Those who make a living positioned in Washington, D.C., may think the rest of us are positioned on a beach with our heads in the sand.
No way. Nearly every day, I skim through a dozen or more articles and commentaries on national events. This blog exists for two reasons: 1) To encourage other ezer (“helper”) women and the men in the lives, and 2) To help my neighbors and me think – then engage.
So, in case you’ve been at the beach — or up to your neck not in sand, but with family and work – and haven’t had time to hear what’s going on, here’s a quick read of the news:
- The Grand Lake Patriots is a movement of former teachers who make the agenda of the National Education Assocation (NEA) known. The Patriots group recently hosted a presentation by former educators who are calling attention to how the NEA actively promotes abortion and the homosexual agenda. Judy Bruns reports that thousands of dollars in teachers’ union dues are going to homosexual organizations. “In just two year’s time, between $350,000 and $400,000 . . . was given to the Gay, Lesbian [and Straight] Education Network [GLSEN],” she explains. “They also gave to the Human Rights campaign, [which] is a gay activist organization.” Bruns, during her time as a NEA member, tried along with other Christians to encourage the union leadership to at least take a neutral position on abortion and homosexuality. The NEA refused to do so. The Grand Lake Patriots speak at events throughout Ohio. There is a similar group speaking up about the pro-homosexuality efforts of the teacher’s union in California. You may learn more from OneNewsNow.
- Population-doomsayers continue to proclaim: “There are too many people!” Speaking in New York recently, Al Gore warned that the world will drown in pollution unless we stabilize population growth. He suggests that we do this through “fertility management” and “educating and empowering women and girls” to make the right choices. “Right choices” to those of the liberal persuasion are limiting families through contraception and abortion but, I note, not limiting “rights” for anyone to engage in the procreative act of sex. (Huh?) Don Feder offers this truth: “You can’t have progress — of any kind — without population growth . . . More people equal a greater capacity for production, development of resources and innovation – which in turn leads to higher standards of living all around.” I’ve long subscribed to the belief that over-population is a myth. However, under-population, as Feder notes, could soon become reality. He writes: “When there aren’t enough young workers to pay the pensions of the elderly… When one child is asked to care for two retired parents and four elderly grandparents… When the housing market collapses because there aren’t enough buyers for existing (not to mention new) housing units… When developing nations are drained of young men to meet the labor needs of developed nations which refuse to reproduce in adequate numbers… When a nation’s one-child-per-family policy results in a situation in which millions of young men will never be able to find wives — that’s under-population. ” (Excerpted from Don Feder’s speech to the Moscow Demographic Summit. Read more of “Demography is Destiny” by visiting Mercatornet.)
- A study has come out from the University of Iowa indicating that women who were sexually active as teens — prior to marriage — were more likely to divorce as adults. This goes without mentioning the risks of unwed pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections, single parenthood, emotional baggage, and HIV/AIDS. So, it makes perfect sense that sexual abstinence – “just say ‘no'” education – would be in the best interests of children, parents, and the government. But, government begs to differ. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released grant money to promote healthy marriages. Grant money, however, cannot be used for abstinence education. That’s because “abstinence education” is listed as one of the “unallowable activities” under the Healthy Marriage and Relationship Grant. (Huh?) Read more by visiting The Heritage Foundation.
- Diane Sawyer, on ABC World News , reported on a Christian counseling center run by Dr. Marcus Bachmann, the husband of Michelle Bachmann. Sawyer introduced the report, “Michelle Bachmann Family Business Exposed!” Sawyer’s lead question: “Is the Republican superstar making money trying to turn gay people straight?” For years, I have been following the work of Exodus International and other sexual orientation change efforts (SOCE). I have collected stories of men and women who left the homosexual and lesbian lifestyles behind. Some have married. Some have become parents. Contrary to the mainstream media, there is no harm done. No pressing down with guilt but, rather, a lifting of the burden that often separates a man or woman from the God who made them. Recommended sites: Exodus International , Love Won Out, and Joseph Nicolosi.
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Ezerwoman's Blog 
Demi Moore, Abortion & Prostitution
Posted in Biblical manhood & womanhood, Commentaries of others, Culture Shifts, Faith & Practice, Identity, Life issues, tagged abortion, Breakpoint, children, Chuck Colson, CNN, Demi Moore, feminism, Indian sex trade, Mara Hvistendahl, men, missing women, Nepalese girls, Ross Douthat, sanctity of human life, sex trade, sex traffic, sex-selection abortion, women on July 12, 2011| Leave a Comment »
Colson, in his Breakpoint commentary of July 8, noted that Moore became emotional during the broadcast. Understandably so. Slavery and bondage as a prostitute should never happen. But the problem, Colson believes, is that we are ignoring the driving force of this “inhumane traffic in innocence.”
The New York Times ran an article following the CNN documentary titled “160 Million and Counting.” It referred to the number of “missing” women in the world. Colson points out “missing” as in “disappeared,” rather, as in “never born in the first place.”
Ross Douthat, author of the Times article, reminded readers that 26 years ago the number of “missing” women was estimated by experts to be 100 million. These experts concluded, after examining skewed sex ratios in China and India, “that something terrible was happening.” Twenty year later, the estimate has grown by 60%. But those concerned about this terrible thing, Douthat notes, remain reluctant to name the cause: abortion.
Colson writes, “Citing the work of social scientist Mara Hvistendahl, Douthat points out an uncomfortable truth: what Times readers would no doubt see as ‘female empowerment’ lies behind the missing women. According to Hvistendahl, in places like India, ‘women use their increased autonomy’ to abort their daughters and ‘select for sons,’ who enhance their social status.”
Sex-selection abortion may have originated among the “affluent,” but now all women can select — or reject — their preborn child based on sexual preference.
What is the impact? Colson notes a 2008 article by two Loyola Law School professors who found that by “reducing the number of potential brides, selective abortion in India increased the demand for sex workers.” And, Colson continues, “one way that ‘demand’ is being filled is through the Nepalese girls featured in the CNN documentary. The ‘lucky’ ones are ‘smuggled and purchased from poor countries like Nepal and Bhutan to be brides for Indian men.’ The more unfortunate are sold into the Indian sex trade.”
India and China have outlawed the practice of sex-selection abortion because of the social ills and suffering. But the practice continues because, says Colson, “cultural norms are hard to overcome.”
Douthat notes that sex-selection abortion puts Western liberals “in a distinctly uncomfortable position.” Colson explains why. “They can’t deny the reality of the practice but, at the same time, their own worldview leaves them hanging in mid-air.”
“After all, they insist ‘that the unborn aren’t human beings yet, and that the right to an abortion is nearly absolute.’ ” But, continues Colson, “160 million missing women and the suffering it radiates in all directions tells you where that kind of thinking inevitably leads.”
Colson concludes, “It’s hard to imagine a better example of the poverty of modern thinking: faced with a great evil and unable to address the answer.”
Slavery and prostitution are great evils. But, the Christian worldview addresses the answer. When we value human life in the womb, we will better value and protect all human life. Including Nepalese girls.
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Breakpoint is published by Prison Fellowship ministries.
For further reading: “Gender Discrimination Fuels Sex Selective Abortions” (Lemoine & Tanagho, Loyola University of Chicago School of Law, 2-23-08); “160 Million and Counting” (Douthat, New York Times, 6-26-11); “It’s Raining Men” (Kim Moreland, Breakpoint blog, 5-24-11)
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