />
<br />
<hr><br />
Thank you for reading. Please leave a comment if you wish.Tonal Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03198001091701514327noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5959961148805649098.post-18674795042157843552011-01-20T22:25:00.000-08:002011-01-20T23:05:42.432-08:00The Pro-Abortion Program in C++An abortionist that has been practicing since the 1970's in Philadelphia has been arrested for 7 charges of murdering born alive infants from botched abortions and 1 charge of murder of a woman. For more information regarding this story, please read Jill Stanek's article regarding it on <a href="http://www.jillstanek.com/2011/01/breaking-abortionist-arrested-on-8-counts-of-murder-7-for-killing-aborted-alive-newborns/" target="resource window">her blog</a>. One pro-abortion blogger believes that the 7 charges of murdering the infants should be dropped. Reading comments from other pro-abortion people is a scary task. It is I who has fished out a truly disgusting and vile reason to be pro-abortion.<br />
<br />
Poster Aquaria shared something that his mother told him (emphasis mine):<br />
<br />
<blockquote>"This is an orphanage. Used to [be] when you came by on a Saturday, you'd see hundreds of kids playing everywhere, people nobody <i>wanted</i>, or <i>couldn't afford</i> to keep, and nobody adopted them. You don't see many kids here anymore, not since abortion was legal, and maybe that's a good thing."<br />
</blockquote><br />
Aquaria cited this as a reason he is now pro-abortion. I took only one class on C++ in college. I did alright in the class but it has been a while. This is a bare-bones program of how pro-aborts think.<br />
<br />
<hr><br />
If(Money>0)<br />
{<br />
Baby;<br />
}<br />
<br />
elseIf(Wantedness>0)<br />
{<br />
Baby;<br />
}<br />
<br />
Else<br />
{<br />
Blob;<br />
}<br />
<br />
<hr><br />
The equation reads: if there is money or wantedness then the unborn is a baby; if neither is true then the baby is nothing but a blob of tissue. Let us test this equation through hypothetical examples.<br />
<br />
<i>Hypothetical #1: Wantedness</i><br />
A woman at the age of 17 becomes pregnant. She was using the pill but forgot to take a dose. She cites this as the reason she became pregnant. She doesn't want a baby right now. Due to the unwantedness of the baby it is referred to as pregnancy tissue and she schedules an abortion for the end of the week. The abortion takes place when she was 12 weeks pregnant. According to the equation, regardless of contradicting the most basic principals and facts of science, there actually was no baby (wantedness was false).<br />
<br />
<i>Hypothetical #2: Money</i><br />
A man discovers that his wife is pregnant. Him and his wife are very excited about the baby. A week later the man is fired from his job as an electrician. They have few support systems and are bracing for the inability to pay bills, rent, and other expenses. Although the pregnancy was initially wanted very much by the couple, the baby was no longer a baby due to the lack of funds to support it (money was false).<br />
<br />
<i>Hypothetical #1 Pt2: Wantedness</i><br />
The 17 year old woman has the abortion completed to expel the unwanted pregnancy tissue. Immediately following the procedure the woman has a change of heart and panics. She knows it is too late and starts to wale and cry. At this point what was previous called unwanted pregnancy tissue is now called baby yet... nothing can bring that baby back to life (wanted became true after the program ended).<br />
<br />
<i>Hypothetical #2 Pt2: Money</i><br />
The woman reluctantly had the abortion although she really wanted to have a child. The lack of funds did not allow the pregnancy blob of tissue to be a baby. One week following the abortion when the blob of tissue was killed the man got a job that paid better than the last. Now with money, his dead blob of tissue that was killed became a baby yet... nothing can bring that baby back to life (money became true after the program ended).<br />
<br />
<hr><br />
Due to this very complex program that the pro-aborts have concocted, blobs of tissue magically become babies after they have been killed. When using their perverse logic to its natural conclusion it results in equally scary prospects. If a blob can magically become a baby, then a baby can also magically become a blob. What better a way to deal with unwanted born children in the orphanage than to declare them blobs of tissue that can be killed in a "safe, sane, and legal" clinic? No different than the unwanted and unaffordable blobs in utero! With such faulty logic it is strange how so many people are blind to its deception.<br />
<br />
Pro-lifers have an even simpler program!<br />
<br />
<hr><br />
If(humanBeing)<br />
{<br />
baby<br />
}<br />
<br />
else<br />
{<br />
notBaby<br />
}<br />
<br />
<hr><br />
This program simply reads: if it is a human being, then it is a baby; otherwise it is not a baby! Science has proven time after time that a human being's life begins at conception. No amount of religion, opinion, or philosophy will ever change this fact. Please refer to my blog entry <a href="http://theunbornvoice.blogspot.com/2010/03/playing-human-being-word-game.html">Playing the Human Being Word Game</a> and <a href="http://www.abort73.com/abortion/medical_testimony/" target="resource window">Abort73.com's Medical Testimony Page</a> for further details regarding this line of facts.<br />
<br />
<hr><br />
"After fertilization has taken place a new human being has come into being. [It] is no longer a matter of taste or opinion...it is plain experimental evidence. Every individual has a very neat beginning, at conception." Jerome LeJeune, Geneticist (In 1981 at a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee)<br />
<br />
<hr><br />
1. Comment left by Aquaria on the article "This is not a case about abortion" by PZ Myers as accessed on January 20, 2011. <a href="http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2011/01/this_is_not_a_case_about_abort.php" target="resource window">URL</a>Tonal Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03198001091701514327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5959961148805649098.post-21304100789949825032011-01-16T22:33:00.000-08:002011-01-16T22:33:33.776-08:00Reflection After Reading UnplannedAbby Johnson is a former director of multiple Planned Parenthood clinics in Texas who became pro-life. After leaving her job at Planned Parenthood her story spread to the national news then published her story in the book <u>Unplanned</u> on January 11, 2011. My wife bought the book for us to read when it was released from a Berean Christian Store. We called Barnes and Noble and Borders but they were out-of-stock stating that the book was released at the end of December 2010. I have now read <u>Unplanned</u> in it's entirety. What do I think of the book in one word? Awesome.<br />
<br />
<hr><br />
<b>Important Points Learned from the Book</b><br />
<br />
<hr><br />
<i>There are good pro-choicers and good pro-lifers...</i><br />
No matter what controversial topic may arise, there are always those who are in favor and those who are against. Also, with every topic there will always be good and bad people on both sides. Abortion is no different.<br />
<br />
Abby Johnson helped me to understand the reasoning that she had in becoming involved in Planned Parenthood's mission. Her reasons were heartfelt and genuine. She wished to decrease the number of abortions in our country. Planned Parenthood has repeatedly stated in their talking points that this is one of their goals. Abby Johnson then explained that many people who were not in a leadership position at Planned Parenthood also believed the same. These people had good reasons to be involved at Planned Parenthood.<br />
<br />
<hr><br />
<i>...but there is only one truth.</i><br />
However well intentioned the volunteers and workers at Planned Parenthood are, Abby Johnson helped me to learn, will not change that there is a right and wrong. When Mrs. Johnson experienced first-hand an ultrasound guided abortion procedure her entire perspective changed. She also recently discovered that in the face of losing business Planned Parenthood was encouraging clinics to increase their abortion numbers rather than decrease it. Planned Parenthood had no intention to decrease the number of abortions although they publicly stated that they wanted to. They have deceived and continue to deceive many people regarding their true purpose: profit no matter how many babies are killed.<br />
<br />
<hr><br />
<i>Prayer changes things</i><br />
If it wasn't for the persistent, prayerful, and peaceful pro-lifers then the conversion of Abby Johnson would have never occurred. Her conversion was a miracle of answered prayers. 40 Days for Life started at Abby Johnson's Planned Parenthood in Texas and has now become an international pro-life movement. 40 Days for Life is an event that occurs twice a year that is organized by local pro-lifers to pray peacefully outside of an abortion clinic 24/7 for 40 days straight. These are the prayers that aided Abby Johnson in her journey. The power of prayer cannot and should not be underestimated.<br />
<br />
<hr><br />
<i>Peaceful witness is powerful; aggressive witness is not</i><br />
Mrs. Johnson illustrated in her book that the more aggressive pro-life protesters, although well intentioned, were less effective and possibly detrimental to the pro-life cause. Those who are pro-choice often will demonize pro-lifers by stating that all pro-lifers are violent and extreme when they protest. The small percentage of more aggressive protesters (who are ONLY verbally aggressive) help validate the false claim of Planned Parenthood that all pro-life protesters are violent. Mrs. Johnson illustrated that Planned Parenthood liked to be seen as the "victim" of pro-life protesters so that they could receive more donations from supporters.<br />
<br />
<hr><br />
<i>Abortion is indeed the murder of babies</i><br />
This might seem like a moot point, but it is indeed very important. Those of us who are pro-life understand that abortion is a horrendous evil yet many of us do not act accordingly to help stop it.<br />
<br />
I am a prime example: I write a blog periodically about this topic and post links and statements on my facebook account yet I am not consistently active in the pro-life movement. I am doing everything to change this because abortion truly is a holocaust that should be opposed whenever possible. I prayed outside of a Planned Parenthood with my wife and son on Saturday and have committed myself to doing the same every single Saturday whenever possible. This is a start! All of us pro-lifers should be committed to saving as many babies from being killed and helping as many women in crisis as possible. God has called us all by name to help those who need the most help; let us act on that command!<br />
<br />
<hr><br />
<i>Forgiveness from ourselves and from God is possible</i><br />
Although Abby Johnson admits many things that she regrets that she has done, she has received forgiveness from herself and from God. Dwelling on our past, especially on our past mistakes, leads many to a large amount of depression and a lack in the ability to improve our lives. Every single day is another opportunity to positively affect the world. With a damaged soul there affecting the world in a positive way is nearly impossible. We must take care of ourselves so that we can then take care of others. My job in hospice has taught me this very straightforward yet hard lesson very frequently. It is a real lesson that we all must apply to our daily lives.<br />
<br />
<hr><br />
There were many points that I took away from the book <u>Unplanned</u> by Abby Johnson. I am very grateful that Mrs. Johnson converted to being pro-life and is now an advocate in the correct way for the unborn, mothers, and fathers. It is a blessing to see the works that she has accomplished through the grace of God. Abby Johnson is also a wonderful resource for those who work in the abortion industry but want out; she shows that it is possible to quit work that is life-destroying and then join work that is life-affirming. God bless you Abby Johnson.<br />
<br />
Now, go buy and read your copy of <i>Unplanned</i> today!<br />
<br />
<hr><br />
<i>Links relevant to the blog entry</i><br />
Abby Johnson: <a href="http://www.abbyjohnson.com/">URL</a><br />
Berean Book Stores: <a href="http://www.berean.com/">URL</a><br />
40 Days for Life: <a href="http://www.40daysforlife.com/">URL</a>Tonal Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03198001091701514327noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5959961148805649098.post-76061496980525701352010-12-09T21:12:00.000-08:002010-12-09T22:28:44.163-08:00My Own Pro-Life WalkThe arguments are sound. The logic is perfect. The questions are answered. The opposition has no intelligent response. Yet, are you willing to live the life of a pro-lifer when the going gets tough? If you are faced with a crisis pregnancy yourself are you willing to choose life? If you are one the hard cases talked about in your arguments are you going to stand true to your convictions?<br />
<br />
It is imperative that we human beings mean what we say. Indeed it is true; "Let your 'Yes' mean 'Yes,' and your 'No' mean 'No'" (Matthew 5:37) What we say should be how we live unless, that is, we don't really mean what we say.<br />
<br />
<hr><br />
<i>Getting Married</i><br />
I got married as a Catholic back in July of 2009. I learned growing up that abstinence was the answer to preventing unplanned pregnancy. Indeed, my wife and I remained abstinent until the day that we got married. We were as chaste as we could have been. We had a honeymoon in Hawai'i and had a great start to our marriage. We were able to *barely* afford our wedding and honeymoon with a combination of debt and the wage that I earned as a Licensed Vocational Nurse at a local hospital. The wage that I earned from my nursing job was the way that we survived.<br />
<br />
<i>Coming Home for the Worst</i><br />
One week following a great honeymoon, I was called into the nurse manager's office at my work. My nurse manager explained to me that I have been a great employee who has worked very hard, worked well with others, been great to patients, and even have volunteered to work shifts that were not required of me. However, I was released from my position during the probationary period that day. The reasons have never been clear to me since the nurse manager stated that during the probationary period an explanation is not given. She did, however, share that it had nothing to do with patient safety. I have been a safe nurse working on the unit.<br />
<br />
This experience left me feeling devastated. How would I pay the bills such as rent and electricity? How would I be able to continue to survive without a job? How would I be able to continue nursing school to become a Registered Nurse? How would my wife continue going to school at the local university? My car was close to the brink of breaking down and so was I.<br />
<br />
<i>The Week After</i><br />
Pregnant. We were looking forward to our first child being conceived. Indeed, we knew that life began at conception and should be protected once the knowledge of a child's existence became evident. I was happy that my wife became pregnant. However, I was extremely worried about how we could afford both of our schooling, rent, bills, food, and now prenatal care.<br />
<br />
Was abortion ever considered? Nope! Both of us have discussed the issue of abortion at length long before we got married. We were both ardently pro-life and very well educated about it. I even joked with my wife that this would be a "perfect example" of a pro-choicer's "hard-case" to prove that abortion is somehow necessary.<br />
<br />
<i>Resourcefulness</i><br />
After feeling beaten down, I swept up my pride and went to the welfare office. We received some governmental assistance. I also started to receive unemployment. I landed a part-time job (about 6-24 hrs a week) getting paid minimum wage as a caregiver. My parents helped us to *barely* pay our rent and bills. I continued to go to school as did my wife. I graduated and got my Registered Nursing license months later. Seven months of barely making it and wondering what would become of us had ended once I got a job full-time as a Registered Nurse in hospice. My wife had MediCal (California form of Medicare) which paid medical expenses through pregnancy, labor, delivery, and afterbirth. There were even pro-life protesters whom we protested with who gave us free clothes, blankets, and supplies although we did not ask for anything.<br />
