Here’s a Viewpoint article by Mary Hatch that appeared in the May 25, 2022, issue of the Mecklenburg Sun titled “What’s the man’s role?“.
When I first read the Bible verse about Jesus witnessing the Pharisees who were going to stone an adulteress woman and he saved her, I said to myself, “Thank you Jesus.” But, then I wondered, why wasn’t the man going to be stoned also? An affair takes two. But, what Jesus said to the scribes and Pharisees spoke volumes: “Let him who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” What He said to the hypocrites in reality was, what this woman did is between Me and the woman — I alone will judge her. As Jesus said at another time, “Get the beam out of your own eye before you take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” Interpretation: Tend to your own business.
With this in mind, since the Religious Right wants to overturn Roe v. Wade and in several states there will be prison sentences from 1 to 20 years (and in two states up to life in prison), why isn’t the man going to prison also? Many times, when a woman gets pregnant the man will say, “I can’t afford a child — I’ll pay for the abortion, but I’m not supporting it.” And because we are the worst developed country in the world for health care for pregnant women without means (according to an article by Health Research May 5, 2015), where does the woman turn for help to bring the baby to term? Per this article, a woman in the US faces a one-in-1,800 risk of maternal death. The top countries in the world for aiding maternal women are: Norway, Finland, Iceland, Denmark, Sweden, Netherlands, Spain, Germany, Australia and Belgium. Could that be why their abortion rates are lower? These countries understand that most women having abortions are because of economics.
In the U.S. we now have the greatest divide between rich and poor since the Great Depression, per Pew Research. We started our decline from the 1990s till now with our factories and jobs going overseas. But, that is another article. So, what are women going to do in this economy which has been shredded by Covid, jobs overseas, inflation, and the GOP and Trump giving the biggest tax cut to the ultra-rich when some of that money could have gone for: helping women bring healthy babies to term through transition to adoption; or keeping the baby. Instead of the biggest tax cut for large corporations who don’t pay taxes, we could have spent money needed for trade schools and apprenticeship programs so the middle class could earn a living wage. Instead of saying to his wife or girlfriend, “I can’t support the baby — have an abortion,” the two would be able to nurture the baby and bring this baby into a kinder world. This is how our politicians should be thinking and planning instead of thrashing the intent of what our Founding Fathers meant by “Right to Privacy, Liberty of Conscience, and A Wall of Separation.” This was Madison’s and Jefferson’s impetus for the First Amendment. Per Robert Boston’s brilliant book about separation of church and state, Madison and Jefferson’s driving force in framing the Bill of Rights and Constitution was from witnessing religious persecution, which they were appalled at because that is why their great grandparents came to America — to escape religious persecution and watching neighbors being burned at the stake in England. Madison was enraged when he witnessed five or six men in a prison in Virginia because of their religious beliefs. He was furious and wrote to Thomas Jefferson and the rest was history. Madison and Jefferson were also well aware of church floggings. Side note: If Madison and Jefferson had the foresight to know that abortion and homosexuality were going to be a huge issue, they would have tackled it. But in their times, abortion was allowed up until the “quickening” (the baby’s first kick). And homosexuality was basically tolerated. Washington even hired a well-known homosexual (Frederick Von Steuben) to train his army because he was the best. Hamilton was apparently gay and also John Laurens, president of the Continental Congress. How has this nation become so intolerant? Why is our Religious Right more about persecution and condemning people than having the “Heart of Christ?” Here is the kicker, “I’m not really for abortion and I’m Christian, but I don’t want to join the Pharisees in throwing stones and persecuting women. I also respect the passion of our Founding Fathers who wanted government out of our private lives and out of the bedroom. The Pharisees are taking out the stones in the Wall of Separation and throwing them at women. My advice to the poor pregnant women — Go to Norway, Sweden or any country but here to bring your baby to term. Turning the GOP and the Religious Right to “the Heart of Christ” would take a miracle.