We Need a Law has written a thorough piece defending their view that gestational limits, or incrementalism as it is sometimes known, is the way to fight abortion in the political arena in Canada today. I tend to agree, though one thoughtful pastor (Protestant, I may as well mention, since so often I think people believe that Catholics are against incrementalism and Protestants for) did present me with some thoughtful arguments on why one might be against incrementalism.

Anyway, the challenge WNAL thoughtfully places before you, if you disagree with them, is to convince them on why they are wrong:

We want to conclude with a challenge. If you think we are wrong, please address these points one by one and explain why. Be specific.

This matters, greatly. It’s no great secret that the pro-life movement is not unified on this matter. And we need unity if we are going to stand up and fight together.

I personally think, without wanting to be insulting, that those who are against incrementalism in the political sphere aren’t actually called to fight abortion in the political sphere. We need educators in the cultural sphere who won’t waver one bit: We know when life begins and we should teach this. But to preach non-incrementalism in the political environment is an exercise in futility.

I say this as someone who is more on the educational side of the battle myself. (Three arms to being pro-life these days: Educational, Political and Charitable.)

Anyway, I know the division. And I know that pro-lifers are a strong-minded crew, myself very much included. If we can discuss this thoughtfully–we’ll be one step ahead.

If you have thoughts to email, please send them to info [at] weneedalaw.ca

An Italian blogger, journalist, and mother of four, is making waves in Europe and it seems to be hitting the shores of North America. She has recently published a book about marriage, but it is certainly no ordinary book, at least not by today’s standards.  It has sold over 100,000 copies, but the subject concerns female submission in marriage, and how it makes marriages happy and healthy.  She doesn’t mean submission in the bad sense of the word.  She means be the peacemaker, be the column that stands beneath the structure and holds it up, or the neck that turns the head – something like that.

But whatever her intent, Constanza Miriano’s book Get Married and Submit (Cásate y Sé Sumisa in Italian) has ignited protests, book burnings and a call from a Spanish member of parliament for the book to be banned.  I only wish the likes of Fifty Shades of Grey had incited the same reaction from feminists!

Sarah Rainey in this Telegraph article is indignant and disparages the book wholeheartedly, but she does refer to an expert who has this to say:

Sam Owen, a relationships coach and psychologist, says the resurgence of traditional notions about marriage is due to the breakdown of society. “There are now so many single parents and broken homes, and married couples that are still together tend to be parents and grandparents. If people are hankering for an old-fashioned marriage, it’s often because so much of it worked so well.”

See this BBC interview with Constanza of Get Married and Submit here.

[youtube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=og48h85r564]

Confusion reigns in pro-choice camps over the closure of the New Brunswick Morgentaler clinic. Jonathon Van Maren touches on it here. I also write about it over at WeNeedaLaw.ca:

Farquhar is brazen in claiming that the New Brunswick government is in clear violation of the Act. I can’t imagine any lawyer worth their salt making that kind of legal assessment. In fact, Health Canada even states that it’s up to each province to determine for itself which procedures are considered medically necessary.

Even the Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada states that the determination of whether a procedure should be deemed “medically necessary” is “a matter of professional medical judgment, based on the patient’s particular circumstances and needs.” Heck, that almost sounds like New Brunswick’s policy – two physicians assessing each patient individually, on a case by case basis, in accordance with their professional judgment.

Those who lament the closing of this abortion clinic call themselves “pro-choice.” Indeed, “choice” is the governing principle of their movement. “My body, my choice” is the best known slogan. Perhaps they do not realize the conundrum. For if abortion is truly a personal choice, how on earth can it also be medically necessary?

I want to draw your attention to this new web site, Porn Fuels Rape.

My friends Daniel Gilman and Jonathan Van Maren have started this important initiative. They held an event at University of Ottawa campus recently.