<br />
<i>The Affirmation of Life</i><br />
The story of my wife, my son, and I is a testament to how an unborn child's life should be respected no matter the circumstances. Our situation was definitely not the hardest, but it did present with itself many difficulties. I hope sharing our situation will help people understand that handling a difficult time financially and situationally during pregnancy is possible without killing a single unborn child.<br />
<br />
We named our son Adam. He is a beautiful boy whom we love very much.<br />
<br />
Reader, if you ever need a helping hand please do not hesitate to contact me and my family.<br />
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Christopher Schmenk, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=837455219">Facebook Profile</a>, <a href="mailto:segamon@gmail.com">Email</a>Tonal Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03198001091701514327noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5959961148805649098.post-49146889310019561922010-11-16T20:20:00.000-08:002010-11-16T20:28:50.597-08:00Dad Confronts Abortion Protesters RebuttalOn October 23, 2010, a video was posted on YouTube that has now been viewed 716,000 times as of today. Why is it so popular? Apparently, it is popular because of a man who had an angry tirade against pro-life protesters holding signs outside of an abortion clinic.<br />
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The man stated that the pro-life protesters yelled at his wife while she was entering the facility. I have been a protester in front of abortion clinics before. I know how hard it is to get even one word heard by those who enter those clinics. The protesters know nothing regarding each person's situation other than there abortions are provided in that facility on that particular day. Thus, the most important information is quickly stated loudly to those who enter it ("please do not kill your baby," "what you have inside of you is a baby, it has a heartbeat"). Oftentimes literature is handed to these people as they enter the clinic. Usually the people who enter the clinic do not accept the literature; most clinics instruct their patients to have no interaction with pro-lifers including to not accept any literature. Other times, the literature is ripped out of their hands by clinic staff once they enter the clinic.<br />
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Furthermore, during the few protests in front of clinics that I have been to, I have been the one on the receiving end of violence and yelling. People have thrown things at me as they drive by. Numerous people yell obscenities at me as they walk or drive by. Some people who enter the clinic go into a yelling tirade. One woman who was entering the clinic yelled at those protesting "f*** you! I'm going to kill my parasite! You guys [pro-lifers] are worthless pieces of s***!" I can guarantee you that these pro-life protesters were peaceful and welcoming to those who wished to talk.<br />
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As illustrated in the following video, it was the man with the video camera that was being irate while the pro-life protesters were hardly ever given the chance to respond in a peaceful way. I will respond to the majority of the man's talking points after you watch the behavior of both the man and the pro-life protesters.<br />
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<i>What are you looking to accomplish here?</i><br />
Simple: to prevent unborn babies from being killed at the hands of another. Would you protest a clinic that killed born children? Pro-lifers value the unborn as much as we do the born.<br />
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<i>We were trying to have a kid, [but our kid has "mermaid syndrome" - sirenomelia]. You're yelling at my wife, for having nothing more than having a dead baby inside of her?</i><br />
An unborn human being who has sirenomelia is not dead. To the contrary, an unborn human being with that condition can very much be alive. Sirenomelia is a congenital deformity that results in their being fused legs and oftentimes a lack of a lower urinary tract and patent anus. Many cases of sirenomelia result in death shortly after birth (at times it does happen before due to chronic oligohydramnios from the lack of fetal urine production). There are rarely survivors. However, there are a few survivors of this condition. [1] To assume that an unborn child with this condition will die is to deny the very real possibility.<br />
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<i>Do you maybe want to ask before?</i><br />
As mentioned previously, there is no time at all to be asking what each person is there at the clinic for. Women who enter the clinic get out of their car and walk into the clinic in approximately one minute. This is one of the many reasons why Crisis Pregnancy Centers exist. There are many of these in my own immediate area and they are staffed by life-affirming and well-trained volunteers.<br />
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<i>You have no idea what you are doing to [women who enter the clinic].</i><br />
Many women put their trust into the doctors and paraprofessional people involved in the abortion industry. After all, women reason with themselves, these people have a really good education and know what they are doing. Carol Everett ran abortion clinics for a living where 35,000 abortions took place. She wrote a book titled <u>Blood Money</u>. In her book, Carol Everett chronicled how abortions were sold. Abortions were sold as a product; as if abortion was a product at a furniture store. "Counselors" were trained to play on the emotions of women and hide facts from them. [2,3] Thus, it would be wise for all people to seek information regarding abortion from all sides of the debate. More importantly, non-biased scientific information should be sought. Education is key.<br />
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<i>Because of people like you, no one wants to perform these anymore.</i><br />
Unfortunately, the numbers of abortions completed in the United States continue to remain high; "In 2006, 846,181 legal induced abortions were reported to CDC from 49 reporting areas. This total presents a 3% increase from the 820,151 abortions reported for 2005 [NOTE: the actual numbers of abortion are higher since multiple states are not counted in the CDC's statistics]." [4] Why? Because there the industry is highly unregulated and the procedure is vastly legal and unimpeded by government intervention.<br />
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<i>There are not really many places to go anymore.</i><br />
Aside from abortion clinics, approximately "367 doctors’ offices perform" abortions when asked by their private patients in the United States. [5] Altogether, "there were 1,787 abortion providers in the United States" in 2005 and "The number of abortion clinics has remained relatively constant." [5] However, there have been recent reports from pro-life sources who claim that there has been a drastic decline in abortion clinics nation-wide. One such source Operation Rescue who claims that "over two-thirds of the nation's abortion clinics have closed in the past 18 years." [6]. At best, the Alan Guttmacher institute, the research arm of the largest abortion provider in the United States, Planned Parenthood, the availability of abortion services has remained relatively stable. Thus, this man may be right that the number could be declining but there still are plenty of abortion clinics available to the public.<br />
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<i>[Abortion is a] time sensitive in nature.</i><br />
Time sensitive in that the further a baby develops the harder his tissue and the larger his body becomes thus making abortions more difficult. The irate father is correct in this assertion.<br />
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<i>My wife does not want to deliver a still-born baby.</i><br />
She wants a dead baby as soon as possible rather than an abnormally developed and very unhealthy baby? This is called discrimination against the disabled. It would be very rare for anyone to suggest killing a disabled born person, yet it is socially acceptable to do so to the disabled unborn? Even unborn children with Down's Syndrome and non-fatal neural tube defects such as spina bifida are discriminated against with purposeful death (abortion).<br />
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<i>Why don't you go help average kids? Why don't you try to stop the problem before-hand?</i><br />
The woman in the video answered that she has adopted children. Indeed, adoption is the answer to helping women in crisis pregnancies. It is the ultimate sacrifice to give of oneself in the raising of another for the sake of another.<br />
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Helping children? What are these protesters doing? They are trying to save the very lives of children at their most vulnerable stage of development: in the womb! I'd say that's helping "average kids." Further, should no one help "non-average kids" such as those with disabilities? A child with sirenomelia is someone with a grave disability and needs the most help from others! That child needs a chance at life--NOT absolute death!<br />
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Stopping the problem before-hand? Regardless of the efforts of organizations like Planned Parenthood and the vast majority of public schools that push contraceptives there are still a high number of unintended pregnancies. Planned Parenthood's research arm the Guttmacher Institute admits that "for teens, abortion<br />
rates and numbers decline due to increasing abstinence and teens<br />
continuing unwanted pregnancies"-a clear admission that abstinence works more efficiently than contraceptives. [5] Indeed, failure of condoms and all reversible contraceptives is 19% in the first two years; further, those who are targeted most to use reversible birth control have the highest rates (higher than 19%) of failure (teens, hispanics, blacks, poor, and unmarried) [7,8,9]. Contraception does not work in preventing pregnancies. Thus, it makes sense to defend those "unwanted" or "unintended" children to survive as pro-life protesters do.<br />
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<i>Why do you stand out here to make people feel bad about themselves?</i><br />
When a pro-life protester speaks the truth ("please do not kill your baby") they are neither making people feel good nor bad about themselves. If the truth hurts, so be it. The truth is the most important thing for all people in the world in all situations. If a woman is unsure about having an abortion due to these statements then that women should take the time and research the topic more. Abortion is not something to be taken lightly. Even those who are ardently pro-choice frown upon the perspective that abortion is similar to a tooth extraction--it is NOT. It is a lot more than that. Pro-lifers contend that it is the taking of another person's life! Scientifically, that is the most true statement a person could make.<br />
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<i>Lowest common denominator [in reference to the pro-lifers].</i><br />
Rather than judging someone without giving them a chance to talk, why don't you engage these people in a civil and calm conversation? You may find that they are not the lowest common denominator. You may find that these protesters have a heart willing to care for a child with sirenomelia. Indeed, there are plenty of peri-natal hospice programs available for this very reason: to care for ill newborn children who are expected to die at birth or shortly thereafter. [10]<br />
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The name of the man in the video is Aaron Gouveia. His article regarding his experience surrounding this video is available through the following link: <a href="http://goodmenproject.com/2010/10/23/confronting-life/">URL</a> [11]. The following is a very thought-provoking response to the father in the video:<br />
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<blockquote>Matt says:<br />
November 1, 2010 at 10:34 am<br />
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Don explains a very valid point, and I don’t think he is trying to be obtuse. “Being a parent and being pregnant are two very different things.” That may be the case ONLY if you believe that becoming a Parent only happens when a child leaves the womb, versus when the child in conceived. “A fetus cannot survive outside of the womb.”…that is true, but neither can a baby survive on its own. It’s not a viable argument.<br />
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Think of it this way...if you TRULY BELIEVED that a child is created at conception, then you would be fighting for the life of a child.<br />
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To put it in perspective, if an abortion clinic was a clinic for mothers of 0-2 month old kids to go and kill their children, would not pretty much everyone on this board be across the street screaming in outrage? Even for a child who would die or was suffering?<br />
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So the argument is really about, if an unborn child is a child, or not. This has always been the argument. Some people believe that others are misled by thinking that a child only becomes a child at some unclear point during a late term of the pregnancy, or after the child leaves the womb. Others believe some are misled thinking that a fetus younger than some point is a child.<br />
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In this case, the child’s outlook was terminal from a doctors point of view, but at that term, the child still had time to develop, and doctor’s are not always right. I could not in this case have decided not to give my child every chance.<br />
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I feel for the father and mother in this article and their situation, but I also sympathize with the protesters, as I know how they feel watching people enter the facility.</blockquote><br />
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Indeed, "[The Zygote] results from the union of an oocyte and a sperm. A zygote is the beginning of a new human being. Human development begins at fertilization, the process during which a male gamete or sperm … unites with a female gamete or oocyte … to form a single cell called a zygote. This highly specialized, totipotent cell marks the beginning of each of us as a unique individual." [12]<br />
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[1] A Warm Place (blog), "The Little Mermaid Syndrome," written by (unknown author, can't seem to find out who). **The links are the most important in this source** <a href="http://awarmplace.wordpress.com/2006/12/28/the-little-mermaid-synrome/">URL</a><br />
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[2] <u>Blood Money: Getting Rich Off Woman's Right to Choose</u>, written by Carol Everett, 1991, 1992, published by the Heidi Group.<br />
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[3] Blood Money: A Documentary. Access a trailer to this movie containing first-hand accounts regarding the business of abortion: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYaTywSDmls">URL to YouTube</a><br />
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[4] Center for Disease Control, "CDC’s Abortion Surveillance System FAQs" accessed on November 16, 2010. <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/data_stats/Abortion.htm">URL</a><br />
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[5] The Alan Guttmacher Institute (research arm of Planned Parenthood, the United State's largest abortion provider), "An Overview of Abortion in the United States" - a presentation with slides. <a href="http://www.guttmacher.org/presentations/abort_slides.pdf">PDF</a><br />
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[6] Opposing Views (blog), "Number of abortion clinics continues to decline." <a href="http://www.opposingviews.com/i/number-of-abortion-clinics-continues-to-decline">URL</a><br />
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[7] Center for Disease Control (CDC), "2002 PRAMS Surveillance Report: Multistate Exhibits: Unintended Pregnancy and Contraceptive Use." <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/prams/2002pramssurvreport/multistateexhibits/multistates1.htm">URL</a><br />
