The Irish Vote
June 1, 2018
The Irish Vote
~~~~~~~~~~
These are some thoughts I had on the vote in Ireland on the legalisation of abortion. I was interested because I’m from the U.K. myself, lived in Scotland til I was 23, and have family in Ireland. I’m also interested because of the large Catholic vote and their stance on abortion, as well as my own. I’m not Catholic, but I don’t agree with abortion, though I did take a birth control pill for several years to prevent pregnancy. I thought it was the right thing to do at the time. It was a time of freedom for women and freedom of choice.
If I’d had the option to vote now, however, I may have voted no to making it legal, though I am for people making their own personal choices. It is, after all, about taking a life, which some do anyway, regardless of existing laws about that.
It is about not respecting the right of another (yet unborn) being’s right to live. It is about destroying potential before it has had a chance to develop. It is often about suffering, because the baby is often removed in pieces and/or discarded like some piece of trash. The thought of it makes me angry and very upset, sick to the stomach.
Yet, ending a life is a very selfish choice people make, quite often, for another innocent and unsuspecting person. However, we do have laws against that…..just not for yet unborn babies.
It horrifies me to think about it, but I fear I may possibly have had an abortion at one time. I would like to find out for sure and think sometimes on just how I could do that. It would be good to find out and either rest my mind or deal with it.
It was a long time ago. I had perhaps missed my usual period. I’m not sure. Memory does not serve me well. In any case, I went to see the doctor. I was active sexually at that time with one partner in a beginning relationship and I was using birth control pills.
I remember I was asked what I would think about having a baby. I believe I said that I had not considered it, i was taking precautions, and that now probably wasn’t a very good time in my life to consider motherhood, really. It wasn’t part of my immediate plans as a single teacher in the community.
I was asked about the history of my periods. They were always quite heavy, lasting about a week, and quite uncomfortable. I would have discomfort for a week before the period. So half of my month was about the period. Not pleasant.
The doctor suggested doing a D and C, to remove some of the thick lining of the womb, which might help relieve the heavy period. Nothing was said regarding abortion. The word never came up. I don’t know if I was not informed, blind, or in denial, or what….
I may appear stupid or thoughtless to you but I am trying to be honest about the situation. It plagues me even now to think about it. I signed up for the D and C and it was done. I did not think about it much. Nothing was said at any time about the procedure, or afterwards, but over the years I have wondered, because I heard of people going to have a D and C for the purpose of abortion. I remembered the question about whether or not I would want to have a baby. I wondered. Was I pregnant? No one actually said so…..there was only that question. I should think there should have been a more definitive statement as to that likelihood, if it existed.
Should I have questioned further? Was it something implicit? Was I complicit? I search myself and my memory and I honestly wonder…..
I spent about 6 years after that in this same live in relationship. I began to realise that I did want a baby of my own, watching others have them, seemingly at the drop of a hat and I was unable to get pregnant, even without precautions. I would hold other people’s babies and my arms actually ached for my own child.
Even after I was married (in a different relationship) for a year, there was no child. We went to see the doctor. Apparently I was ok, but my husband had a problem that could be helped in certain ways. We changed things up and kept trying. We wanted a child together!
I had come to a place of faith and bible reading. In my studies, I found Hannah in the book of Samuel, and her prayer for a child, which was answered. I asked God for a child to bring up for Him. I DID become pregnant! It was a wonderful miracle. I would bring up this child to know God……and I did just that.
I still ponder about the abortion question, both personally and for others. If the first case was indeed somehow an unidentified abortion, I am amazed and blessed by the grace of God in giving me a second chance to have and to bring up a child.
I believe God gives us free will to make choices, whether good ones or bad ones, and we usually live with the consequences of our choices, happy or unhappy. So, in the case of abortion, while I approve of the right to chose (that we all have in everything), I do not, and cannot approve of the choice to end life, once that life has been set in motion by conception.
I have talked to women contemplating abortion and found that when the women did decide to keep the baby, those women have been immeasurably blessed by the life they once contemplated ending. That speaks volumes.
I believe that even if you have chosen to have an abortion, there is hope. If you regret that choice, do not give up on yourself. If it weighs terribly upon your conscience, there is a loving and forgiving God who loves a broken and contrite heart, who provides a way of repentance and who is the author of renewal and restoration in the worst of scenarios.
These are my thoughts on the matter of abortion, for whatever they might be worth to the person who reads them. Some may not agree with my views as expressed here. That is as much their right and their option as it is mine to hold these views and opinions. Some may find me foolish. I’m not pretending to be wise.
Ireland has chosen to make abortion a legal choice, but could it ever be a good moral one? Personally I doubt it. Who will speak for the helpless unborn child?
Choices are made by people each and every day around the topics of abortion, murder, euthanasia and suicide, all of which mean the taking of a life. Desperate people make desperate decisions. Others make often carefully calculated choices. Laws are made and broken.
May God guide us and give us wisdom as we move through this life making important choices like this one on abortion.
Ann ❤
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Ann's Corner 
Hi Ann. Powerful stuff. I remember working for a large church here in Orlando which helped operate a pregnancy center which has contributed to preventing more than 5,000 abortions over the years. One of center’s outreaches is to women who have had an abortion, to let them know that God’s abundant grace is available to those who seek it. They assure the woman that first, the aborted baby is safely and lovingly with God, and that second, God bestows His grace upon those who repent and seek Him in humility.
This pretty much meshes with what you said in the second half of your post, and I think you communicated it beautifully. May God bless you in the exciting but challenging days ahead!
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Thank you, David, for the encouragement. It is much appreciated ❤
I’m glad you got to work with a church that initiated such a positive resource for women making potentially life changing decisions. What a powerful impact for change!
Thanks for dropping by and adding your thoughts.
Many blessings!
Ann
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