Here’s what I love about this initiative:

• sexual ethics or the lack thereof is a real problem in our culture, particularly on campus
• this problem is typically addressed by (for lack of a better word) leftist feminists on campus
• leftist feminists on campus want to end sexual abuse, of this I am sure
• they do not come up with productive ideas on how to do so
• men need to speak to men about the nature of the problem
• porn is ubiquitous and I have seen it take good men down
• if we aren’t brave enough to identify porn as a major societal problem, then nothing’s gonna change

Enter Daniel, Jonathan and Peter with a public condemnation of porn, so much of which is coerced and actually rape itself, and which fuels the lucrative industry of human trafficking. They also bring the Christian message of hope and redemption into their presentation as I understand it. (I wasn’t able to attend.)

Courageous Canadians. They should be in the Globe and Mail when they do those Top 30 under 30 rankings. I know they won’t be, and I know these guys aren’t asking for recognition. They’ll get their reward in due course when someone more important than a Globe editor (imagine that!) says, “Well done, my good and faithful servants.”

Here’s Jonathan:

[youtube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_T6MeGrc0E#t=32]

Here’s Daniel:

[youtube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqSfPzpRFco]

Sad. From the Pew Research Global Values project.

Alternatively, should I be encouraged? One in four Canadians believe abortion is unacceptable! That’s strong language.

Click around a bit, there are some really interesting global comparisons. I see there are limitations to only having three possible answers: “Acceptable,” “Unacceptable,” and “not a moral issue.” Still, interesting.

…to get the good people who want to make a movie about America’s worst serial killer to their goal. These fine Irish folks are on to something. Talented people with a good idea. And a mere 3000 dollars gets you Ann’s signature dish! What could be better! Donate here. And forward to friends.

[youtube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiwkEYB5qcs]

And isn’t that what this here World Wide Web is about? I was angry with the Sports Illustrated display all around me, roughly two months ago. Why is it OK to display porn like that? How many times have I been in convenience stores and wanted to turn magazines around? I need to figure out a way of coping. These ladies found one. Thank you, Photoshop.

They posted this on Facebook with the following comment:

I was all charged up for National “Make A Scene At Your Local Grocery Store” Day since the Sports Illustrated Swimsuits edition just hit stands. However, I’m very pleased to announce I was instead able to celebrate “Thank Your Local Grocer For Having Common Sense And NOT Putting Porn At Kid’s Eye Level” Day. They don’t make cards for that one. Furthermore, because I had to re-channel all that unused rage, here… the most useless and stupid graphic we’ve ever made.

I was almost (ALMOST) ashamed to put our name on it.

Almost ashamed to re-post here, and on such a time lag, too, but really, I was mad about that cover and never did get to talk it out anywhere. Posting this is part of my healing journey. And nobody can deny me my healing journey. Noooooo body!

So, so very often, when pro-choice feminists study what it means to be pro-life, they totally and utterly miss the mark. I agree with Big Blue Wave’s assessment of this attempt. (I have not yet read the full article, which appears to rely heavily on only one pro-life group for the pro-life side.)

I suppose this is what happens when you don’t know any pro-lifers:

Pro-lifers aren’t given a balanced description; words and assumptions are put in their mouths.

I should make a better attempt to put forward a bit of a Pro-Life Manifesto. Here’s what I believe, and why. I mean, I have tried, but clearly, it’s not enough.

A young woman who believes marriage still matters. Crazy.

Thoughts on Jesus and leadership from Brian Lilley: “Couldn’t we use a little of  that servant leadership today?”

I have to say, I see plenty of ‘servant leadership’ from the pro-lifers with whom I connect. They pour out their lives for those who can’t speak up in defence of their own lives.

I’m a member of the pro-life movement because I don’t feel like I have a choice to do otherwise. Abortion is a gross human rights violation.

But it’s the people – the people in this movement – that make fighting this fight a little…easier. If I can put it that way. It’s hard topic to think about day in and day out, but pro-lifers are some of the most selfless, loving people I have ever met. And I think that’s a great credit to this movement.