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[8] Ranjit N, Bankole A, Darroch JE, Singh S. Contraceptive failure in the first two years of use: differences across socioeconomic subgroups. Family Planning Perspectives 2001;33(1):19–27.<br />
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[9] Fu H, Darroch JE, Haas T, Ranjit N. Contraceptive failure rates: new estimates from the 1995 National Survey of Family Growth. Family Planning Perspectives 1999;31(2):56–63.<br />
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[10] Perinatal Hospice and Palliative Care: A Gift of Time (website). <a href="http://www.perinatalhospice.org/">URL</a><br />
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[11] Good Men Project (magazine), "Confronting Life," October 23, 2010 By Aaron Gouveia. <a href="http://goodmenproject.com/2010/10/23/confronting-life/">URL</a><br />
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[12] The Developing Human: Clinically Oriented Embryology, 6th ed. 1998, pg. 2-18.Tonal Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03198001091701514327noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5959961148805649098.post-74755361928179079822010-10-07T18:36:00.000-07:002010-10-07T18:40:12.730-07:00Hospice Nursing: Embracing the End of LifeThose who are pro-life espouse the mantra of protecting life from conception to natural death. Indeed, it is science that is on our side. To those who are pro-choice there is a mantra that bodily autonomy, freedom of privacy, and the rights to make decisions are more important than the right to life.<br />
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I am going to shortly describe how the end of life connects with the pro-life cause and relate it to my nursing career.<br />
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<i>Do those who are dying have a right to life?</i><br />
Yes. Those with a terminal diagnosis have a right to live their lives in the way that they choose. Those who are dying have a right to pain relief, to be comfortable, to be at home, to be with their loved ones, and to pass on from this life in the way that is most respectful to them. We all have a right to life; indeed, we can all choose how to be treated in end-of-life care that respects our lives.<br />
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<i>Do those who are dying have a right to die?</i><br />
No. Those with a terminal diagnosis have a right to determine in what ways they will pass from this life to the next but they do not have the right to kill themselves or to obtain aide in doing so. The rights of those who are dying are exemplified by their life itself and the quality of their lives. We cannot take one without the other.<br />
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<i>Some claim that it is torturous to deny the right to die to those that want it.</i><br />
Some have this contention. Those that have terminal diagnoses often experience pain, discomfort, loneliness, ambivalence, uncertainty about the afterlife, regret about some things done during their lives, depression, and other troublesome experiences. However, actively killing the actively dying does nothing to address these issues. It <i>ends</i> these issues but does not <i>deal</i> with them.<br />
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<i>How can those issues be dealt with?</i><br />
<i>Pain</i>: The ability to control pain has seen many advances over the years. It is possible to control pain for practically all terminal patients. Indeed, controlling pain is a huge priority for caregivers and the dying patient. It is up to the patient to determine how much pain relief is necessary while weighing the side effects (stupor, fatigue, constipation, etc). Death as a result from pain medication is a real possibility. However, if pain management has been done properly then death caused by pain medication is not the intent but rather a side effect. For those who are dying, death is imminent. Thus, controlling pain is vital and may hasten death as a side effect. This is not tremendously common and is also not the intention of the pain management regimen and is thus not considered in the realm of euthanasia. It is being respectful of the patient's wishes to be pain free during the dying process and nothing more.<br />
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<i>Discomfort</i>: Those who care for the dying are able to help a patient with comfort whether they be family, friends, caregivers, nurses, or doctors. Hospice allows a patient to experience least discomfort as can be possible. Indeed it is best for those who are dying to experience their last days in their own home in the ways that they desire. These measures reduce discomfort. Other causes of discomfort such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, and other problems can also be managed with medications and other therapies.<br />
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<i>Loneliness</i>: Those who visit the dying patient include a wide array of individuals such as nurses, pastors, and volunteers. These resources are vital to help curve the feeling of loneliness. The worst fear many people have is of dying alone. Hospice care and loving families help prevent this from happening. Indeed, visitors are vitally important for those who have a terminal diagnosis.<br />
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<i>Ambivalence</i>: Hospice care provides those who are dying and their families with answers regarding the process of death, dying, and the care that they will receive. It helps all of those involved to have an understanding; this helps in reducing fear, pain, discomfort, and many other unfavorable things.<br />
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<i>Uncertainty About the Afterlife</i>: Having a Hospice team that is willing to speak with patients regarding the life after death is very important. One does not need to share the same faith with each other to know that most people worry about what will happen to them after dying. Some may not care, many others will. This is also why chaplain services are readily available to those on Hospice. When someone has comfort with what will happen to them following their death then it can help calm and comfort.<br />
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<i>Depression</i>: A broad support system oftentimes helps those who are depressed. Hospice provides that to a great deal. However, this does not always help fight against depression. Clinical depression can be treated with medications while other depression can abetted a little bit at a time by a support group. Oftentimes volunteers can provide companionship that busy nurses and other workers cannot give as much as they would like. Many Hospice organizations provide volunteers and other services to help brighten the last days of patients with terminal diagnoses.<br />
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<i>How does hospice relate to the pro-life cause?</i><br />
Hospice should not provided a means to end a persons life. It is about increasing the quality of the time a person has left to live. Allow me to simply compare and contrast:<br />
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Euthanasia is a quick <i>end</i> to suffering; hospice <i>deals</i> with the problems to allow comfort and dignity.<br />
Abortion is a quick <i>end</i> to an unwanted pregnancy; choosing life <i>deals</i> with the unwanted pregnancy to allow a newly created human being to live.<br />
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Just like there are many issues that surround end-of-life care that can be managed, there are many problems with an unwanted pregnancy that must also be managed.<br />
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I have been a hospice nurse for seven months. It can be very stressful, but it can also be very enlightening. I have been a small part of the care to help so many patients pass away with comfort and dignity. I have such awesome coworkers who have also helped these patients in their own special way. I am so thankful to work with such a wonderful group of people who have such compassion for their patients.<br />
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Indeed, giving life is the most important aspect of hospice nursing. This is the reason why I continue to work hospice. Respect life! Give it dignity! Give it what it rightfully deserves! Embrace life from conception until natural death.Tonal Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03198001091701514327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5959961148805649098.post-24481730156161964512010-08-01T20:43:00.000-07:002010-08-01T20:43:59.520-07:00A Life Dedicated to LifeGrowing up, I wanted to become a composer for video game music. When I went to college I started out as a music major intending to accomplish that goal. I became complacent. I took an Anatomy and Physiology class to fulfill a science lab requirement and loved studying it. It was a wonderful class with great students and a wonderful professor. I was enthralled at the inner workings of our bodies created by our Almighty God that it gave me a different insight into the goals of my life. I wanted to protect life. I graduated as a Registered Nurse a few years later.<br />
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Today I work as a Case Manager for hospice. I help manage the care and also personally care for patients that are in their final moments. I help them to love life in the short time that they have left to experience it. Life is a beautiful experience with its horrible and difficult times and its wonderful and fun times. As beautiful as life is, it is short. We must value every moment that God has given us to experience it.<br />
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Among the worst things in this world is taking away someone's life. Taking a person's life takes away the experiences that God intended for that person to experience. It robs a person of the great things that can be experienced. How much worse is it to take away the life of someone who has only been in life for a few short years, months, or weeks. The beginning of life is the most precious because there is so much life to live in the young.<br />
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Indeed it is my goal to allow people to make the most of their lives, even in their end times. It is also my goal to allow people to experience a life that they deserve to experience. I strive to end abortion for this very reason. It is pure evil to take this most precious gift of life away from another human being.<br />
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As a Registered Nurse it is my duty to defend the defenseless, give a voice to the voiceless, and be an advocate to those without one. It is my duty. It is my goal.<br />
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In music-- enrich lives.<br />
In nursing-- defend lives.<br />
In life-- love and live what God has given us.<br />
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A life dedicated to life. We all should strive to live that kind of life.Tonal Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03198001091701514327noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5959961148805649098.post-77928750605806544762010-03-16T21:36:00.000-07:002010-03-16T22:32:42.272-07:00Playing the Human Being Word GameWhen those who favor legal abortion talk to me, I always get a plethora of word games. Oftentimes my words are twisted or taken out of context. Other times issues that I present are ignored completely. There are other instances where the points on which I agree with another person are ignored entirely and maybe even refuted. These techniques are meant to etch away at my patience in a conversation so that when I end the conversation due to frustration the other person can claim victory.<br />
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<center><img src="http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee345/segamon/abortion_wordgamescopy.jpg"><br />
Word Games Blur the Core Issue</center><br />
I have an example of this. Is there a scientific definition of the phrase "human being?" I certainly have not found that particular phrasing in textbooks or online. Does this mean that the scientific community has not defined what is a human being or not? No, this is not true. However, to those who argue against me the opposite is true.<br />
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Those who argue against me claim that there are no scientists who agree that a human being's life begins at conceptions since one cannot find the exact phrase "human being" defined by science. Since no scientist can define what is a human being, they say, then we must use the philosophical framework to define what is considered a human being. In conclusion, they say, we must use the philosophical definition of a human being as having cognition which occurs at a particular point in human development. There are really huge reasons why this argument is flawed.<br />
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1. "Human being" is a phrase and not a word. Thus, one must combine two separate words to come to a definition. The word "human" means (in the context of this debate) a member of the species homo sapiens. Does science claim that a zygote is a member of the species homo sapiens? Yes it does. In fact, I have never heard of a current scientist claim anything else. The word "being" is defined as existing. Does a zygote exist? Only a moron would think that a zygote does not exist. Thus, "human being" (in the context of this debate) is considered <i>any</i> existing member of the species homo sapiens. Zygote easily fits this definition according to current scientific knowledge. Furthermore, the zygote is a <i>living</i> and <i>independent</i> member of the species homo sapiens whom exists in reality by objective scientific fact.<br />
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2. A philosophical framework can lead to many different definitions; not one definition could we all agree upon. I have heard people state what makes a developing human a "person" or "human being" is the detection of brain waves (8 weeks LMP [1][2]), when consciousness occurs (one claims that this is placed at approximately 28 weeks when thalamic afferents begin to enter in the cerebral cortex [3], another claims that consciousness doesn't occur until months or years after birth [4]), viability [5], birth [6], and other moments in a human's lifespan. Thus using philosophical, religious, and subjective reasons to define what is and what is not a human being cannot be trusted. These reasons are merely the inner workings of the human mind.<br />
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Yes, a fetus may not experience pain prior to 20 weeks gestation [7]. Yes, a fetus does not breath air until being born. Yes, a fetus does not respond to sound until around 20 weeks gestation [8]. Hmm... you know what? An infant cannot participate in sexual intercourse, believes that others can read his mind, does not understand commitment, does not have a fully developed nervous system, does not have fully functional visual capabilities, and has numerous other developmental milestones that he has not reached yet. I'm thinking all the more... all of us who are still alive have not experienced the developmental milestone of death.<br />
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"Development begins with fertilization, ..." [9] and ends with death.<br />
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To play the human being word game is to determine who will live and who will die.<br />
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1. Epigee: Health and Fitness, "First Trimester Fetal Growth" as accessed on March 16, 2010. "8 weeks - ... Brain waves can be measured." <a href="http://www.epigee.org/fetal1.html" target="resource window">URL LINK</a><br />
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2. Abort73, "Fetal Development" as accessed on March 16, 2010 and last updated on February 27, 2010. "Primitive brain waves have been recorded as early as six weeks and 2 days (gestation)." <a href="http://www.abort73.com/abortion/prenatal_development" target="resource window">URL LINK</a><br />
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3. User pirbird14 on YouTube comment on video "Abortion Pictures: The Abortion Reich Lie" comment posted on March 16, 2010. "Consciousness is a function of the cerebral cortex, which does not begin to develop prior to week 26 (sic)." <a href="http://www.youtube.com/comment_servlet?all_comments&v=u-DFBCNorPY" target="resource window">URL LINK</a><br />
