Demand That Men Be Responsible
Jesus Christ is Risen! Alleluia! He is Risen indeed! Alleluia!
A couple of weeks ago I began to write about being a pro-life follower of Christ. I addressed the topics of war, capital punishment, and self-defense. At the end, I began to address the issue of unexpected pregnancy and abortion. I referred to the need to name men’s (and boy’s!) responsibilities regarding unexpected pregnancy.
We must do more to demand that men be responsible in their relations with women. We need to remind men that women are not always the willing partners that men think they are. Moral theologian, Stanley Hauerwas, asks us to consider a vulnerable teenage girl (for example 14, 15, 16 years old) who is lonely, considered to be unattractive and not popular among her peers. When she is seduced/invited into a sexual relation with a 17, 18, 19 year old, or even older “man,” her vulnerability and immaturity makes that sexual encounter anything but free. It may not be considered rape in legal terms, but what then should we call it? Her age, her self-esteem, her self-image, her desire to belong and her loneliness all contribute to her inability to enter freely into a profound and intimate relationship with an older boy/man. We must call men/boys to be respectful, unselfish, wise, and mature, not deceptive and manipulative. And, if a child is to be born and raised we say, “Men, do your part!”
Regarding respect for life, I find much to be admired in the organization “Feminists For Life” (FFL). It is not a faith-based organization, but their philosophy is easily integrated into Christian faith. They are direct and offer practical remedies for people facing difficult pre-natal circumstances. FFL reminds us that early feminists had a deep respect for life. Abortion has never been a good option for women. Their motto is “Women Deserve Better Than Abortion!” They teach about “The Feminization of Poverty” and have posters proclaiming, “Abortion only masks the problems women face.” Additionally, they offer a College Outreach Program because that age group has the highest rate of abortion. Through that program they teach women about how to stay in college even if they are pregnant. Furthermore, they teach college personnel about ways to provide supportive campus environments for pregnant women and new mothers. Go to their website for articles and ideas about how to make a difference in the “respect life” movement.
https://www.feministsforlife.org/our-work/
More coming on this issue including FFL’s website feature: “Pro-woman answers to Pro-choice questions.”
Jesus Christ is Risen! Alleluia! He is Risen indeed! Alleluia!
Peace, Fr. Andy