Must I Continue?

Must I continue to argue that a woman’s body is her own?

That a woman has all the rights and dignity pertaining to her humanity, a full and complete humanity, standing on its own in the sunlight of God’s creation and God’s purpose?

Must I continue to argue that men in their pride, men in their ignorance, have no right whatsoever to dictate to the woman the course of her health, her pregnancy, her dignity, her purpose in life?

Must I continue to argue that a woman’s purpose is fully her own? That her purpose in life is to be fully herself, as God’s purpose and God’s love unfolds that purpose for her?

Must I continue to challenge those men, and those women, who claim that a woman’s personhood, her life and purpose, her being, her humanity, is determined solely and singularly by her biology? That a woman, then, needs men around her, above her, to make those decisions that pertain to her biology, that of a being capable of becoming pregnant, and bearing a child? That this element of her being is the only element worthy of her being? Worthy of a man’s determining desire?

Must I continue to challenge the sin of white male christian supremacy? In all of its horrid manifestations and hypocritical posturing? With its Bible in hand, lofty prayers and praise songs, exulting the goodness of God and the joys of heavenly reward?

Must I continue to defend the majesty and sacredness of a woman’s body, her body, her life, her being, her soul, her destiny, as that of her own will and purpose, as she sees fit, as she measures her being, if so inclined, in the light of God’s purpose and being, seems redundant. 

For the independence of being has been thoroughly determined for that of the male species, in theology and philosophy, song and poetry, literature and art. 

So, must I conclude that those men and women who clearly affirm that a woman’s being is determined by her biology, and yet understand the independent nature of the male species, have determined that the female species is less a human being? Less qualified to enjoy the rights and dignity accorded to the male?

While some might say, “only a different human being”? 

I then ask, how different? 

How different is a short man from a tall man; a man who can sing and dance and a man who can’t; a man who loves to paint and another who grows a flower; a man who walks a thousand miles to find a home, and a man who sits by his window dreaming great ideas.

How different we all are … but differences aside, no man would suggest that any of the men so described above would be less than human, less than deserving of the full rights and liberties and responsibilities of the human race.

To deny this for women requires a mental breakdown, a failure of nerve and intelligence, a complete misconstrual of reality, and likely a meanness of spirit, a foulness of soul, a willingness to condemn some to a lesser status of being, because of their “difference.”

Must I continue to engage in this struggle?

Yes, I must … and I will … for those who would take away the rights and dignity of a woman remain determined and full of self-righteousness, a heady mess of bad theology and twisted instincts.

Yes, and so I will … and to anyone reading this note, I encourage you to stand fast, to resist the cult of white male christian supremacy, to resist it for what it is, a script from hell, a deadly idea suitable to preserving the power of some at the expense of many.

If you’re a Christian, I’ll say it, loudly and clearly: white male christian supremacy is NOT the way of Christ … but rather the Tempter in the Wilderness, who offered to Christ the easy way out, appealing to easy answers, and all of them completely wrong.

Finally, whatever your faith may be, your stance on life, the same conclusions are clear in every soul. Those who resist the rights of a woman know they’re wrong, and thus continue their murderous ways by increasing levels of vehemence and vitriol, to cover up the cries of their own soul.

Keep up the good work, dear friends, and do not relent.

We must continue!

Am I a Murderer

Never an abortion" is just plain unrealistic ... so, what is abortion?

Is it murder as some might say?

As one meme put it: "whether outside the womb, or inside, it's still murder" ... and I thought, "or, is it?"

Obviously it isn't ... sure, it's serious, and every decision made to end a pregnancy is a serious decision ... driven by all sorts of needs and exigencies ...

Certainly, the wealthy will always have access to abortion, even "wealthy christians" ... though they have the means to care for a child, in ways that so many poor families just don't have.

I wanted to reply to the meme, but thought: "A nuanced understanding of what murder is and isn't, and what it means to have an abortion, can't compete with mindless absolutism, a mindset set unconditionally upon the notion that abortion is evil all the time, that those who support a woman's right to choose are murderers, and so is the woman."

So, no reply ... just a deep sigh, and the hope that somewhere along the line, reality and reasonableness might creep in.

As for me:

I support all the means we have at our disposal to mitigate the need for an abortion:

1. Free and easy access to birth control.
2. Sex education throughout a child's schooling.
3. Fully funded health care for all.
4. Fully funded public schools.
5. Unions for higher wages.
6. And a thousand other social devices to make life better.

And,

I support a woman's right to make her own choices - about what she wears, what she eats, and what time she goes to bed. Yes, and with abortion, too.

And, why?

Because I trust women to think it through and make a reasonable decision for themselves, those they love, and their future.

Does that make me a murderer?

If Kavanaugh Is Confirmed

If Kavanaugh is confirmed, and I'm sure it'll happen, and then, sometime in the not too distant future, Roe v. Wade will be overturned, then the great Southern hope will come true - that states' rights will prevail over national purpose and unity.

Of course, some states will allow for the rights of women to make their own medical choices regarding pregnancy. Others, of course, chomping even now at the bit, will pass draconian laws against all such rights and freedoms.

This is what the South has always wanted, in order to protect and promote its own racist "peculiar institution," and it's now the evangelical way, as well, to protect and promote their own religious "peculiar institution."

The antebellum Southern Gentlemen in his time, and today's evangelicals, are all too similar in their lack of interest in the welfare of the nation or the common good above personal interest. Both, in their respective times, perceive their own interests to be of such a godly and virtuous proportion as to merit supremacy over all other considerations of national good and personal freedom.

As in other times, so today, American continues to face the largest questions of the Union - what's needed to keep us intact as a nation, with high ideals of welcome and freedom of thought, expression and endeavor, versus a smaller version of nationhood, driven by factionalism and small ideas pertinent to local customs or religious camps.

Moving ahead, in fits and starts, sometimes falling backward into fear and bigotry, we'll continue to march on. I have no doubt that the "south" will again lose the war, but at great cost to all. It's a storm we'll weather, but like any great storm, there will be damage, requiring of us a mighty effort to build for a new day.

Roman Catholics and Religious Freedom

Nope! Not buying this line of argument. It's not about religious freedom, as if this has ever been the concern of the Bishops' Club? 

Let's be honest, shall we? It's about control of women and their bodies, because women and their bodies are nothing more than incubators for little Bishops and Cardinals and Priests and maybe even a Pope, not to mention soldiers who were the cannon fodder of Catholic nations for centuries, as they fought one another and colonized the world.

And what a great way (someone is getting a raise on this one) to deflect interest from the plague of sex-abuse that has crippled the church and destroyed the lives of tens of thousands of Roman Catholics and their families.

Go to war with the President, and veil it as a defense of religious freedom. 

Women, kiss your hard-won freedoms goodbye if these silly boys with their flaming hats and lacy vestments win the day.

And to anyone who cares about truth and freedom, don't let these ploys turn the investigative spotlight away from the culture of sex-abuse that has long permeated the privileged Bishops' Club and their predatory priests.