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4. Elroy. "Why Abortion is Moral" as accessed on March 16, 2010. "...consciousness normally doesn't occur until months, even years, after a baby is born (sic)." <a href="http://www.elroy.net/ehr/abortionanswers.html" target="resource window">URL LINK</a><br />
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5. Little, Margaret. Rutgers School of Law. "Abortion and the Margins of Personhood" as accessed on March 16, 2010, published sometime in 2003. "Especially when robust viability precedes full moral status, a gray zone emerges in which decisions over the life of the fetus hover between the private and the public." <a href="http://org.law.rutgers.edu/publications/lawjournal/39_2/03LittleVol39.2.r_2.pdf" target="resource window">PDF LINK</a><br />
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6. Green, John. eLetters, Denver Post. "Personhood begins on your birthday" as accessed on March 16, 2010 and posted on December 17, 2007. <a href="http://blogs.denverpost.com/eletters/2007/12/13/personhood-begins-on-your-birthday/" target="resource window">URL LINK</a><br />
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7. NewsMaxx. "Reintroduced Fetal Pain Bill Garners Unlikely Supporter" as accessed on march 16, 2010 and posted on February 2, 2005. <a href="http://archive.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2005/2/1/214144.shtml" target="resource window">URL LINK</a><br />
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8. Endowment for Human Development. "Prenatal Form and Function: The Making of an Earth Suit" as accessed on March 16, 2010. "By 20 weeks it reaches adult size within the fully developed inner ear. From now on, the fetus will respond to a growing medley of sounds." <a href="http://www.ehd.org/dev_article_unit14.php#cochlea" target="resource window">URL LINK</a><br />
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9. T.W. Sadler, Langman's Medical Embryology, 10th edition. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2006. p. 11.Tonal Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03198001091701514327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5959961148805649098.post-74748176882129275942010-01-25T12:26:00.000-08:002010-01-25T12:40:11.447-08:00Atheism and AbortionIs atheism compatible with legalized therapeutic abortion? Through my experience talking to and hearing stories from atheists I have concluded that atheism is very much incompatible with legalized therapeutic abortion.<br />
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The key to understanding if atheism is compatible with legalized therapeutic abortion is simple: 1) remove God from the equation and 2) put in place common human decency instilled in all humans to not kill each other.<br />
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Accomplishing the first premise of removing God from the equation is a simple task. What remains is science and law. Then a question quickly becomes clear: what do we rely on for an answer, science, law, or both?<br />
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I have found that the majority of pro-choice atheist choose to base their arguments on law almost entirely. The reason for this is obvious; the law does not recognize the person that is the unborn human being. Countering this argument is easy, though. Say that slavery in the United States of American did not end with the Civil War, does that mean that slavery would still be justified and moral if it was still legal? The answer is no. Another simple rhetorical question could be that if one day a Personhood Amendment became part of the United States Constitution that defined a person as "any human being from conception to natural death" would that magically make an unborn human being a person? The answer is no, a law cannot make something true or false; law is very much just a reflection of a person's (or a people's) view in which a society should be governed. Basing an opinion from law is similar to basing an opinion based on public opinion polls; it's absolutely useless and completely illogical.<br />
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When pro-choice atheists jump into the fray of scientific evidence to support their claims, their arguments fall flat. I have oftentimes asked simple questions to pro-choice atheists that they almost always dodge and try every trick in the book to not answer. I have been discussing abortion with an atheist online, the following is a part of that conversation:<br />
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<blockquote><br />
<b>SegaMon</b>: Consider the statement: "Clearly God has caused more abortions than we have." Does that make elective abortion moral? Nope.<br />
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Now consider this statement: "Clearly God has caused more murders to happen than we have." Does this statement make murder moral? Nope.<br />
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<b>Pro-Choice Atheist</b>: Can you please have your god come out and talk to us and tell what she wants?!? That would clear up a lot of misunderstandings. Thanx.<br />
Where is the logic of abortion being immoral?<br />
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<b>SegaMon</b>: Knowing what God wants can often times be internal. For specifics, the Bible has given us many things to direct us in the right way.<br />
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Killing people ourselves is wrong (ie murder is a sin). Even the majority of atheists believe in this form of morality (ie elective abortion is NOT a religious issue).<br />
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Now, can you answer the question that I asked? "Does this statement make murder moral?"<br />
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<b>Pro-Choice Atheist</b>: I will only answer questions that come directly from your god. You are but a misguided middle man with a tedious and banal way of thinking. As far as I can tell god hasn't caused anything, show us some proof, then I might take your ramblings more seriously. btw - Abortion cannot be murder, by the definition of murder.<br />
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<b>SegaMon</b>: I wasn't saying that "abortion is murder." However, if the law starts to protect the unborn just like the born, then that statement would certainly be true (it's a term of law).<br />
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My "ramblings?" Come back down to Earth, your ego is making you float away.<br />
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I don't have to "prove" God to you. Just the fact that we will NEVER fully understand the human body is enough proof of God that I need.<br />
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I was using LOGIC, something that you claim to have such a handle on. Just answer my question please.<br />
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<b>Pro-Choice Atheist</b>: I guess I haven't been clear enough. Your god doesn't exist and therefore your question is nonsense. You can't use logic and proof of god in the same paragraph. hehehe<br />
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<b>SegaMon</b>: YOU were the one talking about God, not me.<br />
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Thus, I used the same exact statement that you had and then replaced "abortion" with "murder" and asked if you could explain it.<br />
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Again, it wasn't me that brought up God, it was you!<br />
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My question was NOT about God.<br />
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Read my first post again and answer the question. If you do not answer, you have failed to follow truth and use proper logic.<br />
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If we are going to blame God for more abortions, then we should certainly blame God for more murders. God certainly kills more born people than we do from heart attacks, falls, strokes, cancer, hepatitis, HIV, TB, etc.<br />
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So please, if you fail to answer then you are conceding to defeat.<br />
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<b>Pro-Choice Atheist</b>: As I have said breore god does not exist (at least the christian concept) so, a nonexistent being can have no effect. No moral laws, no killing, no giving of life or death. Your question is nonsense. Change your question to something that relates directly to abortion and i will answer it.<br />
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<b>SegaMon</b>: [[Here I mistakenly thought that this poster was the poster of the video]] My question has EVERYTHING to do with abortion. Thus you concede to defeat.<br />
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<b>Pro-Choice Atheist</b>: [[Here the poster is correcting me that he is not the poster of the video]]<br />
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<b>SegaMon</b>: I do concede that I wrongly assumed that you made the video based upon your answers (I should have double checked).<br />
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Regardless of my mistake, my response was in regards to the video itself. My question has much merit in relation to the statements made in the video. Do you like this video? Do you agree with this video? If so then you should still answer my question.<br />
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Mistaking you for the video's creator is not as bad as not answering a simple question.<br />
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Besides does it really matter if I'm smart of not? If someone asks a very simple question, even if it's asked by a complete moron, then someone with half a brain should be able to answer it. So why do you not answer it?<br />
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<b>Pro-Choice Atheist</b>: I answered over and over and over and over. The question does not relate to me. How can I answer a question about god's actions if I think the whole bible is myth and metaphor ie that there is no such being? Answer your own question, i guess that's what you want to do any way?? Tell us what the point is you are trying to make.<br />
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<b>SegaMon</b>: You didn't answer the question: "Does the previous statement make murder moral?"<br />
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This is not a question about God. This is not a question regarding religion. This is a response to the video's statements. You didn't answer this question!<br />
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The reason why I wanted you to answer the question was to help guide you through my reasoning then hopefully you could see where I was coming from.<br />
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My point was if abortion is moral because God does it then murder must be moral because God murders too.<br />
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<b>Pro-Choice Atheist</b>: What if god doesn't exist? Like I've been saying over and over and over and over. Then, isn't your point meaningless? THAT'S what I've been trying to tell you.<br />
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<b>SegaMon</b>: My question was directly countering what was in the video (which was made by an atheist). My question was NOT about God. It was NOT about religion. How many times do I have to tell you that? I'll make my question easier for you to understand by using non-God speak:<br />
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"Clearly [mother nature] has caused more murders to happen than we have.<br />
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"Thus, does the previous statement make murder moral?"<br />
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Please answer the question. (I wonder how long this game of ping-pong will last, lol)<br />
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You said that "the question does not relate to me." Then why did you respond to my post to begin with? There must have been something that interested you in what I said. I can't stand it when people stifle conversations by not answering simple questions and ignoring the topic's core. That was what you did. If this conversation is not important to you, then maybe you shouldn't be talking to me.<br />
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</blockquote><br />
Why would pro-choice atheists choose to not answer simple and direct questions? An answer that comes to mind would be that they are uncomfortable with either the facts that they know or uncomfortable with the facts that they may learn in the process of conversation. Although I am a staunch right-wing conservative eastern Catholic Christian it is amazing to find out that I am the one siding with scientific facts.<br />
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Knowing that every human being's life begins at conception is the crux of the scientific debate. The most important hypothetical question that must be asked of these pro-choice atheists is the following: if we do not side with protecting what science defines as a human being, then at what point of development do we start defending human life? Answers to this question have much variety ranging from "when brain waves that can be detected" to the extreme "when the umbilical cord is cut after birth." Then the response to whatever their answer is should become blatantly obvious; the answer is do we base decisions on the objective facts of science or on one of the numerous subjective opinions of imperfect minds? It would be a natural choice to side with undeniable scientific facts than with the imperfect opinions that our minds have determined for ourselves.<br />
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Thus, the argument is won in favor of life. Of course, the prideful pro-choice atheist will kick and scream in objection, but there is no denying their defeat. This is all done without the acknowledgement of God's existence. To deal the deafening blow to the pro-choice atheist's argument at this time is to state that it is common human decency to protect our own species from purposeful death (murder). If the person believes that there is no such thing as common human decency, then ask him if he is willing to kill a born person to prove his thesis. If this person is not willing kill then he does have common decency and is just being stubborn. However, if the person is willing to kill a born person then there is no use in talking to an insane lunatic who may one day become a murderer (I have actually met people that have said this).<br />
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Pro-lifers of all faiths, use the following information to define the beginning of human life at conception:<br />
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**Credit goes to <a href="http://www.abort73.com/abortion/medical_testimony" target="resource window">Abort73.com</a> for the following list of sources**<br />
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"Human development begins at fertilization, the process during which a male gamete or sperm (spermatozoo developmentn) unites with a female gamete or oocyte (ovum) to form a single cell called a zygote. This highly specialized, totipotent cell marked the beginning of each of us as a unique individual. A zygote is the beginning of a new human being (i.e., an embryo)."<br />
<i>Keith L. Moore, The Developing Human: Clinically Oriented Embryology, 7th edition. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders, 2003. pp. 16, 2.</i><br />
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"Human embryos begin development following the fusion of definitive male and female gametes during fertilization... This moment of zygote formation may be taken as the beginning or zero time point of embryonic development."<br />
<i>William J. Larsen, Essentials of Human Embryology. New York: Churchill Livingstone, 1998. pp. 1, 14.</i><br />
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"Every baby begins life within the tiny globe of the mother's egg... It is beautifully translucent and fragile and it encompasses the vital links in which life is carried from one generation to the next. Within this tiny sphere great events take place. When one of the father's sperm cells, like the ones gathered here around the egg, succeeds in penetrating the egg and becomes united with it, a new life can begin."<br />
<i>Geraldine Lux Flanagan, Beginning Life. New York: DK, 1996. p. 13.</i><br />
