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Last Shabbat, as I was driving out of our little town of Belfair heading to share liturgy with my closest friends, I became extremely incensed at an anti-abortion sign held by a typical middle-aged guy. This sign had a grossly enlarged picture of a quarter with two tiny (though now huge!) hands laid across it that had been severed in an abortion. Just writing that out gets me all upset again... wow!
Now, I completely understand the anti-abortion position and have never considered having one as it violates my beliefs. Yes, we live in America where we all have a right to our opinion and the right to free speech. That's fine, and I respect that right for all of us and am grateful for it. But, when it's used in such a way that surely caused hurt and pain to some women driving by is abusing that privilege!
I personally know some women who have had them and now deal with the deep seated, painful emotional affects of their decision. I also know that those women would be ripped to the core to see that sign glaring at them at an intersection where you can't avoid seeing it. How utterly insensitive to blast us with this horrific image! This in no way shows compassion and love to those who are hurting! I feel the same way when I see images of aborted babies on Facebook.
Do people really think that showing those pictures will keep some young woman from having an abortion or lead them to serve G-d? Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I suspect that kind of thing has the opposite affect of pushing people away. And, if that man truly thinks he's serving his G-d by standing there with that sign, he's sorely mistaken! I don't think he and I serve the same G-d to be honest.
Is it fair or right to hold others outside our belief system to our standards?
Isn't it G-d who draws His chosen to Himself?
Do we honor Him when we inflict unnecessary pain on another?
Please, is it too much to ask to show compassion and kindness to those who are hurting? Take off the blinders and look around at the people... the people. If you've read any of my older posts, you know that I've spent way too much time in the self-righteous camp, thinking a lot like that guy on the corner, I'm sure.
Please, if this kind of thing really helps people, set me straight...
"...but you shall love your neighbor as yourself, I am the LORD." ~Lev. 19:18
"And He said to him, ‘ You shall love the Lord your G-d with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘ You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” ~Matthew 22:37-40
4 comments:
Absolutely and amein.
To stand and claim justifiable righteousness which is what is actually occuring here is NOT representative of loving your neighbor as yourself. in fact it is fingerpointing, judging and a very twisted action done in the name of G-d. Not much different than other self righteous actions by individuals claiming to stand up for G-d.
I'm not a particularly religious person, but I couldn't agree with you more! Very well said.
I'm going to go out on a limb here and be the voice of difference. Having had an abortion, I resent that planned parenthood blatently lied to me telling me it wasn't a baby yet, it was a blob of tissue. If someone had told or showed me the truth, I surely would have made a different decision ! I have voluntgeered at a crisis pregnancy center where we educated girls who came for tests and told them the truth so when they had to make their choice, they at least had the whole picture rather than a lie that appeases their conscience. Don't get me wrong, I am not for blowing up abortion centers or screaming at girls who are trying to enter one, but I think they should be given the truth. There has to be a middle ground. I have also participated in silent pro life marches and for me it was part of my healing from having had an abortion, trying to right a wrong as it were.
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