If I were a faithful Episcopalian (Anglican)–this would be my big moment to jump ship.
“Rev.” Katherine Ragsdale, newly appointed as dean of The Episcopal Divinity School sees virtually no circumstance when abortion is not a “blessing”:
And when a woman becomes pregnant within a loving, supportive, respectful relationship; has every option open to her; decides she does not wish to bear a child; and has access to a safe, affordable abortion – there is not a tragedy in sight — only blessing. The ability to enjoy God’s good gift of sexuality without compromising one’s education, life’s work, or ability to put to use God’s gifts and call is simply blessing.
My favourite part of her lecture is when she engages the audience in brainwashing:
These are the two things I want you, please, to remember – abortion is a blessing and our work is not done. Let me hear you say it: abortion is a blessing and our work is not done. Abortion is a blessing and our work is not done. Abortion is a blessing and our work is not done.
(Repeat.)
Now I don’t justify my pro-life stance exclusively on religious grounds. That a supposed cleric would justify her pro-abortion stance using religious language is… well, Rod Dreher used the word evil and I’m inclined to agree.
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Rebecca adds: Almost all of my pro-choice friends – the ones with whom I’ve discussed the issue, anyway – consider abortion to be a “necessary evil.” They often suggest that I, and others opposed to elective abortion, create straw men when we talk about a culture that does not just tolerate abortion but actually promotes it, and celebrates it. Being sensible, thoughtful people, they assume that everyone on the pro-choice side shares their perspective: disliking abortion, being uneasy about it, but believing that it must be an option open to women in general, even if they themselves would never choose it. And I maintain that there are in fact people who have no inner conflict about abortion, who not only don’t consider it the lesser of two undesired outcomes but actually believe that it’s a positive and empowering act in and of itself. A female cleric preaching that “abortion is a blessing” so that women can sleep around without having to alter their plans for education or “life’s work” is about as stark an example as I’ve ever heard.
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Deborah says
This is just . . . lightening-zapping-worthy. There aren’t very many things that make me want to barf, but this does.
Yeah, my in-laws recently jumped ship and are now happy Catholics. Sounds like there aren’t a whole lot of other options in Sydney, NS.
Tamara McNutt says
Its one thing for a person to say that abortion isn’t morally relevant, but to say that abortion is a blessing from God?? Wow. I seriously wonder what plane of reality that woman lives in.
Kyle Marie says
First, I love this blog. Thank you for putting this stuff out there.
This comment is just sad. What a disservice to Christian women. It, too, makes me want to loose my lunch.
Deborah says
Tamara — I agree. I’m pretty sure there’s at least one verse about God forming us in the womb (Jermiah 1:5 & Pslam 139, anyone?). Destroying him or her while He’s trying to do that . . . how can that possibly be a blessing? You are working against God.
rene says
‘Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil, who change darkness into light, and light into darkness, who change bitter into sweet, and sweet into bitter! ‘
Isaiah 5:20
BillyHW says
Anglicans: Making Catholics feel better about themselves since 1534.
Marauder says
Apologies for picking on the Anglicans, but what do you expect from a religion that began when a king wanted to get rid of his wife because she wasn’t giving him the “right” kind of babies?
Deborah says
FYI, her original blog post with the sermon magically disappeared, but the google cache is here:
http://74.125.93.104/search?q=cache:CBdn8HPfv20J:ragsdalesermons.blogspot.com/2008/08/our-work-is-not-done.html+http://ragsdalesermons.blogspot.com/2008/08/our-work-is-not-done.html&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us