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"Biologically speaking, human development begins at fertilization."<br />
<i>The Biology of Prenatal Develpment, National Geographic, 2006. {A video documentary]</i><br />
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"The two cells gradually and gracefully become one. This is the moment of conception, when an individual's unique set of DNA is created, a human signature that never existed before and will never be repeated."<br />
<i>In the Womb, National Geographic, 2005. [A video documentary]</i><br />
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"Development begins with fertilization, the process by which the male gamete, the sperm, and the femal gamete, the oocyte, unite to give rise to a zygote."<br />
<i>T.W. Sadler, Langman's Medical Embryology, 10th edition. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2006. p. 11.</i><br />
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**Credit goes to Bobby Bambino of the <a href="http://www.jillstanek.com/archives/2010/01/first_ever_marc.html" target="resource window">Jill Stanek blog</a> for the following list of sources**<br />
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"Almost all higher animals start their lives from a single cell, the fertilized ovum (zygote). ... The time of fertilization represents the starting point in the life history, or ontogeny, of the individual."<br />
<i>Carlson, Bruce M., Patten's Foundations of Embryology, 6th edition. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1996, p.3.</i><br />
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"The development of a human being begins with fertilization, a process by which two highly specialized cells, the spermatozoon from the male and the oocyte from the female, unite to give rise to a new organism, the zygote."<br />
<i>Langman, Jan. Medical Embryology. 3rd edition. Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins, 1975, p. 3</i><br />
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"Zygote. This cell, formed by the union of an ovum and a sperm (Gr. zygtos, yoked together), represents the beginning of a human being."<br />
<i>Moore, Keith L. and Persaud, T.V.N. Before We Are Born: Essentials of Embryology and Birth Defects. 4th edition. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders Company, 1993, p. 1</i><br />
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"Although human life is a continuous process, fertilization is a critical landmark because, under ordinary circumstances, a new, genetically distinct human organism is thereby formed. ... The combination of 23 chromosomes present in each pronucleus results in 46 chromosomes in the zygote. Thus the diploid number is restored and the embryonic genome is formed. The embryo now exists as a genetic unity."<br />
<i>O'Rahilly, Ronan and Müller, Fabiola. Human Embryology and Teratology, 2nd edition. New York: Wiley-Liss, 1996, pp. 8, 29.</i><br />
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"...the term conception refers to the union of the male and female pronuclear elements of procreation from which a new living being develops. It is synonymous with the terms fecundation, impregnation and fertilization ... The zygote thus formed represents the beginning of a new life."<br />
<i>J.P. Greenhill and E.A. Freidman. Biological Principles and Modern Practice of Obstetrics. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders Publishers, pages 17 and 23.</i><br />
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"Fertilization is a sequence of events that begins with the contact of a sperm (spermatozoon) with a secondary oocyte (ovum) and ends with the fusion of their pronuclei (the haploid nuclei of the sperm and ovum) and the mingling of their chromosomes to form a new cell. This fertilized ovum, known as a zygote, is a large diploid cell that is the beginning, or primordium, of a human being."<br />
<i>Moore, Keith L. Essentials of Human Embryology. Toronto: B.C. Decker Inc, 1988, p.2.</i><br />
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"Embryo: An organism in the earliest stage of development; in a man, from the time of conception to the end of the second month in the uterus."<br />
<i>Dox, Ida G. et al. The Harper Collins Illustrated Medical Dictionary. New York: Harper Perennial, 1993, p. 146.</i><br />
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"...every time a sperm cell and ovum unite, a new being is created which is alive and will continue to live unless its death is brought about by some specific condition."<br />
<i>E.L. Potter, M.D., and J.M. Craig, M.D. Pathology of the Fetus and the Infant (3rd Edition). Chicago: Year Book Medical Publishers, 1975, page vii.</i><br />
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"Embryo: The developing individual between the union of the germ cells and the completion of the organs which characterize its body when it becomes a separate organism.... At the moment the sperm cell of the human male meets the ovum of the female and the union results in a fertilized ovum (zygote), a new life has begun.... The term embryo covers the several stages of early development from conception to the ninth or tenth week of life."<br />
<i>Considine, Douglas (ed.). Van Nostrand's Scientific Encyclopedia. 5th edition. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, 1976, p. 943</i><br />
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“The chromosomes of the oocyte and sperm are…respectively enclosed within female and male pronuclei. These pronuclei fuse with each other to produce the single, diploid, 2N nucleus of the fertilized zygote. This moment of zygote formation may be taken as the beginning or zero time point of embryonic development.”<br />
<i>- Human Embryology. 2nd edition. 1997, p. 17</i><br />
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“In this text, we begin our description of the developing human with the formation and differentiation of the male and female sex cells or gametes, which will unite at fertilization to initiate the embryonic development of a new individual. … Fertilization takes place in the oviduct … resulting in the formation of a zygote containing a single diploid nucleus. Embryonic development is considered to begin at this point… This moment of zygote formation may be taken as the beginning or zero time point of embryonic development.”<br />
<i>Essentials of Human Embryology 1998 1-17.</i><br />
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“[The Zygote] results from the union of an oocyte and a sperm. A zygote is the beginning of a new human being. Human development begins at fertilization, the process during which a male gamete or sperm … unites with a female gamete or oocyte … to form a single cell called a zygote. This highly specialized, totipotent cell marks the beginning of each of us as a unique individual.”<br />
<i>The Developing Human: Clinically Oriented Embryology, 6th ed. 1998, pg. 2-18.</i><br />
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“Fertilization is an important landmark because, under ordinary circumstances, a new, genetically distinct human organism is thereby formed… Fertilization is the procession of events that begins when a spermatozoon makes contact with a secondary oocyte or its investments… The zygote … is a unicellular embryo…”<br />
<i>Human Embryology & Teratology 1996 pg. 5-55.</i>Tonal Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03198001091701514327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5959961148805649098.post-79504607343687307492010-01-12T15:43:00.000-08:002010-01-12T15:46:34.672-08:00Additional source for incompetent cervix postSometimes I run into an extra source for a topic that I have covered in the past. I figured that it would a good idea to add these sources as they are discovered. Some posts that I write include numerous sources. These sources can oftentimes be more important than the post itself.<br />
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Blog post that source was added to: <a href="http://theunbornvoice.blogspot.com/2009/10/incompetent-cervix-linked-with-abortion.html">"Incompetent cervix linked with abortion"</a><br />
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Source added to the blog post: (8) Langerquist SL, McMillin JL, Nelson RM, Snider KE, <u>Davis' NCLEX-RN Success: Second Edition</u>, F.A. Davis, 2006, Philadelphia.<br />
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Sentence mentioning source: It is known that "cervical trauma may occur and may lead to incompetent cervix," a statement that my education has repeatedly confirmed.<br />
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Hopefully this additional source is useful. Also, any suggestions for added sources are certainly welcome.Tonal Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03198001091701514327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5959961148805649098.post-10052501468974001142010-01-06T16:23:00.000-08:002010-01-06T16:36:35.138-08:00Quick thought about a common pro-choice viewI have always heard about people who believe that it would be morally sufficient to kill human beings to help alleviate the theoretical problem of world overpopulation. Through news stories I heard about China forcing their population to abort children who were their second child (oftentimes referred to as the "One Child Policy"). Very few politicians in the United States openly support this policy; however, there are many pro-choice politicians whose opinions have become known that they secretly admire this policy.<br />
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Throughout my life I have never actually met someone who told me that they would not mind killing people to abate the "problem" of a rising world population. I finally met someone with that very belief in 2003: my first year in college. I met this person while riding the city bus. On this bus, I ran into an old classmate from elementary school and, somehow, we started discussing abortion. At first he claimed that the unborn were not actually human beings. After some debate he conceded that therapeutic abortion was indeed the killing of innocent unborn human beings (and even agreed to call them "babies"). I asked him one of the questions I asked him earlier in the debate: "do you agree with legalized therapeutic abortion?" He answered "yes" with an unwavering tone. He elaborated further by saying "I don't care if abortion kills children, it is needed to decrease our world population." I was shocked to hear this coming from his mouth! He agreed that abortion was the direct and malicious killing of unborn children yet it was justifiable to him by some unproven theory that we were going to overpopulate the world!? I bid him farewell. I really did not want to see him ever again. Come to think of it, I never did.<br />
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Today I was looking over some comments to a news story about abortion protesters displaying abortion photos when I cam across this very same argument:<br />
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<blockquote><br />
I'm all about choice. If a woman decides not to have a child by all means kill it. The world is over populated as it is, and it would be one less mouth to feed. (1)<br />
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</blockquote><br />
Many who state this belief also understand the biologic and scientific proven fact that human life starts at conception. It cannot be denied that these people consider the theoretical problem of overpopulation to be more important than human life itself. This is also very telling of many of those who consider themselves pro-choice. Many pro-choice people will certainly agree with pro-lifers that human life starts at conception. For them, the only reason to remain pro-choice is because of the supposed benefits of killing an unwanted child: continuing an education, having extra free time, the ability to go to parties, the ability to save and use more money for themselves, saving the environment, reducing world population, or one or more of any many other asinine reasons.<br />
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The biggest difference between pro-lifers and pro-choicers? That's simple. Pro-lifers wish to defend unborn children while pro-choicers wish to destroy unborn children to their own personal gain.<br />
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I wonder if these pro-choicers would be willing to help further reduce the population by actively killing the "unfit" or "unwanted" born people in our society?<br />
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Keep in mind that I am referring to the ideological debate of those who SHOULD know better. I am NOT referring to women who have aborted yet have received little to no information regarding the facts of the unborn, offered little in the way of support in allowing the unborn child to live, and lead to believe the numerous lies that pro-choicers espouse.<br />
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1. abc15.com (of Phoenix, Arizona), "Billboard shows aborted fetuses outside Phoenix high school: Comment from ckaye02" published on October 13, 2009. <a href="http://www.abc15.com/content/news/phoenixmetro/central/story/Billboard-shows-aborted-fetuses-outside-Phoenix/KI7Mp2lD_kCxbhXPA3TtHQ.cspx?p=Comments" target="resource window">URL LINK</a>Tonal Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03198001091701514327noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5959961148805649098.post-86809472292503563092010-01-03T22:55:00.000-08:002010-01-03T23:10:35.176-08:00Planned Parenthood's suggestion to me for birth controlI used an online algorithm advertised by Planned Parenthood called "My Method." This is a simple algorithm program that takes user answers to questions and then provides a statement based upon them. The idea is simple. However, this algorithm does not always have an answer. This also means that Planned Parenthood does not always have an answer.<br /><br />"My Method" was not advertised to me as something that is only meant to be used by women. However, the questions fully expected me to be a woman. I am a man and do not experience menstruation nor do I have a vagina. Planned Parenthood must assume that only women are responsible for birth control? That's a strange proposition. Either that or they think that men have vaginas! Quality improvement, Planned Parenthood! You should have asked what gender I was at the onset of the algorithm.<br /><br />For the questions assuming that I had female biological characteristics I answered how I knew that my wife would have answered. We are both very pro-life and do not agree with any form of birth control except for abstinence and natural family planning (NFP). I answered these questions with this in mind.<br /><br />At the end of the algorithm, "My Method" gave me the following message:<br /><br /><blockquote><br /><br />My Method cannot determine which birth control methods may be best for you based on your answers to these questions. (1)<br /><br /></blockquote><br /><br />The reason that Planned Parenthood cannot provide me with a solution is that abstinence and Natural Family Planning are not a part of their vocabulary. The reason that they believe this is simple: they believe that human beings are incapable of controlling their natural instincts of sexual behavior. They believe that each and every one of us will one day "cave in" to our sexual desires and participate in an unending parade of intercourse with person after person.<br /><br />Unlike Planned Parenthood, I believe that we humans are capable of more than acting like animals.<br /><br /><hr><br /><br />(1) Planned Parenthood Federation of America, as accessed on the website "Sex. Really." "My Method by Planned Parenthood" as accessed in January 3, 2010. <a href="http://www.sexreally.com/my-method-planned-parenthood" target="resource window">URL LINK</a>Tonal Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03198001091701514327noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5959961148805649098.post-36440237522744856832010-01-03T22:24:00.000-08:002010-01-03T22:53:43.811-08:00My email to stayteen.orgMy wife and I were watching the show The Secret Life of an American Teenager and were enjoying it quite a lot. We were happy to notice that they did not offer abortion as an option for a teen pregnancy. However, this was no surprise to me since most television shows consider abortion to be a topic that is"too hot to handle." This is why I admire the movie Juno for actually addressing abortion during teen pregnancy within the movie so honestly.