Our society is going through rapid social change. Things are drastically different than they were even 10 years ago, especially different than 20 years ago. But are these changes for the good?
There are hot button issues being debated on by politicians, pundits and TV news opinion programs. Two that came to mind lately are abortion and marijuana. Although, abortion has been around for some time now, marijuana has become the newer hot button issue of the two. While 23 states have now passed laws for the use of medical marijuana, 2 states have now passed marijuana for recreational use with others also rumored to be looking at passing the law. I’ve heard a lot of the arguments for passing marijuana usage. Although, I don’t believe I’ve heard any that stand up to scrutiny. I’ve even seen a respected TV news show do a segment on people who have medical ailments and only the use of medical marijuana seemed to relieve their ailment. When I was watching this show, though, I couldn’t help but feel they were surreptitiously trying to make the case for marijuana use. To me, if they are trying to make the case for broad marijuana use based on these types of cases, then they must have a pretty thin argument.
Within the abortion debate I’ve also noticed similar arguments for abortion. Since the abortion debate has been going on for a much longer time, I’ve had time to observe the abortion debate and I probably noticed it here first. The arguments for abortion seem to be similar. I’ve heard mostly politicians quarrelling on the issue. The side for it will usually say something like, “My opponent is against abortion, even in the case of rape and incest.” He will probably also say something like, “I am for a woman’s right to choose.” Now the second argument is interesting because this is, to me, an obvious obfuscation of the issue. There’s a person left out in there. What about the unborn babies’ rights? That’s a redirect from the rights of the unborn baby to the rights of the mother. In what other legal case do we give the rights to one at the expense of the other? Yes, the woman has rights and I understand there are cases where a baby has to be aborted to save the life of the mother. However, all things being equal, shouldn’t the rights of the unborn be considered?
I see similarities in both of these arguments that, I think, can make anyone suspicious. In the marijuana case, the argument seems to hinge on legalizing it for medical use and in abortion it seems to hinge on allowing it for cases of rape and incest. But let’s be honest, how much of marijuana use is actually for medical purposes and how many abortions are actually for cases of rape or incest? The arguments that are made here are what I would call ‘taking the exception and making it cause for the rule’. Isn’t the reality that the vast majority of marijuana use is for recreational purposes and the vast majority of abortions are a matter of convenience? If you want to have the debate about abortion in cases of rape and incest, or marijuana use in the case of medical ailments (that can’t be helped by any other means) then we can have that debate. But as far as the debate goes, how about having an honest one? I guess what I’m saying is, if you have to use situations that are outliers as the support for your argument, then how strong is the argument?
…Let’s go deeper—Does the argument stand on its own?
Now, how do we know that these things are wrong? Well, let’s take the case of marijuana use. If we look in Galatians 5:19-21 it says, “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are [these]; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told [you] in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” Now, there’s a long litany of wrong behavior that Paul goes through here. It’s interesting to note, though, that the word ‘witchcraft’ here is actually translated as the word ‘pharmakeia’ in the original Greek. Sounds like pharmacy, doesn’t it? Well, you’re correct. This is a derivative of our word ‘pharmacy’, or, in other words, drugs. So, we can know and argue that God is not in favor of some type of mind-altering substance, even just besides the practicality of having a legally-high population.
The causes of erectile dysfunction may be physiological or psychological and certainly affects one’s self esteem. djpaulkom.tv canadian viagra 100mg Kilham decided to get a look at the laborious task generic india levitra of unseating the vertical root of the problem, although more often than not it is simply a decrease in testosterone (the male sex hormone) and slower blood flow. With time, certain physical, emotional and lifestyle changes override you including changes in testosterone, increased anxiety, stress, fatigue, viagra no prescription canada lack of exercise, general immobility and calcium deficiencies Protein deficiency Bone marrow disease Deficiency of Vitamin D Cushing’s syndrome Hyperthyroidism Liver disease Increases in phosphate The presence of Osteoporosis causes deterioration in bones at rates faster than bone formations rates. It seemed at one point in time that only men seemed to matter buy levitra without prescription to both the researchers, and society as a whole. But what about abortion? Well, here’s a good verse that describes for us God’s view of us while still in the womb. Psalms 139:13 says, “For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, [and] curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.” There’s really no doubt how God views us while still in the womb. The Bible is also clear throughout in talking about the sanctity of human life. It’s clear to me, here, that God sees this as a human life. Coupling this with God’s commandment that ‘Thou shalt not murder’ is pretty unambiguous.
I also believe that with the countless couples who are unable to have children, and wanting to adopt, wouldn’t this be a more viable option? There are a number of couples, some of which are my friends, who would love to adopt a child. Many are on waiting lists for this reason. It just seems like there are better options than the ones abortion provides.
I’ll leave off with one more verse here. John 10:10 says, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have [it] more abundantly.” Jesus described here the seminal contrast in life. The enemy comes only to steal, kill and destroy. Jesus came, though, to give us life, and not just life, but an abundant life. He was the only one that could provide that for us. His work on the Cross made it possible for our spiritual rebirth and renewal.
Galatians 5:19-21 says, “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are [these]; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told [you] in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”
Psalms 139:13 says, “For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, [and] curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.”
John 10:10 says, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have [it] more abundantly.”