Comments for Kairos Blog ... http://kairosblog.com/blog Along for the Journey...On God's Time Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:03:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 Comment on Its So Personal: Anecdotes on Abortion over at The Daily Dish… by BelovedSpear http://kairosblog.com/blog/2009/06/09/its-so-personal-anecdotes-on-abortion-over-at-the-daily-dish/comment-page-1/#comment-463 BelovedSpear Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:03:56 +0000 http://kairosblog.com/blog/?p=702#comment-463 It's a tough issue. I think what is most important is to defy the radical polarization that has separated the two "camps," and to firmly proclaim that this issue is an area in which considerable greyscale exists. Some thoughts on that are here: http://www.belovedspear.org/2009/05/abortion.html Thanks for this post! It’s a tough issue. I think what is most important is to defy the radical polarization that has separated the two “camps,” and to firmly proclaim that this issue is an area in which considerable greyscale exists. Some thoughts on that are here:

http://www.belovedspear.org/2009/05/abortion.html

Thanks for this post!

]]> Comment on Its So Personal: Anecdotes on Abortion over at The Daily Dish… by Drew Tatusko http://kairosblog.com/blog/2009/06/09/its-so-personal-anecdotes-on-abortion-over-at-the-daily-dish/comment-page-1/#comment-438 Drew Tatusko Tue, 09 Jun 2009 20:01:38 +0000 http://kairosblog.com/blog/?p=702#comment-438 The problem I have intellectually is that on the one hand I think we all want to believe that we live in a morally equivalent world. That would be nice. But it is impossible. We make value judgments that have to value some lives more than others. The anti-abortion position smooths out something and turns it into an ideology that does not really fit reality by accounting for all of the factors that are at play. So, what is the goal: do we want to save lives, or criminalize abortion? There is no evidence that criminalization will have nearly the same effect of saving lives as, say, universal healthcare which includes abortion counseling and more robust support structures for women with unintended pregnancies. Part of this needs to be family planning and contraceptive use. yet Christianity has a history of being so paternalistic with sexuality where pre-marital intercourse and it's moral issue if at odds with the clear research that shows that contraceptive use and abortions are correlated. The Church needs to decide. Is it more important that your congregation members are having sex out of wedlock and not talking about it so that they are simply not empowered to engage the issue in ways that promote safe sex? Or, is it more important that we find ways to reduce abortions as a top priority which means promoting safe sex and contraceptives - yes, even in Church. If the church is about saving lives and creating a culture of life, it needs to promote contraceptive use and educate people in ways our social services cannot with regard to safe sex. But if the issue is to focus on abstinence alone it will do nothing to reduce abortions and will reinforce the current no-win situation we have created for ourselves. Time to stop being ideological and time to start being pragmatic and rational. Two things the church has a miserable track record at doing. The problem I have intellectually is that on the one hand I think we all want to believe that we live in a morally equivalent world. That would be nice. But it is impossible. We make value judgments that have to value some lives more than others. The anti-abortion position smooths out something and turns it into an ideology that does not really fit reality by accounting for all of the factors that are at play. So, what is the goal: do we want to save lives, or criminalize abortion? There is no evidence that criminalization will have nearly the same effect of saving lives as, say, universal healthcare which includes abortion counseling and more robust support structures for women with unintended pregnancies. Part of this needs to be family planning and contraceptive use. yet Christianity has a history of being so paternalistic with sexuality where pre-marital intercourse and it’s moral issue if at odds with the clear research that shows that contraceptive use and abortions are correlated.

The Church needs to decide. Is it more important that your congregation members are having sex out of wedlock and not talking about it so that they are simply not empowered to engage the issue in ways that promote safe sex? Or, is it more important that we find ways to reduce abortions as a top priority which means promoting safe sex and contraceptives – yes, even in Church.

If the church is about saving lives and creating a culture of life, it needs to promote contraceptive use and educate people in ways our social services cannot with regard to safe sex. But if the issue is to focus on abstinence alone it will do nothing to reduce abortions and will reinforce the current no-win situation we have created for ourselves. Time to stop being ideological and time to start being pragmatic and rational. Two things the church has a miserable track record at doing.