<br /><br />Before every commercial break, one of the actors from the show suggests the viewers (which, I suppose, are mostly teenagers) to talk to their parents about sex. Another thing that they suggested to these viewers was to make a visit to their website titled <a href="http://www.stayteen.org/" target="resource window">StayTeen.org</a>. The website actually gave good reasons to be abstinent from sex. However, the website went in great length about kinds of birth control methods to use other than abstinence, all of which are not 100% effective in STD prevention or pregnancy prevention (all forms other than abstinence fail in this regard). I accept this kind of talk on these sorts of websites. It's what today's society suggests to our youth. I do not agree with it, though.<br /><br />The thing that bothered me the most about the website was the numerous times it linked to Planned Parenthood Federation of America's <a href="http://www.plannedparenthood.org/teen-talk/" target="resource window">Teen Talk</a> website. This website is filled with half-truths and lies. This is especially true regarding abortion. This is why I decided to email StayTeen.org to see if they could oblige my offer to remove the links to this organization. I know that they probably will not agree, but the least I could do was educate! I gave them over 20 sources for them to peruse as well! The email I sent them is as follows:<br /><br /><blockquote><br /><br />stayteen.org,<br /><br />My relationship reality is simple: contraception is unnecessary and abortion is the killing of unborn human beings. That being said, I have both things to say about stayteen.org that is commemorative and horrendous. Please read my list, it is very important that you understand these things.<br /><br />I commemorate the website stayteen.org for...<br />1. Encouraging abstinence as the only 100% effective way to prevent pregnancy and the transmission of STDs. I knew that as a teenager and I know that now as a 24 year old Registered Nurse.<br />2. Encouraging teens to listen to their own voice in saying NO to having sex before they are "ready."<br /><br />Those things I believe are horrendous about the website stayteen.org is...<br />1. Connections and links to Planned Parenthood Federation of America who has been documented time after time to pass one medical inaccurate information regarding therapeutic abortion, birth control effectiveness, and fetal development. This is the most important aspect of my email today. Please hear out my case against Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) and please consider removing any and all links to this organization known to have started under the premise of eugenics.<br /><br />The reasons why Planned Parenthood of America Federation should be removed from the website stayteen.org is...<br />1. Documented resistance of this organization to give their patients and the public accurate and unbiased information regarding therapeutic abortion. For example, PPFA states that abortion does not lead to a higher risk of premature birth or low birth weight babies. However, this is untrue! Time after time, therapeutic abortions have been shown to lead to a higher incidence of incompetent cervix (which is one cause of premature birth and miscarraiges which have to be appropriately treated through cervical cerclage etc.) (1). PPFA states that there is no such thing as "post-abortion stress syndrome." However, there is certainly evidence that it does exist through unbiased research (2,3). Post-Abortion Stress Syndrome is certainly not proven but it is also not completely disproven, either. Many people have spoken out about their own abortion stress (4). PPFA claims unequivocally that therapeutic abortion has not chance to be displayed as increasing the chance of breast cancer. However, PPFA's claim cannot be undeniably proven. In fact, there are many scientific studies that have should some type of link or that the link is unclear at this time (5, 6, 7, 8). These discrepancies are just on PPFA's teen-talk website that you have linked your visitors to (aka teenagers). Planned Parenthood also lies about medically sound information. refer to LiveActionFilms investigation regarding this reality: "Investigation of medical lies and manipulation at Planned Parenthood of WI" and "Planned Parenthood lies about abortion images" (9, 10)<br /><br />2. Planned Parenthood has been documented to repeatedly allow abuse of young girls to continue. Watch the numerous examples through videos from LiveActionFilms: "Planned Parenthood clinics across the country are contributing to the abuse of young girls" (11). The fact that some (possible most of them) are encouraging minors to continue their sexual relationships with adults is truly horrible and damaging to the girls that they should be helping.<br /><br />3. An organization with their beginnings as an arm to encourage eugenics should not be linked to by secular, bipartisan groups (such as stayteen.org). Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood, wished to use her organization to further encourage eugenics and euthanasia to make human genetics stronger (12, 13). Furthermore, she targetted minorities, immigrants, and the poor working class. Know that today's Planned Parenthood, as part of the abortion industry as a whole, commits abortions on black women at a much higher rate than that of whites. While blacks make up 12.8% of the United States population while 38.5% of all abortions were done on black women (14, 15). This racism should not have begun. We cannot change this. However, it should not be encouraged through PPFA. Please stop linking your website to this organization.<br /><br />4. Planned Parenthood is the leading organization providing abortion services in the country. They were reported to have carried out 305,310 abortion in 2007 (that is approximately 1/3 of all abortions in this country) according to their own annual report published in April of 2009 (16). This wouldn't be worrisome to those in favor of abortion, but if you realize the truth that abortion is the killing of human beings then one would feel different. It would be best for you and everyone to know the facts regarding therapeutic abortion and the development of the unborn which these procedures destroy and kill. For more information regarding this topic, visit links below range 17 through 21 (there are certainly more sources, but this is a good start)<br /><br />Planned Parenthood's lies should be rebutted and/or not allowed to be spread. My offer is the following: remove the link to Planned Parenthood Federation of America or provide a source from the opposite side of the fence, namely abort73.com, which carries more true facts about abortion than any PPFA website or clinic.<br /><br />Thank you for your time. I hope that you have considered this issue as much as you can. Please consider my proposition for those in need of unbiased information regarding pregnancy altogether. I hope that you read this entire message. Have a wonderful day.<br /><br />Sincerely,<br />Christopher Schmenk, RN<br /><br /></blockquote><br /><br />As you can see, I took my time in researching and providing evidence to my claims. This is something that is important in any important issue such as abortion. Please contact organizations and educate them regarding the truth about abortion. The truth is not as evident to people as it may seem. I will be praying that they understand my message.<br /><br /><hr><br /><br />(1) Schmenk, Christopher: Incompetent cervix linked with abortion, October 16, 2009. <a href="http://theunbornvoice.blogspot.com/2009/10/incompetent-cervix-linked-with-abortion.html" target="resouce window">URL LINK</a><br />(2) Reardon, David, Elliot Institute, Fact Sheet, 1997. <a href="http://www.abortionfacts.com/reardon/post_abortion_syndrome_character.asp" target="resource window">URL LINK</a><br />(3) Coleman, Priscilla: Abortion Mental Health Research: Update and Quality of Evidence, Spring 2008. <a href="http://www.abortionresearch.us/images/Vol20No2.pdf" target="resource window">PDF LINK</a><br />(4) Website Mentioned: <a href="http://www.silentnomoreawareness.org/" target="resource window">Silent No More Awareness</a><br />(5) Xing P, Li J, Jin F. "A case-control study of reproductive factors associated with subtypes of breast cancer in Northeast China.” Humana Press, e-publication online September 2009. <a href="http://www.physiciansforlife.org/content/view/1821/26/" target="resource window">URL LINK</a> (Showing increased risk)<br />(6) Kitchen AJ, Trivedi P, Ng D, Mokbel K. "Is there a link between breast cancer and abortion: a review of the literature." Int K Fertile Women's Med, Nov-Dec 2005. (Showing that research is unclear)<br />(7) Lipworth L, Katsouyanni K, Ekbom A, Michels KB, Trichopoulos D, "Abortion and the risk of breast cancer: a case-control study in Greece." Int J Cancer, Apr 1995. (Showing increased risk)<br />(8) Robertson C, Van Den Donk M, Primic-Zakelj M, MacFarlane T, Boyle P, "The association between induced and spontaneous abortion and risk of breast cancer in Slovenian women aged 25-54." Breast, Aug 2001. (Showing increased risk if abortion was done prior to first full-term pregnancy)<br />(9) LiveActionFilms: Investigation of medical lies and manipulation at Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIXHrusvMDw" target="resource window">URL LINK</a><br />(10) LiveActionFilms: Planned Parenthood lies about abortion images <a href="http://liveaction.org/index.php/projects/monalisa/90" target="resource window">URL LINK</a><br />(11) LiveActionFilms: The Mona Lisa Project <a href="http://liveaction.org/index.php/projects/monalisa" target="resource window">URL LINK</a><br />(12) Wikipedia: Information Page on Margaret Sanger. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Sanger" target="resource window">URL LINK</a> (Even though I'm not the biggest fan of Wikipedia, the fact that this website acknowledges the true history of Margaret Sanger was notable)<br />(13) Green, T, "The Negro Project" <a href="http://www.citizenreviewonline.org/special_issues/population/the_negro_project.htm" target="resource window">URL LINK</a><br />(14) Center for Disease Control (CDC), "Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report: Abortion Suveillance Summary" November 27, 2009. <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/ss/ss5808.pdf" target="resource window">PDF LINK</a><br />(15) U.S. Census Bureau, "State and Country Quick Facts" Last revised on November 17, 2009. <a href="http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/00000.html" target="resource window">URL LINK</a><br />(16) Planned Parenthood Federation of America, "PPFA Annual Report" April 2009. <a href="http://www.plannedparenthood.org/files/AR08_vFinal.pdf" target="resource window">PDF LINK</a><br />(17) Condic, Maureen. Westchester Institute, "White Paper: When Does Human Life Begin? A Scientific Perspective" October 2008. <a href="http://www.westchesterinstitute.net/images/wi_whitepaper_life_print.pdf" target="resource window">PDF LINK</a><br />(18) abort73.com, "Medical Testimony" Last updated on December 8, 2009. <a href="http://abort73.com/abortion/medical_testimony" target="resource window">URL LINK</a> (This link contains many sources at the bottom of the page that are from unbiased scientists and their findings in research)<br />(19) My Family Doctor, "When Does Life Begin? Medical experts debate abortion issue." Accessed on Jan 3, 2010. <a href="http://www.familydoctormag.com/sexual-health/251-when-does-life-begin-medical-experts-debate-abortion-issue.html" target="resource window">URL LINK</a> (Note that the debater arguing against conception being the starting point of becoming a human being is a bioethicist and not a scientist, it should be further noted that the opinion of this person is extremely subjective and not based on scientific fact)<br />(20) Alcorn, Randy. <u>Pro-Life Answers to Pro-Choice Questions: Scientists Attest to Life Beginning at Conception</u>, published in 2000. <a href="http://www.epm.org/artman2/publish/prolife_human_rights/Scientists_Attest_To_Life_Beginning_At_Conception.shtml" target="resource window">URL LINK</a> of book excerpt, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pro-Life-Answers-Pro-Choice-Arguments-Expanded/dp/1576737519" target="resource window">URL LINK</a> of Amazon book listing<br />(21) Schmenk, Christopher: Right Choice, October 22, 2008. <a href="http://theunbornvoice.blogspot.com/2008/10/right-choice.html" target="resource window">URL LINK</a> (There are many sources on the bottom of this blog entry as well)Tonal Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03198001091701514327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5959961148805649098.post-1773987954058602232009-12-24T13:12:00.000-08:002009-12-24T15:59:32.634-08:00Clinic Violence: From Only One Side?There have sometimes been violence associated with the abortion debate in the United States of America. However, which side commits such violence?<br /><br /><hr><br /><br /><i>Anti-Abortion Violence?</i><br /><br />Those who protest against the legality of therapeutic abortion are often vilified as violent. "Protestors [against abortion] seem to have changed tactics, and engaged in hate letters, harassing phone calls, bomb threats, etc." says ReligiousTolerance.org (1). Back in April of 2009, the Department of Homeland Security released a document titled "Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment" which pointed out specifically those against abortion are possible terrorists and even assumed that "right-wing" people were racist against blacks (2). Even Sherry Colb, who shows an intelligent understanding of the topic, assumes that pro-lifers are almost always the instigators of violence as is shown by her statement: "In hearing about clinic attacks, my initial response is anger and outrage, as I suspect it is for virtually everyone who shares my view [of] abortion..." (3). Organizations that favor legalized therapeutic abortion further spread the thought that pro-lifers are violent in their numerous articles regarding this without ever mentioning any violence from those that support their view; examples of these organizations include the National Abortion Federation, and Planned Parenthood (4, 5).<br /><br /><hr><br /><br /><i>Pro-Abortion Violence?</i><br /><br />The anti-abortion side of the debate has often answered by both refuting much of the claims of violence and/or accusing the other side of just as much or more violence committed. One such example is of Human Life International's website ProChoiceViolence.com in which they show a "documented more than 8,519 acts of violence and illegal activities by pro-abortionists" (6). Another example of a pro-life organization accusing the other side of violence is of the American Life League (ALL) in their story "Pro-Abortion Violence on Rise After Media Build Up, ALL Reports" (7). My conclusion is that violence is coming from both sides of the debate.<br /><br />My experience with abortion-related violence has been quite plentiful although I have not protested often. I have only experienced violence from those opposing my pro-life viewpoint. When I protested with fellow protesters near a beach in Southern California there were people cussing in my face as they walked by and others who were throwing things at me as they drove by. When I protested at an abortion clinic in the Inland Empire, CA there were people cussing at me as they stopped at the nearest traffic light. When I had a bumper sticker that read "Abortion is Murder" I had at least one instance a month of people driving next to me and yelling profanities at me and even wishing that I was dead. When I protested at another abortion clinic in Downtown Riverside, CA there was a driver of biomedical-waste who said that he wanted to beat me up.<br /><br />Most recently, I have been debating the abortion topic with a blogger named OperationCounterStrike. Through this persons profile this individual says that I am a murderer because of what I believe: "ALL right-to-lifers are murderers." (8) Furthermore, this person has called for the death of Phill Kline, Eric Rucker, and a blogger named Rick (8a, 8b). I'm sure that there are other instances of this individual encouraging violence (the same violence this person supposedly condemns).<br /><br /><hr><br /><br /><i>Violence is from Both Sides?</i><br /><br />What is true in reality is that there are numerous examples of those from both sides of the debate committing violence. What is important in this debate? Condemn any form of violence from anyone no matter what is their belief. As an aside, it is also important to condemn the restriction of the right to peaceful free speech and assembly.