Is Life Cruel?

This past weekend I overheard a woman telling a sad story. This woman's brother impregnated a sixteen year old girl who was addicted to alcohol and drugs. Although she said her brother was ready to be a father, she and several others close to the situation urged the pregnant girl to get an abortion. They contend that it would be cruel not to have an abortion seeing that the mother's addictions would certainly damage the baby severely. This is a common argument for those who support abortions. The argument can be presented in a very convincing way and may initially seem like the "right" thing to do. I thought about it more throughout the day and the following couple days, and I am still convinced that abortion in this circumstance is not morally right even in this instance. Here is why:

The most precious gift from God is life. I'll pose this question to you: What is crueler, to attempt to bring a baby into this life with the understanding that the baby will likely have severe health issues or to deny that baby any chance of life? In other words, is it better to have lived and suffered than to have never experienced life at all? I think when people say things like what I heard over the weekend, their thoughts and intentions are not usually bad. This woman truly thought that it would be best for everyone that this young, troubled girl have an abortion. The problem is that she forgot about the baby. That's often the case with those who support abortion. Is it really cruel to bring the baby into this world or is it a great responsibility for those people close to the baby? This baby will likely require great attention and love. When she says having the baby is cruel, is she speaking for the baby or for herself and her family?

I have heard the argument that it is better for the society as a whole that a woman chose to have an abortion in cases where the baby has a severe health issue or the parents can not or will not take care of the baby. Should the entire society be responsible for this baby when the mother is a drug abuser and the father is a high school drop out? The baby will grow up in a terrible environment and likely be a trouble for society. I have a problem with that, because the baby's life is valued less than the mother's or the fathers or some random taxpayer. Not only that, but we are making assumptions that may or may not be accurate.

As loving Christians, we are called to love God and love one another. This includes those who are sick and the unfortunate. We are called to care for the least of our brothers. It is never a defense to argue that a baby may be a burden for society. Life is not a burden, but a gift. I believe responsibility is often confused with burden. The mistakes of parents may at times adversely affect their children, but they should not be an excuse to end the life of their child. Think about the child. What really is cruel? It's easy for a person to sit here and say it's cruel to bring a baby into this world who is in severe pain, but it's not so easy if you put yourself in the place of the baby. Would you want to be aborted? You are not thinking about what's best for the baby when you chose an abortion. I remember reading a story about a father who lost his child just moments after birth, but those few minutes were the happiest moments of his life. The baby did not make it, but they did everything they could to keep the baby alive. That baby did not live long but her life had a huge impact on her father's life and it turned out that it impacted several lives. So is life cruel or is it the denial of life that is truly cruel? Think about it. Chose life!