]]> Comment on Its So Personal: Anecdotes on Abortion over at The Daily Dish… by Melissa DeRosia http://kairosblog.com/blog/2009/06/09/its-so-personal-anecdotes-on-abortion-over-at-the-daily-dish/comment-page-1/#comment-437 Melissa DeRosia Tue, 09 Jun 2009 19:40:43 +0000 http://kairosblog.com/blog/?p=702#comment-437 Thanks for this post! On Saturday I am leading a workshop at the Big Tent in Atlanta on the denominations position on reproductive health care. I also hope to take it a step... well I am not sure what direction it is. I plan to have an interactive conversation about how our traditional language around reproductive health and abortion is a barrier to our finding common ground. I am not an idealist that believes we can find "compromise" but in hopes that we (those who are typcially divided on the area of abortion) can find words that move "beyond bumperstickers" to work towards a common goal of reducing the number of abortions. We spend so much time and energy fighting the rhetoric of "pro-choice" and "pro-life" we end up marginalizing the very women who are agononzing in the midst of their reproductive situations. This includes women who are considering or had abortions, women who experienced miscarriage and infertility... the list goes on. Invetably, raising this issue will also aggrivate those who feel very passionately on either side... but I believe it is worth the effort to make space for conversation that reaches the heart of those this issue directly affects. Thanks for this post! On Saturday I am leading a workshop at the Big Tent in Atlanta on the denominations position on reproductive health care. I also hope to take it a step… well I am not sure what direction it is. I plan to have an interactive conversation about how our traditional language around reproductive health and abortion is a barrier to our finding common ground. I am not an idealist that believes we can find “compromise” but in hopes that we (those who are typcially divided on the area of abortion) can find words that move “beyond bumperstickers” to work towards a common goal of reducing the number of abortions. We spend so much time and energy fighting the rhetoric of “pro-choice” and “pro-life” we end up marginalizing the very women who are agononzing in the midst of their reproductive situations. This includes women who are considering or had abortions, women who experienced miscarriage and infertility… the list goes on.

Invetably, raising this issue will also aggrivate those who feel very passionately on either side… but I believe it is worth the effort to make space for conversation that reaches the heart of those this issue directly affects.

]]> Comment on Jan and Carol… by Carol Howard Merritt http://kairosblog.com/blog/2009/04/23/jan-and-carol/comment-page-1/#comment-428 Carol Howard Merritt Fri, 24 Apr 2009 13:18:00 +0000 http://kairosblog.com/blog/?p=682#comment-428 Chad, Thanks so much for your kind words and links. I really appreciate it. Chad,

Thanks so much for your kind words and links. I really appreciate it.

]]> Comment on Summary of Heartland’s Called Meeting on Amendments by Byron Wade http://kairosblog.com/blog/2009/03/09/summary-of-heartlands-called-meeting-on-amendments/comment-page-1/#comment-382 Byron Wade Thu, 12 Mar 2009 03:06:35 +0000 http://kairosblog.com/blog/?p=661#comment-382 Chad, Like your post. It is always interesting to hear and think about what people are saying and doing on both sides of the issue. Blessings upon you and your ministry! Peace, Byron Chad,

Like your post. It is always interesting to hear and think about what people are saying and doing on both sides of the issue. Blessings upon you and your ministry!

Peace,
Byron

]]> Comment on Summary of Heartland’s Called Meeting on Amendments by Elaine Brown http://kairosblog.com/blog/2009/03/09/summary-of-heartlands-called-meeting-on-amendments/comment-page-1/#comment-380 Elaine Brown Tue, 10 Mar 2009 22:30:26 +0000 http://kairosblog.com/blog/?p=661#comment-380 As you stated, I think everything changes when we look at an issue through our children. It makes us really look at our theology and decide who made the rules. Are they God's word (theology) or they people's. I have had to fight through that lense as I struggled in a male denomination, feeling the call to be ordained and serve God in ministry. So many tried to convince me I had misunderstood God. I am sure it is the same for those who look at their sexuality. Why do only certain people here God? As you stated, I think everything changes when we look at an issue through our children. It makes us really look at our theology and decide who made the rules. Are they God’s word (theology) or they people’s. I have had to fight through that lense as I struggled in a male denomination, feeling the call to be ordained and serve God in ministry. So many tried to convince me I had misunderstood God. I am sure it is the same for those who look at their sexuality. Why do only certain people here God?

]]> Comment on Twitter of faith… by twitter of faith « my contemplations http://kairosblog.com/blog/2008/11/22/twitter-of-faith/comment-page-1/#comment-332 twitter of faith « my contemplations Sun, 23 Nov 2008 11:02:33 +0000 http://kairosblog.com/blog/?p=642#comment-332 [...] Mark, Chad, and Wendy have all posted this to their blogs. Neal has blogged it on the presbymergent blog. [...] [...] Mark, Chad, and Wendy have all posted this to their blogs. Neal has blogged it on the presbymergent blog. [...]

]]> Comment on Twitter of faith… by Twitter of Faith : presbymergent http://kairosblog.com/blog/2008/11/22/twitter-of-faith/comment-page-1/#comment-331 Twitter of Faith : presbymergent Sun, 23 Nov 2008 06:52:42 +0000 http://kairosblog.com/blog/?p=642#comment-331 [...] Adam, Mark, Chad, and Wendy have all posted this to their blogs.  If you blog it, let us know in the comments so we [...] [...] Adam, Mark, Chad, and Wendy have all posted this to their blogs.  If you blog it, let us know in the comments so we [...]

]]>