<br /><br />Violence in unacceptable. The way to change the hearts and minds in this country is through peaceful protest. This is the way that I have protested. Further, I encourage everyone to know the facts of the abortion debate rather than to be following strictly the emotional aspect! I also encourage everyone to share their views peacefully and fully in as many ways as possible. A national dialog about the facts of abortion is very long overdue. The truth is that the most violent thing that is happening today is the death of innocent unborn children.<br /><br /><hr><br /><br />(1) Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance (religioustolerance.org) as accessed on December 24, 2009. <a href="http://www.religioustolerance.org/abo_viol.htm" target="resource window">URL LINK</a><br />(2) Department of Homeland Security, "Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment," published April 7, 2009. <a href="http://www.fas.org/irp/eprint/rightwing.pdf" target="resource window">PDF DOWNLOAD</a><br />(3) Colb, Sherry, "Abortion Clinic Violence: Is Pro-Life Murder an Oxymoron?" published on January 9, 2008 as accessed on December 24, 2009. <a href="http://writ.news.findlaw.com/colb/20080109.html" target="resource window">URL LINK</a><br />(4) National Abortion Federation, "Anti-Abortion Violence" as accessed on December 24, 2009. <a href="http://www.prochoice.org/news/kit/violence.html" target="resource window">URL LINK</a><br />(5) Planned Parenthood, "Creating Healthy Responses to Hatred and Violence" as accessed on December 24, 2009. <a href="http://www.plannedparenthood.org/ma/creating-healthy-responses-hatred-violence-22924.htm?__utma=1.1801558211.1253898480.1254966691.1261693824.3&__utmb=1.9.10.1261693824&__utmc=1&__utmx=-&__utmz=1.1254966691.2.2.utmcsr=google|utmccn=(organic)|utmcmd=organic|utmctr=effectiveness%20of%20birth%20control%20pill&__utmv=-&__utmk=22420027" target="resource window">URL LINK</a><br />(6) Human Life International, ProChoiceViolence.com Home Page as accessed on December 24, 2009. <a href="http://www.prochoiceviolence.com/" target="resource window">URL LINK</a><br />(7) Walker, Katie, "Pro-Abortion Violence on Rise After Media Build Up, ALL Reports" published on July 2, 2009 as accessed on December 24, 2009. <a href="http://www.all.org/article.php?id=12016" target="resource window">URL LINK</a><br />(8) OperationCounterStrike, Profile as accessed on December 24, 2009. <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/11877707857942926743" target="resource window">URL LINK</a><br />(8a) OperationCounterStrike, "Don't investigate him; kill him" published on September 23, 2009 as accessed on December 24, 2009. <a href="http://operationcounterstrike.blogspot.com/2009/09/don.html" target="resource window">URL LINK</a><br />(8b) OperationCounterStrike, "Euthanise this geezer" published on September 1, 2009 as accessed on December 24, 2009. <a href="http://operationcounterstrike.blogspot.com/2009/09/euthanise-this-geezer.html" target="resource window">URL LINK</a>Tonal Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03198001091701514327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5959961148805649098.post-56339372934491513262009-12-24T12:45:00.000-08:002009-12-24T16:01:15.726-08:00Nursing and Abortion: Compatible?I am currently a new graduate from Registered Nursing school. Nursing is considered one of the most compassionate careers to be a part of. Why? The reason is because nurses have great opportunities to heal and help patients physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally. Indeed, the nursing profession is consistently one of the highest respected professions in the United States (1).<br /><br />Since many nurses do indeed assist in therapeutic/elective abortions throughout the United States, it is arguable whether the current nursing establishment would have anything against the practice. However, what is the intention of the profession? How does the foundation of nursing, which nurses continue to be encouraged to follow, relate to the topic of abortion? If there is any indication of what the framework of nursing is look no further than the Florence Nightingale Pledge. This pledge was written 1893 by Lystra Gretter in honor of Florence Nightingale and is considered to be a modification from the Hippocratic Oath that physicians recite, although their oath has been modified throughout the years.<br /><br />The Florence Nightingale Pledge is what I recited at my graduation ceremony from vocational nursing school (the nursing pledge from registered nursing school was altered somewhat). What does this pledge mean to me and the nursing profession as a whole in relation to therapeutic/elective abortion? Should nurses be involved in therapeutic/elective abortion?<br /><br /><blockquote>I solemnly pledge myself before God and in the presence of this assembly, to pass my life in purity and to practice my profession faithfully. I will abstain from whatever is deleterious and mischievous, and will not take or knowingly administer any harmful drug (2).</blockquote><br /><br />It is the responsibility of the nurse to not do anything harmful to patients. Who are patients? A patient is any "individual awaiting or under medical care and treatment" (3). Then, reason asks, who is an individual or human being? For many in the abortion debate, this has been a perplexing question. If highly subjective opinions were not considered then the word individual would include <a href="http://theunbornvoice.blogspot.com/2008/10/right-choice.html">everyone from the moment of conception</a> (refer to <a href="http://www.abort73.com/index.php?/abortion/medical_testimony">Abort73.com</a>'s article regarding the zygote).<br /><br />Since "no harmful drug" can be administered knowingly then it matters if the unborn is a human being or individual. Since the word "individual" includes the zygote, embryo, and fetus then no drug should ever be administered that purposely kills these individuals. In today's practice, nurses do administer or aid in the administration of medications and agents that harm and, ultimately, kill the unborn individual.<br /><br />Some surgical abortion procedures require administration of specific medications or fluids. Prostaglandin labor induction abortions (past 20 weeks gestation) can include the use of oxytocin, misoprostol, dinoprostone, among others (4)(5a). Saline abortion (past 20 weeks gestation, although today this form of abortion is rare) involves the use of injecting a fluid highly concentrated in sodium chloride into the amniotic sac thus killing the unborn individual (5a). Another method of later term abortion is "intra-amniotic or intrafetal digitalis" (a medication which can indeed be lethal to adults as well) (5b)(6). Mifepristone (RU-486), and methotrexate in combination with misoprostol are ways to accomplish a medical abortion (which is suggested to work "up to day 49 of pregnancy and regimens up to day 63 are effective as well") (5a).<br /><br /><blockquote>I will do all in my power to maintain and elevate the standard of my profession, and will hold in confidence all personal matters committed to my keeping and all family affairs coming to my knowledge in the practice of my calling. With loyalty will I endeavor to aid the physician in his work, and devote myself to the welfare of those committed to my care (2).</blockquote><br /><br />The standard of the profession is caring for ALL patients. Aiding the physician does not mean to do anything that the physician tells you to do. The care of patients come first and foremost. The unborn have consistently been considered patients in the medical field. "...fetal patients may well be considered the 'best' patients by medical workers" as written by Monica Casper in the book <u>The Making of the Unborn Patient</u> (7). In the past, the unborn have undeniably been considered patients by the medical establishment.<br /><br />Thus, since it is established that the individual is a defined as a separate creature from other individuals, the unborn is certainly classified as one. Furthermore, nurses have an obligation to protect all patients, who are all individuals, from harm; this includes the unborn. The conclusion is that the unborn patient should not be harmed. Rather, the unborn patient should be aided so that he can be born and live a long and as prosperous of a life as possible. The same and equal consideration should be made to the mothers of these unborn patients. Indeed, both are patients and both must be showed love, compassion, and care that is necessary to be a true nurse. God is my witness; that is my goal as a nurse.<br /><br />Thus, nursing and therapeutic/elective abortion are incompatible with each other.<br /><br /><blockquote>Nursing is an art: and if it is to be made an art, it requires an exclusive devotion as hard a preparation, as any painter's or sculptor's work; for what is the having to do with dead canvas or dead marble, compared with having to do with the living body, the temple of God's spirit? It is one of the Fine Arts: I had almost said, the finest of Fine Arts." --Florence Nightingale.</blockquote><br /><br />(1) Brandon E., "The Most (and Least) Prestigious Careers" published on August 2, 2007 by U.S. News and World Report. <a href="http://www.usnews.com/usnews/biztech/articles/070802/2prestige.htm">URL LINK</a><br />(2) American Nurses Association, accessed on December 24, 2009 by Nursing World. <a href="http://www.nursingworld.org/FunctionalMenuCategories/AboutANA/WhereWeComeFrom/FlorenceNightingalePledge.aspx">URL LINK</a><br />(3) Marriam-Webster Online Dictionary, accessed on December 24, 2009. <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/patient[2]">URL LINK</a><br />(4) Goldberg, A, & Wing, D. "Induction of Labor: The Misoprostol Controversy" from J Midwifery Womens Health in 2003 as accessed on Medscape Today on December 24, 2009. <a href="http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/458959">URL LINK</a><br />(5a) Trupin, S. "Elective Abortion" from eMedicine, last updated on December 22, 2008 as accessed on December 24, 2009. <a href="http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/252560-overview">URL LINK</a><br />(5b) Trupin, S. "Elective Abortion: Treatment and Medication" from eMedicine, last updated on December 22, 2008 as accessed on December 24, 2009. <a href="http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/252560-treatment">URL LINK</a><br />(6) Aggrawal, A. "Death by Digitalis" from The Poison Sleuths August 1999 issue as accessed on December 24, 2009. <a href="http://members.tripod.com/~Prof_Anil_Aggrawal/poiso030.html">URL LINK</a><br />(7) Casper, M. <u>The Making of the Unborn Patient: A Social Anatomy of Fetal Surgery</u>, copyright 1998 published by Rutgers University Press. <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=QOMVAkv6UBQC">URL LINK</a>Tonal Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03198001091701514327noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5959961148805649098.post-30830916852224141502009-10-16T19:16:00.000-07:002010-01-12T15:45:06.833-08:00Incompetent cervix linked with abortionIt has long been known that two or more first trimester abortions or one second to third trimester abortion greatly increased the risk to incompetent cervix. This link has been reinforced through my nursing education and in my own small amount of research into the topic online.<br />
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<hr width="100%"><br />
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<i>What is incompetent cervix?</i><br />
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Sometimes the neck of the uterus, called the cervix, can be weak during pregnancy. If the cervix is too weak and becomes too thin, the pregnancy leads to a miscarriage after the 12th or 14th week. (1) However, incompetent cervix is not the sole cause of pre-term labor and it is also not something that is easily diagnosed. One treatment that sometimes is offered is cervical cerclage, a procedure in which a medical doctor sutures the cervix to help prevent miscarriage. (1)(2) Many people who are diagnosed with incompetent service are told to be on complete bed-rest (to reduce weight on the uterus and cervix) and to abstain from sexual intercourse (which can disturb the weakened cervix) among other recommendations. (1)<br />
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<br />
<i>What leads to incompetent cervix?</i><br />
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The risk factors to developing the condition of incompetent cervix does not always include therapeutic abortion. However, many do. Some include surgical procedures that are also used to accomplish abortions such as dilation and curettage (D&C). The Australian medical journal O&G had an article stating the risk factors to be congenital, acquired, and/or clinical. Congenital risk factors included "biological variation, collagen disorders, Ehlors Danlos syndrome, congenital uterine anomaly, and in utero diethylstilbestrol (DES) exposure." (1) DES is "a synthetic nonsteroidal estrogen that was used to prevent miscarriage and other pregnancy complications between 1938 and 1971 in the United States." (3) Acquired risk factors included "cervical lacerations or injury post vaginal or caesarean delivery, prolonged second<br />
stage, surgical procedures [such as] D&C [and] excisional biopsy." (1) Clinical risk factors were listed as presenting signs and symptoms to help physicians consider a possible diagnosis of incompetent cervix.<br />
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The part that I want to focus on is the "acquired" risk factors of incompetent cervix. Some risk factors in this category may have been avoidable risk factors. Cervical lacerations can occur during an induced surgical abortion and is oftentimes considered a "side effect" of even the earliest abortions (4). Procedures that must go through the cervix include a D&C. Dilation is often accomplished through hard metal rods and curettage is accomplish through large metal tools which can directly injure the cervix and even the uterus. It is known that "cervical trauma may occur and may lead to incompetent cervix," a statement that my education has repeatedly confirmed (8).<br />
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<i>So the cervix is injured in an abortion?</i><br />
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<center><img src="http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee345/segamon/Cervix.gif"><br />
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Illustration of the cervix, tools are used to stabilize and dilate it.<br />
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<img src="http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee345/segamon/33508.gif" width="271" height="151"><br />
Tenaculum is used to stabilize the cervix by grasping it on the side during a surgical abortion.<br />
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<img src="http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee345/segamon/hagar_dilators.jpg"><br />
Hagar dilators commonly used to forcibly dilate the cervix during a surgical abortion. Even if laminaria (osmotic dilators) are used prior to the surgery, these kinds of dilators will still be used.<br />
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<img src="http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee345/segamon/uterinecurette.jpg"><br />
A curette. This is used for D&C associated and not associated with surgical abortions.<br />
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<hr width="100%"><br />
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<a href="http://www.abortionno.org/Resources/inProgress.html"><br />
Abortion Procedure In-Progress</a><br />
Link shows an actual abortion procedure and it's trauma to the cervix and pieces of the mutilated unborn human being. You have been warned, the pictures are very graphic.</center><br />
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<i>What's the big deal?</i><br />
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All of this information is culminated in the following quote from eMedicine: "The most common etiologies for cervical injury are elective abortion, surgeries to treat cervical dysplasia, and injury occurring at delivery." (2) This means that more children are being born prematurely directly due to the practice of surgical abortion. Not even using non-mechanical means to dilate the cervix in a surgical abortion fully mitigates this risk. (2)<br />
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<i>How many people have an increased risk due to abortion?</i><br />
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Think about the numbers. The most recent numbers regarding the amount of yearly surgical abortions in this country come from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The caveat, however, is that California, New Hampshire, Louisiana, the District of Columbia (DC), and New York City (NYC) do not report any abortion statistics to the CDC which dramatically lowers the total numbers of abortions in the United States. According to the CDC, there were 820,151 legal induced surgical abortions that occurred in the United States in 2005 (the number is probably over 1 million due to the exclusion of the states aforementioned). Thus, over 800,000 women are at higher risk of having incompetent cervix in the future.<br />
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<i>Yet people get cervical lacerations from childbirth?</i><br />
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Yes, this is true. However, the number of people that experience true cervical injury during childbirth is very small. According the American Journal of Obstetrics, only 0.16% of vaginal childbirths resulted in any cervical lacerations. (7) Keep in mind that the cervix naturally prepares for childbirth through a long process during pregnancy and during the labor and delivery process. Induced abortion, however, is sudden and unnatural. Many people confuse cervical lacerations with vaginal lacerations during childbirth. The difference is real since it is the cervix which helps keep a woman in the pregnant state while the vagina is much more related to the actual birthing process as the birth canal.<br />
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<i>How come I never hear about this?</i><br />
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I believe the reason is political. I can only pray for March of Dimes to declare the suggestion to "have fewer or no abortions to decrease the risk for pre-term labor in relation to the increased risk of incompetent cervix." I doubt that they will step into the political fray no matter how true a statement that is. I really do want people to stop thinking of abortion in terms of political correctness.<br />
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Let us pray for the women who are at risk for incompetent cervix that they may have the strength and courage to bear children. Let us pray for the unborn children whose mothers have incompetent cervix that they may be born alive and healthy. Let us also pray for health care workers to have the ability, knowledge, and willingness to care for the women and unborn children affected by incompetent cervix the best that they can.<br />
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Follow the sources that I have listed (one is extra) for further information. Of course, I do have some pro-life bias. Research all of this stuff on your own to form your own conclusion. Remember to follow the truth, always.<br />
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(1) Lo, Chern. O&G Magazine. "The incompetent cervix." Winter 2009. <a href="http://www.ranzcog.edu.au/publications/o-g_pdfs/O&G-Winter-2009/Incompetent-cervix-Chern-Lo.pdf">PDF</a><br />
(2) Ross, Michael. eMedicine. "Preterm labor." Jul 31 2009. <a href="http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/260998-overview">HTML</a><br />
(3) Schrager, Arina and Potter, Beth. American Family Physician. "Diethylstilbestrol exposure." May 15 2004. <a href="http://www.aafp.org/afp/20040515/2395.html">HTML</a><br />
(4) State of Alaska Health and Human Services. "Making a decision about you pregnancy: about abortion methods." Accessed on October 15 2009. <a href="http://www.hss.state.ak.us/DPH/wcfh/informedconsent/abortion.htm">HTML</a><br />
(5) Centers for Disease Control. "Abortion surveillance." November 14, 2008. <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5713a1.htm?s_cid=ss5713a1_e">HTML</a><br />
(6) Pregnancy-Facts.com. "Incompetent cervix and pregnancy." morefocus group. <a href="http://www.pregnancy-facts.com/articles/pregnancy-complications/incompetent-cervix.php">HTML</a><br />
(7) Melamed, Ben-Haroush, Chen, Kaplan, Yogev. "Intrapartum cervical lacerations: characteristics, risk factors, and effects on subsequent pregnancies." April 2009. <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19200938">HTML</a><br />
(8) Langerquist SL, McMillin JL, Nelson RM, Snider KE, <u>Davis' NCLEX-RN Success: Second Edition</u>, F.A. Davis, 2006, Philadelphia.Tonal Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03198001091701514327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5959961148805649098.post-3154469075944684362009-06-03T13:23:00.000-07:002009-06-03T19:06:06.488-07:00Is deceit part of the pro-life mantra?A user at RH Reality Check wrote, "...deceit is part of the pro-life [mode of operation]." (1) Are those who are against abortion purposely deceiving others? This is hard to believe. Others may contend that those who are against abortion deceive others based upon their own misconceptions. This is a fact that is a lot easier to believe; it is specifically those who are in favor of legalized therapeutic abortions that believe this slant of the opinion.<br /><br />What is my own opinion on the matter? You may think that you know; actually, you do not know.<br /><br />Can I write a sentence or two? Maybe I can write something like the following: deceit is part of the pro-choice mode of operation. Would I be more wrong than the user at RH Reality Check? Could it be said that those in favor of abortion purposely deceive others? This is certainly hard to believe. It may be easier to believe that those who are in favor of abortion deceive others based upon their own misconceptions. This is a fact that is a lot easier to believe.<br /><br />So what is my own opinion on the matter? Those from both sides of the abortion debate inadvertently deceive other people based upon their own misconceptions!<br /><br />It is hard to distinguish between the truth and lies. It is even harder to distinguish this in today's age of information. Numerous people are giving information in one way and then another person is giving information in another way. It is all given in a certain slant. The information on this blog is, of course, swayed a little by my own bias.<br /><br />What do I suggest? Be skeptical whenever anyone ever tries to "prove" something to you! Do your own research! Find out the facts in as objective a way that you can! Then, apply your deepest morals and theology to those facts once those facts have been determined.<br /><br />What facts have I determined to be true? The core of these facts are as follows:<br /><br />1. Human life begins at conception (2)(3)(4)(5)(6)<br /><br />Wow... that's a lot of core facts!!! So, where exactly is all of the deception that both sides can commit? I did mention about applying morals to the facts, right? What are the morals? They are as follows:<br /><br />1. No one should purposely kill a human being (7)(8)(9)(10)(11)<br /><br />Shazaam! That's a lot of deep morals and theology! And, is it in this deeply held moral and theological standard where much of the deceit comes from? No, it does not come from here. It is easy now to see where all of this deceit comes from. The deceit comes from the muddy battle grounds when arguing the validity of fact and the importance of morality.<br /><br />My suggestion to both those for and against legalized abortion? Be true to what is true. Don't worry about what others think. Don't be concerned that others feel that you are "deceptive." Also, don't be concerned that others are being "deceptive," rather, look through what people say to determine reality. Do what is right.<br /><br />Thus, is deceit part of the pro-life or pro-choice mantra? Who really knows? Who really cares? It is wrong if someone is deceitful but that is their own prerogative. It doesn't matter. Find the truth, wherever it may be, and follow it. All that is really required is that you not participate in deceit; follow the truth and you have the ability to change history.<br /><br />"Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind." (1 Peter 2:1)<br /><br />1. The "Pro-Life" Movement's Hot Rhetoric and All-Out Lies as found on <a href="http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2009/06/02/the-prolife-movements-hot-rhetoric-and-allout-lies">RH Reality Check</a> accessed on July 3, 2009.<br /><br />2. "The resulting single cell [from fertilization] is now referred to as the zygote." Klossner, N and Hatfield, Nancy. Introductory Maternity and Pediatric Nursing. Page 107. Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, 2006.<br /><br />3. "Development begins with fertilization, the process by which the male gamete, the sperm, and the femal gamete, the oocyte, unite to give rise to a zygote." Sadler, Langman, and Leland. Langman's Medical Embryology. Page 37. Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, 2006.<br /><br />4. "A zygote is the beginning of a new human being (i.e., an embryo)." Keith L. Moore, The Developing Human: Clinically Oriented Embryology, 7th edition. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders, 2003. pp. 16, 2.<br /><br />5. "Although life is a continuous process, fertilization (which, incidentally, is not a 'moment') is a critical landmark because, under ordinary circumstances, a new genetically distinct human organism is formed when the chromosomes of the male and female pronuclei blend in the oocyte." Ronan O'Rahilly and Fabiola Müller, Human Embryology and Teratology, 3rd edition. New York: Wiley-Liss, 2001. p. 8.<br /><br />6. "Human embryos begin development following the fusion of definitive male and female gametes during fertilization... This moment of zygote formation may be taken as the beginning or zero time point of embryonic development." William J. Larsen, Essentials of Human Embryology. New York: Churchill Livingstone, 1998. pp. 1, 14.<br /><br />7. "Thou shall not murder." The Holy Bible. The Old Testament. Exodus 20:13.<br /><br />8. "The deliberate murder of a innocent person is gravely contrary to the dignity of the human being." Catechism of the Catholic Church. New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Inc, 1997. pp. 602-603<br /><br />9. "From the earliest times, Hindu tradition and scriptures condemn the practice, except when the mother's life is in danger." Hinduism's Online Lexicon <a href="http://www.himalayanacademy.com/resources/lexicon/">URL LINK</a> **Must input "abortion" in search box. 2006 Himalayan Academy. Accessed on June 3, 2009.<br /><br />10. "Abortion for any purpose other than saving the life of the mother is not permitted." Jacob Neusner, Dictionary of Judaism in the Biblical Period, p.226. June 1999.<br /><br />11. "Buddhism believes in rebirth and teaches that individual human life begins at conception. The new being, bearing the karmic identity of a recently deceased individual, is therefore as entitled to the same moral respect as an adult human being." Damien Keown, Science and Theology News, April 2004. As retrieved from BBC - Religion and Ethics, "Buddhism and Abortion." <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/buddhistethics/abortion.shtml">URL LINK</a>Tonal Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03198001091701514327noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5959961148805649098.post-53857868585714834452009-05-28T18:45:00.001-07:002009-05-28T19:33:05.373-07:00Does a low percentage help you feel better?How many of those who support the legal "right" to abortion understand that abortions can be done past 21 weeks of gestation? Many people that I talk to do not know this. Most are ignorant of this fact. Then, if one is not ignorant of this fact he says "only 1% of all abortions are done past 21 weeks!"<br /><br />What, then, is 1% of all abortions in the United States of America? Let's see... I was just looking at a journal article from the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology which cited that "in 1999, 9,643 abortions were performed at [greater than or equal to] 21 weeks’ gestation, representing only 1.5% of total abortions reported"(1)(2).<br /><br /><center><img src="http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee345/segamon/Scan_04aWeb.jpg"><br />Fetus at 22 weeks gestational age(3)</center><br /><br />At 20 weeks gestational age the fetal "nervous system is starting to function; [the fetus] can suck a thumb, yawn, stretch, and make faces"(4). Furthermore, many studies suggest that the unborn fetus can now experience pain: "new evidence...has persuaded [Dr. Kanwaljeet "Sunny" Anand] that fetuses can feel pain by 20 weeks gestation and possibly earlier"(5).<br /><br />10,000 abortions for therapeutic reasons a year and hardly a peep of outrage from the public. Do the research for yourself and understand the horror that abortion really is. Maybe people will just continue to hide behind the idea that 1% is such a small percentage...<br /><br />1. The American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, (2004) Volume 190, pages 1180-3 <a href="http://download.journals.elsevierhealth.com/pdfs/journals/0002-9378/PIIS0002937803021768.pdf">PDF FILE</a><br /><br />2. Elam-Evans LD, Strauss LT, Herndon J, Parker WY, Whitehead S, Berg CJ. Abortion surveillancedUnited States, 1999. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2002;51:1-28<br /><br />3. Retrieved from "A Woman's Right to Know" on 5/28/2009 <a href="http://www.awomansrighttoknowok.org/Weeks22-26.html">URL LINK</a> Photograph by Lennart Nilsson <a href="http://www.lennartnilsson.com/">URL LINK</a><br /><br />4. WebMD, Fetal Development Timeline, reviewed by Matthew Hoffman, MD, <a href="http://www.webmd.com/baby/healthtool-fetal-development-timeline">URL LINK</a><br /><br />5. New York Times Magazine, Fetal Pain, written by Annie Paul, Feb. 2008, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/10/magazine/10Fetal-t.html">URL LINK</a>Tonal Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03198001091701514327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5959961148805649098.post-43137700427825779612009-04-26T19:13:00.000-07:002009-04-26T21:54:29.168-07:00When did Life Become Expendable?For many people that see abortion as the killing of a human baby, it may be hard to realize that there have been many other massacres in the history of mankind. We humans are all imperfect; we humans are all sinners. What are we capable of doing?<br /><br />The Romans around 2,000 years ago persecuted Christians in brutal and disgusting ways (1). Today, over 50,000 people have died in Sudan due to the conflict between Arab militias and and Africans in western Sudan (2). There have been atrocities in the past and there are still atrocities in our current world. Has it always been this way?<br /><br />Abortion, as a means to end an "unwanted" child's life, has been a part of society for a very long time. Throughout man's history, abortion has sometimes been accepted and, at many other times, shunned. Sometimes there are just people who view abortion as a means to achieve their goal. The following is a quote from an average citizen back in 1930, "for those who cannot be educated, sterilization or legalized abortion seems to be the only remedy, for we certainly do not want such stupid people to pollute the race with stupid offspring. The defective conditions of life call urgently for improvement" (3). Unfortunately, this kind of mindset will always be around in some people.<br /><br />There will always be those who wish harm to come of others for their own self benefit. Being pro-life is about overcoming those who wish to kill innocent human beings. We must be called to action and let others know that abortion is unacceptable. Human life has been expendable in various times throughout history. We can stop life from being expendable; life can only become expendable if we allow it to be.<br /><br />1. Manzullo, N. (2000, February 8). The roman persecution of Christians. Retrieved April 26, 2009, from http://patriot.net/~carey/afa/latinclub/persecution.htm<br /><br />2. O'Keefe, E., & Marcus, J. (2004, September 9). Crisis in Sudan. Retrieved April 26, 2009, from Washington Post Web site: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A20765-2004Jul1.html<br /><br />3. Norman Haire, letter to the editor, Birth Control Review, (July, 1930) ... as viewed on Wikiquote on April 26, 2009 Web site: http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/AbortionTonal Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03198001091701514327noreply@blogger.com0